Now that Tweetsville is out there, I thought I’d reflect a bit about where it came from and how it came to be.
When the app store opened, I downloaded several Twitter clients. Each was interesting in their own right, but I couldn’t use any of them because of one reason: the scrolling performance. I didn’t get why everyone’s scrolling was not as smooth as any of the built-in iPhone applications. For me, it made the apps frustrating to use, to the point that I just never used them.
In my last Tweetsville Update, I mentioned that there was something that might prevent me from working on Tweetsville going forward, despite the fact I just finished it. Well, that thing has finally materialized so I can finally say that I’m officially back at Apple starting today. It’s been weeks in the making, but it finally materialized late last week.
This time I’m working on iTunes instead of the OS group. Definitely a different type of thing than I’m used to — I’m more a framework/API type of guy — but I think it will be fun nonetheless. Especially since I’ll be working with one of my friends that I used to work with there.
Because it’s Apple, I’m under strict agreement not to have any type of side projects, etc. so it was important to find someone to care for Tweetsville from this point forward. It’s too cool of an application to just let it drop. Especially since I just added Flickr upload support and the ability to quit the app while typing a tweet and have it pick up where you left off next time you run the app this week (both should appear in some future release).
Anyway, that’s the close of this short chapter of my life, and the start of a shiny brand new one!
Just wanted to post an update as to what was happening with Tweetsville, my iPhone Twitter app.
First, it’s been approved for sale! But I haven’t seen it show up and sadly I don’t have a link to it. Read on for why.
The main reason the app was delayed so long coming out is because I had been been trying to figure out exactly what to do with it. I might be in a situation soon that will actually prevent me from being able to maintain the application, so I wanted to see if I could find a good stewart for my baby. I’ve chosen to hand the application over to Tapulous, maker of Tap Tap Revenge, Twinkle, FriendBook, Fortune and Collage, with whom I have a good working relation.
I think this is going to be great for Tweetsville, as they have better resources at their disposal to help support and grow the application. I also think they have some technology which can help Tweetsville be even better than it is. At the same time, there’s some stuff I did for my app that I believe will benefit Tapulous.
There is no plan to have Twinkle and Tweetsville merge. They are to be separate applications with separate audiences. Twinkle is about locality and the Tapulous network, and Tweetsville is purely a Twitter application.
One of the advantages here for users is that there will be choice. There will ultimately be two versions of Tweetsville. The first will be a paid version currently slated for $3.99. The second will come a few weeks later and will be a free ad-supported version.
I’m confident this will move is the best thing for the Tweetsville app as well as users in the long run. You’ll get more choices and better support than I would have been able to provide on my own. I feel the app is in good hands, as I have a great working relationship with Tapulous (I’m actually doing a little work on Twinkle 1.3 these days too).
So look for it to appear in the App Store on Monday the 10th of November!
Update Actually the date is apparently going to be the 12th.
