Never Can Tell http://nevercantell.com.au NCT Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:27:23 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Newsletter #1 http://nevercantell.com.au/newsletter1/ http://nevercantell.com.au/newsletter1/#comments Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:11:58 +0000 jason http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=921 What’s Never Can Tell up to ?
Which Apps are worth it ?
Why stay in touch ?

Going Bush

When we can, we like to get out of town to go “glamping” in our 4wd drive trailer, away from technology and usually out of mobile range.
Last month we headed north past Broken Hill to Mutawintji National Park, which was handed back to it’s traditional owners in 1998. Local indigenous rangers look after the after the park and conduct tour guides to significant sites. The country is reminiscent of the great rocky escarpments and waterholes found in the NT. We went on some fantastic walks before heading off to White Cliffs (think Coober Pedy only smaller). Every forty or so years the Queensland floods slowly seep south and fill this usually parched desert county with lakes and birds. The contrasting green growth on red earth is spectacular - pics.

Arse About

Six months ago most developers scrambled to convert their iPhone apps into iPad apps for the USA iPad launch. However we hadn’t quite completed our iPhone design and decided, after a few too many coffees at Marios cafe, to do an abrupt U-Turn and design Fiscal for the iPad first. In a week. Hell why not ?

Working late into the night with Darren Ledwich on the interface design and our sensational coder, it involved a lot of guess work. Keep in mind at this stage, we didn’t even own an iPad. Running the iPad simulation software on a MacPro proved to be a whole lot different to running the real thing on an iPad. So we finally caved in and bought one from USA – thanks MacTalk. It was exciting to be among one of the first thousand iPad apps ready in June.

It’s taken another couple of months and a new sync engine to turn Fiscal into the fast little demon Google Finance reader we wanted it to be. The graphs are simply gorgeous. For the rest of the world, who don’t have iPads, you can now buy Fiscal Slim for iPhone. And for the rest of the rest of the world who don’t own an iPhone – ummm get one ?

By the way, if you don’t have a Google account and can’t be bothered putting a few stocks in Google Finance you can use this demo account – Username: nct.demo@gmail.com; Password: nctdemon . Why did we decide to use Google Finance to edit and enter your shares ? Answer – a faster more robust app with less syncing issues. However getting the data from Google’s API, not so simple and the ASX data actually comes from Yahoo.

No Ads

For those who like their privacy you can opt out of iAds on your iOS 4 device. Apple will not use the information they know about you to display an iAd. Then again you might prefer the ads Big Brother chooses for you.

Go baby go

Our first born baby app is PB Go. It’s still selling all over the world and in the words of the infamous Mike McHugh whose kids participate in Little Athletics he “can be nerdy and watch the kids go for it at the same time”! As PB Go is designed to encourage kids, ALA really likes it too ! Watch this space. We even made a cute trailer. Next we’re adding customised events, so you can add your own 50m egg & spoon race or marathon. PB Go and Heads Up are both designed with the infamous and illustrious Alex Tyres.

iCal Beta

If you have a mobile me account you might like to log in online and try it. I like how you can invite people to an event from your phone. Sync before you jump.

Q jumper

Yep we waited five hours for our iPhone4s at Chadstone in the Telstra queue with Gene. Then they told us we had to come back at 10am, as in 6 hours time, to get them. But one look at my fiercest ice queen I don’t think so smile and they buckled. The iPhone4 screen is a work of art and yes its faster.

Lost in the land of Apps

Word of mouth is still the best way to discover good apps. Here’s a selection from a few smiling mouths.

Trippy iPad apps

• Gravitarium recommended by our brilliantly talented website builder
• Quantum an equally trippy one from the hipster Mr Garry Barker macman
• Osmos on the same theme but this one’s actually a real game that goes foof

11yo boy

Miles in his own words reviews in priority order …
• Modern Combat Sandstorm A modern day shoot em up with great online features. (should contain parental warning re addiction, Ed.)
• Angry Birds A great simple app where you try to destroy pigs castles with a range of different birds with different powers.
• Aussie Rules Live is an app that gives live coverage of AFL matches with a lot of stats and past stats. (Aust rules football)
• Pocket God is an amazing app with over 30 updates that add another feature to an already great game. You control the god of 5 islands where you can do painful things to the Pygmies.
Local talent

Compatriot ozzie developers apps we love + their twitter addresses to follow

• Oz Weather an oldie but a goodie from https://twitter.com/gpdawson
• Cities one of Bjango’s early apps I use all the time to deal with jetlag and to avoid ringing mates OS at 4am http://twitter.com/marcedwards
• Shop Ethical Shopping with a conscience from Outware who make great apps for clever clients http://twitter.com/outware
• The Incident retro groovers from WA http://twitter.com/theincidentapp
• The Early Edition stylish old school http://twitter.com/glasshouseapps

If you’d like to follow our backroom blog use the RSS feed button below.
And yes we twitter occasionally.

]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/newsletter1/feed/ 0 Better Best Butterfly Effect http://nevercantell.com.au/backroom/ http://nevercantell.com.au/backroom/#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 03:00:54 +0000 alli http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=668 The chrysalis for Fiscal, for iPad v2,  has been growing as we wrapped our heads around the iPad and just how different to an iPhone it really is. We were determined not to produce a grubby big iPhone version but something of beauty that sits with the iPad gracefully. So now the butterfly version of Fiscal for iPad is on the store and we think she’s pretty.  If you keep like to keep track of your portfolios in Google Finance you’ll find Fiscal now flies faster and has very intricate wing patterns in the graphs. The iPhone caterpillar version will appear on the store shortly.

]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/backroom/feed/ 0 Fiscal Slim http://nevercantell.com.au/fiscalslim/ http://nevercantell.com.au/fiscalslim/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 23:18:36 +0000 jason http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=652
Fiscal for iPad Fiscal Slim for iPhone

Fiscal Slim

Fiscal Slim puts your portfolio, in your pocket.

It’s the perfect precise Google Finance reader for your iPhone.

Track your stock and portfolio performance in three succinct screens.

Portfolios

A Consolidated Portfolio provides an overview of all your stocks across all your portfolios.

Total market value is displayed in your local currency with gain in percentage and dollars.

Stocks

Individual stocks are listed for each portfolio.

Toggle the column headers for market value or last price and change or gain.

Sort each column to see least or best performing stocks, greatest gain or most market value.

Select a stock code to graph its performance history.

Graphs

Touch the graph to easily correlate dates and pricing across one month to five years.

Slide the axis across the graph for fast comparisons.

Graphs automatically display lowest and highest prices with trading volume indicated below.

Fiscal for iPad

Added features in Fiscal for iPad include multiple stock selection and expanded graphing. Coming soon a news feed ticker with relevant updates on selected stocks.

Disclaimer: Fiscal draws it’s data from several sources and takes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information re-presented in Fiscal. Stock pricing may also be delayed. In some circumstances information on certain stocks cannot be obtained for example, Canadian Mutual funds. In this case Fiscal is unable to show pricing or historical data and the graph will be blank.
]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/fiscalslim/feed/ 0 News http://nevercantell.com.au/news/ http://nevercantell.com.au/news/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 00:10:20 +0000 jason http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=581

Subscription

Newsletter#1 ]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/news/feed/ 0 Media http://nevercantell.com.au/media/ http://nevercantell.com.au/media/#comments Sat, 03 Apr 2010 12:25:16 +0000 jason http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=400

Media Room

Fiscal for iPad

Press Release

iTunes App Store

Fiscal for iPad Screen Shots

Fiscal Slim for iPhone

Press Release

iTunes App Store

Fiscal Slim for iPhone Screen Shots

PB Go

Press: The Age Thursday April 1st 2010

Sponsorship: Australian Little Athletics April 2010

iTunes: New & Noteworthy

Trailer

Press Release

Screen Shots

iTunes App Store

Never Can Tell

Press: The Age Tuesday February 2nd 2010

Press Release ]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/media/feed/ 0 iPad http://nevercantell.com.au/ipad-1098/ http://nevercantell.com.au/ipad-1098/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:39:59 +0000 alli http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=391 Less than 50 hours to go to the Apollo like launch of the iPad store and we’re in the countdown. Fiscal is good to go. All the the bloggers are madly bloggin on about which iPad apps have made the grade and who has actually played with an iPad. The irony that they’re two completely different lists of people is not lost on us. OK I admit I did get excited when Fiscal appeared on this site who seem to have trawled the iTunes feed for fresh fish. It’s been a crazy week. From the moment of insanity when we decided to do a massive UTurn in our iPhone development for Fiscal and go down the iPad path it’s been full tilt. May Fiscal’s little LEDs light up everyone’s iPad screen soon.

]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/ipad-1098/feed/ 0 Fiscal for iPad http://nevercantell.com.au/fiscal/ http://nevercantell.com.au/fiscal/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:16:47 +0000 jason http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=206
Fiscal for iPad Fiscal Slim for iPhone

Fiscal for iPad

Fiscal for iPad perfectly presents your portfolios kept in Google Finance.

Comparative and interactive graphing with constantly refreshing  stock prices, total market values, change and gain.

Keep your finger on the share market’s pulse today with Fiscal for iPad.

Dynamic Graphing

  • Select the stocks you’d like to graph and track their performance over a range of time frames, from one month to five years.
  • Touch the graph to activate the interactive axis and slide it across the graph to correlate pricing and dates.
  • Choose multiple stocks for comparison on a single graph.
  • Trading volume for individual stocks is displayed underneath with corresponding timeline above.
  • Lowest and highest prices automatically appear for each stock.

Up To Date Stock Pricing

  • Each stock in your portfolio is tabled into three succinct columns.
  • Toggle the header columns to see: Stock Codes or Shares; Market Value or Last Price and Change or Gain in percentages or currency.
  • Sort each column to discover the best or least performing stocks or greatest market values or holding.
  • See the share prices refresh as the stock codes pulse. Tap on a row to select and activate the graphing.
  • Moon and sun indicators reflect the time zone for the stock exchange you nominated for each stock.

Google Finance Portfolios

  • Fiscal creates a Consolidated Portfolio to present all your stocks, across all your portfolios, in a single screen.
  • Each portfolio displays your total market value and gain in percentages or currency.
  • International stocks are converted to your local currency in the portfolio total.
  • Go directly to Google Finance from within Fiscal to add or edit your portfolios.

Fiscal for iPad’s deceptively simple design provides all the information you need to keep abreast of your portfolios and stocks today.

Fiscal Slim

Fiscal Slim the compact iPhone version coming soon

Support

Need any help using Fiscal For iPad ?

Disclaimer: Fiscal draws it’s data from several sources and takes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information re-presented in Fiscal. Stock pricing may also be delayed.  In some circumstances information on certain stocks can not be obtained for example, Canadian Mutual funds. In this case Fiscal is unable to show pricing or historical data and the graph will be blank.
]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/fiscal/feed/ 0 Go http://nevercantell.com.au/go/ http://nevercantell.com.au/go/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:06:07 +0000 alli http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=200 Over a quiet cup of tea this morning Apple let us know PB Go will be on the store in 3 hours. It’s there. It’s not too shabby. Went public with this site. Then I bought the app. I couldn’t help myself.

]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/go/feed/ 0 Not a doodle http://nevercantell.com.au/not-a-doodle/ http://nevercantell.com.au/not-a-doodle/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:30:31 +0000 alli http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=191 After spending a whole month of my life researching on line media I too decided it’s a self fulfilling whirlpool of tossers claiming they can capture and control social media. I joined twitter, linkedin, facebook. I watched fakesteve turkey slap John Gruber. Then un-followed everyone. So check out the top rating forever Doodle Jump’s website. Thats right it’s a page of icons that link to iTunes. That’s Lima’s online media strategy. They don’t have one ! They don’t need to. They’re in Wikipedia, referenced in TV sitcoms and sold over 3 million copies. So whilst we all blog on until our hearts are content remember if it aint a good idea it aint going to fly no matter how many times you sponsor Daring Fireball. That’s it I’m not blogging anymore.

]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/not-a-doodle/feed/ 0 Talking to trees http://nevercantell.com.au/omg/ http://nevercantell.com.au/omg/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:05:55 +0000 alli http://nevercantell.com.au/?p=162 Ode to the office-less office. Now I’m free, no-ones bothering me, with their keynote presentations, board room meetings, spreadsheet, downsizing, rationalising, professional platitudes. Sitting in the park watching the dog play. I smile smugly, looking at the trees, they wave back and say “Hey we’ve been here a long time. Glad to see you made it out OK” …. so I’m going nuts talking to the trees. No more water cooler conversations. Tweets instead. Blogs but sunshine. I’m free and Apple can keep their 30% that’s fine by me.

]]> http://nevercantell.com.au/omg/feed/ 0