iPhone SDK Released
Today Apple outlined their plans for software development on the iPhone. A new iPhone SDK is now available, which allows access to unique features such as the accelerometer, graphics (including OpenGL) and more.
IT administrators might also be interested in the trying out the announced entreprise features, including exchange support.
We're curious. What kinds of scientific applications would you like to see on the iPhone? We opened a new poll to see what interests you.
During a press conference at the Apple Campus Steve Jobs with the help of Phil Schiller and Scott Forestall announced the much anticipated Software Developer Kit for the iPhone. Anyone can now download a beta version of the SDK for free from Apple's website, although Apple's servers are apparently having a hard time at the moment to cope with all the hits.
The SDK gives developers a rich set of both tools and APIs to develop native applications on the iPhone. The toolset is build around the same XCode tools as are currently used to develop native applications for the Mac. It includes not only the XCode editor but also interface builder and debugger tools like Instruments can now be used to debug and performance measure your iPhone applications. Xcode can directly transfer and run the application on an iPhone connected to your Mac. In addition the SDK features a simulator application that allows you to test your applications on your Mac, just like any other Cocoa application.
Talking about Cocoa, the APIs are heavily based on the Cocoa APIs. In fact the foundation layers are exactly the same and include features as networking, filesystem, bonjour, and even sqlite database support. The main difference is in the UI layer which is obviously tuned to a different way of controlling applications; not so much mouse based but more gesture based. All in all developing applications will be much like building Cocoa applications and promises to be an easy way towards powerful and exciting new iPhone apps. We'd love to hear what kind of scientific applications you would like to have on your iPhone.
Comments
iFund too
I almost forgot to include a reference to the new venture capital iFund. Innovative iPhone applications can get part of a $100 million investment fund.
iPhone Apps
Here goes (in order of highest need):
The best use of an iPhone I can devise would be reading PDF or other text formats. This would also be a great tool for figures and other media when you don't really want to unplug the notebook for a short meeting. Ideally, if you're going to allow native apps, having access to files is arguably necessary. Most of my work involves direct access by SSH to the cluster and I tend to use Terminal utilities for text file reading and writing. A real terminal on the iPhone sounds like quite a challenging interface, but I could supply mockups if someone's interested. Finally, Avogadro would just be fun.
I'm sure about access peripherals, but having a Keynote player would really be something to talk about.
iPhone apps
I would love to see VPN access coupled to a full featured terminal, which would allow me to check up on simulations, submit jobs, etc when I'm away from my computer.
I'm not sure how practical it would be in use, but it would also be nice to have a full featured version of VMD.
Josh
iFuse and iFussion
I would like to see a terminal too, but what I would really like is something like MacFuse and MacFussion for the iPhone. I would like the MacFussion like program to contain the ability to do some of the simple PBS commands that we use to submit and check on jobs.
Sun announce Java for iPhone plans
I see that Sun have announced they are developing a JVM for the iPhone (http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/03/07/sun-iphone-java_1.html)
They plan to have it available in June.
text editor
Something else that would be really cool would be a really paired down version of a text editor. Something that would allow you to manage the files in a project (like in Xcode) but with only the bare bones (ie. copy, paste, find) of what is needed to work with the text in code you are writing. A compiler would likely be too much.
database!
I'm hanging out for a replacement of the discontinued (and feature limited) FileMaker Mobile for my old Palm. With the right software, the iPhone/iPod Touch would make a spectacular hand-held data storage and entry gadget.
I make a lot of ecological observations in the field, from general presence/absence records for plants, insects, and birds to entry of experimental data. All this currently goes into minimalist FileMaker databases on my Palm.
I want to be out there in the forest with an iPhone/iPod Touch, able to flick through PDF files of field guides and monographs, find and zoom in on photos of labelled specimens, and then easily database my observations and data. This has to be offline as there's no wireless or cellphone coverage in remote New Zealand forests.
Fast forward to the near(ish) future and I'll want a iPhone Pro wirelessly connected to a portable DNA barcoder for instant and accurate field identification of any insect I find. Then, point Safari to the Encyclopedia of Life and access everything known about the species, including whether it's been recorded before from where I'm standing.
Yup. That'd be great.
iPhone apps
I want to run Keynote presentations from my iPhone. I know it is not a science application, but don't we all give many talks. It would be slick and useful to have a bluetooth connected projector that allowed you to simply walk into the room connect wirelessly and launch your slides. touch spots (or flick?) to advance or regress the slides. a touch tracking pointer. two finger zoom for graphics. Ah, bliss.
Adam
SDK Downloads
According to AppleInsider there have been 100,000 downloads of the SDK in 4 days.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/03/12/apples_iphone_sdk_sees_100000_downloads_in_four_days.html
SKK on pwerPC
There seems to be a way to run the iPhone dev platform on PowerPC:
http://3by9.com/85/dont-have-an-intel-machine-but-want-to-code-for-the-iphone-anyway-follow-these-steps/