Apple iPhone

[gkenn90806]

Any chance you might think about creating an iPhone compatible version now that Apple is offering a developers package?

[NC Software]

I will certainly look at what they have to offer, however, I'm highly doubtful it's something we are going to entertain. We are keeping our development focus on Palm OS and Windows Mobile for the time being. I'm being brutally honest with you as I don't want to lead you to thinking iPhone support is coming. I will review what they have to offer when they make it available and if anything changes in the direction that we will support the product, I will announce the change.

[dbrockman2]

Now that the SDK is in fact out, have you had a chance to look at this. The number of iPhones in posession by pilots should make this more lucrative than before. I know personally of several pilots who want the iPhone but won't make the switch because of no software for it. I would switch to the iPhone and buy a new version simply if it became available.

Let me know if this is something you decide to persue, I'd be interested in doing beta testing for you.

[NC Software]

Hello,

I do not anticipate iPhone support until mid-2008 at the earliest. Our development efforts are focused on Logbook Pro v2 at the moment and then everything else to follow.

[dbrockman2]

Any updates on the status of APDL for the iPhone? Last correspondance indicated mid 2008 at the earliest. Is this the time frame you are still considering? Have you started any compiling?

Thanks very much for your time.

[Eric Addis]

We cannot give detailed information or specific time frames to products in development. It will not be out prior to Logbook Pro V2.

[TREO 700P]

Originally Posted by NC Software

I will certainly look at what they have to offer, however, I'm highly doubtful it's something we are going to entertain. We are keeping our development focus on Palm OS and Windows Mobile for the time being. I'm being brutally honest with you as I don't want to lead you to thinking iPhone support is coming. I will review what they have to offer when they make it available and if anything changes in the direction that we will support the product, I will announce the change.

Neil,

It seems that almost daily I run into pilots who're dumping their Palm Treos for the new iPhone. As you can tell from my user name, I'll be one of them within a few days.

Please hire some extra help if you need to speed up the process, most of us would be willing to pay a little extra to get your logbook on our iPhones.

Many of us, including me, believe you offer a superior product on an inferior platform (Palm). In the last 2 years I've had one window and two Plam versions of the Treo - seems like they all like to freeze up no matter the version. I strongly believe the vast majority of us would've stayed with your product if we were given a chance.

However, I think iPhone is so superior to Palm that you'll be seeing a flood of Palm refugees desperately looking for an iPhone pilot logbook. Right now coradine seems to be our only choice. I wish I could stay with your product though...

[NC Software]

Erik,

Thank you for your reply, and we have stated in our Roadmap that we will be supporting the iPhone. Our development efforts are currently focused on the next version of Logbook Pro which the new PDA products will be designed to interface with. You have the choice in products that you use and LogTen Pro is certainly an option for you with your iPhone.

I find it ironic that you would choose a logbook product based on a device such as an iPhone rather than the logbook software that is going to better serve you as a pilot. Do you buy a car based on the awesome radio it has in it? Or do you buy a car because it better serves your needs? When it comes time for data analysis for filling out forms, applications, printing out your logbook for whatever the need, interfacing with other applications and services on the web, tracking information regarding your flying career like you will be able to do in our next version of Logbook Pro are things you won't have available to you, but, you will have a gee-whiz PDA that will really serve you no purpose in complimenting the most powerful logbook available to you. It's just like people using free web based logbooks, it's great in that it's free, but does it really serve you best as a pilot? That is something only you can answer.

Our focus is on developing the best logbook software possible. We are not going to react to fads, hype, etc. The iPhone is a great device and we are going to support it, but after Logbook Pro vNext releases which is coming along nicely. You also have to consider that if you change to another logbook product and decide to return when you see the next version of Logbook Pro, you are going to lose fidelity in your logbook data and associated records requiring you more time to re-enter all that information again, etc. So when making your choice, realize the impact of such choice, or be patient and I'm sure you will be impressed in our next logbook offering.

Bottom line, it is your choice and there are many logbook products on the market from which to choose. Choose wisely and I hope you do enjoy whichever you choose to use.

Thank you for your post and insight.

[TREO 700P]

Hmm, what happened to “only the admins will know your name” ?

No big deal but I find it ironic that you imply I’m reacting to fads, hype, etc when it comes to the iPhone. I understand your comparison of choosing a car based on the radio in it however personally I think you got it all backward. If the car won’t start the radio is worthless. In my view, Treo is the Yugo brand of the PDA market which is unworthy a great product such as your logbook.

If you read my previous post I stated clearly that I’ve replaced my Treo three times in the last 24 months. At first I switched from the Window version which supposedly was more crash prone to the so called ‘more stable’ Palm platform. Well, the first 3-4 months are always great and then the phone starts to freeze up from time to time forcing me to restart the phone and eventually requiring a hard reset. As you well know, every hard reset and of course each time the phone is exchanged I have to download the software all over again, set the correct settings, import the files, etc., etc. Note, the freezing up had nothing to do with your logbook but rather the phone itself freezing up when dialing numbers, etc, etc.

For a while I thought I was having bad luck with my phones but after talking to numerous pilots I’ve flown with I realized that my experiences were actually a pretty common occurrence.

In fact many have told me they regretted switching from Blackberry to the Treo; I know I regret it for sure. So no, I am not a hype junky but a realist who regrets having spent my money and more importantly lots of my time on the Treo. Besides, if I was into hype I’d have gotten the original iPhone and as you can tell I have not. Instead I waited for an application that’d allow outside party – you – applications.

I’m very patient; in fact I’ve waited for two years now before dumping my current Yugo phone. I thought about going back to Blackberry but after hearing the very positive reviews of the iPhone I decided to wait until a version with outside logbook software was available.

Also, you say that you mention in your “Roadmap” that you will support the iPhone.

Well, unless I’m missing it the only possible mention of the iPhone in your Roadmap is this:

“… Logbook Pro vNext will take advantage of Web 2.0 offering advanced online communications capability for communicating with us and other online assets such as the airline schedule importer. We are working not only on a PC version but we will also offer a browser version of Logbook Pro allowing you to access your Logbook Pro data from any web browser at any computer in the world using the same interface, data, and capabilities. In addition to the browser support we are also planning a mobile web system so you can use ANY PDA with a web browser, no software installations to deal with, access from anywhere and manage your logbook via a cell phone or Wi-Fi connection. We will be completely rewriting our PDA solutions (Logbook Pro and APDL) after the PC edition is code complete adding support for more platforms as well. We'll be expanding the synchronization systems for PC-to-PC and PC-to-Web databases as well as enhancing the PDA synchronization experience…”

If so, it implies to me that once you support the iPhone or another “platform” as you call it – I’ll need to be online on my iPhone in order to utilize the ADPL, is that correct? Well, what about the times I have no internet connection? Will I have to wait until I’m online again to put in the times?

Thanks for your time

[NC Software]

Erik,

The reason for your name in the private profile field is so I can respectfully address you. I like calling people by their name, I'm not divulging your entire or last name. My apologies.

I had a Treo 650, it did fine. There was one quirk if you had bluetooth enabled and then datebook displaying on the home page, or something to that effect. Other than that I never had a problem. Palm/Pocket PC devices are cheap, combining it with a cell phone is more expensive obviously. But to get a basic palm PDA to act as your portable computer should do the task just fine for you.

A browser will be required for use of a platform such as BlackBerry and iPhone. The only time you'll probably not have an Internet connection is when you're flying! Again, if this device is crucial to you, you know you have other options and I encourage you to use what makes you happy. We will do our best but native iPhone integration is probably not going to happen, but anything can change at any time depending on what developer tools become available. You will also have the option to use a 3rd party product such as StyleTap to run Palm apps on an iPhone as another option.

[rgreenpc]

Neal -

I have been working on doing a few apps with the SDK for the iPhone, if and when you need help porting let me know.

Not that my schedule is that free but I strongly desire APDL as well.

[KarstenG]

Hi Neal

I can only second that an iPhone version would be highly appreciated.

In my company hardly anyone uses a Palm anymore, maybe its because we are in Europe - over here the Palm product are all but dead, no new models and no updates for existing products.

On the other hand an increasing number of my colleagues have bough iPhones including myself - so now all we are waiting for is an iPhone version.

[Adlerson]

I have to join the people asking for iPhone support. I've been an ardent Palm user for a decade now, but the fact of the matter is, (and sad as it is), Palm is dead, and at least for now, iPhone is a lot more valid as a format.

Fingers crossed you guys can get an iPhone version of APDL and Logbook Pro out ASAP, so we don't have to go to other softwares.

Cheers,
Addy