Blog
We have so many projects going on at the moment that I'm not allowed to talk about, that I'm starting to run out of blog material!
So I thought I'd write a more general piece, and after reading the Group of Eight report (you'll read more about it below), I decided to focus on our innovation, because as you probably understand, it’s always nice when your efforts are validated - both by research and results :)
SO LET THE BOASTING BEGIN! Ahem, I mean, let the reflection begin. It's amazing what you can learn from others' reflections...
Gaining Momentum with iPhone Apps
Our early jump into iPhone application development, before ‘iPhone developer’ was even an understood term in most circles of Australia, led to great success with Newton’s Cradle. It quickly jumped to the second top free app globally, and after 18 months and over 3 million downloads, it is still getting tens of thousands of downloads a week.
Battling Australia's Skill-Shortage Crisis with Interactive Whiteboards
A revolutionary interactive whiteboard science education program we started with That Science Gang (and the backing of RiAus, SA FilmCorp and Leedal Presentation Systems) last year, has just been heavily validated by a new report by Group of Eight. The report found that students are losing interest in science and maths in primary school, which is resulting in a national skills shortage crisis in areas such as engineering, statistics and economics. The education program we’re developing will equip primary school teachers to battle this crisis. We already knew of the critical need in this area, but it’s certainly nice to have our belief corroborated by this authoritative report.
Getting Creative with iPad Touch Apps
Meanwhile we are also looking at the iPad Touch as another exciting opportunity to be innovative. There are a lot of companies out there claiming to be iPad developers, in fact, a report from Flurry Analytics have revealed the number of iPhone / iPad developers have tripled since Apple announced the specifications of the iPad. Obviously it won’t be our speed that will show our innovation here - but we believe that many of these iPhone developers turned iPad developers will struggle to really leverage from the unique specs of the iPad. And that’s where we see our opportunity to be innovative.
Excitement is mounting for the release of the new iPad Tablet. But where are the iPad developers going to come from?
Because iPhone apps are going to be compatible with the iPad, a lot of people think that any iPhone developer is instantly an iPad developer too.
That is true, to a point.
However, owners of iPad Tablets are going to be pretty disappointed if all they get is a larger version of an iPhone app. And Apple is going to be equally disappointed, because without high quality iPad-specific apps, the iPad Tablet isn’t going to sell as well
So what separates an iPhone developer from an iPad developer?
It’s all about utilising the iPad Tablet’s unique functions, size and user interaction. For example, the bigger screen is cool, and yes, it means visuals can now be bigger and more detailed - but the smart iPad developers also know it will allow apps to be more complex and engaging too, and it opens up the possibilities of multiplayer games. This will, in turn, affect how the iPad is used in social environments.
Enabled have years of experience in touch technology - from iPhones to interactive whiteboards. We understand how people interact with touch-screens, and the behaviours different devices produce. Our partnership with leading AV & Touch solutions provider, Leedall, means we gain added insight into new technologies. Along with many other exciting projects, we are currently working out how the iPad Tablet is going to change interactions and behaviours, so that we can genuinely call ourselves an iPad developer.
People are going to use and interact differently with the iPad Tablet compared to all other touch technology, and companies claiming to be iPad developers are going to have to anticipate, observe, and respond effectively to this.
Welcome to the sweltering summer of 2010.
Actually it hasn’t been too bad so far, and that could have something to do with spending a substantial chunk of the last few months on the busy shore of Bondi Beach.
Or at least the airconditioner that’s kept us cool as we stared wistfully at Bondi Beach while preparing the official iPhone app for channel 10’s Bondi Rescue.
Of course, the giant octopus that kills people does soften the allure a little.
Anyway, Cordell Jigsaw (the producers of the Bondi Rescue TV series) and the Project Factory got together and designed an online Flash game for Bondi Rescue fans (and after winning the 2007 and 2008 Logies for “Most Popular Factual Program”, you can be sure that there are a lot of fans). Then they enlisted Enabled to turn that Flash game into an iPhone app too. As we were writing the code to make the magic happen, we also suggested specific gameplay improvements to make the game work better for the iPhone’s unique gaming platform. After all, it’s what iPhone app experts do.
Today Bondi Rescue was officially released into the App Store. Click here to play the game (and hopefully not meet the giant octopus).
And yes, for those of you who read Bondi Rescue - Surf, Sand and a Giant Squid? - it is definitely an octopus, not a squid. And uh, that was definitely the intention all along. Anyway, armed with this vital knowledge, I hope you can now sleep at night.
Grant and Craig E were recently admiring a showreel that Grant found online. Grant then asked Craig to complete an updated showreel for Enabled in the 10 minutes they had before a meeting was scheduled to start. Craig, following the "ask a silly question - get a silly answer" philosophy put this *cough* showreel together for Grant's viewing pleasure.
Grant was suitably amused and so we thought we'd share it with the world. Although, from a motion graphics perspective it needs "polish", the message is still true. "Enabled; we make stuff move, really well and on a variety of platforms. the end."
Enjoy!
P.S. - the real Enabled showreel is scheduled to undergo a bit of a makeover, so make sure you stay tuned for more on that later!
I can't believe WE aren't allowed to talk about this yet, but The Australian is.
Stay tuned for the details of our newest iPhone game - because it's about to hit the App Store and then we can tell you about it.
For now though, you can get a taste of it from this article.
Now you're probably wondering if it's a squid or an octopus...
To discover the answer to this life-or-death question, come back soon, or follow us on Twitter at enabledgames to be notified when the answer appears here.
Apparently swinging bowling balls at people's heads attracts media attention.
Oh wait, that's not actually why we were featured in the Advertiser yet again. Remember that pilot we were telling you about? Well this week the we've been busy filming for it, and we had a lovely visitor from the press.
Here's the result.
Oh, we are also starting to attract some attention as Adelaide's own iPad developers - more on that soon.