Apple Isn’t Earning Their 30%

Much has been said over the last 2½ years about the App Store and places where Apple is failing third-party developers. Many things have been fixed, but unfortunately, many more have been neglected or only partially addressed. On January 22, 2011, the App Store surpassed 10 billion downloads. Let’s assume 1% of those are paid and Apple only takes the minimum 29¢ for each one. That’s still $29 million. Apple needs to do a lot more to earn their 30% cut. Read More

Music to Code By: The xx

For 2011, I’m going to start a new semi-regular series called Music to Code By. I’ve worked enough places to know that most developers often resort to headphones to shut out the distractions around them, especially on “open plan” work areas. Even in a private office, I find that music can help me to focus on solving a thorny problem. Different styles work for different times, and of course everyone’s taste varies, but I’m hoping that you’ll be introduced to records you might not have found otherwise.

I’ll start with The xx: xx. (iTunes, Amazon) Read More