iPhone Programming Course Over

11 days with 1 day off in between. 4 days in ANSI C (fantastic fun, learn do a lab, learn do a lab). Then 2 days in Objective C. Then 1 day off (Washington DC baby!). Then 5 days on the trot of iPhone programming starting not with the graphical Interface Builder but doing everything by hand. For me, this was THE way of learning and building real understanding and strength.

Day 1 of 2 in Objective C Programming

Having spent the last 4 days in ANSI C and getting as far as creating structs and dabbling with function pointers the move to Objective C was fantastic. We were shown comprehensively how Objective C is really only C with an added layer of syntax which allows us to deal with the unwieldy (though evidently powerful) structs and functions we learned in C. This time calling “functions” that relate to those “structures” involves nothing less than sending a message to an object.

Day 4 over ANSI C course for iPhone Programming

I’ve just finished 4 very satisfying days delving into a good deal of the inner workings of C using Apple’s Xcode. We’ve done “labs” (ie. tests of our knowledge in real programs) on arrays, pointers, structures, passing various structures and variables in and out of functions.

Max O’Malley About Objects iPhone Beginner’s Course

I’m in Reston, Virginia on an 11 day intensive training course including 4 days ANSI C, 2 days Objective C and 5 days iPhone Programming Workshop. The trainers are “About Objects”, principally, Jonathan Lehr.

iPhone 3GS, o2 and Twitter Journalism

Information travels really really fast these days. As quick as Apple had announced the new iPhone 3GS in San Francisco last night, it was tweeted all round the world. Those twitterers in the UK then began their online barrage of investigations to find out how quickly and cheaply they could upgrade their existing phones (as most of them already had the blessed device).

Max O’Malley at Belfast Apple Store Grand Opening

The BBC coverage is excellent, Max O’Malley can be seen coyly entering and high fiving the double line of Apple staff. I was there from 6:40am, an enthusiastic effort on my part. The crowd were in great spirits and I met some great people – thanks also to Starbucks for donating free mini hot chocolates! My own footage is here:

Great Mac app for Facebook Photos

This is one of those applications that is truly Mac. Photobook from www.caffeinatedcocoa.com. It is free. It is robust. It looks and moves gorgeously. Essentially it is a mini browser application for viewing you and your friends photos on Facebook. No more, no less, but it does it with such style. It is a great example of how separate software really can add value to web information (take iTunes for example).

It has the look and feel of iPhoto with the ability to view people’s albums, view people tagged across many different people’s albums and play a slideshow of your selection. If there are photos you like then just click the “Add to iPhoto” button to bring them home. Simple, fun, great.

Max O’Malley recommends.