Developing Manifest 1.0

Now I’ve finally released Manifest to the world, it feels like a good time for a bit of a retrospective. In no particular order, here are a few thoughts I had during the development process:

Scope Creep

One of my goals for this project was to avoid getting bogged down and ship something on a reasonably quick schedule. I’d say I was only partially successful. Even though my plan was to keep the feature set limited at the outset, I also really wanted Manifest to feel like a complete product. I had to constantly tell myself that I should keep my focus narrow for 1.0 and then focus on adding all these interesting additional features in future updates. It’s easier said than done. I do think I ultimately succeeded, and I have a great backlog of stuff to add in future versions, but I was surprised how difficult it was to keep the scope in check.

Swift

One of my goals for Manifest was to develop an app entirely in Swift, and I succeeded. (All the new code is Swift. I did use a few open-source libraries and small modules I’ve written in the past that remain Objective-C.) All in all, I really enjoyed working with Swift, and I do think it added to the stability of the code. When I go back to other projects in Objective-C, I find myself missing a number of Swift features, particularly Swift’s robust enums, structs, and protocols.

There were definitely a few annoyances. CocoaPods support was shaky at first, but is now much improved with the release of CocoaPods 0.36. Xcode’s SourceKit helper crashes constantly, which messes up all manner of things, and doesn’t always restart quickly or cleanly. Error messages aren’t always clear. At the same time, these things are clearly improving rapidly. Apple introduced a slew of helpful changes with Swift 1.2 and Xcode 6.3 beta, and it’s clear the team is working hard to address problems both with the language and the tools. I suspect changes will start to settle down sooner than many people expect. I probably wouldn’t recommend using Swift in a client project right now, but that day is fast approaching.

I also want to include a shout-out to the Swift team and Chris Lattner in particular for the forthright and comprehensive release notes that accompany changes in Swift. They take the time to give examples alongside syntax changes, as well as provide insight as to why changes were made. It’s a level of transparency that we don’t always see from Apple, and it makes me feel great about the future of the language and the platform.

Design

I like to think I have a decent eye for design, but I’m not an artist by any stretch. Icons are a particular challenge for me, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this regard. I found myself wishing for a service that could match developers with designers who are open to taking on small projects – a handful of icons, or maybe just an app icon. The big-budget design firms are beyond my means, and my project would probably be too small for them anyway. I’m willing to pay a fair price to a designer to help me out where my skills are weaker, but simple Google searches aren’t likely to turn up the kind of freelance or small design shop I need. Is there a service that can help with this kind of thing? What resources to other developers use when looking for design help?

Analytics

I thought about using a number of different analytics packages in Manifest: Mixpanel, Google Analytics, Flurry, Heap, and others. Ultimately, I decided not to use any of them. First and foremost, a lot of these services struck me as a little creepy. They collect a lot more data than I want, and it’s often difficult or impossible to opt out. They also add a dependency, and integrating them well takes time that I could otherwise use to work on new features. Finally, I’m not confident that the data they collect will really lead to a better product. I’d rather solicit feedback directly from users (seriously, I’d love to hear from you on Twitter!) than try to guess what people want based on analytics data. I’m not saying that I’ll never add analytics of any kind, but for now, I just don’t think they’re worth it. I am using Crashlytics, because crash reports are important, but that’s it. (An aside: What in the world happened with the iTunes Connect analytics that Apple announced last year?)

Manifest 1.0

I’m proud to announce that Manifest is now available on the App Store. It’s free to download and try, so go grab a copy now! I’m proud of how the app turned out, and there’s a lot more to come in future updates.

Here’s an overview of a few of my favorite features:

Notification Center Widget

Tracking time is, almost by definition, something you do while in the midst of other tasks. To make that easy, Manifest has a widget that you can install in the Today view of iOS’s Notification Center. (Tap the Edit button at the bottom of the Today view to add Manifest.) You’ll see a list of today’s timers, and you can start and stop them with a simple tap. There’s also an Add Timer button that will launch Manifest so you can set up a new timer.

Quick Timers

I often use the same project and task combinations over and over again. For example, while working on Manifest, I had a project named “Manifest” and a task named “Design.” Rather than create a new timer and manually picking the project and task each time, you can use the Quick Timer menu to re-create a past timer. (Look for the lightning bolt icon in the upper left.) It’s a small thing, but I find it comes in quite handy.

Round Off Time

Like most people, I round my timers off to a nice whole number – in my case, the nearest 15 minutes. Manifest makes that easy. Just swipe from left to right on any timer to round off. You can also customize the interval that your timers round off to on the Settings screen.

There’s also a single, one-time $4.99 in-app purchase to unlock pro features, which includes unlimited projects and tasks, as well as unlimited data import from a CSV file.

Have ideas for new features or improvements to existing ones? Hit up @Manifest_iOS on Twitter. I’d love to hear from you!

Manifest Launches Tomorrow, March 19

I’m happy to announce that Manifest will launch tomorrow, March 19, on the App Store. The app will be a free download, with a one-time in-app purchase to unlock a set of pro features. You can follow @Manifest_iOS on Twitter for updates on the launch, news about new features, tips and tricks, and more. I’ll post a link to the App Store page here tomorrow.

Many thanks to the folks who helped beta test the app. Your feedback was incredibly valuable and definitely improved the final product!

Thoughts on the Yesterday’s Apple Event

The New MacBook

I don’t have a whole lot to say about the new MacBook. For users who prioritize size and weight, it looks like a great choice. I’d even go so far as to recommend it to most people I know. It sounds like a great general purpose computer. But it’s not for me. I need the greater processing power, RAM, and screen real estate in the MacBook Pro. (I do think the updated 13″ Retina MacBook Pro sounds appealing. I have a first-gen 13″ rMBP and like it quite a lot.)

Apple Watch

When the Apple Watch was first announced last fall, I wasn’t quite sure what I thought about it. As time as passed, I’ve gotten more excited to try one, and I’d say I’m cautiously optimistic about its potential.

I’m not sold on the idea of the Watch as a messaging device, at least not for text or voice. Who wants to be dictating messages aloud to their watch? Part of what makes texting so appealing is that you can do it in public without other people overhearing your conversation. (For example, I don’t recommend using Apple Watch to gossip about the crazy mustache on the guy in front of you in the airport security line.)

One feature that did catch my eye was the ability to activate Siri without pressing a button. It’s something I can imagine using all the time. For example, I often use Siri to set timers while I’m cooking, but sometimes my hands are dirty and I don’t want to mess up my phone. With the Watch, I should be able to simply say, “Hey Siri, set a timer for 10 minutes.” No fuss, no muss. (Literally.)

A friend asked me yesterday why he’d need an Apple Watch. The simple answer is, he doesn’t. Nobody does. I don’t think we’ll get a good handle on how useful (or not) the Watch will be until we’ve had a chance to try them out for a bit. At minimum, it fulfills the roles of a traditional watch and step tracker in one package. (I’ve already replaced my Jawbone Up24 once under warranty, and the replacement is starting to break down as well.) Some of the features will be duds, and others will be unexpected hits. Much like the iPhone, a lot will also hinge on what developers do with it.

Fortunately for me, it’s pretty easy to justify taking a chance on the Apple Watch. As a developer, I need to get a feel for what it’s like to use the Watch so I can make good recommendations to clients. (I already have people asking about developing Watch apps – a good sign for the platform, I think!) Although I’m tempted by the stainless steel model, my plan is to go for an entry level Apple Watch Sport this time around. If I find that I use the Watch a lot in my daily life, I might spring for stainless next time around. (I’m assuming the Watch will be updated on an annual schedule like the iPhone and iPad. I also imagine they’ll make some significant hardware strides in the first few years.) I have fairly small wrists, so I’m almost certain the 38mm model will be the way to go.

HBO Now

I’ve often criticized HBO for failing to sell it’s service directly to consumers instead of through cable companies. They remedied that failure with HBO Now, and I commend them for it. Now people who want HBO’s content can get it regardless of whether they’re interested in everything else that comes along with cable TV. (And, importantly, it’s now possible to get HBO content without having to talk to your cable company. I’m looking at you, Comcast.)

However, I don’t think it brings us all that much closer to a world where we all save money through “cord cutting.” The reason is simple: bundling. Cable companies could always adjust their pricing so that it’s impossible to save a significant amount of money by dropping TV service. It’s not hard to imagine a pricing model where cable TV and internet together cost, say, $120/month, but internet alone costs $100. This probably sounds familiar to anyone who’s ever been pitched adding “digital phone service” that they’re never use as a way to save money with a three-service bundle. Sure, we may soon be able to cut the TV cord, but I doubt we’ll save much money doing it. (Like many Americans, I have almost zero choice when it comes to TV and Internet service at home.)