Friday, October 21, 2011

iPhone Apps Development

iPhone apps development is popular among software developers at the moment. The market for iPhone apps is huge. From 2007 to 2011, there has been an estimated 130 million iPhones that were sold. Developers are aware of these numbers because countless applications have already been released: from games, business tools, entertainment, to social networking.

Join the bandwagon of these developers and think about an app that you think would be a hit to the consumers. If you could convince even just a million of these iPhone users to purchase your application, you are already very lucky. The good news is, you can develop an application on your own. You don’t need a publisher, distribution partner, or a specialized hardware just to code one. All you need is your own Mac for programming and an iPhone for testing.

Mac Machine and iPhone only
iPhone Apps development needs only simple hardware for you to start. First hardware requirement is an Intel-based Mac. It can be a Mac mini or Macbook Pro – that’s it. Due to the size, these laptops can be carried anywhere. It’s a far cry from traditional application coding wherein programmers use bulky hardware.

Aside from Mac machine, an iPhone is essential to test your app: to catch bugs and to see overall impact of the final product. You are coding an iPhone application so it will be best to test it on an actual iPhone.

Software Essentials
First, download the software development kit at the iOS development site. It already includes iPhone simulator, performance analyzers, interface builders, complete documentation, and Xcode.

One essential software is Xcode. Developed by Apple, these suite of tool are used to develop Mac OS X and iOS software. This is already part of the free software development kit from the iOS development site. Xcode v3 is currently available for free download at the Apple Developer Connection site. The Xcode suite supports most popular programming languages like AppleScript, C, C++, Java, Objective C, Objective C++, Ruby, and Python. If unfamiliar with these languages, tutorial books and online guides are always there to guide you.

For images of your application, you will need a graphics editing software. The popular choice would be Adobe Photoshop but other graphic software like Corel Paint Shop, Helicon Filter, or GIMP can still do the job. For as long as the software can edit bitmap and vector images, any image editor will do.

Another essential is the audio editing software. Apple’s own Logic Pro can do the job but you can also use other editors like Virtual DJ, Adobe Soundbooth, Adobe Audition, and Amadeus.

Interface Items
Remember to the follow Apple’s guidelines regarding interface. Native interface items include status bar, navigation bar, tab bars, tool bars, table views, predefine buttons, sliders, and paging indicators.

And don’t forget to register as one of the official developers of iPhone under the iPhone Developer Program. For just $99, you are allowed to test the app on your actual iPhone device. It also allows you to display your finished product on the Apple merchandise store.

For more details about IPhone Apps Development, visit Apple’s official developer site.

(c) Seph the Writer, Joseph the Writer

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

What is a HUD Home?

Having trouble acquiring your own property because of the skyrocketing real estate prices? Opt for a HUD Home instead. You can get one with as low as 3.5% down payment and minimum credit score prerequisite. An HUD home is a property acquired by the government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD owns these properties when a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage loan borrower fails to fulfill his payment duties.

HUD properties are then marketed by several Marketing and Management (M&M) contractors in the country. The details of the housing offer are posted online and the house is available for bidding. Only HUD-registered brokers can submit a bid for an interested buyer. HUD homes are intended for owner occupants who have no history of HUD property purchases in the past two years and commit to living in the residence for a minimum of one year.

There are special programs that offer HUD homes in discounted rates. For example, there is the Good Neighbor Next Door Program (GNND) which offers a 50% slash off the original price in revitalization areas for interested buyers who have the following occupations: police officers, elementary teachers, emergency medical technicians, and firefighters.

One advantage in getting an HUD home is the 203k rehab loan. You can acquire a loan that is higher than what you paid for the property and use the excess cash for home improvement and repairs. You can now paint the whole house and add a few carpets if you want.

Another advantage is the quality of your neighborhood. You are assured that the majority of your neighbors are real owner occupants and not investor buyers because HUD offers the properties to homeowner buyers first. There are two kinds of real estate buyers: owner occupants and investor buyers. Investor buyers just purchase a property with pure business in mind. They will not take of the property. Owner occupants on the other hand, will take care of the place and preserve its beauty.

There is a bid deadline for the properties. On regular estate sales, you can simply give your offer and the brokers will respond to you after the end of the bidding process if you get the property. If unsuccessful, you will hear nothing from them. With HUD sales, you will be informed if your bid is accepted or even if it is not. If you win the bid, you must send a certified check within 48 hours or else the house will be returned to the market.

The big challenge when you plan to buy an HUD home is finding one before someone else buys it first. Since the prices of these properties are way below the market value, these public homes are sold fast. HUD bidding lasts maximum of nine days only. If interested, you need to confirm everyday if the property you want is still available.

If you really want to avail HUD housing, ask help from a real estate broker with HUD registration. The broker will be able to keep you updated with the latest offers, news, and advice. He will also tell you if your bid has been accepted within 24 hours after you passed your offer.