co&co UK

We have noticed after the release of iOS 4.1 that our sample iAd was no longer working in Apple’s iOS 4.1. We have now released an update which fixes the issue.

Basically Apple did no longer allow linking to files inside the bundle from href="foo.html" tags – we are still puzzled about the reasons why – so we replaced them with onClick="document.location.href='foo.html'" events.

Please check out how to install the complete, working and new iAd here.

Google has created an advertising advertising advertising. Check it out under: www.google.com/watchthisspace

Good news for those who wish to advertise and sell iPhone applications via Apple’s iAd framework.

It is now possible to sell items directly from inside an advertising including the download process.

According to 9to5, the ads resemble the pages known from the App Store. When the users tap, they are given a description of the app being advertised, as if they were browsing the App Store. If they choose to buy they can process the payment as well as the download from inside the advertising and therefore from inside the “host application” without leaving it.

Warning: Since the release of iAds Producer the process has changed. The below method may no longer apply.

We at coANDco (UK) Ltd. have been experimenting with Apple iAds for the past few days and have come up with a simple example put together of various pieces of Apple’s examples. This demo should work on Mac as well as Windows. Of course, much more is possible with iAds. But the purpose of this demo is not to impress with special effects (we will post some special effects later) but to give a basic insight in the user experience and some hopefully useful instructions how to install a sample iAd on a device.

How to install the demo

Requirements: iOs 4.0 and the latest iTunes. Both of them can be obtained from Apple for free.

Step 1: Download the iAd Tester app. You need this to “emulate” the advertising. You can download it from here. Note: This App may expire. You will get a message saying “iAd Tester will expire in X days”. We have uploaded a new one as of the 20th of July 2010. Replacing it should fix the problem.

Step 2: Download the actual advertising bundle (a Zip file) from www.coandcouk.com/downloads/coANDco_sample_ad.zip. Note, this one is 25 megabytes in size, because it includes a local video. We put the video inside the Ad to save on bandwidth if the ad spreads but it is more than likely that Apple would expect the video to be streamed or at least less big.

Step 3: Open iTunes and connect your phone with iOS 4.0 to your computer via cable. Note: Apple disabled support for internal links as of iOS 4.1 and we are currently working on a solution.

Step 4:Unzip and drag the iAd Tester App to your iTunes to install it on your phone.

Step 5: Sync your iPhone with iTunes

Step 6: in iTunes, click on your iPhone and click on the “Apps” tab.

Step 7: Search for “iAd”

Step 8: Click on the iAd Tester App and scroll down:

Step 9: Select the iAd Tester in the left column again and drop the coANDco_sample.ad.zip file you have downloaded earlier to the iAd Tester Documents window (do NOT unzip the file):

Step 10: Open the iAd Tester App on your iPhone

You should be able to pick an Ad now from the bottom left. Pick the coANDco Ad and off you go.

I’ll publish here shortly, how we created the various views of this iAd. It is nowhere near as sophisticated as it could be yet, but this should just give a rough impression, how the process could look like.

Please do not hesitate to get in contact if you have any questions. We’re more than happy to help.

Troubleshooting

• The iAd does not appear in my iAd Tester App?
  - The iPhone has to unzip the package first. This can take a few seconds up to a minute.
  - If the App doesn’t appear in the window, restart your iAd Tester App
  - As soon as the .zip ending has disappeared from the iTunes Documents window, the iAd unit will be available in the iAd Tester App
  - the ZIP file must not be renamed
• The iPhone throws a message about an expired provisioning profile or a profile about to expire
  - You need the most recent iAd Tester App. This can be downloaded from here.
• The internal html links are not working
  - Since iOS 4.1 Apple has changed its internal specification of how to link between internal html files within the advertising unit. In order to link between files, you need to use the recommended JavaScript functions. As of end of September 2010, we are working on an updated version for this example.

Update: We have updated the sample files to work on iOS 4.1 (23.9.2010)

Update: We have updated the binary to as the Certificate expired. Please download the new application here. You can update it by deleting the old one on your device and re-installing by dragging it to your iTunes icon in the dock. (12.11.2010)

Just in time for the ModBall Rally Europe from London to Lisbon starting today in one of London’s most exclusive clubs, the ModBall iPhone Application went live on the AppStore!

Based on the brief to come up with something “exclusive”, “cool” and “unique” to reflect the ModBall brand and lifestyle, coANDco (UK) Ltd. has come up with a Modball branded speedometer with a heads up display (HUD) mode.

The project was implemented in less than a week’s time from the initial brief to the final submission to Apple. Apple approved the application within 2 weeks time.

Buy the App for 0.99 Cents in the App Store.

I recently found a video called Drum solo 4 on YouTube and I found it would crash my browser. I tried Firefox, Safari and found, it would even crash Chrome. It would block my computer until the browser prompts me to abort the script.

The video plays nicely on the iPhone, however. What struck me was, that it had almost 140′000 views in less than 3 days. This is a lot. Particularly for video of average content like this.

I soon found the explanation for the count: Enter any two words of the English language in YouTube search, and this video would show up. You can find a list of words from http://scenari-platform.org/svn/dev-core/trunk/Lib_XulRunner/mac/dictionaries/en-US.dic. Somehow, this kid has managed to get all those words in as tags or YouTube’s new closed caption which YouTube also uses for displaying search result. Try it out, for example search for “Admiralty” and “Marzipan”.

Hopefully YouTube will fix this before everyone will spam their search!

Today, the new SDK from Apple came out. It features the new web browser for the iPad which will be released in the next coming days.

We first tried our website and we’re glad to say it looks really good and usable on the iPad.

It even works with the animations. We are keen to see what’s going to happen in the future with all the flash sites. Because they don’t show anything but a blank screen.

Also banner advertising will have to be re-thought as they will effectively be ignored.

coUNDco is working hard on flash-less iPad friendly advertising solutions. Stay tuned.

If you’re in Social Media, you probably need good icons for them. Please find a good collection on blogperfume.com made by Eli, an aspiring web designer from Adelaide, South Australia.

All in ZIP or RAR format, available as PSDs in three different sizes.

With so many to choose from, it’s hard to decide what’s best for you. We’ve narrowed it down to the top contenders in real Christmas tree choices, making it the perfect how-to guide for your holiday decorating.

Fraser Fir

Unlike most real trees, the Fraser Fir is a forerunner in holding its needles. It also has a unique beauty, carrying silver lines on each needle that shine in the light. The branches are stiff, full, and a deep green.

Balsam Fir

Like the Fraser, the Balsam fir boasts sturdy, broad branches, too. This tree is the epitome of the characteristic Christmas small, with deep green and soft foliage. It has the same silver lining, but weak to the touch – so be sure to be prepared for a showering of needles if you give it a ruffle.

Douglas Fir

With longer needles than other fir trees, this bluish tree has a wonderful citrus-inspired aroma. A perfect choice, too, for most folks as its non-allergenic.

Scotch and White Pine

A Scotch pine can last a long time, but like the Balsam fir, can easily fall apart. It has blue-green needles that are prickly, so pets and children should be careful. The White pine has the same appearance, but isn’t prickly – unfortunately, it’s also far more delicate.

White Spruce

Spruce trees aren’t as bushy, so ornaments can be displayed with ease. They have short needles, carry a blue-green colour, and are stiff and prickly. They only last about ten days, so be sure to pick this one up right before Christmas.

Source: The Swish Life, Image courtesy of firtrees.com