iOS and dialing companion apps removed from the App Store

Unfortunately, I had to remove my iOS Companion app for Garmin Connect IQ and Pebble from the Apple App Store. The reason are the recent changes in the iOS system that pose additional restrictions to dialing apps, by requiring that the requested number dialing is confirmed by tapping on the phone screen, which defies the sole purpose for the existence of these dialing apps that I had developed.

The restrictions were neither present nor announced at the time I developed and published my apps on the App Store, thus I could not have been aware that my apps would be rendered useless due to some new iOS modifications.

Apart from that, I experienced attempts to block the development of companion apps for Garmin devices. The mere existence of the Garmin API in the app was a reason for my apps to be rejected from the App Store. That was also something new for me, which hindered me to publish any updates. The reason for the rejection was:

We were required to install Garmin Connect Mobile before we could use your app. Apps should be able to run on launch, without requiring additional apps to be installed.

The reason for the rejection is contrary to the developer documentation for the Garmin Connect IQ API, and renders this whole chapter useless: http://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/programmers-guide/ios-sdk-guide/

I addressed Garmin at many levels, and they were not able to help me with this issue.

Pebble Speed Dial app for iOS

Announcing the iOS companion app for my Pebble SpeedDial app. Until now, only Android Pebble users were able to make use of this tiny, but effective, Pebble app.

One might ask “why develop for Pebble, isn’t Pebble an obsolete device?” Well, Pebble watches are not produced any more, but there are quite a bit that are still in use. Pebble does not offer support for them, but I don’t expect them to simply fall apart. They will last for a little while more, for sure. I’ve seen reports claiming that once Pebble company is no more, the watch would have no functions due to some “gone servers”. That’s rubbish.

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Enjoy your Pebble, now with this Speed Dialing for iOS.
Speed Dial is available on the Pebble appstore SpeedDial Pebble

Eir Fast Dialer for iPhone

I got myself an iPhone recently, in order to do some smart-watch related development. But, I stumbled upon the same issue as I did when I got my first Android phone – the useless dialer. My approach was the same, as with the Android phone – after not finding in the App Store something that suits my needs, I created my own 🙂 Since the Fast Dialer app already exists for Android, the main logic was already there, I just needed to translated it into Objective C, which turned out to be not such a difficult task.

The end product has the same main functionality as the Android app: search using two languages keyboards at the same time, with one significant addition: one can choose a first language different than English / Latin based. That means that you can set your two language combination to be Russian – Hebrew, for example. Quite nice.

The search by numbers and search with wildcard modes are also available.

Other than that, the app theming is much alike the Android app, with initial choice of only 3 themes, but with more to come if there is interest.

There are some iOS limitations that significantly affect the app:
1. The access to the call log is prohibited, for security reasons. This beats me, its ridiculous. Some app can have access to the list of contacts, and the internet at the same time, enabling the leaking of personal information, but an app that has no internet access, is not allowed to access the call log? Makes no sense.
Anyway, the lack of the recent call list is not trivial, so my Eir Fast Dialer app cannot fully replace the default Dialer app. Pity.

2. There is no sorting of contacts based on the frequency of calls. I guess this is relation to the first point. It also shows how much more advanced system Android is in comparison to iOS.

Anyway, the app is already my default dialer app, try it out yourselves:

Eir Fast Dialer

Simulator Screen Shot Jan 28, 2017, 2.31.45 PM

Simulator Screen Shot Jan 28, 2017, 4.11.16 PM

Simulator Screen Shot Feb 1, 2017, 8.48.05 AM

Simulator Screen Shot Jan 28, 2017, 2.51.26 PM

Древний Патерик

Это знаменитый Алфавитный патерик (Изречения Отцов, Апофтегмата Патрум или Геронтикон, или наконец просто Патерик), но изложенный не по персоналиям, а тематически. Одна из центральных книг Церкви, вобравшая в себя опыт величайших подвижников. Никая другая книга (кроме Библии) не переписывалась христианами так часто как Патерик. Это собрания крайне простых, лаконичных слов.
300-titleДоступный всем, Патерик напоминает самые основы христианской этики – написанный огнём Духа, Патерик содержит величайшие Его откровения. Древний Патерик – по сути ряд коротеньких историй или высказываний Отцов Пустыни. Интересно, что эти Отцы – почти все копты (коренные жители Египта), часто просто безграмотные – однако именно к ним стремились попасть лучшие представител античной интеллигенции. Хаушер, исследователь восточнохристиаснкой духовности писал о значании Патерика: “если изучаете историю духовности или духовной жизни Церкви, увидете, что что каждый раз, когда в Церкви наступает духовное возрождение, отцы пустыни становятся заново актуальными, либо вследствии этого возрождения, либо как его причина, или и то, и другое одновременно”.

Сделано в сотрудничестве с: Аzbyka.ru

Приложение бесплатно, скачайте его:

Древний Патерик для Android

Древний Патерик для iPhone

Древний Патерик для Windows Phone

Приложение «Апологетика: неоязычество»

device-2015-08-31-110144
18 сентября на VIII Межправославной встрече по изучению религий и деструктивных культов, проходящей в Словении, священник Георгий Максимов провел презентацию уникального апологетического приложения для смартфонов и планшетов.

Оно представляет собой подборку материалов, посвященных не только самому феномену неоязычества, но и опровержению расхожих утверждений неоязычников. Материалы распределены по рубрикам: «Мифы неоязычников о христианстве», «Крещение Руси», «Древнее язычество», «Неоязычество (родноверие)», «Что неоязычество дало России?» и «Рассказы бывших неоязычников».

Приложение будет полезным не только для православных миссионеров, но и для более широкого круга людей, интересующихся упомянутыми вопросами.

Приложение разработано Православным миссионерским обществом имени прп. Серапиона Кожеозерского.

Можно бесплатно скачать и установить по следующим ссылкам:

Для устройств на android’е: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eir.neoyaz
Для устройств Apple (iPhone/iPad): https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=1038143218&mt=8
Для устройств Windows Phone: http://www.windowsphone.com/mk-mk/store/app/neoyaz/931b1ea9-77b5-41e1-b16d-25efd68aa3d0
Для устройств на платформе Firefox OS: https://marketplace.firefox.com/app/neoyaz/

Orthodox Menologion

Very happy to introduce the app I’ve been working on this Summer.

It’s an upgrade of the Orthodox Calendar app, in the sense that it contains all the icons and lives of saints (or feasts descriptions), a total of 3.290 texts and over 2.000 icons. Like the Orthodox Calendar app, this one too does not require Internet connection to work, allowing you to read your daily spiritual nourishment at any place and at any time.

It contains notes about the periods of the liturgical year and the fasting dates, but you are warmly advised to not rely only on those notes, but to rather speak to your priest about fasting details.

The app is fully in Russian, and is currently available for Android and BlackBerry 10 devices, with support for more platforms on the way!

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The app uses contents from the renowned Azbyka.ru portal, as well as from the “From Pascha to Pascha” calendar by the St Maximus the Greek fund.

The app is free, get it today!

Orthodox Menologion, free at Google Play!

Orthodox Menologion for iPad, free on the App Store!

Orthodox Menologion, free at the Windows Phone Marketplace

Orthodox Menologion, free at BlackBerry World!