Experiences on paid applications
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Folks,
In another discussion two folks here asked me about my experience on paid applications but that place isn't appropriate in my opinion so I am starting this discussion now.
I work for a local Albanian company on which I am creating Qt desktop application, on the other hand I have my own software firm which is my playground, whenever I am developing I release under that name. On February I will change my current job to another company which I will be a Nokia Software Engineer and create mobile application on which we would then sell.
In recent days I am working on an application which I am planning to sell it on Ovi, I am registered on Ovi and the application is complete but due to holidays the bank on which I have the account isn't working in order to complete the bank information form on Ovi.
The application is a "Boxee":http://boxee.tv/ Remote on which you can create a Boxee machine and use this remote from your Symbian phone.
My experience so far is very good, but a bit cumbersome comparing it to Android Market, because you would need to wait several days until the approval and also you need developer certificates etc etc. and when I opened the Android Market account it was a matter of minutes when you try to publish an application, but I think this is a matter of time for Ovi, because also when you try to publish Nokia will test your application etc. on which Google is not doing to its developers.
I will update this post in the future with my experience after I publish the application next week.
Here is the screenshot:
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Milot: thank you! That is exactly what I was looking for.
Keep us posted of your experience. Getting your application to work on the maemo platform should not take more than a recompile and packaging, as long as is 100% Qt of course.
If you decide to try and don't want to get a new phone I will be more than willing to help you with it (no strings attached - I am just interested in finding out more about distributing applications on ovi)
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[quote author="VCsala" date="1293390364"]Milot, what pricing model do you plan to use? A simple fixed price/instance, freemium, or limited demo + paid version, etc.?[/quote]
I am planning to sell it for 1 Euro, because it is cheap and the application is very functional.
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[quote author="fcrochik" date="1293391182"]Milot: thank you! That is exactly what I was looking for.
Keep us posted of your experience. Getting your application to work on the maemo platform should not take more than a recompile and packaging, as long as is 100% Qt of course.
If you decide to try and don't want to get a new phone I will be more than willing to help you with it (no strings attached - I am just interested in finding out more about distributing applications on ovi)
[/quote]Thank you, that would be good! it is a matter of recompilation but I also have to test it for example the QAction that I've used for the Options menu and the Back menu actually is a back button on Boxee (it will send a back key to Boxee).
But first I am focusing on Symbian and I am planning to target Symbian S60 3rd edition phones, but for now I think I should rely on S60 5th edition and Symbian^3 because the UI is designed to be used on touch-based devices.
I will continue this post indeed because the forums are for this reason, to learn from each other :D
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[quote author="Milot Shala" date="1293391746"]I am planning to sell it for 1 Euro, because it is cheap and the application is very functional.[/quote]
This is one of my options too. But I also thinking about to go for some freemium option (eg. selling for free the local app, but providing some kind of subscription to the server and group based synchronization).
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[quote author="VCsala" date="1293392022"]
[quote author="Milot Shala" date="1293391746"]I am planning to sell it for 1 Euro, because it is cheap and the application is very functional.[/quote]This is one of my options too. But I also thinking about to go for some freemium option (eg. selling for free the local app, but providing some kind of subscription to the server and group based synchronization).[/quote]
Yes that would be then offering your software as a service. I am planning on doing so in another project which I have in mind, they would pay your system and get the application for free.
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[quote author="Milot Shala" date="1293392179"]
Yes that would be then offering your software as a service. I am planning on doing so in another project which I have in mind, they would pay your system and get the application for free.[/quote]I imagine something on the ovi agreement will try to prevent that... but don't know if they have figured out how yet.
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[quote author="fcrochik" date="1293392148"]VCsala:
Can you give us more details about your application(s)?[/quote]I have one which I plan to publish in the near future, actually this is the application with which I was Top 10 world finalist in the 2009 Nokia “Calling all Innovators - Aps On Maps” Contest.
The original idea is a group based location aware to do application, meantime I have polished the concept to make it as much integrated to the phone as it can be but I still have to wait for Nokia to provide proper geolocation based services and Ovi Maps support for Qt.
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[quote author="VCsala" date="1293392563"]
I have one which I plan to publish in the near future, actually this is the application with which I was Top 10 world finalist in the 2009 Nokia “Calling all Innovators - Aps On Maps” Contest.The original idea is a group based location aware to do application, meantime I have polished the concept to make it as much integrated to the phone as it can be but I still have to wait for Nokia to provide proper geolocation based services and Ovi Maps support for Qt.
[/quote]
What kind of geolocation services are you looking for? online or offline? Any reason to not use "google maps" in the meanwhile?
Where can I get more information? screenshots?
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[quote author="fcrochik" date="1293392829"]Any reason to not use "google maps" in the meanwhile? [/quote]
On one hand it has licensing and on other hand some historical reasons. I have signed an NDA with Nokia therefore I cannot tell you too much about the background, but I hope in the near future it will change a lot.
You can find some more information "here":http://www.callingallinnovators.com/apps_on_maps_finalists.aspx (I had a website few months ago but I have decided not too keep it due to the uncertainties).
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[quote author="VCsala" date="1293393248"]
On one hand it has licensing and on other hand some historical reasons. I have signed an NDA with Nokia therefore I cannot tell you too much about the background, but I hope in the near future it will change a lot.
You can find some more information "here":http://www.callingallinnovators.com/apps_on_maps_finalists.aspx (I had a website few months ago but I have decided not too keep it due to the uncertainties).[/quote]
Just to make easier: which one is yours?
You got love NDAs....
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Easy, my full name is Viktor Csala, and msgboard is mine. NDA was a precondition to take part in the competition, and later I had to sign an NDA when I was elected to Forum Nokia Champion. Nokia has this habit and if you want to work with them (as I see) you have to respect their business "secrets" (anyway in my real occupation I am a consultant and it is a common practice to protect our partners interest and information so I get used to it)
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[quote author="VCsala" date="1293394548"]Easy, my full name is Viktor Csala, and msgboard is mine. NDA was a precondition to take part in the competition, and later I had to sign an NDA when I was elected to Forum Nokia Champion. Nokia has this habit and if you want to work with them (as I see) you have to respect their business "secrets" (anyway in my real occupation I am a consultant and it is a common practice to protect our partners interest and information so I get used to it)[/quote]
Cool I like the idea (of the app). I have considered several ideas that would use the "proximity" idea but the battery on the n900 is such an issue that made me give up. I haven't actually tested how the GPS will affect the battery but can't imagine that it won't.
p.s. I recognize the need of protecting partners secrets and NDAs. I also have signed several of them. It is just the "tech" guy in me that has to rebel when it gets disappointed when interesting technical conversations end up with: sorry, can't tell you that!
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[quote author="VCsala" date="1293395661"]I hope in the near future we can discuss it in more free manner. Anyway I am an active user of MyContacts and I really like it, it is a great app (moreover, if you see that on other platforms you have to pay for similar apps). [/quote]
Glad to hear! Thank you.
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[quote author="fcrochik" date="1293396041"]is the msgboard available on the n900? I would like to test it :)[/quote]
Not yet, unfortunately. I am working on the porting when I have time. I hope I can release it in February/March. I was thinking about to have some closed beta testing, so I will count on you definitely.
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[quote author="VCsala" date="1293396348"]
Not yet, unfortunately. I am working on the porting when I have time. I hope I can release it in February/March. I was thinking about to have some closed beta testing, so I will count on you definitely.[/quote]Just let me know... Also, if you have any suggestions/comments about my applications let me know. I haven't had as much time as I would like to devote to them lately but I always like new ideas.