Today Team Armadillo is incredibly excited to announce the launch of our very first iOS App – “The People Power App from the The International Center For Non-Violent Conflict”:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-people-power-app/id569738326?ls=1&mt=8.

Earlier this year, we were approached by members of “The International Center of Non-violent Conflict”:http://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/ to help create a unique iPhone app that would act as an aggregate for their various information outlets. The team wanted a customized app that would not only allow users to share the organizations incredible amount of unique data, but also a tool that would allow users to watch videos, download their paper _Civil Resistance: A First Look_, connect on social media networks and subscribe the latest news from the organization. The app also had to feature the upcoming redesign of the organization and their new branding scheme.

So we hand crafted an iOS app that would meet all of their goals. *The People Power App* is a unique tool that incorporates all the organization’s online identities in one single program to allow users to connect with the centre on the go. Users can see the latest news digest information, subscribe to the organization’s newsletter and learn about various non-violent conflicts across the world. Users can then share all elements of the app with friends and family to raise awareness of these crucial events and issues. The app also works across a wide spectrum of iPhone products including iPod Touch 3rd & 4th Generation platforms and of course for the iPhone 4, 4S and iPhone 5.

We are incredibly honored and excited to be apart of this project. Not only because this our first major foray into the iOS App development world, after years of sitting on the sidelines, but because this is a cause and organization that we admire. It has been an absolute pleasure working with ICNC and we look forward to continue to develop the app and improve their online presence.

*The People Power App* is now available to download. Please feel free to download and share your feed back with us.

It’s been quite the week here at Armadillo Studios, as our beloved pet project – “yycApps.com”:http://www.yycapps.com received an incredible amount of local exposure over the past 7 days.

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It all started about a week ago with a six minute interview on CBC Calgary’s the Homestrech with David Grey. We had a great conversation on the blossoming community in Calgary and I was able to feature some great local apps. (“click here to hear the full interview”:http://www.cbc.ca/homestretch/episode/2011/01/04/apps/)

Next, yycapps had a feature segment on last night’s edition of GlobalTV’s 6:00pm news. In which, we briefly talked with Tony Tighe about the project and also showcased our friends from TapForms and also Broken Kings. (See the segment below and fast forward to the 23:55 mark)

It’s been an exciting week for the yycapps project and we look forward to seeing how the project continues to grow.

A couple of weeks ago we posted an article detailing the potential importance of the “Apple’s Iphone to our Canadian customers”:http://blog.armadillostudios.ca/article/iphone-arrives-in-canada. Well, with Mondays iPhone news at the “WorldWide Developers Conference”:http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/0806wdt546x/event/index.html it looks like the next release of the iPhone will have far more impact on your business then we thought.

In simple laymen terms, it looks like Apple is poised to take a bite out of Blackberry’s dominance on the Business Wireless Device market. With the release of iPhone 2.0 software, the iPhone will _now_ contain Enterprise software comparable to Blackberry offers. So what does that mean for your business?

Essentially, this news solidifies the iPhone’s future cultural importance and will open your business up to an entire group of _new users_ that will have a greater access to wireless Internet. In particular, it means that your *web site will need to be compatible with the iPhone’s internet browsers* or you will be missing out on a slew of vital customers.

And as one analyst has already pointed out – “we’re witnessing the birth of a third major platform, after Windows (PC) and OS X (Apple Computers)”:http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/06/liveblog-steve.html.

Here’s a quick question for small businesses to consider; why is the news of “Roger’s decision to finally support the iPhone in Canada”:http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080429.wrogersstaff0429/BNStory/Business/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080429.wrogersstaff0429 important news for your business?

Well, ponder this. Apple’s iPod popularity over the past few years has been well document and it’s dominance on the portable music market in Canada is undeniable. With Roger’s decision to finally support the iPhone in Canada, Apple seems poised to once again alter the dynamics of the prosperous Cellular phone market. But more importantly for the iPhone to work, there needs to be a major shift in wireless cell phone data rates in Canada; thereby making it cheaper and easier for people to surf the web on the their cell phones.

It is this element of Rogers’ announcement that is critical news for your business. As data rates decreases and the technology for cell phone based web browsing grows; users will be doing more surfing away from the comforts of home or their office. Instead, users will be surfing the net waiting for flights or on their daily commute. Heck they could be checking their email while at a concert or twittering their friends about the night’s activities.

With one of the highest rates of broadband usage in the world, Canadians already spend a majority of their time surfing the net. Whether it’s at work or at home. Simply put – we are a wired nation. Now with reduced cell phone data rates, the ability to surf the net from any location will allow users more time to browse the internet. That’s where it be comes imperative that your web site is designed with cell phone browsers in mind.

No mater what type of business you run, your web site needs to be compatible with all browsers. More importantly *your web site* must be compatible with Safari and Opera browsers (The common iPhone browsers) and mobile devices in general. The best way to ensure your site is compatible is to have it developed in Web Standards or in an HTML/CSS combo. A complicated Flash web site will not function as well in mobile browser and will not provide users with the information they need. While a CSS/Web Standards based site will still provide both regular desktop users and mobile users with the information they both need.

Armadillo Studios already builds our web sites with mobile devices in mind. But as the demand for the iPhone increases we will be moving towards “enhancing our sites”:http://www.bittbox.com/general-web-design/have-a-website-its-time-to-add-a-webclip-icon/ to fully embrace mobile technology. If you are interested in adapting your web site for the mobile web, give us an email at info@armadillostudios.ca.