All posts filed under: Personal

Android Developer Challenge

Google has announced the second Android Developer Challenge and I’m seriously considering taking part. They have ten different categories with three attractive prizes each and one overall category with three even more attractive prizes. Given the facts that there were only 1788 submissions last year, that I have already gathered some experience in mobile device development and that I do work with several Google APIs for my freelancing job I consider my chances not too bad. Idea, anyone? 😉

Firefox AddOns and OS X Software I use

People seem to like posting their favorite plugins and software these days, so I thought I could add my little list of useful stuff here, too. I’m open to suggestions for other good extensions, of course. Here’s my list of Firefox AddOns I am using actively: Adblock Plus Firebug A powerful debugging aid for web developers. Comes with e.g. a DOM explorer and a JavaScript debugger. Web Developer Toolbar A toolbar which offers many useful functions for web developers. In particular, I like outlining of block elements or enabling read-only form fields. FoxyProxy Manage proxy configurations and use them depending on URL patterns etc. ImageZoom Zoom images with RMB and mouse wheel. Foxmarks Synchronizes bookmarks. I found it particularly useful to define synchronization profiles so that I can separate work bookmarks from private stuff. Tabinta Ever tried to enter a TAB in textarea controls? Tabinta allows you to use TAB there. Flagfox Shows the country flag of the server’s origin in the address bar. Split Browser Splits the browser window into multiple areas. Nuke Anything …

ELFrun featured on YouTube channel

mattin found ELFrun featured on “Englishtwist’s” Christmas Countdown for December 3rd. If you want to see the whole ELFrun intro video (because you don’t have an iPod/iPhone, of course, otherwise you would indeed buy the game to watch it), have a look at his footage starting at about minute 4 🙂 There’s another video from “ipodtouchlab” who is featuring ELFrun over here with two (simple) levels of gameplay. I’m really wondering whether someone will ever make a movie of the harder ones.

ELFrun gameplay video #1

mattin created a new video which shows ELFrun from starting it up on the iPhone to finishing a level (and most of a bonus level). It’s one of the easier levels at the beginning (level 5), so there are not many obstacles and the speed is still pretty low. I guess playing a higher level through a camera is pretty much impossible. ELFrun is also currently featured on TouchArcade.com, hooray! I was a bit scared how fast ELFrun was pirated, though.

ELFrun submitted to the AppStore

I nearly shed a tear when mattin finally made it after 12 hours of struggling with code signing and stuff. Imagine that: a 3D artist builds, signs and deploys a whole C++ application using XCode and command line tools by himself. I couldn’t do something like that the other way round. I’m really proud to work with so amazingly talented people. Now keep your fingers crossed that the AppStore people like it as much as we do. Oh, and here’s just a little update to mattins posting: