Potentially, even a legal presentation could be cool if turned into an iPhone app. It is enough to display the small logo on your iPhone, you do not even need to open it which in the case of a legal presentation can be a definite plus. People expect you to keep an app short or at least they do not feel pressured to flick through all of it, which again is a big bonus. With this in mind, I set out to create a legal cartoon. I put a proposal up on Elance. This is a free site which allows you to call for tenders, put money into escrow and only release it when you are satisfied with the App designer's service. Within 24 hours I had 5 tenders mostly from India which enabled me to assess the going rate and select a tender from a provider who had excellent feedback from previous customers.
I deposited the money into the escrow account and I was committed. I had looked at other cartoon apps which helped but I found the process of designing an app was difficult and time consuming. Within about two weeks, I had uploaded the pages and viewed two video clips of the app that they had designed. The designer skillfully and patiently gave me what I asked for which was maybe a mistake on his part as there were quite a few changes while I worked out what I wanted and what was technically possible. Just as I was feeling that we would never get it right he sent me the app itself. Getting it working was difficult for me. It came in two files which had to be dragged and dropped into iTunes on my computer. There was talk of the application binary, source code, mobile provisioning certificate, provisioning profile. An iPhone configuration utility box came up on my screen. I struggled and we met by video link on Skye, it was easy to operate this link.
He was in Bangalore and I on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. He re-sent files, he talked me through the installation process and the cartoon app appeared on my iPhone. He had worked for IBM and joined with 15 others two years ago to create an internet design company. I formed the impression of a professional, serious minded young man dedicated to getting the job done quickly. As a lawyer, especially in litigation, I don't always get to work with people like this. I really enjoyed working with him. There were more amendments and a second application binary which I found just as hard to install and I required another session with Lokesh on Skype. Once the app was finished, I discovered that I would need a MacBook computer to upload the app. He helpfully sent me the iTunes Developers Guide which in terms of coolness is not one of Steve Job's greatest works.
Fortunately for a small extra payment he would upload it for me. US99 which took a week to process. I am not only a solicitor, attorney and proctor of the Supreme Court, but also a newly appointed Apple Developer. Regrettably there does not appear to be an Apple Developer's tie or any enthusiasm on my part to get technical. Eventually, the app was uploaded; the review process took one week and it appeared in the iTunes store. The interesting thing for a lawyer is to work out the extent of the licence. What are you going to allow people to do with the content, You can allow the user to send the content by email, text or put up on Facebook. Or go further and allow use in their eZine newsletter or on their website. I chose the former. However, the latter is more attractive to users. It is a matter of imposing some limit.
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