(checking back into the thread)

This is a real market. It's important to remember that only a handful make serious money writing iPhone apps. It's also important to remember that it's red hot and there is money to be made. I highly encourage those with technical aptitude, imagination, and an entrepreneurial spirit to check it out. Just a sense, really. It's reminding me of the early days of the PC and the early days of the internet. The tricky part is guessing which tech waves are real and which are here and gone. No one said it's easy getting rich, did they? ;-)

Some of them are frivolous, like iFart. Some are more serious, like the one that was written up in the NY Times, coded by a guy who left HP to write it. If I were in the iPhone app space I would focus on the middle. As I said to Simon earlier, the kind of thing that makes you smack your forehead and wonder, Why didn't I think of that?! Focusing on the iPhone's strengths -- amazing graphics the rest of the industry is still trying to catch up to, ease of use, GPS.

BTW, I never thanked you properly for making that call to the police last month. I don't remember saying anything overt, like the goodbye note in January 2008, but you sensed something alarming enough in my posts to call the Round Lake cops. They arrived quickly, did a quick assessment, and insisted I be taken to the hospital. (Against my will, which sounds amazing until you see a drunk in full sail). One of the many docs I saw told me I would probably be dead if not for the emergency intervention, and was lucky even then. He was Indian or possibly Middle Eastern, a very small man. He said if it had been him he would be dead, "no chance." So thank you. It sounds trite but I literally would not be typing this if not for you.

It's actually been going pretty well since. Staying sober, one day at a time. Going to meetings every day. Taking a new medication which is intended to reduce the urge to drink or drug. (Yes, it is supposed to work on both. Some gateway in the brain mucked with, same principle as antidepressants). Keeping myself as busy as I can, even if the activities seem uninspiring. Trying to follow the 12 step program, which is a work in progress. My analytical approach to things fights it at every step of the way. What keeps me going is other members, long sober, who have said they felt exactly the same way until they got desperate enough to try anything.

I could write a book <g>. Scratch that idea. The alcoholic memoir genre is already overplowed. (Thanks,James Frey).

Thanks also to a couple of UT members, who remain anonymous for obvious reasons, who have given me great encouragement and strength the past month. (NOT Tamar, it should be hastened; she really is a teetotaler). The core value of AA is to help other alcoholics who still suffer. The 12th step: "Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs." In essence, pass it on.

Feeling philosophical this morning, apparently. There is a flu coming on, which both girls have already had. Watch and enjoy the Panthers game, if you dare <g>. FWIW, I was listening to a sports talk radio station on the afternoon drive on Friday and two of the three "analysts" picked the Panthers to win.

Da Bears, I think it must be a bye week or something <g>.



>If you caught 60 minutes today, there was a story on cell phone apps. It is a 343 million $ /year business right now. It seems even the most ridiculous apps bring in $. They showed the app IFART which does exactly what the name suggests. It is basically an electronic whoopi cushion. You select a fart from the menu and it produces the sound of a fart. It is nothing other than a menu system and sound files. That stupid little app brings in thousands of dollars a day to the writer of that app.
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>How about an IScream or ILaugh or ISwear or IPray (the list is almost endless) app? :o) For the latter two, you could add different languages. Now there's a money maker (if it doesn't already exist on the app list)... Go as silly as you can and you can bet that it will be a sellout with men. :o)
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>>Hi
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>>I guess that is a good point. My business has generally been focused on solving problems for customers not eventing software that someone might like. So the biggest challenge with the iPhone is coming up with an idea. I am not one for building computer games so until I come across a need that fits the iphone or an idea for some application the platform does not hold a lot of appeal at present.
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>>Simon
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>SNIP