So I'd abandoned this blog quite a while ago and have been blogging over at metosphere, but I thought I'd resurrect wombatmobile for grins.

Even though this blogging software is ancient, I actually kind of miss it. It's easy to just dump thoughts here quickly and move on, so that's how I'll use this. For posting quick stuff without worrying too much about spelling, grammar, etc.

ideas.txt

So I have this massive text file called ideas.txt. I've kept this file for years copied from computer to computer and use it to record anything that strikes me as an interesting idea. Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night with some wacky idea, add it to ideas.txt, and then wake up the next morning and laugh and wonder what I was thinking. Other times after getting home after a long drive, I'll run into the house to get my thoughts down quickly before I forget everything.

I separate the ideas in this file into three different tiers:

Tier 1 - ideas that will take a lot of effort, most likely need outside investment and a team. big upside possibilities.

Tier 2 - simple ideas, things I can crank out quickly and see what happens as an experiment. not much upside, but would be fun to see if people would use it.

Tier 3 - these are the more out-there ideas. Some of them need certain things to happen technically first or maybe be several years away. To be honest, I'm either never going to get to these or don't have the background/resources to even attempt them. Examples include snack food recipes, beverage containers, aircraft designs ideas from my old aerospace engineering days, etc.

Lately I've been focused on working my way through my Tier 2 list. Get the minimum viable product out there. If it gets traction, let users determine what features to add.

Prayers to Share

One of the Tier 2 ideas I cranked out recently has taken off much more than I expected. The concept is simple. Let people share their prayers on their phones (praying to find a job, sick relative, etc.) Other people can tap a button and pray along. (i.e. 8 people have prayed with you)

Surprisingly, people are really using it! It's now the 18th ranked Android app in the social category. With great ratings and comments! "God bless this application." "Blessing be on he that has developed this application."

The iPhone version just got approved and people are buying it. Here's the website for it: http://prayerstoshare.net/

In hindsight, after being continuously surprised at simple iPhone apps that do well, I shouldn't be shocked that a simple app like Prayers to Share would be popular, but time after time, I keep succumbing to the Engineer's Conceit that an app should be "chock full o' features."

This was hammered home to me over the past week while using the Android ADC2 Contest Judging App. Looking at app after app with my User hat on, I had no patience for an app that I didn't grok right away. If the first thing I see when launching an app is two pages of Help to scroll through, I've lost interest.

So basically this post is yet another "Keep It Simple, Stupid" rant, but maybe if I write it enough, it'll sink in. (especially regarding mobile)

Top Social Android Apps (10/7/2009)

1. MySpace Mobile
2. Facebook for Android
3. facebook lite
4. Myspace lite
5. Pickup Lines
6. Love quote
7. twitter lite
8. Babbler Lite
9. meinVZ
10. Wertago
11. LinkedIn (beta)
12. LED Scroller 2
13. Facebook Video uploader
14. LED Scroller
15. studiBZ
16. Swift Twitter App
17. Comeks - Fun Photo Blogger
18. Prayers to Share <==woohoo!
19. Speed Dial
20. Twidgit Lite