Chris Stolee

Chris Stolee gets bored during the MLB All Star Break

2009-07-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

No baseball on Wednesday and Thursday after the All Star game - what's there to do? Chris Stolee is forced to watch things on TV like Swimming, Volleyball, and Showgirls (the movie). Can we at least get some Canadian Football? Chris Stolee is looking for a solution.

Chris Stolee reports on iPhone email problems

2009-07-08T21:40:00.000-07:00

Got an iPhone 3G with the new iPhone 3.0 OS upgrade? Got a Yahoo! bizmail account? Then you might have a problem! Chris Stolee blogs that a growing number of iPhone users are reporting problems with Yahoo! bizmail and the new iPhone operating system upgrade. Specifically, the iPhone will receive Yahoo! bizmail but will not send anything out through the built in Yahoo! iPhone connection. Chris Stolee reported the problem with his own iPhone email to both Apple and Yahoo! and as expected, each party blamed the other. Stay tuned...

Chris Stolee reports on the new iPhone release

2009-06-23T16:34:00.001-07:00

Yes, the Apple WWDC hoopla is over for another year. The biggest news from Apple was that Steve Jobs had a liver transplant, making the debut of the new iPhone 3G S a little underwhelming. Chris Stolee's opinion is that this iPhone upgrade can be skipped unless you really need a lot of memory and/or you need video on your iPhone. Otherwise, Chris Stolee is holding out for the next iPhone iteration, especially since he has about two years left on his AT&T contract.

Meanwhile, Chris Stolee is working on a new custom iPhone app for a game - more details to come. If you need a custom iPhone app, please check out the Toy Lounge at http://TheToyLounge.com for more details.

Chris Stolee reports on the Apple WWDC

2009-06-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

Chris Stolee is gearing up for the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco. The hot rumor is that Apple will officially announce the new upgraded iPhone at the conference instead of waiting until July as was originally speculated.

We may get answers to the many questions that have been circulating: Will the new iPhone have video? Will there be a 32gb iPhone? How will the iPhone's weak battery cope with the power drain from all the new features? What about that built in compass that would have saved me the last time I got lost in the Yukon wilderness? Will Steve Jobs get out of his hyperbaric chamber to make an appearance at WWDC?

Chris Stolee will watch developments closely (but from a distance) and report on the latest scoops.

Chris Stolee says Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

2009-05-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

Chris Stolee says that Mother's Day should be the real International Workers' Day, not the first of May which celebrates communism - take that, Lenin and Trotsky.

Chris Stolee also would like to wish a Happy Mother's Day to his own mom and also his mother in law. Have fun and enjoy your day!

Chris Stolee is watching the World Series of Poker

2009-05-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

Chris Stolee is viewing the World Series of Poker on ESPN. One thing Chris Stolee can't do is play poker - the math skills just aren't there. But Chris Stolee does enjoy watching professional poker on TV where you can see what cards everyone has.

A great TV poker show is the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel, Chris Stolee remembers host Vince Van Patten back when he was a pro tennis player. Vince is also the son of Dick Van Patten of TV's Eight is Enough.

The bottom line is that Chris Stolee will have to be satisfied playing the free video poker game that came with his computer.

Chris Stolee reports next iPhone to have digital compass

2009-05-08T18:12:00.001-07:00

Chris Stolee reports that the next iteration of the iPhone could have a digital compass, according to CNET's Crave. The digital compass feature is what supports "augmented reality" applications, much like with Google's Android and its Street View compass mode. Got any new ideas for iPhone apps now?

Making Money with eBooks and iPhone Apps - Article by Chris Stolee

2009-05-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

The success of eBooks has been an on and off thing for the last decade. Different readers and formats come and go, with Amazon's Kindle system looking like it might have some staying power with over 225 thousand titles listed as of May 2009.

Now you can add the iPhone and its buddy the iPod Touch as viable competitors to the Kindle for publishing eBooks. The iPhone has many eBooks available free and for purchase from the iTunes App Store but in addition there is the new Kindle app for the iPhone and iPod Touch which gives readers access to the whole Kindle library without needing to have the Kindle reader.

For aspiring writers and authors who are already published, getting your eBooks listed for sale with Amazon and Kindle is a great way to start. Your eBook can be uploaded and listed without much time and cost, and Amazon will pay you a royalty of 35% on each eBook sold for Kindle. The drawback? There are only about 500 thousand Kindle units on the market so far.

Let's contrast that with publishing your eBook for the iPhone and iPod Touch using your own iPhone app. You will first have to find a qualified iPhone developer to create your eBook app. There will be an upfront cost to develop your application and the time to get your eBook listed in the iTunes App Store can be several weeks. On the plus side, Apple takes only 30% of the sale price, leaving you with 70% vs. the 35% you get with Amazon/Kindle. And, remember that the iPhone and iPod Touch have a combined 40 million users vs. just 500 thousand for the Kindle.

Let's say it costs $2000 to develop an iPhone app for your eBook and get it uploaded to the iTunes app store. You list your eBook app at $2.99 which means you'll net $2.09 per sale after Apple's cut. You'll need to sell 957 eBook apps to break even. Now compare that cost/break even point to self publishing a printed book and trotting it around to a bunch of bookstores or selling them on the internet.

There are also strong rumors of an upcoming super-iPod Touch, tentatively called the iPod MediaPad, that will be just under the size of the Kindle yet will have a larger screen with HD Video capability and full touchscreen keyboard - perfect for reading eBooks in addition to everything else the iPod Touch already does.

There are definite advantages for publishing your eBook with Amazon for the Kindle and there are also advantages for publishing your eBook for the iPhone and iPod Touch using a custom iPhone app. Authors who are looking to monetize their publications should seriously consider making use of both the Kindle and iPhone publishing platforms. Chris Stolee says do it now!

Chris Stolee New Blog

2009-05-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

New Blog from Chris Stolee - Christopher Stolee Reviews. This is the blog where Christopher Stolee will publish his latest reviews of iPhone apps and also some other product reviews like mobile devices, airlines, hotels, movies, TV, and more.You can see the blog at http://www.christopherstoleereviews.blogspot.com

Thanks for taking a look at Christopher Stolee Reviews.

Chris Stolee Reports on the Vikings

2009-05-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

Chris Stolee says that the Vikings don't need Favre at QB, they need a young quarterback who can lead the team for the next 10 years. Will they ever get that with Brad Childress as head coach? Chris Stolee says NO. With Childress in charge the Vikings will continue to have either young "project" quarterbacks like Tavaris Jackson, or old retreads or journeymen like Sage Rosenfels or Gus Frerotte.

The problem with Childress, according to Chris Stolee, is that the head coach for the Vikings thinks his system is so great that he can just plug any QB in and the team will be just great - if the players will execute his system. Childress may be good at planning for a game and scripting his plays on a clipboard, but once the other team makes adjustments he's just at a loss.

According to Chris Stolee - Apple does a 360

2009-05-07T16:42:00.001-07:00

Chris Stolee reports that Apple has done a complete 360 and has approved Trent Reznor's iPhone app update for NIN. A few days ago, Apple generated controversy by rejecting Trent Reznor's update to his NIN iPhone application due to "objectionable content." Glad to see the two sides have kissed and made up.

According to Chris Stolee, the new iPhone 3.0 will have parental controls

2009-05-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

According to Chris Stolee and his Custom iPhone Apps blog, the new iPhone 3.0 upgrade will feature parental controls. This will allow Apple and the iTunes App Store to loosen the controversial prohibition against "any content that may be seen as objectionable" by anyone. Apple is encouraging app developers who have recently had new apps or updated apps rejected for "objectionable" or "possibly objectionable" to resubmit the apps after the release of the 3.0 upgrade.

Chris Stolee Doesn't Like Wearing Glasses

2009-05-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

And, Chris Stolee is wondering why we can send men all the way to the moon, but most people with less than optimal eyesight still have to wear metal or plastic contraptions that rest on their noses and strap around each ear.

Sure, there's lasik, but that only works for some people and is still a surgical procedure with some risk. There is also the option of contact lenses, but again there are health issues. Come on scientists - how about doing less work on cloning animals and more work on fixing our eyeballs?
Chris Stolee thinks it's about time scientists do more of the research that the general public wants them to do.

Chris Stolee wants the new iPod MediaPad right now

2009-05-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

Rumors abound that Apple will soon release an enlarged iPod Touch, know tentatively as the iPod MediaPad. It will be slightly smaller than the Amazon Kindle 2, but have a larger screen, HD Video, full touchscreen keyboard and of course all of the games and apps that the regular iPhone Touch handles today.

Chris Stolee says bring it on! The iPod MediaPad will be perfect for the eBooks and other iPhone apps that Chris Stolee is working on like a madman.

Chris Stolee Watched a Ridiculous Twins Game Last Night

2009-05-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

Twins vs. Baltimore, Chris Stolee says the umpires never should have even started the game. It was raining so hard in Baltimore the players looked like they were standing on a sea wall during a hurricane. The game had 3 or 4 rain delays; nobody wanted to run too hard for a ball because they'd pull a hamstring. What a poor job by whoever decided the game needed to be played. Chris Stolee gives them a grade of F-minus.

Chris Stolee Favorite Recent DVDs

2009-05-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

Chris Stolee lists his favorite recently viewed DVDs in no particular order:

Wild Things
Showgirls
Iron Man
Resident Evil Extinction
Silk Stalkings Season 2
Girls Next Door Season 3
Hellboy
Mad Men Season 1
Starship Troopers
Magnum P.I. Season 1

Stay tuned to this blog for another exciting list to come soon.

iPhone Apps for eBooks - Publishing Your eBooks with iPhone Applications

2009-05-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

iPhone Apps for eBook Publishing by Christopher Stolee

Publish your book or eBook as an iPhone app and get paid for your work! It's a great new way of publishing whether you're an author and your book is already published or if you are an aspiring author looking for a publisher.

For publishers - consider making an iPhone app for your existing books. iPhone apps allow your eBook to be read both on the iPhone and the iPod Touch. A paid iPhone app adds another revenue stream to your publishing line, helping both your list of authors and your own bottom line. Not big enough to partner with Stanza? We can create your own eBook reader for you and incorporate it into your line of eBook iPhone applications.

For authors - iPhone apps for your eBooks can get your work published and on the paid marketplace without waiting for an established publisher to select your book. You as the author control the publication, the price, and the royalties. You get 70% of your book app's sales price from the iTunes App Store, after Apple's 30% cut. This means after Apple, you get ALL of the royalties. And with the new iPhone 3.0 upgrade coming out later this year, you will even be able to offer your eBook apps on a subscription basis so you can charge more for adding content periodically!

iPhone apps for eBooks FAQ:Q: Why should I invest in an iPhone app for my book instead of publishing an eBook for Kindle?

A: You should do both! An author should monetize his or her book in as many ways as possible (unless you're independently wealthy).

Q: What advantages does an iPhone app have over Kindle? Kindle publishing is free, and iPhone apps cost money!

A: Your eBook as an iPhone app nets you 70% of the sale price vs. 35% from Kindle. Also, your eBook iPhone app can be upgraded or have added content at any time. You can even sell your publication by subscription with your iPhone app. Also, Apple has sold almost 40 million iPhone and iPod Touch units vs about 500,000 Amazon Kindles. Publishing your eBook with an iPhone app is a market you can't ignore.

Q: Does an eBook published with an iPhone app also need a reader?A: Yes, your iPhone eBook application will need an eBook reader incorporated into the app. The Toy Lounge has its own proprietary eBook reader that we can build into your eBook application.

Q: Can't I use the Kindle reader or Stanza reader for my own eBook iPhone application?

A: No - Kindle and Stanza are not licensing their readers for use in individual iPhone apps. You or your publisher would need to have the publishing volume to make a special partnership to list your books with Amazon/Kindle/Stanza like the bigger publishing houses are doing.

Q: How much does it cost to turn my eBook into an iPhone app?

A: The cost for your eBook iPhone app will depend on the number of pages in your eBook, any illustrations or pictures included in your eBook, and any added features you may need included. A basic cost for starters would be $2500.00 - but keep in mind that this is just a rough estimate and a starting point until we can review your actual material and necessary requirements. We offer volume disounts - the more eBook iPhone apps we create for you, the lower the cost for each will be.

Please contact us at the Toy Lounge for a free price quote on your eBook project.

Chris Stolee says that Apple should end exclusive agreement with AT&T

2009-04-30T08:49:00.001-07:00

Chris Stolee says that the AT&T exclusivity agreement Apple signed at the beginning might have been OK at the time but there's no way Apple should agree to extend it after 2010.

The Toy Lounge of St. Paul MN creates iPhone apps for eBooks, children's books, newspapers, radio stations, nonprofits and more. The Toy Lounge would love to see Apple expand beyond AT&T to have more wireless companies be able to offer the iPhone. They've heard countless people say "I really want to get an iPhone, but I hate AT&T" or "I would love to get an iPhone but I want to stay with Verizon."

If Apple's desire is to get larger numbers of iPhones sold, then they really need to go beyond AT&T no matter what AT&T is offering for a new contract.

One Billion iPhone Apps Downloaded - Article by Christopher Stolee

2009-04-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

There was a lot of specualtion at the beginning of 2009 as to what the billionth iPhone app download from the iTunes App Store would be. With the launch of the App Store in the summer of 2008, Apple and the rest of us really had no idea that we would be talking about a billion iPhone apps served even in the first half of 2009. Surprise, world! Apple has announce that the one billionth iPhone app download happened on Thursday, April 23rd.

The lucky app is called "Bump" and it is had only been listed in the iTunes App Store for about a month. Bump is a social networking application from Bump Technologies, and basically works by "Bumping" two iPhones together to exchange contact information. Bump is a free app download but the developers are planning a premium version soon that they will charge for.

The lucky customer who actually downloaded the one billionth iPhone app is a 13 year old kid who wins a pile of prizes from Apple including a $10,000 iTunes gift card, an iPod Touch, a MacBook Pro and a special Time Capsule.

The big buzz will be about the billionth iPhone app download, but the real news is that Apple was able to reach this benchmark so fast. This leads to some questions about coming so far so fast. One issue to consider is overpopulation of the App Store - how many apps can the App Store hold without getting clogged up? One rumored possibility has Apple dividing the App Store into more sections than just free and paid, adding a department for premium apps that cost over $10 or $20 for example.

Congratulations to both the developer and downloader of the App Store's one billionth application. How long do you think it will take to reach two billion? Maybe your own custom iPhone app will be the lucky number!

iPhone Apps for Nonprofits and Fundraising - by Christopher Stolee

2009-04-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

Non Profit organizations have some special challenges these days. The need for funds is increasing but costs are rising, while in many cases memberships are under pressure and fundraising is declining or becoming more expensive.

Here's a new and innovative approach for nonprofits and their fundraising effors. How about using your own iPhone app to stay in closer touch to your membership, contributors, donors, supporters, activists and everyone else you rely on for your stated mission? Here are several ways a custom iPhone application can help a nonprofit and/or fundraising efforts:

* Awareness
* Fundraising
* Special promotions
* Membership renewals
* Wish list donations
* Special projects
* Social networking features within the app for your organization

Take a look at some sample non-profit organizations' custom iPhone applications and think about how you might use a custom iPhone application to help meet your goals. The Monterey Bay Aquarium partnered with Seafood Watch to produce an iPhone app that both promotes awareness and serves a useful consumer tool. The Salvation Army has an iPhone app that streams Christmas music and funds raised from sales of this app benefit the Salvation Army mission.

Creating a custom iPhone application for your nonprofit organization does have a cost, but this cost can be more than offset by sales of the application and increased donations/contributions through the app itself. Using an iPhone app as a portable portal to your nonprofit's website so your members are always within a button touch.

If the cost of making the app is not in your budget, why not add it to your wishlist? It would be sure to catch the eye of donors or sponsors who love the iPhone or who have high tech interests. In addition, think of the publicity your organization will receive by having your own iPhone application - it will portray your organization as timely, forward thinking, tech enabled, hip, and more.

What a great way to breathe new life and energy into your nonprofit organization while benefiting from a new fundraising opportunity.

iPhone Apps for Newspapers - by Christopher Stolee

2009-04-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

Times have been tough recently for the Newspaper business. Remember when major cities had at least two competing newspapers, and each newspaper company usually had both morning and evening editions? If you're under age 40, you probably don't.

The newspaper business has been in decline for some decades, but internet technology has recently speeded it up.First you have countless free online news websites siphoning off newspapers' former paying subscribers, Craig's List has ruined classified advertising revenue for newspapers, and printing and other production costs continue to rise. Long time columnists are quitting to publish their own content on the internet. This gloom and doom can also be applied to the magazine business. Is there any good news out there for the publishing world?

iPhone apps may help newspapers to rise again or at least maintain themselves while they reinvent and regroup. Newspaper iPhone apps can bring a leading edge technology to an industry many consider tired and old fashioned, maybe even comatose. What an iPhone app can do is bring the newspaper and its content one step closer to the customers, who are able to personalize and share their favorite news content and read it anywhere they are, even offline.

iPhone apps can help newspapers add a social networking feature to their publications and give an advertising sales force something new to talk about with potential advertisers instead of dwelling on declining circulation numbers.The next iPhone operating system upgrade later in 2009 will add a subscription capability, allowing newspapers, magazines and other publishing formats to take paid subscriptions for their content directly through the iPhone app. It would be advantageous for newspapers and other publications to start planning their own custom iPhone apps now to take advantage of this exciting new technology. Six months from now you'll be glad you got started now.

Major newspapers with their own iPhone apps inclued The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and The Telegraph (UK). The Associated Press just released its own iPhone app newsreader, but we don't consider them an actual newspaper. A group of three major newspapers in Japan has even combined forces to release a combined iPhone application that features all three papers in the same app! However, you don't need to be a major newspaper or a newspaper with deep pockets to have your own custom iPhone application. And not every newspaper needs the level of features and functions that the New York Times and USA Today apps incorporate.

If your publication's online version already has RSS Feeds for different categories, you're halfway there - your custom iPhone app will use your existing RSS Feeds to power the stories in the app. And if your paper's website doesn't already have RSS Feeds they're pretty easy to set up. Now if you don't yet have a website for your paper, you're probably in big trouble!

If you need an iPhone app for your publication, try searching online for "custom iPhone apps for newspapers" and you'll find a developer that can get you started. Or you can contact the Toy Lounge at http://thetoylounge.com/newspapers.

Chris Stolee is working on iPhone apps for radio stations

2009-04-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

Chris Stolee says not every radio station wants to be bundled into a group app like I Heart Radio. A station whether it's ground based or internet only can get its own dedicated iPhone app for streaming radio for as little as $1200 with optional upgrades like iTunes song tagging, advertising banners, and much more to come. You can find out more about custom iPhone apps for radio stations at the Toy Lounge. The Toy Lounge is a registered iPhone developer.

SXSW and Chris Stolee

2009-04-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

The music showcases and film festival are the main part of SXSW, but Chris Stolee is most interested in the new SXSW Interactive Festival that highlights emerging technologies.

The 2010 SXSW Interactive dates are March 12-16 and the dates for the whole shebang are March 12-21. Chris Stolee will try and load the family truckster for a road trip to Austin.

Chris Stolee loves his iPhone

2009-04-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

The iPhone has taken control of Chris Stolee. Through the use of too many iPhone applications, Chris Stolee has finally become his own iPhone app.

If you need to have a custom iPhone application made for your project, do it the regular way and contact the Toy Lounge for an excellent iPhone app made to order.

Chris Stolee and SXSW

2009-04-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Chris Stolee is thinking about attending SXSW in Austin next year. That's South by Southwest music, film, and interactive festival for those of you who don't do acronyms. SXSW takes place in mid March every year.

Chris Stolee used to live in Austin back in the early 80s and has not been back since. This was before Austin had a high tech industry, Michael Dell was still in college at the University of Texas. Guess there will be some changes in store after 25+ years away from Austin.

What Chris Stolee had for breakfast today

2009-04-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Chris Stolee just ate Eggos for breakfast, with some matching breakfast sausage links. The Eggo waffles were the classic buttermilk variety. One thing Chris Stolee doesn't care for the Eggos with chocolate chips.

Observation: Chris Stolee has a dusty monitor and keyboard so he's going to turn off the power to inhibit static and then do a good cleaning.

Chris Stolee First Post

2009-04-19T08:58:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone!

Chris Stolee is blogging with Blogger -

Watch for more about less very soon.
Check out my other blog