It is great that xCode allows conditional compiling and has some nice built-in ways to deal with pre-processing macros.  Here are the steps to setting up a production vs. localhost connection via pre-processing conditional compiling.

1. Highlight the target in xcode IDE

2. Click the info button

3. Click the build tab on the info dialog

4. Click inside the pre-processor box to add a new macro (you will have to scroll down to find this option)

5. Click the plus button in the lower left corner to add an additional macro

6. Add USE_LOCALHOST as the macro name.

Now you have created a Pre Processor Macro to use in code.

We like to make a copy of that called DEBUG USE LOCALHOST (and then go and remove the macro in standard DEBUG).  You could also copy the DEBUG one first then do steps above.

Now you should have a new configuration to choose from.  From this point forward simply choosing DEBUG USE LOCALHOST vs DEBUG when going to compile will conditionally compile any code related to this macro.

Now you can create code to use that macro as part of a conditional compile.  Depending on which configuration you use will determine which back end to attach to.
//Configure ObjectiveResource
#if (USE_LOCALHOST)
[ObjectiveResourceConfig setSite:@"http://localhost:3000/"];
#else
[ObjectiveResourceConfig setSite:@"http://mygreatserverapi.com/"];
#endif


There might be better ways to do this, but this was simple and took a lot of pain out of compiling towards different back ends.

What do we mean by that?  Well,  people use the media infrastructure behind the iPhone.  Apple’s iTunes now sells 25% of all music in the US, thats 11% more than Walmart and 17% more than Amazon.  Not to mention they have seen over 1.5 BILLION downloads from their app store and have over 25,000 applications written for the device.  It’s mobile browser has 67% mobile market share.  However, perhaps the most tell-tale fact is that it is now the TOP CAMERA used on Flickr.

These are just some of the reasons that we target the iPhone as our target deployment platform.  If you can’t get iPhone users to use an application, it’s probably not worth deploying to other platforms.  If you can get iPhone users to clamor for your application, you may not need to port it to any other platform.  Thoughts?

Here is a quick demo of the brief implementation.  We plan much more complicated integrations in the near future.

So what are YOU doing with Twilio?  We have loved the product offering so far and the community has been fabulous.  If you are doing Telephony applications you really need to check them out!

We love mobile.  We think it is a forward thinking platform.  We want to get smart people together to talk about the opportunities that increased cellular networks plus more feature rich mobile devices provide.  Additionally, we want developers from all platforms to get together to discuss how to move industry forward.  We need YOUR help to do this.  We are putting together a free conference to get people talking.  Join us by attending, speaking or sponsoring.  More information coming shortly.

Lets start with some stats they announced.

• 80 countries in 2 years
• 10 million units in 2008
• 17 million units June 2007 – Dec 2008 (not including iTouch)
• 800,000 SDK downloads
• 25,000 applications in the app store
• 96% of applications submitted have been approved
• 98% of applications submitted are approved in 7 days or less

Here is the list of new features that we were able to confirm from the event.  I am sure that there are more.

• New business models (Subscriptions and in application buying)
• Peer to Peer connectivity via Blue Tooth with bonjour support
• Accessories via dock *or* bluetooth (standard and custom protocols)
• Cocoa touch map control (no more having to roll your own)
• Core location turn by turn support (you have to provide own map)
• Push notifications (badge, audio alerts, text alerts) implemented like current sms alerts
• In app email
• Proximity sensor
• Built-in ipod library
• Streaming audio/video
• Shake api
• Data detectors
• In game voice (built-in voice chat)
• Copy/Paste
• MMS
• Search (spotlight)

With all this new functionality, a predicted June release and an AT&T trade-in program slated at same time leads us to believe that we will see iPhone OS 3.0 ship with next generation of iPhone hardware (presumably with 2nd camera for real time video conf) at WWDC at the end of June.  We have already downloaded the SDK and starting to exploit these new features.

Very simple premise for the proof of concept.  Use real time gps locations as parcels that can be claimed by users.  Allow users to battle for parcels and earn status.  We have a lot more planned, but the above works as of now.  So here is a quick little demo…

Step 1. Login and the application will find your location in real time.  It will lay a grid over the surrounding area and paint the parcel you are located in grey.  Notice that owned parcels are represented as well.

Step 2. Claim the land you are on.  Later you will be able to battle for land that is occupied.  You can do this by tapping the claim button or using a gesture like planting a stake in the ground. Then you can confirm you want to take the land or reject it.

Step 3. A call to the webservice goes out to claim the land and notifies you that you now have new land!

Step 4.  The map is updated in real time to show you as the proud new owner.

In addition to the iPhone client updating all of the stats are updated on the server and the world can see who owns what via the web.

You can also see where people rank according to their world rating.

If you are interested in helping us test out game play and provide feedback please email derek at getheld dot org and be sure to include your iPhone unique identifier.