Hi, my name is Drew and I'm new to the forum but I have had my amazing ipad now for a couple of months, and I just love it!
I have been told that it's possible to create your own apps and on looking around the web I found this site Creating iPad Apps has anyone else tried this and if so, is it any good?
cheers

You don't need all this.
For me it looks like some kind of very colorful snake-oil.

If you check out the iOS-section at developer.apple.com, you can download the SDK (after having registered as a developer, the basic part of which is free).
There, you'll also find tutorials, a developer-form, lots of literature (pdf), etc.
IMHO, that's all you need to become an iOS-developer.

Originally Posted by MarkK

You don't need all this.
For me it looks like some kind of very colorful snake-oil.

If you check out the iOS-section at developer.apple.com, you can download the SDK (after having registered as a developer, the basic part of which is free).
There, you'll also find tutorials, a developer-form, lots of literature (pdf), etc.
IMHO, that's all you need to become an iOS-developer.

Doesn't that cost $100?

I downloaded it for free. It's more than 3 gigabytes and only runs on a MAC.
But I have no MAC and I don't know if apps developing can be done on
A windows7 computer and an iPad only.

Originally Posted by Silver217

I downloaded it for free. It's more than 3 gigabytes and only runs on a MAC.
But I have no MAC and I don't know if apps developing can be done on
A windows7 computer and an iPad only.

I wish. I am in the same boat. Can't afford a Mac and have windows 7 and iPad.

You cannot run your app on an iOS device without paying the $99/year. Personally, I think this sucks that you can't even write a program for your own use on your own iOS device.

However, you still have the option to write "old school" apps using HTML5/CSS/JavaScript, or at least I think you do, just not sure about deploying them to the device rather than via a web server.

I know what you mean. I got my iPads back in April, fell in love and wanted to create an app. Launched my app on September 4th. I had a PC but now I have a Mac Mini and I did have to become an Apple developer ($99). I partnered with a guy who programs iPhone apps. I have sold 15 of my apps so far. I know that doesn't sound like a lot but they go for $999.99 each. Check it out on the App Store. The Alchemist SMS, a linear optimization app for steel mills to design scrap charges.

I'm thinking of working on iOS development, problem is I don't know squat about writing software. But I need to find other means of making a living. My professional shamefully is a dying breed

Let's start with the easy way: If you have basic HTML, CSS and JavaScript skills--what any web designer needs to know, in other words--you can build "web apps" and put them on any webserver. For simple reference-type apps, you can even dispense with the JavaScript. I've built several web apps this way.

Pros: minimal coding skills needed, and you don't have to go through the App Store submission process. Cons: since they're just specialized websites, you can't easily make money from them, unless you run ads. And of course they don't appear in the App Store.

If you want to sell (or even give away) apps in the App Store, you'll need Apple's iOS Software Development Kit, and you'll have to deal with a bunch of Apple red tape. It's in a good cause--keeps out malware purveyors and scam artists--but it's a nuisance.

And the SDK assumes you know Objective-C. It's not a language for beginners. (Anybody remember HyperTalk?) But there's a way around that: NimbleKit. (I'd include a link, but as a new user I'm not allowed to. Do a Google search.)

NimbleKit lets you build apps using only HTML, CSS and JavaScript--no Objective C required!--compile them with the SDK, and get them into the App Store. You still have to deal with Apple's red tape, but at least the programming part is reduced to a level that any competent web designer can handle. I've built a couple of apps for personal use this way, though I don't have anything in the App Store I can show off. But the NimbleKit home page lists a number of published apps that have been built this way.

Yes, you can hire somebody to do your coding for you. It requires a substantial investment up front, and somebody else's name will appear on your product on the App Store. I haven't tried this route, so I can't tell you more than that. I'll caution you to read the intellectual property rights part of your contract very carefully, and make sure you understand who owns what. Otherwise you could be in for a nasty surprise if it turns out that the programmer you hired legally owns your product.

Wow Andy! Thats very descriptive! Thanks! Well I'm looking to make apps for personal use only. So this nimble kit is what I can use to write the apps, but can it also compile them? Or do I have to get the sdk for that?