Wait. £1.79?
Yup. For the past few days, Second Shootr has been £1.79 (US$2.99). We're not having a sale. The price isn't going to suddenly rocket up again.
In fact. Second Shootr is staying at this price (or maybe even lower!) until we release a new version of the application. Any updates to the iPhone app will be free if you already own it, so now seems an ideal time to grab Second Shootr if you haven't already taken the plunge.
Is £1.79 still too much for you? Perhaps you'd like a free copy instead? Just retweet THIS tweet in the next 12 hours, and you could win a free copy of Second Shootr.
Obligatory Small Print:
The free copy of Second Shootr is only available with a US iTunes account. If you're not from the US, you can easily set up a US account for free by following these instructions. Setting up a US account does not affect your already purchased apps from your regional app store.
Competition ends at 03.00 BST (GMT+1), 18 August 2010.
There are 5 free copies of Second Shootr to give away.
UPDATE: The competition has ended, but Second Shootr remains at £1.79 until we release a new version.
Supporting Education Institutions
We at Plinkk Photography may be professional photographers now, but once upon a time we had to learn how to handle a camera. That's why we're offering a 50% discount of the Second Shootr application to educational institutions when they purchase multiple copies.
So, if you're from an educational institution, consider purchasing Second Shootr to help your photography students organise their shoots.
You’re still alive right?
Yarp – this blog's been pretty quiet over the last few months – apologies. I have a good excuse though... I've been working!
Since its launch in the latter quarter of last year, Second Shootr has been a roaring success – rocketing to the top 100 in a number of app stores worldwide and being used on a daily basis by thousands of photographers internationally.
Here lies a problem. No photography business is ever exactly the same (if they were the same, we'd be rubbish artists!) so I've got to try and please thousands of photographers with my decisions... never an easy task.
The decision process is made a little easier with the feedback page – hundreds of you have nominated and voted on feature requests and this has given me a better idea of what the hive-mind wants. It's clear that people would like some form of backup option (be that a pdf that's emailed to you or something more complex), others have mentioned that they don't like using the iPhone/iPod touch keyboard to key in information and others want new menu sections.
Apple's also changed the game too. The advent of the iPad has opened up potential doors for Second Shootr to be 'inflated' onto a larger device – but this needs some thought. iPads don't work the same way as iPhones, you can't just make the UI bigger, you've got to consider how the application will be used. The announcement of the ultra-high resolution iPhone 4 has once again changed the way we use a mobile phone and there's certainly some possibilities there too.
I can't promise to please everyone, but I've now got a plan going forwards. I'm not going to divulge anything here yet because I don't like to make promises I can't keep (although the astute amongst you will probably work out what's planned) plus it all depends on boring things like money and feasibility.
In summary – yup, I'm still alive. Second Shootr is still very much alive and there's some big plans this year to take it much further than it already is.
Keep an eye on the blog over the next few months for more updates – better still, sign up to our email mailing list and be the first to know what's going on – I'm gonna try and find some goodies for you email subscribers too.
Second Shootr & iOS4
If you're lucky enough to have been granted access to iOS4 and you're a Second Shootr user, you'll probably notice that Second Shootr doesn't work on it (it crashes, a lot). We are aware of the problem and we're aiming to get a fix released before iOS4 goes public on June 24th. Unfortunately, as you've probably realised by now, we are heavily reliant on Apple releasing the fix in time.
The fix should also work with iOS4's new multitasking feature, allowing you to easily and seamlessly flick from Second Shootr to other applications.
If you rely on Second Shootr for your business, do not install iOS4 until after the Second Shootr update (1.1.1) appears. Please be aware that Second Shootr may not work on the iPhone 4 (we've not got one to test with yet).
Update 21/06/2010
I mistakenly labelled the new release as 1.2. It will be 1.1.1.
Update 18/08/2010
We forgot to mention that Second Shootr 1.1.1 works fine on the iPhone 4 with no reported issues.
Myth: Second Shootr can’t track payments
Over the next few months, we'll try and dispel a few myths about Second Shootr, and hopefully answer a few frequently asked questions in the process. Today, I want to discuss the ability to track client payments.
Whilst it's true that Second Shootr doesn't have a specific payment module, it's perfectly capable of tracking your client's payments. As an example, let's assume that you're an events photographer and you charge a 20% booking fee.
When the client pays this booking fee, you could add a note in their account by doing the following:
- Select your client from the clients list.
- Go to the Client Info module
- Click the + button
- Set the data type to 'Text'
- Set the 'Entry Name' to 'Deposit paid?'
- Set the 'Entry Details' to 'Paid: £300, January 5th 2010'
Need reminding when to ask for the final payment? Perhaps set up a task in the 'To Do' module.
If you're a wedding photographer and you want to keep a track of which package your clients have opted for, just create a new note in the Client Info module in the same way as above. Second Shootr's extremely versatile.
So why doesn't it have a payments module?
Maybe one day it will. Right now, its not a very highly-requested feature, so we've not added it.
(Another) Second Shootr Giveaway
Version 1.1 of Second Shootr is out now. To celebrate, we're gonna give you another chance at a win.
The Giveaway: A UK iTunes gift card worth £15.
How to enter:
1. Follow Second Shootr on Twitter. (If you don't have a Twitter account, its free and simple to set one up).
2. Tweet this exact phrase:
Calling all #photogs. @SecondShootr 1.1 is out now. http://www.secondshootr.com/ #SecondShootr #comp
3. We'll track everyone who tweeted the message from this moment. After 7pm (GMT) on Friday 5th March 2010 rocks up, we'll put all the people who tweeted the message into a spreadsheet.
4. Using random.org we'll pick the winning row number and we'll send them a Direct Message (DM) to let them know they've won.
The small print:
The offer is open to anyone in the world, but the iTunes gift card is only valid to people using the UK iTunes store. If the winner is overseas, they will receive the card number in a DM, if you're a UK resident, we can post you the card, or just send you the code... its up to you.
If the winner doesn't respond to the DM within 7 days, another random name will be drawn using random.org. This will continue until a winner is found.
If you're not following Second Shootr, or you don't tweet the phrase as above within the allotted times, you can't win.
There is no alternative prize.
Second Shootr 1.1 Tips and Tricks
Note: Oh boy. I thought I had at least a week in which to write the post below! Apple approved Second Shootr within 4 hours! I apologise in advance if there are mistakes or I lead you down the wrong path somewhere. Please note any issues with the text below in the comments and I'll do my best to sort out the mess! - 17/02/2010 Tim
So.... version 1.1 is here as promised. If you haven't already got it, it's a free upgrade for existing 1.0 users, or the price of a pad and paper if you haven't already made the jump. You can download/upgrade here. [link opens the App Store]
This blog post should help walk you through all the new features contained within version 1.1
Startup Options
You'll notice something new about Second Shootr from the moment it starts loading up. Right at the very bottom of the screen, there's a little tab called 'Startup Options'. Tap this, and you can change the Second Shootr theme before it's loaded (which means you don't have to restart the application unnecessarily).
We've also given you the option of resetting your Second Shootr database. Only use this if you're sure you want to delete all your clients from the Second Shootr database, there's no undo option. You can still delete any individual item within Second Shootr by swiping your finger from left to right across it, and then tapping the delete button.
Settings
Once Second Shootr's loaded up, head to the settings tab. You'll notice we've added a couple of extra preferences.
Drop completed items
Turning this option on will send completed items to the very bottom of a list. For example, if you have a shot list of 20 items, and you mark the top one as complete, it'll drop to the bottom. Its still there in the list, but its out of your way.
Email Settings
We've given you the option to change your email subject and signature to suit your business needs. This means that emails sent from Second Shootr can be branded to your business.
Default Client Data
You'll notice that if you tap the Default Client Data button in Settings, you're asked to choose between 'Wedding' and 'Other'. This means you can have one set of default data for wedding photography, and a completely different set for any other type of shooting you do. For example, you might also work in the Food photography arena. Just configure the 'Other' option to suit you food photography requirements and away you go!
Client List
Heading back to the Second Shootr tab at the bottom left of the screen, you'll notice a couple of extra buttons above your client names. These are the sorting options. We've got them on every single list within Second Shootr. They allow you to sort your data by Name, Date and Manually.
To choose how you want to sort your clients, tap the button in the middle of the screen. If you want to manually sort your clients, tap the sort button in the top right and drag your clients around as you see fit. When done, just tap 'Done'.
You'll also notice that your clients are sorted into 'wedding' and 'other' categories (with appropriate icons). Second Shootr sorts automatically for you, so you don't need to do anything here.
Create a new client
When you create a new client, you are asked if they are a 'Wedding' or 'Other' client. You can fill out your initial client data as normal. When it comes to choosing the date, you are now also given the option to select the time of the event. This allows you to have more than one photographic event per day.
Once you've created your new clients, you'll notice that the title bar on the main menu displays the event date and time now.
Duplicating a client
On the main menu, you'll notice a new icon in the very bottom right hand corner. Tapping this gives you an option to duplicate your clients. Think of this as a way of adding a third 'Default Client Data' option. Perhaps you also very occasionally shoot christenings? Just use this option to copy an existing christening client, and change the data as you see fit.
Adding client info using the address book
Over in the client info module, we've added a new icon next to the plus button. Hit this magnifying glass and you can select your client's details from your device's in-built address book.
Improved Google Maps
Create a new address and tap it to bring up the google maps module. The first thing you'll notice is that Google maps (probably) didn't have a hissy fit when it tried to find your address. I've explained the technology behind our improvements in an earlier post, so I won't repeat myself here.
You'll also notice a new icon in the top right of Google maps. Tap this and you can view your location relative to the entered address. You can also view the map in the standard, satellite and hybrid map views.
No more accidental calls
If you create a new phone number and tap it, you'll be shown a popup asking if you're sure you want to call that number. This should hopefully prevent those accidental phone calls to your clients.
Improved Photos Module
Now you can see at a glance which photos you've completed and which are left to take on the day. As soon as you mark a photograph as complete, it will pop into the 'completed' tab at the bottom of the screen.
Improved Kit List Module
Did you make a mistake when entering an item of kit? Well now we've enabled editing in the kit list module.
Improved To Do module
Now you can see at a glance which tasks you've completed and which are outstanding. As soon as you mark an item as complete, it'll pop into the 'completed' tab at the bottom of the screen.
So that about sums up how to navigate your way around the changes in Second Shootr 1.1. It may only be 0.1 higher in terms of version number, but we've packed a whole lot of extra features into this release! If you've got any further queries about this new release, please get in touch. If you have any feature requests, please nominate and vote for them here.
Lastly, we want to know what you think about Second Shootr 1.1. Please spend a few minutes rating and reviewing the application in iTunes. The more copies of Second Shootr we sell, the more we are able to add in to future releases. Remember, Second Shootr is designed and created by a small photography business, not a giant software house. So we need as much help as possible from the photographic community to make Second Shootr a success. Thanks for your help.
Second Shootr 1.1 – Submitted to Apple
We are very pleased to announce that we have sent Second Shootr 1.1 to Apple for approval. Whilst nobody is ever sure how long Apple will take to approve their app (or even whether they approve it at all!), Apple are proudly boasting that 98% of app updates are being approved within 7 days.
If you've already got a copy of Second Shootr 1.0, and you haven't already done so, now is the time to prepare yourself. Whilst we've spend months testing 1.1, something COULD go wrong and you should be prepared.
We always advise that you have a backup of your data just in case bad things happen... plug your device into iTunes and it'll take a snapshot of the data on it. If something goes wrong, you can use the in-built 'restore' facility to restore your phone back to its previous state. Personally, we collect the information from our clients onto paper forms before entering it in to Second Shootr, so we have a paper backup too.
What's the deal with the picture to the left?
We've really beefed up Second Shootr's database in 1.1. When you first upgrade from 1.0, Second Shootr takes your existing data and slots it neatly into our 1.1 database. Just sit back and let Second Shootr do its thing. It'll only happen once; every time you load up Second Shootr after that, you'll be plain sailing.
If you have any queries about the update, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
Oh yeah... we might just be doing another giveaway when 1.1 comes out, so you might want to stay glued to this blog, or our twitter and facebook streams.
Support
Good software support is crucial for professional-grade applications. We pride ourselves here on giving fast, personalised, helpful answers whenever we get a support request.
I'm sure everyone out there has experienced other apps out where you'll send off a support request and not hear anything back for weeks (if at all). Its really frustrating.
I just wanted to give you a few stats on how our support stacks up:
- Around 23% of our users have contacted us with a support request at one point or another in time.
- The majority of support tickets are feature requests, or the occasional need for help getting something to work with their business needs. There have been very, very few bugs raised (less than 1%).
- 100% of our support tickets have been responded to within 24 hours.
- In fact.... 89% of our support tickets have been responded to with just TWO hours.
- 92% of non-feature requests have been resolved within 24 hours (the rest need a version update)
If you're after a professional-grade iPhone application where you can be sure that you'll get a helpful response if you have a question... look no further than Second Shootr!
Whilst I've got you here... version 1.1's coming along nicely... not long to go now!
Google Maps
We've had a few queries surrounding the address lookup within Second Shootr, so I thought I'd take a moment to explain how it currently works and what we're doing in the future.
The agreement between Google and Apple isn't particularly useful to us developers. Google allows developers to display the maps, but to only perform address searches using latitude and longitude. Google won't allow developers to find an address on a map by entering an address (as you do in Second Shootr).
To get around this, we use a third party company to convert an address into a latitude and longitude so that Google can display a map with a pin on it in the correct place. Unfortunately, its hard to find a third party company who's good for worldwide addresses. This meant that our UK and USA users in particular weren't getting good results when using Second Shootr's lookup feature.
In version 1.1 of Second Shootr, we will be ditching our current third party and we'll instead be using an address lookup service that's running on our own websevers. This gives us greater control over how addresses are looked up and should result in much less errors and a more accurate Second Shootr!
We're still testing 1.1 at the moment, but evidence seems to lean towards this service being much more reliable, and faster too.
Long story short:
Map lookups won't suck in 1.1. Yay!