PointAbout: Turn Web Apps Into Native iPhone Apps

If you remember, last month, FSMdotCOM presented you NimbleKit a service that will allow you to develop HTML and JavaScript native iPhone apps. This service was music to the ears of HTML and JavaScript coders. PointAbout is coming with a new service, that is designed to make your live even easier.

PointAbout has the expertise and resources to help you devise and implement your entire mobile strategy, but if you’re a developer, you might want to do some of the work yourself.  We’re happy to help.  Here’s what you need:If you can code HTML, you can code a native application with PointAbout .If you can’t code HTML, PointAbout can do it for you on a consulting basis.

Herare the steps you need to take:
1. Decide which phones you want to focus on.  We recommend starting with iPhone, since it has a robust, full web browser (Safari) and the development environment is almost identical to the PC-based browser (the main difference is the lack of Flash on the iPhone).
2. Assuming you’re starting with iPhone, you should go through our Dev 101 training, read our FAQs on developing to the iPhone and read our developer’s blog for general tips & tricks
3. Here is a typical development schedule when working with PointAbout:
1. You sign a simple contract with us, indicating what pricing level you want
2. You give us your media assets & other required items
3. You give us a list of Device IDs of phones you want to use for testing purposes
4. You create a “version 1.0″ of your web application for us to serve in our thin-client springboard (alternately, you can contract with us to make your entire application)
5. Usually within 24 hours of receipt of the first 4 items above, we send you the application to install on your test phones
6. We both verify that the application is functioning as expected, and that there are no bugs. This typically takes 1 to 3 days, depending on how quickly you can test the application
7. Once verified, we will submit the application to Apple. They typically approve within 5 to 10 business days.
Here are the steps you need to take:
1. Decide which phones you want to focus on.  We recommend starting with iPhone, since it has a robust, full web browser (Safari) and the development environment is almost identical to the PC-based browser (the main difference is the lack of Flash on the iPhone).
2. Assuming you’re starting with iPhone, you should go through our Dev 101 training, read our FAQs on developing to the iPhone and read our developer’s blog for general tips & tricks
3. Here is a typical development schedule when working with PointAbout:
1. You sign a simple contract with us, indicating what pricing level you want
2. You give us your media assets & other required items
3. You give us a list of Device IDs of phones you want to use for testing purposes
4. You create a “version 1.0″ of your web application for us to serve in our thin-client springboard (alternately, you can contract with us to make your entire application)
5. Usually within 24 hours of receipt of the first 4 items above, we send you the application to install on your test phones
6. We both verify that the application is functioning as expected, and that there are no bugs. This typically takes 1 to 3 days, depending on how quickly you can test the application
7. Once verified, we will submit the application to Apple. They typically approve within 5 to 10 business days.