The archive
20 pieces on designing, building, launching and paying for apps, newest first.
A 100W USB-C charger for a laptop and test phones on one socket
How a 100W USB-C GaN charger shares power between a laptop and test phones, what a MacBook needs to fast charge, which cables to use, and three picks.
Faster Gradle builds: the fixes that actually help
Measure first, then fix: the Gradle and Android settings that really shorten builds, the changes that take a day, and the popular tricks that barely matter.
A powered USB hub for test phones: power, ports and switches
How to choose a powered USB hub for test phones: why bus-powered hubs drop devices, what to read on the spec sheet, and why a switch on every port helps.
USB-C hub for MacBook: what to check before you buy, and picks
What to check in a USB-C hub for a MacBook: pass-through power, how many screens macOS will extend, USB-A for test phones, card readers, Ethernet and heat.
Your first meetup talk: from the pitch to the last question
A ten-step guide to a first talk at an app meetup: picking a problem, pitching the organizer, building the outline, rehearsing, demos and handling questions.
A mobile developer's desk: hubs, cables, chargers and stands
What a mobile developer's desk needs: USB-C hubs and specs that matter, data versus charging cables, multi-port chargers, phone stands and a second screen.
Building a small Android test device lab on a budget
How to pick Android test phones by role, buy them refurbished, keep them charged and connected over Wi-Fi, and decide which to update and which to freeze.
A/B testing in mobile apps: what the results can and can't tell you
Plain answers on store listing tests and in-app experiments: what each store lets you test, how much traffic you need, peeking and novelty effects.
App monetization strategies compared: subscriptions, one-time, ads
Subscriptions, one-time purchases, freemium, ads and hybrids compared, with store commission basics, free trials and price localization for small app teams.
Design systems for small app teams: start smaller than you think
How a small app team can build a design system that lasts: tokens first, a dozen components, notes in the design file, clear names and a first month plan.
How much does it cost to build an app? A line by line breakdown
A freelance iOS developer walks through an app budget line by line, from discovery and design to backend, testing, launch and the yearly cost of upkeep.
App store screenshots that explain the app in five seconds
How to plan app store screenshots that work at search size: what the first three must show, how to write captions, and how to handle languages and dark mode.