If you use Rackspace’s Cloud app on the iPhone you’ve used Mike Mayo’s code. We talk with him to get his insights into Apple’s new iPad and its software developer kit (SDK).
“What makes it so exciting is that it’s an entirely new user experience style, it is your fingers; before it was a mouse pointer and keyboard, now you can have completely different ways of interacting with a computer,” said Mayo.
According to Mayo, the new iPad SDK is similar to the iPhone’s. The only difference is the new user interface features associated with the iPad because of the greater amount of screen real estate.
Many iPhone apps have a standard series of interfaces. After opening the app, you see a list of items. For example, after opening the Mail app, you see a list of e-mails. When you select one of the items, it opens a more detailed view, in this case an e-mail. However, in the new iPad SDK, there are UI components that are designed around combining the list and detailed views into one screen.
Looking toward the future, Mayo has some concerns about what the iPad means for the future of software and some optimism for changes that could come.
“I feel like it’s most likely a glimpse into what eventually will be MacOS 11 and in some ways that’s scary,” said Mayo. “If this becomes OS 11 and we have to go through Apple to publish any app—that’s really scary, but I do like the idea of regular people using a computer without having to think about file systems.”
Mayo doesn’t see the standard desktop and laptop going away anytime soon, but as more pad computers get introduced, it will cause a change in the market.
Currently, Mayo is working on revamping the Rackspace Cloud app to work on the iPad, making use of the device’s extended features and new user interface to build a more feature-rich application.
You can follow Mike Mayo (@greenisus), and the Rackspace Cloud (@rackcloud) on Twitter.
Links relevant to this video include:
CrunchBase technology company profile – http://www.crunchbase.com/company/rackspace
Mike Mayo’s Web site – http://overhrd.com/
Rackspace Cloud Servers iPhone app – http://www.rackspacecloud.com/blog/2009/09/01/the-rackspace-cloud-servers-iphone-now-available/
iPhone Cloud Notes – http://www.rackspace.com/apps/support/portal/5813
Apple iPad – http://www.apple.com/ipad/
Rackspace Cloud – http://www.rackspacecloud.com/