My HouseBot iPhone app is in the iPhone App Store pipeline

[solinvictus21]

Well, sort of. I finished all of the coding portion of the work and all of the application submission process, but I'm holding it up pending approval of the artist whose artwork I want to use for the icon. I just sent her a request tonight, so I'll release the app into the iPhone App Store approval process the moment she gives me the "ok". After that, it'll be all up to Apple to get it approved and posted to the App Store for you guys to enjoy.

It's a free application named "Puppeteer" and it's only the most basic functionality that I could put together and still call it an "application". It uses HouseBot's "External Control" device ASCII protocol to communicate with HouseBot. All it does is allow you to enter the connection information for your HouseBot server (hostname, port, password) and it uses this information to connect to HouseBot and retrieve the list of tasks. Then it displays these tasks in a list on your iPhone and you can touch a task to have HouseBot execute that task.

Like I said, it's just the most basic functionality right now. The work to pull this much off took me literally only about a week. I was surprised. The iPhone SDK is actually really easy to work with. I intend to continue to release updates to add a certain amount of basic functionality as a free application, but as soon as I start investing any serious time into allow any major customization of the UI, then I will most likely be splitting that off into a paid "Puppeteer Pro" app for which I will chrage some nominal fee. Just giving you guys fair warning about that side of it, but I definitely want you all to enjoy the free version of the app for what it is: a gift to you guys from me. :-)

I'm also attaching a couple of screenshots for your perusal...

Kyle

[solinvictus21]

Update: I submitted the app to the iPhone App Store approval process yesterday. The status is currently "In Review". Unfortunately, I have no idea how long it will be from that point until it actually appears in the app store.

[ScottBot]

Kyle,

Thanks for taking the time to create this app and share it with the community. With all of the iPhones in the market, I think it's a great solution for remote home control.

[CouchPotatoe]

I've been keeping an eye out for this but it hasn't surfaced (on the UK store anyway).

Is it still in the pipeline ?

K

[Thales]

I am having some problem to connect my ipod.
I trie with port 5015 wwith no success and port 8576 as in the post with no success too.

Do I need to do something on Housebot application to run Puppeteer?

thanks

[ScottBot]

You need to install the 'external control' device and configure it for ASCII mode (and enable it). I'm thinking that should do it, but I can't say for sure.