Johnny Corbett and
Joel Einbinder

"Creating and Marketing Applications
-- a Programmer's Point of View"

MEETING DATE: July 20, 2012

We all use applications, programs, plug-ins when we use our computers. We're used to buying, downloading, upgrading, installing these marvels of technology in order to enhance our experience online, on a daily basis. In fact, we are using software not only on computers and laptops, but on our mobile phones, iPads, and many other devices. This technology is not only essential to our computer use, but we have come to expect “apps” for any use we can imagine.

Imagine, then, being in a position to conceive, write and sell such a program. Johnny Corbett, our own John Corbett's grandson, along with a friend/colleague, Joel has done just that. In fact, he has agreed to come and talk to us about his original apps, which are quite profitable. A fellow student will accompany Johnny and talk about his own experience.

Following are some thoughts from John:

“I started writing programs when I was only 12 years old. I always liked playing computer games, so naturally I was curious how they worked. When the opportunity presented itself to start reading some of my dad’s old programming books from college, I read all of them.

“My first programming language that I learned when I was 12 was C++. I don’t really use C++ today that often, but it is useful when I need to do things fast, or at a low level. The language that I find myself using most today is Objective-c, which I learned from books only a few years after learning C++. Objective-c is used almost exclusively with Apple products and is a strange mix between C and an antiquated language called Smalltalk.  

“The first thing I learned how to do with Objective-c was write memory hacks or 'tweaks' for the iPhone. These 'tweaks' allowed iPhone users all over the world to add functions to their phone that Apple didn’t include; they allowed the user’s device to do things that were impossible to do before. My first iPhone tweaks (written by myself, not with Joel) include “Multimusicinfo” which is a tweak that allows users so view the now playing information of any song in their library from anywhere on the device. Unfortunately, this tweak hasn’t been updated for the later versions of iOS (Apple’s mobile operating system) and I don’t have plans of updating it.

“The second of the two tweaks I wrote back in 2010 is “Landscape Lock Rotation.” It was originally supposed to be called “Landscape Rotation Lock,” but there were some issues with the submission process and I never bothered to fix them, and I liked the name. Later, in April 2011, I worked with Joel Einbinder to develop even more cool tweaks.

“We released a dynamic theming tweak called “Bigify” which has been downloaded over a million times to date. Due to the high demand for the tweak, Joel and I later released a paid update to it entitled “Bigify+” which was priced at $2.

“A few months after the launch of “Bigify+,” I was asked by a close friend to fill in for a job. I later found out that that friend had been employed by MTV studios to write a soundboard for the iPhone. When the app required an update, that friend asked me to do it. So for a short while I did work for MTV.

“Just a few months ago Joel and I decided that “Bigify+” sales were starting to slow down, so it was time to write a new tweak; Enter “Motion.” “Motion” is a fun tweak that Joel and I wrote in January 2012 that adds some life to the otherwise static springboard (Apple’s fancy name for home screen) icons. “Motion” was originally going to be priced at $2, but after a heated argument with the publisher, Joel relented and agreed to sell it for $1. After “Bigify,” “Motion” has been our most popular tweak, and it has been selling very well.

“Currently, Joel and I are working on a multi-platform game, which is called “Gravity” for now, that we plan to release over the summer. “Gravity” is a fun addicting game that makes use of two opposing gravitational fields that cause the player to perpetually oscillate. The details on the game are still a work in progress, but we hope to have it out soon.

“Joel and I both look forward to presenting for BCUG, and we’ll see you in July!”

A bit about Joel Einbinder: 

“I started programming when I was 8, making little games. My parents didn’t want me playing so many video games, but they were fine if I made them myself. From there I have been working on too many projects to list here, everything from voicemail apps to multiplayer games. Recently I have been working on a few projects: Cydia iPhone apps with John, Symblia, an online marketplace for college students, and working on my new video game company Firecaster.”

On a personal note, John will be a senior at HTHS this year. He is looking at colleges such as MIT, Cornell and Carnegie Mellon. John plays soccer for Wall Township, bass guitar for the HTHS band which recently supported their production of “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Middletown Arts Center. In fact, he has already made enough money from these creations to purchase a car.

(And he runs circles around his allegedly computer savvy grandfather!)

Our July meeting will be your chance to gain insight into what it takes to conceive, create and market an app for today's devices, from the point of view of two successful entrepreneurs.