Applists.com 2.0 launched for the iPhone
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Oct 4, 2007 at 5:39pm
Elias Corporation has launched Applists.com 2.0, fewer than 90 days after the original launch date of July 18. The site allows iPhone users to find software for use with the communications device (though with the “bricking” problems of the iPhone 1.1.1 update, you should proceed with caution).
Elias Corporation CEO Bill Denk says version 2.0 offers a “thumb-friendly” interface. Most people traditionally hold the iPhone in one hand and tap with their thumb. Applists 2.0’s redesigned interface allows for ease of use with this “ultimate fat-finger,” Denky says.
Applists.com 2.0 is also faster. When it debuted less than three months ago, there were fewer than a dozen applications for the iPhone. As the list of Applists apps started to grow, so did the time people had to wait for app icons to load. “We solved that problem in several ways, the biggest being the ability to type in a search box and quickly find the app they wanted,” Denk says.
The update also has a BYOA (Bring Your Own Apps) feature. Since Applists’ initial launch, iPhone owners found and suggested apps, with recommendations submitted daily. The BYOA feature means people can add apps to their own free personal account instantly.
Another feature is the ability for friends to share their list of Applists posted apps and even their own BYOA apps, However, Applists doesn’t publish personal names or even lists for the world to see.
There’s also a new, patent-pending Sets feature. Sets are pre-created lists that can be added free to an iPhone or iPod touch account with a single tap. Fans of a specific pro sports team, for example, can add a set that provides one-tap access to the team roster, individual player stats, current team news, schedules and even a map to help direct them to their home stadium.
As with the original version, Applists 2.0 enables iPhone owners to use the Safari browser to add, update and modify their applists, which are instantly accessible when they pick up their iPhone.
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
Bill Denk Says:
Dennis,
You wrote: “(though with the “bricking” problems of the iPhone 1.1.1 update, you should proceed with caution).”
In short, Applists.com is iPhone-friendly. People don’t install Applists.com on their iPhone. iPhone owners access Applists.com through the Safari browser on their iPhone.
From day-one, Applists.com was built to conform to Apple’s original intention, as expressed by Steve Jobs at the June WWDC.
In fact, for those readers who don’t know the story, Applists.com was born out of the iPhoneDevCamp a week after the iPhone’s release on June 29th. The iPhoneDevCamp was an informal, but structured coming together of developers with a common interest: “Making the world a better place for iPhone.” http://barcamp.org/iPhoneDevCampApps
We had flown to San Francisco to learn how to build apps for the iPhone using Safari. There were other apps we had been working on, and these apps were nearing release, but we wanted to adapt them to the iPhone.
Applists.com was just a test project for us when we attended the camp.
At iPhoneDevCamp everyone needed to have a project. So, on the plane ride there I thought, “We’re talented, but we’re not going to out-cool the guys at the conference So, what can we do that could honor the great apps that are created, and help iPhone owners find them?”
Three days later with little sleep and not much food, we presented the foundation of what is Applists today. It was 10 minute presentation to 30 tired developers — left from the original 400+ (most had headed back home).
We thought that was it for Applists, “Cool, we’ve built a neat app in 3 days. Great job team...now let’s apply this to our other projects.” Within 24 hours of that 10 minute presentation 1,000 people had found us, and it wasn’t stopping.
So, we put our other projects on hold (the one’s we were traveling to SF to learn how to adapt to the iPhone) and moved forward with all due speed.
True story.
Since then, Applists.com has grown into a surprise hit for us.
Because of this, we are doing all that we can to continue to honor Apple, iPhone owners, AND developers (we still need lots of great apps and we know the talent is out there to create them!).
All of that said, I hope that version 2.0 has done that. Early feedback says we have (but we know there’s always room for improvement).
I also hope this clarifies things for your readers. Thanks so much for taking the time to write about us, we really appreciate the interest. Truly.
Bill Denk
Posted on October 05, 2007