Computing tools like spreadsheets are being replaced by apps – that's a real opportunity for developers, says the Softtalkmobile blog.
When home computers were first introduced, we thought the way to get the best out of them was to learn to programme.
I remember a friend who ran a market stall writing some stock management software for his ZX Spectrum. It seems hilarious now, him plugging away on those rubber keys to keep track of how many bags of screws he had in stock, but that was pretty much the only way to access computing power and put it to service for anything other than games.
Over time, we got more computing power on our desktops, and our applications became so sophisticated that we rarely needed to venture outside of them. There are few computing challenges – track your weight, do your accounts – that you can’t solve using a spreadsheet.
Nobody needs to learn to programme any more, and although this is arguably a loss to our culture, it does make us more productive when using off-the-shelf applications.
Of course, what’s changed in the last couple of years is the arrival of the app store.
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As a result, the way we interact with our computing devices has evolved further still. Thanks to apps, there is no need to make your own spreadsheet. If you want to track your weight, for example, a weight management app will do it.
These dedicated solutions tend to be better than spreadsheets because they can include reports, search capabilities and charts that make it easy to see what matters. An app is focused on one thing. That’s its strength over a more generic spreadsheet, which needs to be able to do pretty much everything, so it can’t give you the carefully tailored options you need for your particular application.
We’re only starting to understand the repercussions of this, but I believe it represents a fundamental change in how we use computing power in our day to day lives.
Often, the software is inexpensive, but the real saving is in our time. We can focus on doing the work and using the information, rather than having to imagine how to organise it first.
For app developers, this presents a great opportunity. There are lots of people who used to get by with spreadsheets who are now willing to pay if you can provide them with exactly the solution they want.
They have the means to discover your software, and they’re in the habit of downloading. They understand the value that app developers bring to their devices, and they’re willing to pay for that.
The Intel AppUp Center brings the app store model to the netbook and notebook, making it easy for people to discover and buy software for their portable Windows-based computers.
For a software developer, this creates some fantastic opportunities. It’s possible to use the app concept to create software that fulfils a niche need, but still have a device with a keyboard, so more sophisticated data entry concepts can be used.
Game developers might think that non-gaming apps aren’t for them, but it’s possible to use the skills of game design to make extremely engaging and profitable niche apps.
To distribute your games or other apps through stores powered by the Intel AppUp Center, join the Intel AppUp developer program.
* This blog post is written by Softtalkmobile, and is sponsored by the Intel AppUp developer program, a single channel for distributing apps to multiple devices, multiple operating systems, and multiple app stores.
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