Eucalyptus is in the App Store!

[str1f3]

I guess Apple caved pretty quickly as usual with the publicity. I feel bad for developers who don't get the attention that some others do and have to live with it.

As for the app, it is $10. I'd post a link but on my iPhone. I'm surprised it cost that much. There is very little details in the descrition. Does it have all the features that Stanza offers and then some? It only has one photo! For $10, I would have liked the developer to give some more details of features to justify the price because the two minute YouTube video did not give enough.

It looks like it's a best in class app, but I think it's better at $5.99 or $6.99. I think the price will eventually come down but WOW!

 

[TwinCities Dan]

You gotta link?

Yea, I know I could search but for the purpose of thread posterity...

 

[str1f3]

here's the link:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=312399929&mt=8

 

[Fe1]

It looks like it's a best in class app, but I think it's better at $5.99 or $6.99. I think the price will eventually come down but WOW!

Wow, indeed.

I was so excited to hear that a Project Gutenberg app was being planned, since I am a voracious reader. I have the Kindle app on the iPhone's frontpage, using it daily.

Then I read on iLounge, a site which never ever fails to publish an app rejection by the Apple team, that Eucalyptus had been rejected because they gave access to the Kama Sutra to readers (a nonsensical reason, since they themselves allowed the book to be sold as an e-Book), I knew it was a matter of time before it would be approved once sorted out.

Then I saw it listed on Pandorabox, finally for sale on the App Store. TEN DOLLARS. For books which are <<free>>, since they're Classics.

I don't care if they allow us access to all 20,000 books by using their app. Or if you can turn the page with that really cool flipping motion. Ten freaking dollars, for books that Amazon allows you to download for FREE on their FREE app.

And now I wonder just how many of these "rejections" are studied marketing campaigns by developers to bring them notoriety, the better to sell their apps (thanks in part to entities like iLounge).

A play on people's "free speech" feelings of outrage, etc.

What a gyp. I thought at most it might be 99 cents. I doubt I'll even purchase it for free now.

 

[kas23]

$9.99 is way too much. I can get all the PG books off of Stanza for free. Sorry, I'll pass. However, they will make their money. All they need is a tiny percentage of iPhone users to make a good buck.

 

[Compile 'em all]

$9.99 is way too much. I can get all the PG books off of Stanza for free. Sorry, I'll pass. However, they will make their money. All they need is a tiny percentage of iPhone users to make a good buck.

The pricing of the app is irrelevant.

Great for the devs that it was finally approved.

Now we know the formula, get the media to your side!

 

[Gokunama]

If Amazon does evil stuff to the awesome Stanza app, then I'll look at Eucalyptus as a possible replacement to the Stanza app. Hopefully we can read all currently supported ebook formats on Stanza indefinitely.

Wait, this app only allows project Gutenberg books?

 

[Fe1]

Now we know the formula, get the media to your side!

As I aluded to in my post, I find this suddenly rather "convenient" on both sides.

Instead of thinking that they are doing the developers a favour, I am more and more beginning to think they are in collusion with them, for kickbacks after the app is approved.

After all, some apps which are declined by Apple (and there must be hundreds we'll never know about, for the same reasons as the Baby Shake one or Eucalyptus) never have their cause taken up by noted sites like iLounge. No. It's always the high-profile or pricey apps.

If nothing else, they are exploiting what must be triggers by the Apple team in place when an app is submitted. They then make it into a "free speech" situation, or taunt Apple about their hypocrisy, all to cynically make headlines. The sites profit by eyeballs they get, and the apps by the increased exposure.

Meh.

 

[kas23]

The whole story is fishy. Apple rejecting an app because it gives access to PG? So do many other apps for the iPhone, Safari included. This whole rejection story sounds very stupid.

As for media attention causing increased sales, I don't think will give Eucalytus any benefit. The only "media outlets" that ran this story was some obscure blog that nobody probably reads. Sure, it did seep out to a few more iPhone-related sites, but no where else. It is likely we only represent a tiny percentage of iPhone owners, so it's not likely the average iPhone owner even knows about this fiasco. Nevertheless, all it takes is a tiny percentage of iPhone owners to buy this app for them to make a lot of money. Nevertheless, the price is currently prohibiting.

Does anyone know anything else about this app? Can we upload our own files on it? If so, how do we do so? (loading files on Stanza is a pain) What kind of files does the app support?

 

[str1f3]

The whole story is fishy. Apple rejecting an app because it gives access to PG? So do many other apps for the iPhone, Safari included. This whole rejection story sounds very stupid.

As for media attention causing increased sales, I don't think will give Eucalytus any benefit. The only "media outlets" that ran this story was some obscure blog that nobody probably reads. Sure, it did seep out to a few more iPhone-related sites, but no where else. It is likely we only represent a tiny percentage of iPhone owners, so it's not likely the average iPhone owner even knows about this fiasco. Nevertheless, all it takes is a tiny percentage of iPhone owners to buy this app for them to make a lot of money. Nevertheless, the price is currently prohibiting.

I've seen this story everywhere. TUAW, TechCrunch, and I believe Engadget amongst others. Once an App Store mishap happens it, everybody likes to publish it.

Does anyone know anything else about this app? Can we upload our own files on it?

Right now it I don't think you can upload. But it is a 1.0 product.