Hopeless Geek

The iPhone 2.1 update also appears to have updated Core Location to track speed and direction…

<+30.43312668, -97.76630400> +/- 47.42m (speed 12.59 kph / course 176.00) @ 2008-10-09 14:16:35 -0500

Problem: the iPhone above is stationary. I suspect it’s a consequence of GPS getting a better fix on the location as time goes by. Kind of neat, though. Gotta wonder what apps will come from that…

Or, rather, what I can do with that.

Codesign error: no certificate for identifier “iPhone Developer” was found in your keychain

Getting this error when building an iPhone app? Yeah … you’re going to love the solution:

After much tinkering around, I tracked the problem to a keychain error.

And TADAAAAA: Go to Keychain Access -> Preferences -> Certificates and deactivate both automatic checking gizmos.

Quit Xcode, relaunch. It worked for me. Instantly.

Oh God, I hate this thing. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

Here’s the current method for adding an application to the iPhone:

1. Download an app from iTunes.
2. Connect iPhone.
3. Wait for backup. Wait for sync.
4. Disconnect iPhone.
5. Use application for a while.
6. Connect iPhone.
7. Wait for backup.
8. Wait for backup.
9. Wait for backup.
10. Wait for backup.
11. Wait for backup.
12. Wait for backup.
13. Wait for backup.

It doesn’t seem to be one application, either. At some point I’m going to add an application that completely destroys the backup process. In order to determine which one it is, I have to uncheck applications in iTunes like they’re extensions. This wouldn’t be so bad if not for one problem…

iTunes deletes the application’s data when I do this.

So, even for apps that aren’t hosed, I have to hose them in order to find the app that’s hosed and remove it.

We write Mac applications at work. We have several ideas for great iPhone apps (not the cheesy $5 ones, but real applications) that we’re working on. We can test on the simulator, yes, and that works most of the time, but it’s not perfect¹ and we do need to test on the device now and again so we decided to get a pair of iPhone 3Gs to start off with and see how the development process was.

First, we approached the local Apple Store’s business contact. He said that they don’t handle business orders for the iPhone at all and gave us a name at AT&T that handles small business orders and said that he’d get us set up. That person would be Christopher Spain. Remember that name, he’s going to be coming up a lot here soon.

So I went back to coding and let my business partner handle all the fun of getting this setup. He called Chris and left a voicemail message that first day. The next day we got some information back about how to get setup.

“How can we make him feel worse about not having an iPhone?”

“Hey, I know! Let’s accept him into the iPhone developer program!”

“Great idea!”

grumble.

I’d love to get an iPhone, but I have a small problem: there aren’t any that I can find. I’ve called, I’ve emailed, I’ve chased my own tail — all with the result of being frustrated, tired, and dizzy.

The Apple Store at The Domain in Austin has taken up the attitude that they’re just going to stop answering the phone, it seems. They’ve left the opening day announcement about their July 11 store hours up and then you get perpetual ringing after that.

Down at Barton Creek it appears slightly worse: the number is always busy. You can’t even get to a menu; the line is just solid busy when I call it.

The AT&T store has given up stocking the devices and tells me that I have to:

• Walk in.
• Setup the account.
• Order the phone.
• Wait 10 to 21 days for it to be delivered.

sigh.

I guess I’ll stick to the iPhone Simulator for testing for now…