RestKit is an Objective-C library to use in conjunction with a RESTful web service. Last summer, Ray Wenderlich published an excellent tutorial on RestKit v0.10.x by Scott McAlister. Since then, Blake Watters, the RestKit team and contributors have made significant improvements on the networking code and object mapping. This tutorial will demonstrate how to create a basic iOS application using RestKit v0.20.0 and Parse.
Designed to be used as a wireless control device for Cambridge Audio’s NP30 and Stream Magic 6 music systems, Stream Magic is a native, universal (iPod, iPhone and iPad) iOS application designed from the ground-up with usability in mind.
Utilising the UPnP networking standard, Stream Magic allows users to browse their music collections with ease, as well as control the wide range of features available on the devices. The application relies heavily on strong, reliable networking code and as such requires a deep knowledge of the application lifecycle.
User interface guidelines have been followed throughout the design process to give a user experience that feels right, regardless of platform. A testament to this is fantastic reviews in the press, with What Hi-Fi? awarding the product five stars.
This hugely successful application utilises many features of iOS to make bird recognition and recording more accessible. Featuring a unique identification system based on Core Data, sighting information recorded using Core Location, RSS feeds, maps, web-service integration and audio playback, Twitcher is one of the most technically advanced apps in the field.
This application utlises iOS’s capability to render to an external display. Used in conjunction with the Opus IDU610 dock, users can browse their iPod library on their television (up to 1080p) and view album art in glorious high resolution. Along with rendering via Core Graphics, the application communicates with the dock via the External Accessory Framework to allow external control and firmware updates.