Junecloud

Delivery Status touch has been available for just over a month now, and we’ve had quite a few emails with suggestions already. I actually had a lengthy to do list before I even submitted the initial release to Apple, and most of the things people have asked for are already on that list. I’m very happy with version 1.0, but I very much consider it a foundation to build on further—it’s a beginning. So here are some things coming soon to Delivery Status touch:

View full delivery details directly in the app. Tap the icon on the left side of a delivery and the page will peel up to show the complete details. A single tap will take you back. With services like Amazon and Google Checkout, you don’t even have to waste time logging in again.

Full, automatic syncing. When you add a delivery to the widget, it will appear in Delivery Status touch next time you use it. When you add a delivery to the app, it will appear in the widget’s history. Automatically. You can also add deliveries using any web browser, or sync your widget history between multiple computers.

A new icon. The response to the delivery truck icon has certainly been interesting! Some people really love it, and some people absolutely hate it. We thought the idea of a delivery truck was fun and unique, but some people though the truck looked more like a bus or even a garbage truck—just they just didn’t see the connection with a package tracking app. After a long debate we’ve settled on a new icon, and I have to say I like this one even more. It looks great on the iPhone home screen.

Re-order deliveries. Currently, new deliveries are added to the top. Thanks to the delivery history, you can remove an item and re-add it at the top with a couple of taps, but that’s certainly not ideal. Soon you’ll be able to re-order items anywhere you like—just tap the info button and drag them around.

A more welcoming empty view. Currently when you don’t have any deliveries, you’ll get a dark grey screen with dark text on it. We had thought it made sense to have a very empty-looking view and leave the focus on the info button, but we realize now that this isn’t a very friendly way to welcome new people to the app. I think the new screen above is much more clear and nicer to look at.

Easy password entry for synced deliveries. Some people using our current delivery transfer option have been confused when an Amazon or Google order comes up as “not found”. The first time you use an account, you need to tap the info button, tap the delivery, enter the password, and save it. We realize this isn’t as simple or clear as it could be. In the future when you get a “password required” message, you’ll be able to just tap the delivery for a password prompt. Couldn’t be simpler!

We’re not stopping there, either. These are just a few of the big items you’ll see in the 2.0 update. This update will have many other improvements, and we have even more planned for the future. If you’ve used the Dashboard widget for a decent length of time you’ll know we put a lot of work into it. It’s come a very long way since its simple beginnings as Apple Order Status, nearly three years ago—and we plan on putting just as much effort into the iPhone app.

Thanks for all your support and we hope you’ll look forward to the update! It’s currently in beta testing, and we plan to release it in November. If you buy Delivery Status touch from the App Store now, this will be a free update.

Delivery Status touch (for iPhone and iPod touch) is complete—I sent it off to Apple last night. Hopefully it will appear in the App Store next week, but don’t be surprised if it takes longer. It will be available initially for an introductory price of $1.99, so I recommend grabbing it quickly if you’re interested! Keep an eye on the site, as I’ll be posting an update when it’s available.

This initial release is just the beginning. Assuming it sells well, I already have a big list of features I’d like to add in the future. There are a couple of other package trackers in the App Store already—ours won’t be the first and it looks like it won’t be the cheapest. I do aim to make it the best though, and from what I’ve seen we have a good head start. I hope you’ll consider supporting us!

In the meantime, you can download Delivery Status 4.4 for your Mac right now. Along with various fixes and enhancements, this update includes a feature that will let you send deliveries to Delivery Status touch, on your iPhone or iPod touch. Just flip the widget over and click the new arrow button in the bottom-left corner.

Just to clarify: while you can send deliveries to your iPhone or iPod touch now, Delivery Status touch is required to open them. I decided to release the widget update in advance so you can have it ready once the app is available in the App Store. Sorry for any confusion!

Updated on September 19th: Delivery Status touch has been approved for sale, and should be available in the App Store very soon!

Updated again: Delivery Status touch is now available in the App Store! Thanks everyone for your support, I really appreciate it. If you decide to buy the app, please take a moment to write a review!

When I first started running my own business full time a few years back, I really wasn’t sure how long it would last. It’s been stressful, it’s been hard work, but it’s also been fun and rewarding. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of great people. I’ve also spent more and more time on my software—it started out as a hobby, but now I’m making a fair amount of income just in donations. (Thank you!)

It’s clear now that I’m in this for the long haul, and I won’t be giving up my business any time soon. So I figured it was time to make it all a bit more official. After a good month or two I finally came up with a company name that both sounded good and had an available .com address: Junecloud. June was my grandmother’s name and the month my mother and I were born in. Cloud brings to mind some beautiful images and it’s also a symbol of that nebulous thing that’s at the heart of what I do: the internet. I think it’s perfect. On August 15th, 2008, the paperwork was filed, and Junecloud LLC was formed.

Right now I’m the sole employee of Junecloud, but my hope is that this is just the beginning. I’ve been hiring Holly Tickner for contract work more frequently—she created the charming illustrations above. Hopefully I’ll find more talented people to work with in the future. (If you’re interested, drop me a line).

Thanks everyone, for all of your support. Here’s to many more years of great design and software!

Cheers,

Mike Piontek