Exclusive Interview With Founder and Developer of iFlipTips, Thomas Cross

JC Please explain how your app was originally thought of and what were your thoughts behind the marketplace, specifically?

TC Corporate training departments need to have mobile apps they can provide "quick reference" tips. That is, this app puts the tips in folders and subfolder for the specific product, feature update rather than a myriad of emails. Students need tools to help them study more efficiently. Here are comments from an independent reviewer. "iFlipTips is a new learning and training app for iPhone and iPad by TECHtionary. Whether you’re studying for a big exam or preparing notes for a corporate training session, this app provides a simple tool to help you remember important information when you need it most.

The iFlipTips app contains two different programs: iFlipCards and iFlipTips-Ideas. Like flip paper notecards, iFlipCards is a study aid that caters for all styles of learning. Each tip contains space for text, an audio clip, video and an image, making the app perfect for auditory and visual learners. iFlipTips-Ideas allow users to create study aids in a way that works for them. Take pictures of chemistry formulas or anatomy images, along with recording videos or audio clips on your iPhone or iPad save them in the app for use later. The app also allows you to organize your “Tips” into different folders so you can access them quickly when you need to look something up.

When you’ve finished studying using the iFlipCards, you can test what you know. Using this part of the app, users can create question and answer digital flipcards. With iFlipCards, you can create text, video, image or audio clips for both questions and answers, giving you flexibility to test yourself on your knowledge in a variety of ways and prepare for viva exams, presentations and training, as well as written tests.

The app is well-suited for students, and provides a helpful way to learn foreign languages, study concepts and ideas for essays, prepare for multiple choice exams and create prompts for talks and viva examinations. It also, however, has a wider reach, especially within the corporate world, and is the perfect tool to use for seminars and presentations. The iFlipTips-Ideas or iFlipCards can act as prompts to help with public speaking, corporate training or teaching.

iFlipTips is a versatile and powerful study and prompt tool that replaces traditional 3X5 index cards and helps you keep all your information in one place. With its simple, intuitive interface, and customizable appearance, the app, just like everything useful in life, is both fast and effective."

JC Explain the design, how you came up with the colors and themes.

TC 30 years of UI design for award-winning solutions.

Image above – Shown here is a typical college student using scissors to cut and tape graphics from paper PowerPoint slides onto 3×5 cards and then adding the answers to the back. iFlipTips not only speeds the process by allowing the student to take pictures IN class but also to have them in one place (one device) as well as thousands of cards.

JC Who do you see as the main target market for this app in terms of age, genre and expenditure?

TC College students, corporate training, corporate support, corporate sales and anyone wanting to take notes.
    

JC How long did it take from the original planning to the production process of this app?

TC Been thinking of the idea since I wrote a book on Artificial Intelligence for Simon & Shuster 20 years ago. However, iFlipTips is an exciting way for professionals to create multimedia presentations and personal corporate libraries. iFlipCards is an exciting way for professional trainers and students alike to create multimedia study ‘flipcards’ for fast access Q&A learning. iFlipTips consists of two key programs – iFlipTips and iFlipCards. iFlipTips can be created with simple, single button notecards with text, audio, video and pics. The app is designed to help clients seeking easy and rapid ways to build mobile “self-help” and “just enough and just-in-time” tools for their sales, support channel partners and others. iFlipCards lets users make Q&A flipcards, capture audio, video, text and take/use pics and answer with pics, video, text and audio, not just text. College students need a simple app to replace their 3×5 paper notecards writing Questions on one side and “flipping” them over to see the Answer(s). iFlipTips can be shared/posted to Twitter, Facebook or email. Both iFlipTips and iFlipCards can capture information and file it fast with unlimited Library Folders and Subfolders. In addition iFlipTips blog, tutorials, blog, newsletter and more information are available at http://ifliptips.com

JC How do you predict sales to be, is there a good solid market for this style of app?

TC Yes, with millions of college students and professionals needing a tool to create quick reference cards and tips, potentially a very large market.

JC What has been the hardest obstacle you have had to overcome regarding this app development?

TC Feature-set configuration and testing.

JC Would you consider developing apps for third parties?

TC No

JC What have you learnt from the App Store?

TC We already have three apps on iTunes so know the process. iFlipTips along with CrossPinPoints http://crosspinpoints.com and other cloud online solutions from TECHtionary (http://techtionary.com). Other iPhone/iPad apps include iMakeupMirror, iCompactMirror and Pictagrams all available on iTunes. More details can be found at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/techtionary.com/id379186267

CrossPinPoints, iSportsCal, iComcal and iREcal are all integrated MARCOM-marketing communications solutions designed for small to large business manage small to large marketing efforts. Thomas B. Cross is the creator of unique marketing communications and an avid social media expert focusing primarily on Twitter with @techtionary https://twitter.com/#!/techtionary and @beautyapps account https://twitter.com/#!/BeautyApps, CrossTalk blog, Linkedin and CrossPinPoints (online marketing communications solution). He posts daily to Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and CrossTalk blog. He assists businesses maximize their social media marketing and teaches professional development courses in social media which are approved by the Colorado Supreme Court for attorneys and Colorado DORA for real estate professionals via Social Business College http://socialbusinesscollege.com/.

JC Have Apple supported you well with your App development?

TC Certainly

JC What next, are you developing another app, would you go for the same genre again, if not which?

TC That’s confidential, however iFlipSlides for creating multimedia "slide shows" will be available within a few weeks. iFlipSlides gives users slideshow featureset like PowerPoint but in an iPhone/iPad mobile app.    

JC Have you considered developing apps on other platforms such as Android? If so, what has the experience been like?

TC No, Apple is enough, really don’t like Android at all.

JC What do you think about TheAppWhisperer.com? Have we helped you? Would you recommend us? Have we been supportive?

TC YES and absolutely !!

JC If readers would like to contact Tom directly, the contact details are below:

Contact: Tom Cross
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @techtionary & @beautyapps
Phone: 303-594-1694