As of tonight I have submitted my first two apps to the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, the App Hub. These are:

• CoinTosser
• FractionCalc

I’m going to give ConvertPlus, the most complex and “serious” app (in terms of time spent), a once-over before submission.  I think this will go quickly, but I cannot be sure.  I have an extensive testing protocol for it, and I will engage at least part of it before I submit.

The interesting thing is that based on YouTube hits, CoinTosser so far has gotten 238 hits, or 4 times the action of the next most “popular”, ConverterPlus, with 53.  CoinTosser has garnered the most interest, even so far as showing up in a review on a Russian website.  This is the app that cost me the least time.  Ironic, but perhaps indicative.  Everyone has tossed a coin to make a choice or settle a point; not so many have had much reason to convert from miles to kilometers or vice-versa.

So, what’s next, after Converter Plus gets submitted?  Good question!

I’ve been considering making an app to help prospective and current Ham Radio operators practice to pass license exams.  As a Ham myself (KD7UST), this has a certain attraction — with the highest license (for USA), I certainly don’t need the practice, but I’m interested in helping others get into the hobby and to advance in it.  I’ve wondered if I Should charge for the app, or make it free and aupport it by advertising.  Since the potential market for the app is probably not particularly large, and once a user has passed an exam there is no reason to go back to practice for that exam again, advertising is certainly not the way to go.  It won’t be used enough by the customer to make it pay.  Also, for that reason it would be impractical to permit “try before you buy,” since potentially the user could easily be finished with it before the set period of time expired.  So, it has to be a paid app with no trial period. 

I’d like to do something that is ad-supported at some point, however, but I’m not sure what that would be.  Still thinking!