Am I right in assuming I cannot create an iPhone App using a PC? v.1.5 states 'the assumption is that you are able to run the iOS simulator on your Mac computer.'

Unless you can get OSX running in Virtualbox. That is your only option besides creating a hackintosh. Most people buy an older mac off Craigslist for dev.

Thanks, I've been putting off getting a mac for years, maybe now's the time.

Look into the Mac Mini. You can pick up a used one on Craigslist vey cheap. Has all the horse power you will need. New they go for around $ 599.00

Or check Cowboom for a open box macbook. They usually have some intel based macbooks for around $350-500. They may have cosmetic flaws, but if you plug in a mouse, keyboard and monitor, they are basically a mac mini.

I was able to get a Mac mini on Craigslist for $200, and it has served me very well! Just make sure you get an Intel-based one, and not one of the older PPC-based ones. Also...I'd stay away from virtualizing Mac OS and doing it that way...from what I've read, Apple frowns on that, and it's probably not worth the trouble. Mark

Hi Mark, I am sure this is somewhere on the forum, but I was wondering if you would please give me a brief run down on whether or not Buztouch Server is necessary for my business plan. I plan to create and host local merchants' business apps. There are several hundred of these merchants whom I have marketed for other products, so I think this will work well. I want them to be able to change their app daily if they wish. Hostgator told me I need a VSP, which I'll get. But how will my customers access their app? Thank you for your time. Maybe someone is doing this and can point me to a PDF. tHANKS

Hi @CBreeze, You bring up a valid question about BT Server, and one that I don't quite have a concrete answer for yet. I'm kinda in the same boat...not sure which way to go. I personally love the control that running my own BT server would provide, but it's also nice to have somebody like David and his crew at BT take care of it as well. I think if you were planning on building a business around app development, the Server would be the way to go. If you are a casual app developer...one or two here and there...then using the current offering is probably good. I think the jury is still out on it for me at least. In looking more closely at your post, it seems like BT server would be the way to go. You can provide multiple user accounts, and each person can be in charge of their own app (from the design all the way to the updates). I don't know if there is a way for you to design it and then provide them update capabilities other than designing through their account. That would mean they also have the capability of breaking the apps if they don't know what they're doing! There are ways to allow them to edit files not on the server that would provide updates...what sort of content are you thinking about here? Mark

Thank you for answering me. I really appreciate it. I only plan to run simple apps. But merchants need to be able to advertise daily specials or special events they are promoting. Nothing exotic. I am convinced that hostgator knows their stuff and that the VPS is the safest way to run. Are you, or anyone you know of upgraded to the pro? Just wondering. I like to be able to deliver a quality product. I certainly don't want merchants complaining is why I'm trying to do a full research project. I'm just so happy to have found Buzztouch. Thanks

At the moment BT Server is in beta, so it's as stable as you would expect for a beta product. I don't think I would deploy any customers on it at the moment, and not all the screens you find on buzztouch.com are currently available either. But I would very much suggest you install it and play around with it, as it's the BT of the future! With respect to updating...if they are just going to update a single screen with daily specials, you could link the app screen to something like a Word document kept on DropBox or something. Then all they need to do is update the Word doc, and you can force the screen to update itself each time the user opens it. No BT account would be required for that. Keep the questions coming! Mark

Awsome idea. Thanks. That helps a lot.