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Steve Derico

@stevederico / stevederico.tumblr.com

Entrepreneur, Developer, and Author. @SFGiants Fan. Founder of Bixby Apps.
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10 Apps I Used to Write My Book

I recently released my first book, I used a variety of apps to go from idea to print. I put together a series of apps to manage the development of the book. This is how I worked during the writing of my book.

  1. Keynote - Great for organizing thoughts, laying out the structure for each chapter and creating drafts. These slides will also come in handy later if you give a talk on this material. 
  2. Byword for Mac - Byword is a simple text editor with very few distractions. There are only three text sizes and a few fonts. My favorite features are the fullscreen mode and the word count at the bottom.
  3. Google Sheets - Writing a book can be a long and seemingly endless process. A simple spreadsheet that tracks your daily progress can go a long way. Tracking the total words written each day will provide you with some context and motivation. Then you can create a chart to show your progress.
  4. Git - Tracking changes not only helps if you have to rollback, but it's also a really great way to backup your project on an external site. Protip: Make each chapter it's own text file for easier diffs and navigation.
  5. OSX - I know a lot of people love to download screenshot software, but OSX's built-in CMD+Shift+4 works perfectly. Images can be sent directly to a folder and named accordingly. 
  6. Preview - There are hundreds of apps for resizing photos and cropping photos. However, OSX's built-in app gets the job done. CMD+K to crop, but I wish there was a similar keyboard shortcut for change image size.
  7. Sublime Text - Once you have completed the first draft of the book, the real editing will begin. Sublime Text has a great built-in search function that can be used across multiple files. There are also great packages available for markup formats like LaTex and AsciiDoc.
  8. Menu Timer - Keeping track of the time you have spent working is a great habit, even if you aren't being paid by the hour. Combine the number of hours worked with the number of words written to calculate an average "pace". This way you can estimate how much longer it will take you to finish the work.
  9. Dropbox - If you don't use dropbox already, I'm not sure why you are reading this, either way, sharing text files and PDFs couldn't be easier.
  10. Adobe Reader - I'm not a fan of Adobe Software and only use it when forced. In this case, the my editor recommended we use the Comments function in Adobe Reader. After downloading the Download Manager, then downloading Adobe Reader (Yes, this is really how it works in 2014). I found out the Comments function is very helpful, you can use different colors to strikeout, insert, rewrite, or append the document. Users can have conversations for each individual proposed change. Almost like a pull request on github, but with an Adobe bloatware spin. Lucky once you are done you can completely uninstall Adobe with this handy tool.

All of these apps are free or under $10. There is little to no barrier to entry. Anyone has the tools needed to write a book from start to finish. I was never limited by software. I never felt the need for an author-specific or writing-specific app. Byword is nice to have, but not required. Any text editor will do. The tools don't make the product, you do. 

What is your favorite Text Editor? What alternatives do you recommend to the apps above? @stevederico​ me on Twitter.

#writing#book#software#tech#apps#swift#iOS Development#howIwork#office#programming#ios
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7 Thoughts on Owning an Apple Watch

I recently received my Apple Watch, here are a few of my thoughts after owning it for a few days. 

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1. Setting Up Apps is Hard to Do - To install apps on your Apple Watch you must first browse and install the app on your iPhone. Then you must open the Apple Watch app and flip a switch to install all Apple Watch apps or individually select the apps you want on the Apple Watch. It’s a pretty clunky workflow, but works for a first version.  Once you do launch the Apple Watch app, most apps require you use your iPhone to set it up for the first time. This leaves you jumping back and forth between the watch and phone, Apple’s new Handoff feature is supposed to help make this easier, but it wasn’t working for me. Allowing users to accept permission requests and install apps directly on the watch are much needed features. 

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2. A Quiet Speaker - The speaker on the watch is used for phone calls and small notification sounds. It is not used for music playback or anything else. This leaves most music-based apps like Music or Pandora with more of a remote-control feel than an actual app. I have also used the speaker and microphone to make calls, but most people on the other end said I sounded like I was in the car.

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3. Siri And You Are Going To Be Friends - Since the watch doesn’t have a keyboard, Siri is critical for input from the user.  Hold the Digital Crown down to activate Siri and it will vibrate when ready. Siri on the watch does not have a “Siri is Ready” beep when you launch Siri. It makes using Siri in public much less stressful or embarrassing. While Siri is not perfect, it does give you the option to just send a audio recording instead of an interpreted response.

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4. Raise, Shake, Tap, Rattle to Wake - The Raise to Wake feature could really be improved, the watch constantly is waking up on small movements like opening the refrigerator but failing to wake when I deliberately raise my wrist toward my face. This leaves you trying anything to wake your not-so-smartwatch. Hopefully Apple can improve the wake thresholds after they have more data from users.

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5. Navigation Takes Some Practice - At first I expected to just put the watch on my wrist and start walking and launching apps. That was not the case, the navigation on the Apple Watch is a bit confusing. It uses the same “dive-down” and “back” button in the upper left corner as the iPhone, but I can rarely hit the back button on the first try. It is nearly impossible while walking. I recommend Apple provides the “swipe-to-go-back” feature copied from Android and released on iPhone in iOS 7. This navigation feature also existed in the Apple Watch’s earlier cousin, the iPod Nano 6th Generation. The crown makes scrolling up and down easier, but I still find myself just using my finger to scroll.

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6. Friends Button, Why? - The Apple Watch is rather small and real estate for buttons is extremely limited. It is still very surprising to see Apple added a large button on the side of the watch, especially for a feature that is rarely used. I am sure Apple pictures everyone having friends with Apple Watches, but in reality most people have 0 to 2 friends with an Apple Watch. Especially, with these shipping issues. The fact that Friends button is there is confusing, and it’s even more confusing it’s tied to a rarely used feature like drawing squiggles with friends.

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7. Apple Pay and Lock Screens - Apple Pay on iPhone is pretty easy to use, you just place your iPhone next to the terminal, put your thumb on the reader, and you hear a beep when the transaction is complete. Since the Apple Watch is paired to my iPhone, I thought Apple Pay with Apple Watch would be even faster. But I was wrong, first to setup Apple Pay on Apple Watch, you must re-enter your credit cards into the Apple Watch App. But wait there is more, to use Apple Pay with Apple Watch you must also setup a pass lock on your Apple Watch. Yes, another passcode to type in, this time on a 1 inch screen. Then to use Apple Pay with Apple Watch you must double-tap the Friends button and wait for your watch to go into “Apple Pay Mode” then you can swipe your hand in front of the terminal. At this point, pulling out my iPhone from my pocket is still faster.

Overall, the Apple Watch is a first iteration of a production. The second iteration really should be a standalone device, dropping the iPhone tethering requirement. Android already has a standalone smartwatch and it seems Apple is just playing catch-up with smartwatch hardware, just like they have been doing with smartphone hardware for years. 

What is your favorite Apple Watch app? What do you think of the Apple Watch? @stevederico​ me on Twitter.

#ios#Apple#AAPL#Watch#AppleWatch#ApplePay#iPhone#iPad#2015#WWDC
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10 Lessons Learned from Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk is more than an author. He is a mentor and a thought-leader. Gary's first book, Crush It, inspired me to leave my job and follow my passion. His second book, The Thank You Economy, explained how to bring in customers and establish trust. His most recent book, Jab Jab Jab Right Hook, explains exactly how to market and engage with your customers via social media. This book is less of a novel and more of a how-to guide on social media. Gary uses concrete examples to point out the dos and don'ts for each social network.

While Crush It may have been more abstract, Jab is a straight forward step-by-step guide. It's an quick read and will make an dramatic impact on how you market your business. I read the entire book in a little over a day. 

General Social Networking Lessons Learned

  • Keep Your Content Native - Use the platform as it was designed don't cross post all at once. Use the benefits of each platform. 
  • Relate Content to Popular Items, Holidays, and Birthdays - Relate your content to items that are popular with target demographic. i.e. send out a Super Bowl Themed Post on Super Bowl Sunday.
  • A Follow is more powerful than Email Sign-up - Users check social media more than they check email. There are less distractions on mobile version of social networks. i.e. No sidebar ads 
  • Limit Number of Clicks after Call to Action - Trying to get users to purchase your new product? Make sure the link in your copy is straight to the purchase page. Don't make users dig to find your checkout process.
  • Follow Up on Each and Every Social Media Comment - This may sound like a large task, but the hours put in will yield exponential results. Following up on each comment with a unique and insightful response, not only makes the commenter feel great, but it shows others viewing your comments you actually respond to users. This is a great way to humanize your brand and encourage users to engage and connect.
  • Ask Questions - Ask followers questions, not just about your product or service. Get to know your user base and learn as much as you can about them.
  • Giveways and Contents - Everyone loves giveaways and fun contests. Make sure your timeline is not solely giveaways and contests. Balance the fun with value and information.
  • Follow Memes, don't try to create them - Nothing is more sad than someone clearly trying to go viral. You cannot expect to create a viral video, that would inherently go against what makes it viral. However, it possible to jump onto popular memes and ride the viral wave.
  • High Quality Photos - High quality photos will get users to stop scrolling slightly and read your title. Photos should be attached to most social media updates and serve as the attraction to get users to stop then decide if they would like to click. Invest in great photos, no one wants to see a dark photo of an old salad.
  • Join The Conversation - Don't be scared to jump into conversations on Twitter. Look at what people are talking about your niche and jump it. Have fun and meet people.

Good and Bad About The Book

  • Good - Micro chapters are quick reads. 
  • Good - You don't have to read chronologically. Works as a reference going forward.
  • Good - Explicit and concrete examples showing you exactly what to do on each social network.
  • Bad - The physical size of the books is a bit awkward and heavy. I found myself laying it on a table to read because I couldn't hold it entirely in my hands. 
  • Bad - The book is almost entirely in color ink on glossy white paper. This is great for the pictures and social media examples however, the ink is runny and will smudge on the glossy white paper.

I love the content of this book and highly recommend it you pick up a copy. If you are a kindle user, I recommend you save your eyes and a tree and download the digital copy. I love the content of this book, hopefully a paperback version will correct some of the physical issues. 

I will be giving away copies of the book, follow me on twitter stevederico for more details.

#social#facebook#twitter#snapchat#tumblr#business#marketing#instagram#Social media#apps#app store#entrepreneur#investing#startup
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The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly on iPhone 5c & 5s

It has been over 12 months since Apple announced a new version of their flagship product, the iPhone 5. Many analysts are estimating this version will be the first without Steve Jobs' direct influence. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from yesterday's iPhone Event.

The Good

  • Free iWork for iOS - All new iOS devices come with iWork for free. More users will create content using Apple's file format. (i.e. .pages vs .docx) However, Apple could have made more progress by making the apps free on the App Store instead of requiring a new device purchase.
  • New Camera - The iPhone 5s includes a new 8 Megapixel camera, improved sensor, 2.2 aperture, and smarter flash. These features begin to blur the line between mobile phone and DLSR.
  • Touch ID - The iPhone 5s will also include an embedded fingerprint reader that allows users to unlock their phone and purchase apps without typing in their password. Nice touch. (No pun intended)

The Bad

  • No Preorder on iPhone 5s -  The iPhone 5s is Apple's flagship device and is targeted at a premium audience. However, the iPhone 5s will not be available for pre-order on September 13th. This will require premium customers to stand inline to receive the device on launch day. This is hardly a premium experience, especially when the consumer-level product, iPhone 5c, is available for pre-order on the 13th. Apple may want more lines in front of their stores on launch day, but they dropped the ball here.
  • iPhone 5c Pricing - Android has surpassed iOS in device shipments. Android's latest surge has been attributed to their penetration to emerging markets, places like Africa and Asia, where contract subsidies are not available. The iPhone 5c was rumored to be the Apple's answer to Android's "free" or cheap phones. Free in this case is $0 with 2 year contract or $400 without contract. However, Apple announced the iPhone 5c will be $99 with contract or $549 without contract. A staggering difference from Android's current non-contract options. Moreover, the $99 price point for the iPhone 5c causes confusion with the iPhone 5s only $100 dollars away. Apple missed an opportunity to make a run at Android's device shipment numbers and should have released a free version of the iPhone 5c.
  • Disk Space & Moore's Law - Moore's Law states that computing hardware's power will double every 18 months, thus dramatically reducing the cost of previous hardware. Disk space has shown a high correlation with with Moore's Law. However, while disk space prices have dropped Apple has not updated the storage capacity for the $199 iPhone in over 3 years. Moore's law means more profits for Apple.

The Ugly

  • iPhone 5c Cases - You be the judge. 
  • iOS 7 Icons - After dramatic push-back from the design community, Apple has decided to press on with their new flat design approach. Only time will tell how users will respond. 
  • Upper & Lowercase - iPhone 4S, iPhone5c, iPhone 5s. Apple has always been particular about the capitalization of their product names. Why the switch from capital letter S to lowercase? UPDATE - iDownloadBlog has the story about the switch. 

Apple is going through some maturity problems without Steve Jobs, it's clear they want to make some mistakes and fail fast. AAPL stock is down 6% today. What do you think will be the biggest failure Apple announced today? Will there be an Apple watch? @stevederico me on twitter and let me know what you think.

#apple#iphone#iphone5#iphone5c#iphone5s#keynote#appl
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Don't Go Down With The Ship

It's no secret Gary Vaynerchuk is my hero. His recent chat at Elevate NYC 2013 inspired me to write this post. Gary has a great quote a few minutes into the talk. 

"The quickest way to go out of business is to romanticize about how you make your money." - Gary Vaynerchuk

It's 2013, we need to be thinking where people are going to be, not where they are. For example, email marketing, banner ads, even Google AdSense are seeing record low conversion rates. Why? It's because,"Marketers Ruin Everything". Traditional media is dead, most of us already understand this. Billboards, Newspaper, Radio, and TV Commercials have all been replaced by the web and mobile. People aren't looking at billboards while going 70 MPH on the highway, they aren't even looking at the roads, they are looking at their phones. #mobilefirst

This marks the second round of marketing platforms to die. First traditional media, then cornerstone internet media. Don't Go Down With The Ship. The next wave of platforms in 36 months will be:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Vine
  • Snapchat

Each one of these networks has a specific purpose and nuisance. Social networks are not distribution networks. These are places where you can establish value and trust with your customers. After providing content, answering questions, and listening, then and only then, will you push out the ask. Give, Give, Give, Ask.

This post will serve as a wake up call for myself and my businesses. I hope it does for you too. @stevederico me on twitter and let me know what  platforms you think will be on top in 36 Months. 

PS - I highly recommend you preorder Gary's new book. I will even go on to personally guarantee it. If you buy it, read it, and it doesn't help your business, I will happily pay you back myself.

Source: youtube.com
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There are a bunch of companies that try to make every release perfect, and Apple is the best at that. That’s wonderful, but there’s another way of doing things that’s potentially even better over the long term—allow yourself room to experiment and don’t try to make each individual release as polished as possible. - Mark Zuckerberg

I couldn't agree more. Don't be scared to fail. Take risks and fail fast.

#iterate
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Gary Vaynerchuk - "Effort is My Religion"

Gary Vaynerchuk is one of my all-time favorite entrepreneurs. His passion and drive inspires me to work harder everyday. You can find him on my list of heroes on Pinterest.

Gary's newest interview series with Inc's Founders Forum includes some of his best content. I encourage everyone to check out the 30-40 minutes worth of footage. You can watch the video here. 

  • "Start at the finish line and work backwards"
  • "Don't be religious about how you make your money"
  • "Tell a story"
  • Look for weak and stale markets. 
  • Think long-term, remember others will be reading what you wrote in the future.
  • "Systems are commodities"
  • The little things mater, they are what sets you apart
  • "Effort is underrated"
  • "Don't think like a CFO"
  • "Effort is my religion"

What do you think of Gary's insight? What markets do you think are ripe to be disrupted? @stevederico me on twitter to continue the conversation.

#vaynerchuk#gary#social#business
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New Year's Resolutions 2013

2012 was a wonderful year and a lot of great things have happened. That being said, here are my goals for 2013.

I encourage everyone to set goals and make them public. This way you can be held accountable for your actions. You can find my goals from last year here.

#goals#resolutions
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2012 New Years Resolutions Review

Happy New Year! 2012 is over complete, so I thought I would do a quick review of my 2012 New Years Resolutions. You can find the original post here:

http://blog.stevederico.com/post/18886584900/2012.

  • Ship One New App per Month - NO - Focusing on strictly client work now.
  • Speak at Least Once per Month - NO, but I did recently speak at the App Empire Conference in San Diego. You can find all my talks at http://blog.stevederico.com/talks. 
  • Start Beginning iOS Video Series and Release at least once per month - YES, I started teaching iOS in-person classes on the weekends. Sign up at http://www.bixbyapps.com/workshops.
  • Read One Book per month - NO, I didn't come close on this one. I need to do a better job scheduling my time for this. 
  • Meet with at least 2 of My Heroes Directly - NO. However, I did meet one of my heroes - Tom Preston Warner at the recent github meet-up.
  • Reach Top 25 in an App Category - NO. Made it as high as 26th, so close.
  • Run a Marathon - NO. I may re-consider this, but I am still a bit burnt out on running after running track and cross country all through college.
  • Workout Twice a Week - NO. Not a good job on this, because I didn't set a schedule and keep a log.
  • Wake up before 9 AM on Weekdays - YES. 
  • Work on 3 or more Open Source Projects - YES. SDKit, SDStockKit, SDScaffoldKit.
  • Start a Podcast - YES. Started http://www.refactor.tv with @soffes.
  • Keep Doing What I Love - YES. http://www.bixbyapps.com

Overall, I'm pretty happy with what I got done. I need to do a better job of setting deadlines, this always helps with my productivity. How did you do on your New Years Resolutions?  @stevederico me on twitter. 

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Gary Vaynerchuk at Social Mix 2012

I am a huge fan of Gary Vaynerchuk and have seen nearly all his talks. This has to be my favorite of all time. Gary makes it very clear he is a not a technology enthusiast, he is a business man that uses technology as a tool. Here are a few of my notes from watching the talk.

Facebook Login for everything in 1 year - Gary asks the crowd, how many people only download apps with Facebook Connect. About 15% stand, Gary goes on to talk more about how people don't have time to watch a 30 second clip, let alone 13 seconds to sign up. 

"Marketers Ruin Everything" - Gary uses this statement over and over to show how when something works, marketers find out and overuse it until it loses value. i.e. Groupon.

Open/Click rates on Email - GV talks about open rates at over 40% and banner ads CTR at over 80% in late 90s. Today a great email open rate is 15% and CTRs are in the 1%.

Search is dead - GV reminds us of the days when Google really returned the best result, everyone knows the results can be gamed. It doesn't matter what google says, it matter what your network says. Search is dead.

Word of Mouth is King - This is a "stone-age" or "dinosaur-times" phrase, but it has been around since then because it works. Treating people the way they deserve to be treated and creating a relationship is what it is all about. Scale the Unscalable.

Texting While Driving - If you still believe traditional media has a chance, take a look at the roads. People can't even put their phone down to look the road, let alone a billboard ad. 

Acquisition is a Commodity, Retention is the Game - Anyone can get the customers to come in, that portion has become a commodity. The new game is retention, how do you keep your customers coming back to you? What gives you the advantage over your competitors?

If you haven't checked out Gary's most recent book, The Thank You Economy, you should. If you are already a member Vaynernation, what is your favorite GV video? @stevederico me with your comments.

#Gary Vaynerchuk#Social media#Business
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Diving into Ruby on Rails

I recently began learning Ruby on Rails. I have admired the results and simplicity it produces and couldn't wait to get started. After learning my last programming language, I realized the importance of learning from a quality source initially. So I asked around some friends and came up with the following items. 

  1. TryRuby.org - A great way to get your feet wet in Ruby
  2. Ruby For Zombies via CodeSchool.com - A magnificent interactive course with video lectures, slides, and a console to teach you the basics of rails.
  3. RailsCasts - Looking a video on how to integrate with the Facebook Graph API?, need to learn how to setup RSpec? The great Ryan Bates has a video tutorial for that!

I have used all of these resources and couldn't recommend them enough. Am I missing a resource? @stevederico me on twitter and share your thoughts.

#rails#ruby#programming
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New Years Resolutions Review Q2 2012

2012 is over 50% complete, so I thought I would do a quick review of my New Years Resolutions. 

  • Ship One New App per Month - NO - Focusing on strictly client work now.
  • Speak at Least Once per Month - NO
  • Start Beginning iOS Video Series and Release at least once per month - YES  (App Academy)
  • Read One Book per month - NO 
  • Meet with at least 2 of My Heroes Directly - NO
  • Reach Top 25 in an App Category - NO
  • Run a Marathon - NO
  • Workout Twice a Week - NO
  • Wake up before 9 AM on Weekdays - NO 
  • Work on 3 or more Open Source Projects - NO
  • Start a Podcast - YES (http://vimeo.com/43635062)
  • Keep Doing What I Love - YES

Overall, I am not in great shape, but there is plenty of time left.  I need to do a better job of setting deadlines, this always helps with my productivity. How are you doing on your New Years Resolutions?  @stevederico me on twitter. 

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Done is better than perfect.

The other day I heard this quote by Mark Zuckerberg and it really stuck with me. I am someone who appreciates the little details in things, but I a believer in iteration and failing fast. Getting something out and in front of your customers allows you to get feedback and iterate on what they want/need. Anything else is just guessing. I was glad to hear Mark and I agree on this.

#Ship It#Iteration#Failing Fast#User Feedback
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