Yesterday I wrote a bit about my first steps in mobile development using WAP. This came about as found an old user’s manual for another mobile app we presented in 2001.

That was a actual app, as they are defined today, downloaded to your mobile device, with local storage and synchronisation to the company’s server.

It was developed for the Palm which was the mobile device of its time. The Palm PDA was fantastic, it didn’t really have online access but could be synced using a cable to your PC. Later came the Handspring Visor (using the same Palm OS) which could be equipped with a GSM pack turning it into a mobile phone and internet connected device. It was heavy, bulky and quite ugly but it was fantastic, and yes I still have one in a drawer.

The first app we made was called planet.TRX (Time Reports & Expenses). It never sold much but it was an interesting start. Some time later we developed a custom reporting tool for a huge international company and that app got an international award. By the way, it was also used and appreciated by our client.

Apps have became big business, they are sometimes better than their desktop counterparts and the online connected app is a necessity in many peoples’ lives. I am not part of this industry any more but it was really fun at the time.