Lesson 1: Resources you will need:
Welcome to iPhone/iPad Programming 1! To get things rolling you will need a few things:
Book: I am more or less following Beginning iPhone 3 Development: Exploring the iPhone SDK. I have found it to be well written, and until I finish writing my own textbook on the topic, this is the book I’m recommending.
Hardware: You will need a Macintosh computer to participate. The SDK is not (legally) available on other platforms. The least expensive new option is to get a
Mac mini (if you already have a monitor and keyboard). Otherwise, look for a good used system (Note, you will need to be able to run Snow Leopard as your OS for the most recent iOS SDK). I love my MacBook Pro
and recommend it as an option if you are in the market for a good laptop.
Software: You will need to download the iOS SDK from Apple. You do not need to purchase a license to get started, but you will need to register (a free process). You won’t need a standard developers license ($99) until you are ready to deploy ad hoc or upload your apps to the iTunes store. The SDK can be downloaded from: http://developer.apple.com/devcenter/ios/index.action and select register.
Once you have registered, you will need to download and install the SDK (nearly 3GB at the time of this writing).
Support: Currently there is limited to no support. I’m not available to review your code, fix your problems or troubleshoot why your project doesn’t work. You are welcome to participate and post in the comments section your problems and questions. As I have time, I will answer questions, or perhaps another participant can offer assistance.
Tools: Here is a great tool to help with professional (or hobby) iPhone/iPad development. The Accessorizer was developed by Kevin Callahan. I have written an article on the Accessorizer here.