Congress in your pocket

Most information on Google is free. Using your job's phone to make calls is free, so why even buy an iPhone? Reading books, surfing the web/using PC's, and listening to audio books is free at the library. Why do you need a computer at home? If you don't see the value in the app, fine. Just don't expect everything to be free.

It is a great idea, but all that information is free on Google. All you have to type is contact congressmen, and it takes you to the site you put your state in and all there contact info is there, so I do not see why this is 9.99

Isn't it enough that we already have Congress on our backs? Now we should have them in our pockets? Not!

Heheh...

Michael...save your efforts for your customers. People that can't seem to part with $10 for a comprehensively researched and developed product are *not* your customers.

"Your app should be free": Gee...that would be nice...except it is *impossible to developer AppStore apps without paying to do so*

"Your app should cost less because you can do something not even remotely similar and comprehensive via MobileSafari": This isn't even worth a response, Michael. You are being put on the defensive by people that spend at least $45 a month to talk on their fancy iPhones...and likely at least that much on coffee/chai/junk.

"You are exploiting the environment today! Help America...make it free!" Perhaps we should all show up at your job and demand free product to "help out" everyone.


The app is $9.99. $10. We aren't a 3rd world country yet...I am having a real hard time seeing why you all are beating up this guy for a $10 app on a $200+ device.

Next time Michael, try a to-do list. People seem to not have enough of *those* on the AppStore. What were you *thinking* man? A comprehensive guide to members of Congress? For $10? People pay...much, much more for that kind of info...assuming they know where to find it.

Sell to lobbyists-in-training...they know the value of good info ;)

ThePete,

Sorry you believe we're being greedy. Again, we believe that the pricing for what we are offering is fair, below what you can buy in print, and important information that folks might want to have in their pockets.

The "mess" in Washington was not an inspiration for this effort. We began the process in in April this year with our web application, which was chosen by Apple as a Staff Pick and featured in the Reference section on the front page.

IMHO I think if we dropped the price based on the bailout bill it would look more, not less, like a gambit from a greedy developer who was trying to take advantage of a bad situation on Capitol Hill.

We'd prefer to have the application stand on its own regardless of the ups and downs there.

Again, we have a $1.99 version under review at Apple, which we hope you consider. Thanks for your post.

Hm, seems to me, the developer is using the current situation with our economy to help sell his app--better to charge less in light of the economy and seem a bit less greedy. It's like he's saying:

"Ooo, WHAT a mess in Washington!! You should contact your representatives in Washington and let your voice be heard! I've got *just* the app for you! $10 please!"

Of course, he could say:

"In light of the current economic crisis, we'll be giving away our app for free so everyone can have easy access to their representatives in Washington. Once the bailout bill is passed or is down for the count, we'll go back to the regular price."

That would make the developer look like a prince and inspire a lot of positive reviews to help sell future copies of the app.

Just my 2 yen...

Unfortunately, EVERY ONE of these people are already in your pocket and they only want to dig deeper.

As a journalist - this is a great deal. Web sites with this info suck on the iphone. And it's a lot cheaper than other options sold in print.

If the developer is going to update FREQUENTLY than I will buy it in a second.

How is it that as SOON as an article pushing an app appears on the front page and someone comments, the developer IMMEDIATELY responds.

It is evident that all these app "reviews" are sponsored links in sheep's clothing.

You know what? That's fine. Everybody has to pay the bills, bandwidth isn't free. At least have a little integrity though and mention that it's a sponsored link instead of doing it on the sneak.

Hey! I don't want Larry Craig in MY pocket!