Filed under: iPhone, App Store
Official iPhone app for Obama '08 now in App Store
We're officially a nonpartisan bunch here at TUAW (actually, quite partisan, but only for the Mac) but the announcement of an official iPhone application from the Obama campaign is still worthy of mention. Several high-profile iPhone devs & designers were involved in the project, including formerly-of-Tapulous Mike Lee, Louie Mantia and Tristan O'Tierney. Raven Zachary led the team that included Jonathan Wight and more, all volunteering to rush the app to completion.In addition to the obvious-but-cool features of the app (download news from the campaign, watch YouTube videos of speeches and endorsements), there is quite a bit of iPhone special sauce. Location awareness means you can see local events or find your nearest campaign office; a 'Call Friends' tool sorts your address book by priority, putting your contacts living in battleground states at the top of the list and letting you reach out to them with a single tap. Very sleek!
Even though there isn't an official McCain campaign application for the iPhone, the App Store has plenty of election-themed apps for voters of either the red or blue persuasion. However you plan to make your voice heard this year, let us give you a gentle reminder that if you're an American citizen over 18, you need to make certain that you're registered to vote.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Phil said 7:36PM on 10-02-2008
May I give a gentle reminder. Just because you're over 18 doesn't mean you should vote. That's why it's not mandatory...it's a self regulating system.
If you know something about the world and the economy and have come to some form of educated decision. If you don't know anything other than what each candidate looks like, please DO NOT VOTE.
Reply
Alex L. said 7:50PM on 10-02-2008
Phil,
How do you measure one's capability to choose a president? Do you have detailed knowledge of all aspects of our economy, our international relations, our geography, the environment, technological advances, etc...?
Your argument has been used very successfully throughout the ages by despots, tyrants and power greedy people, just open up any history book in any chapter, you'll find one in there.
"People are too ignorant to vote" is the worst argument for someone not to vote. Until we figure out a way to measure one's ignorance.
How about, just stopping to make a mockery of our system, and educate people, not bar them from voting.
Michael Rose said 7:59PM on 10-02-2008
Phil, I'm encouraging people to register. Whether or not they vote is up to them, but if they don't register now they won't have the opportunity to study up between now and November.
Andrew Eller said 8:46PM on 10-02-2008
If you don't know anything other than what each candidate looks like, please GET INVOLVED AND INFORMED.
There, I fixed that for you.
Phil said 7:47PM on 10-02-2008
Woops...should have read...
If you know something about the world and the economy and have come to some form of educated decision PLEASE VOTE whichever way you believe is right.
If you don't know anything other than what each candidate looks like, please DO NOT VOTE.
Reply
Phil said 7:55PM on 10-02-2008
Alex...that's why I said self-regulating.
Not everyone votes...not everyone cares enough to educate themselves.
That includes some very smart people. That's fine. I think the system works. Have voter drives, share your views...try to convince people.
I don't think we should just bus people in and have them vote. Individual liberty means voting or not voting as you see fit.
You my friend have anger in you. I didn't say anything about "barring" people from voting. Wanna vote? Go for it. Wanna stay home? Stay home.
Don't "bar" people from NOT voting either:)
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Alex L. said 8:13PM on 10-02-2008
Phil,
I'm in the opinion that an idiot's vote, is as valid as an educated person's vote.
I have lived as an immigrant my entire life, I've been born in Korea, raised in Bolivia and Brazil. So I went 24 years of my life w/o the ability to vote. You are taking that for granted, just like the ignorant ones you so vehemently wish out of the voting booths.
The reason I'm so "angry" is not because I don't agree that a lot of people shouldn't be voting. I DO agree that a lot of people shouldn't vote. What I don't agree with is someone taking the high moral ground and openly advise people "DO NOT VOTE".
"How about, just stopping to make a mockery of our system, and educate people, not bar them from voting."
That was a general comment, not directed straight at you. And I'm not "angry", you won't like me when I'm angry...
mcdj said 7:59PM on 10-02-2008
I installed the Sarah Palin app. It's an Alaskan webcam with a view of Russia.
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Michael Rose said 8:00PM on 10-02-2008
HA!
I installed the Joe Biden app -- it displays the Amtrak schedule between Washington DC and Wilmington, Del.
heytpn said 8:42PM on 10-02-2008
I installed the McCain webcam app, which comes free with LifeAlert. Also, Palins, which shows the listings of Clown College.
Vince said 12:28AM on 10-03-2008
I have the McCain app. It's a picture of Bush. The Palin app is a picture of Bush with lipstick.
Frank said 8:11PM on 10-02-2008
i installed this right away earlier this afternoon, and it is indeed a very nice app. i'm impressed how on top of things the obama campaign is -- savvy about technology and all.
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mark said 8:19PM on 10-02-2008
I hear the McCain app is called CarpetBagger? Can anyone confirm? It's ok John, I'm really on your side unfortunately. Just another lesser of two evils contest again...
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Matt said 8:30PM on 10-02-2008
If there's one thing that gets my blood boiling it's people telling other people to vote. Be it celebrities, bloggers, Google, MTV, ACORN... it's like we're all a bunch of idiots who can't figure out we live in a democracy.
What is the point of "watering down" the vote with people who don't really care that much? Unless you think the person who might forget to vote is actually more inclined to vote the way you do, or you believe that voting magically makes someone a "good citizen" that will improve society, there really is no point to tell others to vote.
All you have to do to get people to vote is to have them look at their own tax return, which a big chunk of the population doesn't have to worry about. Maybe there's a correlation between those who don't vote and those who don't pay taxes. The taxpayer has to pay every year and only gets to vote every four... Think about that. Then think how groups like Rock-the-Vote may be offensive to taxpayers.
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Michael Rose said 9:00PM on 10-02-2008
Uh, Matt... what are you smoking?
"All you have to do to get people to vote is to have them look at their own tax return, which a big chunk of the population doesn't have to worry about. Maybe there's a correlation between those who don't vote and those who don't pay taxes. The taxpayer has to pay every year and only gets to vote every four... Think about that. Then think how groups like Rock-the-Vote may be offensive to taxpayers."
OK, point one, where I live taxpayers get to vote every year. Sometimes 2x in a year.
Point two, what "big chunk" of the population are you talking about? Poor people? Rich people? The immune-to-taxation silent minority? I don't understand your point.
Point three, how on earth is "Rock The Vote" offensive to taxpayers? The age of majority in this country is eighteen. The decisions that our representatives, Senators, councilpeople, school boards, mayors and sheriffs make TODAY will be affecting those future taxpayers for years or decades to come. Is pointing that simple fact out to young voters so deeply threatening to you and your fellow taxpayers that you forget to vote in between presidential elections?
C'mon, seriously, what on earth are you talking about?
Matt said 2:05AM on 10-03-2008
"OK, point one, where I live taxpayers get to vote every year. Sometimes 2x in a year."
Presidents get to affect tax policy more than your local superintendent.
"Point two, what "big chunk" of the population are you talking about? "
The 32% of workers in this country don't have to pay federal income tax. http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/23248.html
"The age of majority in this country is eighteen" Wha?
Alex L. said 10:06AM on 10-03-2008
"Presidents get to affect tax policy more than your local superintendent."
Selective voting? So you get to pick and choose what's important and what's not? You don't give a crap about city council allowing to open a strip club across the street from a high school? Or are you writing Congress and the President to do something about it? Are you going to wait 4 years for that?
"The 32% of workers in this country don't have to pay federal income tax."
So, you have a problem with the poor. Let's take their vote away, then what next? What other rights would we need to remove from those people? Why not just eliminate the bottom scum you seem to hate so much. And see how great this country would do without that group.
Many people through out history has fought and died for their right to vote. Including our own country. You take the moral ground to criticize people, when it's pretty clear that you are the one "watering down" my vote, with your unbelievable ignorance.
You cry democracy, without even knowing the meaning of the word.
Michael Rose said 10:45AM on 10-03-2008
""The age of majority in this country is eighteen" Wha?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority
Means that you are considered a legal adult at 18, with the rights and privileges thereto. Voting, paying/not paying taxes, etc.
If you want to propose a constitutional amendment that says you don't get to vote unless you file a 1040, be my guest. Should be fascinating political theater. As it stands, since you haven't yet characterized who fits into that no-taxes percentage, I will assume that your intent is to disenfranchise the poor. I would call that undemocratic, cruel and wrong-headed -- but hey, it's your project.
Perhaps this isn't the case in most localities, but a very substantial portion of my total tax liability (income, property, sales) is controlled by my state and local legislatures. I consider Congressional, state and local elections worth my attention and time, since (as you point out so clearly) it's my pocketbook.
Your "pay taxes every year, vote every four" complaint is either facetious or ignorant. Get over it.
matt said 10:56AM on 10-03-2008
Alex, chill. What we are witnessing is growing resentment between the classes because certain people work hard for every dollar they earn while others depend more on their parents and the government and have no idea that the average taxpayer works for the governent until May, in terms of tax obligation. I think it was Winston Churchill who said "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried". The point is that one group of people get to tell another that they have to pay for the things they need and want, and there's little they can do about it. It's tyrrany of the majority. Socialism, funded by the minority.
Alex L. said 11:33AM on 10-03-2008
Matt,
Everyone is a leech on society at some point in their lives, or were you born working and paying taxes?
But, but, but my daddy paid taxes...
"while others depend more on their parents and the government and have no idea that the average taxpayer works for the governent until May"
And don't tell me to "chill" after offending 33% of my fellow Americans.