Since Apple dropped the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) from the iPhone SDK, iPhone developers everywhere have started some awesome projects. From writing a book, to providing examples like Apps Amuck is doing, the development spectrum has exploded. The idea behind of Apps Amuck is to build on the iPhone app tutorials that Apple provides for developers. They are currently giving away one app per day for the next 31 days.

The tutorials they provide are small, one trick ponies that allow you to perform tasks like finding your location, building a fire, figuring out your IP address, and more. The site allows you to see a screenshot of the application, read a description, and download the source code to play around with. If you have a developer provisioning file (meaning you've been accepted into the developer program), you can even sync the applications over to your iPhone or iPod touch.

If you are not an iPhone developer and wish to play around with the applications, you will soon be able to download them from the iTunes App Store. For more information about the project, visit the Apps Amuck website.


Thanks for tip, Chris!

Earlier this month, Apple dropped the non-disclosure agreement that prevented iPhone software developers from publicly discussing the details of their work, saying "...the NDA has created too much of a burden on developers, authors and others interested in helping further the iPhone's success."

Developers and would-be developers were pleased, and several shared what they had learned right away.

Prior to this change, Apple announced a series of iPhone Tech Talks for several cities in the US. Now, that program has expanded into the iPhone Tech Talk World Tour. Developers in 24 cities across North America, Europe, India and Asia Pacific can attend workshops like "Introduction to Objective-C and Cocoa Touch" and "iPhone Game Development Technologies."

The New York session is already booked (sessions are free for ADC members), so register while you can. Have fun, good luck and drop us a line when your application is ready!

[Via AppleInsider]

Apple has dropped the non-disclosure agreement ([effin'] NDA) for released iPhone software.

In a statement to developers on its website, Apple said they put the NDA in place because the iPhone OS includes proprietary Apple software they wanted to protect.

"However, the NDA has created too much of a burden on developers, authors and others interested in helping further the iPhone's success, so we are dropping it for released software," the statement read.

Developers will receive a new agreement, sans-NDA, covering released software within a week or so. Unreleased software and features will remain under NDA until they are released, according to the statement.

Apple also thanked everyone who provided "constructive feedback" on the issue.

The full text, after the jump, and an update.

[Via @chockenberry.]

Developer Alex Sokirynsky wrote a blog post this morning saying Apple rescinded his authority to provision new ad-hoc licenses for his software, Podcaster.

The blog post has since been removed, possibly because it violated his developer NDA.

Sokirynsky believes that the licenses already provisioned will continue to work, and expressed disappointment -- but not surprise -- that Apple shut him down.

He also said he would continue updating Podcaster, even though it's unclear if he has a means to distribute it. Podcaster users can contact Sokirynsky if they have questions about their device's ad-hoc status.

Sokirynsky did not say how many devices he provisioned, though we do know it's at least 1,300.

In response to the negative publicity surrounding some recent, high-profile rejections from the App Store, Apple is now reminding developers that the rejection notices themselves are covered under their non-disclosure agreements.

In what is probably a recursive black hole of logic waiting to swallow the Earth whole, we now know that messages to developers now contain the line "the information contained in this message is under non-disclosure" in all caps.

Not knowing the specific terms of the NDA (because I haven't signed an NDA with Apple), I can't personally say if those terms were in the contract to begin with. Knowing Apple's penchant for secrecy, they probably were, and they're just being a bit more forceful with their reminders.

[Via MacRumors.]

Something is rotten in the state of Cupertino. Mr. Jobs, TEAR DOWN THIS NDA.

If the new iPhone 2.1 beta firmware is anything, it's a perfect excuse to say: "I told you so." It explains why the NDA failed to disappear on schedule. Apple kept its promise -- "Ve shall delivah the 2.0 iPhone und SDK on Yuly 11th" -- while working around the fact that that SDK was half baked at best. It was certainly not ready for prime time. The NDA simply expands the beta period. It offers cover to Apple, as they scramble to finish developing ready-to-ship software.

In retrospect, there really was no need for the NDA in the first place, nor this second new 2.1 NDA that just debuted. Anyone, including Apple's competitors -- even the really evil "big brother" ones -- can sign up and download the SDK for free. Apple isn't exactly keeping things hush hush on the down low.

All the NDA does right now is keep developers from talking to each other and blogs, magazines and book authors from publishing how-to articles. Said articles, etc., could actually help Apple reduce its tech support overhead. It would certainly help solidify the brand and allow third parties to make better, stronger App Store entries.

It made no sense then. It makes no sense now. But that's not where the grumbling ends. Our TUAW tipsters have been busy. They tell us that Apple is busy rejecting Applications from the App Store for grammar mistakes in onboard help files (not a joke) and for not presenting the user with the best playability options (also not a joke). Many of these frustrated developers tell us that some of their products have been waiting for review for four weeks and up and that their updates are getting caught in the gears. One wrote that his apps are getting poor reviews while fixes can't see the light of day.

And if the TUAW tipsters' tips are true (thanks TUAW tipsters), the new SDK throws a further wrench into the gears. 2.0 SDK Applications will not be immediately compatible with version 2.1 (although that could change between beta and release).

Other tremendously terrific tipsters tell us that the newest beta program isn't fully open. Apparently only a subset of iPhone SDK development members have been granted access. That once again puts some developers at a tremendous financial disadvantage.

All in all, the buzz in developer circles is not happy. While some look forward to their first August paychecks from App Store, others remain waiting and frustrated in the wings.

As always, please continue to use our tip line if you have anything you want to add anonymously to the discussion. Otherwise, feel free to opine in our comments.

When I first heard that the iPhone WordPress app was open source I thought that was cool, but what about the SDK NDA (that's nondisclosure agreement, which means you won't share any information you're told with anyone)? It would seem that the fine folks at WordPress aren't too worried about that bothersome NDA because they are now sharing the source code of the app via their SVN server. It'll be interesting to see if Apple releases the legal hounds upon WordPress or not. If they do it means that Apple is still considering the iPhone SDK NDA serious business, but if they just let WordPress distribute the code I wage we'll see plenty of other devs posting iPhone code of their own.

On July 11, the iPhone SDK emerged from beta sparkling with dew. Trumpets sounded and a few frolicking nymphs danced in joy. The dawn shone bright, the sky offered the blue promise of a new day. And there in the meadow of newly released products stood a mass of grumpy developers shouting: "What about the *@!$%ing NDA?"

For the happy blue release fairy had granted the developers' wishes but had neglected one teeny tiny detail: the restrictive, regressive NDA still ruled over iPhone-land from its dark menacing tower in far-off Cupertino. The hard-working developers could not bring forth their coding jewels from the mines of iPhone Mordor. Instead, they labored under the cruel chains of confidential information and non-specific release clauses. Moreover, their inability to talk freely with one another about their challenges and successes hampered the advancement of the platform.

And then voices rose up: "We're mad as heck! And we're not going to take it any more!" And thus was born, Effing NDA.com. (Yes, that has been bowdlerized and the link is NSFW). Developers started tweeting their rage -- from the high hills of Oz to the depths of Silicon Valley.

And how does this little fairy tale end? We don't know for sure. It all rests in Apple's hands. Let's hope for a happy ending.

At this point it seems like these websites are placing bets between each other to see who can get closest to an NDA violation without actually getting nailed with one. HardMac has posted the latest set of (non-blurry, properly grabbed) screenshots of some hitherto unforeseen areas of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, including the Spaces and Time machine system preference setup panes, Mail.app stationary and a photo browser (which might make these iTunes and iPhoto library browsers extinct), RSS feeds and setup, notes in Mail with todos and calendar settings, as well as exclusives of new Finder functionality (note the lack of brushed metal in the Smart Folder) and Preview features.

So far I'd have to say this is probably the most exciting set of screenshots as they are some of the most revealing of new features and abilities in Leopard. Er, I mean, a friend told me they look really great... check them out while they're still live boys and girls.