benharvell.com

My Fight With Siri

Ben Harvell — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:59:27 +0000

I'm sorry to announce that Siri and I have had our first fight. There was name calling, sarcasm and petulance on both sides, but I feel I won the battle and retained my dignity.

A transcript is below, mildly edited for reasons of space and clarity.

iOS Quick Tip - Swipe To View Notifications

Ben Harvell — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:42:05 +0000

We all know about the "slide to unlock" slider on the lock screen of iOS devices, but do you know about "slide to view"?

So, a notification appears on the lock screen of your device for, let's say, Words With Friends (that's my most common alert). Instead of swiping across "slide to unlock" at the bottom of the screen, swipe across the notification itself. This tells your device that you not only want to unlock it, but also want to go straight to the app that produced the alert.

If you know this tip already, the chances are you stopped reading a while back with a disdainful tut. For the rest of you, enjoy this handy little shortcut!

It's That Time Of Year Again... (plugging not posting)

Ben Harvell — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:32:01 +0000

We've almost reached the holidays and I'm as manically busy as I usually am at this time of year. Magazine commissions, a new book and a brand new copywriting service are all taking their toll on my availability.

So, in the spirit of brevity, I thought I'd pop up a couple of links in lieu of a full post. My apologies to anyone looking for a meatier update...

Firstly, if you're looking for a good last minute Christmas gift for a loved one, might I suggest one of my books. iPhone users, Facebook users, iPad users, musicians… there's something for everyone the tech lover, the creative and the social media beginner. They're all available on Amazon too, so there's still time to order before the big day.

Secondly, if you're an app developer or studio, Pocket Copy's schedule is rapidly filling up with work for new clients. If you have editorial work that you need completed in January, now's the time to get in touch.

And that's it. Happy holidays everybody. I'll be adding "Blog Regularly" to my resolution list for 2013.

Introducing My New Service: Pocket Copy

Ben Harvell — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:54:31 +0000

Yesterday I launched a new service providing professional copywriting for mobile app developers. I call it Pocket Copy.

If you're an app developer, you've probably already received the launch email but, for those of you who didn't, I've included the highlights in this post. Pocket Copy aims to help developers add professional polish to their apps by delivering text that's as good as the code that surrounds it and provides all kinds of editorial from app store descriptions and in-app text to help screens, manuals, press releases and scripts for voiceovers and character dialogue.

I've already spoken to a number of excited devs looking to enlist the aid of Pocket Copy so, if you would like to do the same, visit the website at www.pocket-copy.com or email hello 'at' pocket-copy.com.

Okay then, what is Pocket Copy?

Pocket Copy is a professional copywriting service designed solely for mobile app developers and other companies within the mobile marketplace. Providing in-app editorial, manuals, help screens, character dialogue and voiceover scripts as well as copy editing and proofing, Pocket Copy also offers a range of services outside of your app, including app store descriptions, press releases and website copy.

Hmm, why such a niche offering?

Well, you may or may not know that my current work is split evenly between writing magazine articles and books on Mac, iOS & Android topics and delivering marketing and advertising copy to a range of clients worldwide. My belief is that success comes from focussing on what you know and what you do well. The result in my case was Pocket Copy.

Oh, so you think my app sucks?

Now let me get one thing clear, I’m not approaching you because I think the editorial in your app isn’t good already. I’m merely making sure that you’re aware of my new offering so that you might consider using Pocket Copy for your next project.

Having written about mobile tech for over a decade as editor of iCreate magazine and a writer for many, many tech magazines and websites, I know how much work you put in to making an app great. Pocket Copy is here to give you one less thing to worry about without blowing your budget.

So, whether you want characters or narrators in your app to sound less like robots (unless they are robots in which case we cater for that too) or you want to explain how to use your app in a clear, concise manner through help screens and guides or app store descriptions, Pocket Copy can do it all.

I hope you will find our rates surprisingly affordable and we also offer unlimited rewrites for every project commissioned so you won’t pay a penny until you’re completely satisfied.

Check out our website at www.pocket-copy.com or email us at hello 'at' pocket-copy.com to find out more or to discuss your next project.

My Latest Book Has Arrived

Ben Harvell — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Teach Yourself Visually: Facebook is now available on real and virtual shelves.

I'm sure most of you reading this don't think you need help with your social media but you might be surprised at some of the tricks and tips I've come up with for a safer, more sociable digital life. Thanks to some superb timing, it's one of the very few books that will actually tell you how to make the most of the Facebook Timeline too. It's also an ideal gift for those parents who, like mine, think Facebook is dangerous and full of criminals looking to steal your bank details.

Check it out on Amazon UK here and Amazon US here.