Obama '08 iPhone app main screen
A couple of weeks ago, Raven Zachary, my friend, open source guru, and iPhone maven out in Portland, gave me a most excellent opportunity. Raven is one of ten volunteer developers working with the Obama campaign to release a free app to iPhone users looking to help make a change. The team needed beta testers that met the following criteria: must have an iPhone, must be able to keep secrets, must be rabid Obama supporter. Sign me up!
I’m thrilled to announce the Obama ‘08 app has just been released. If you have an iPhone, you can pick it up for free at the iTunes App Store. Here’s a direct link to the app.
One of the coolest things about this app is that it sorts your phone contacts geographically so you can call your friends living in battleground states and, if they’re undecided (or, gasp, decided on McCain) you can call and work to get them on board with Obama.
Here’s what I love about this function — I really want to help Obama win in November. I want to be part of the solution in this country. I give money to the campaign, but I want to do more.
On the other hand, the idea of cold calling people or knocking on doors really is not at all up my alley. So now I can do “warm” calls, and I can specifically target personal contacts in states that are undecided. I learned that I actually have quite a few friends in battleground states. Some of them are people I haven’t talked to in ages. What better reason to reconnect?
Beyond the geo-sorting, the Obama ’08 iPhone app has a lot of other functionality. You can keep track of whom you called and how they responded. You can choose menu options that include: Get Involved, Receive Updates, News, Local Events, Media, and Issues. Click on one and drill down to a more detailed menu. For example, if you click on Issues, you can then choose from a dozen options, among them: Civil Rights, Defense, Education, Ethics, etc. Each then leads to an Obama quote and details regarding that topic.
You can also sign up to receive campaign updates, find out how and where to get involved in real time, check out recent media updates, read news, and find local events. This is a total, handheld clearinghouse for everything Obama. It’s one little app, but it’s the kind of thing that gets people jazzed at a grassroots level.
For my part, being invited to help test it has been a real honor. A couple of late evenings spent in a Campfire chatroom talking bugs & politics was truly good for my state of mind — a nice contrast to the dismal news and ugly political maneuvering going on everywhere.
I’d like to send a big shout out and a huge thanks to all the developers of the Obama ’08 iPhone app: Raven Zachary, Jason Grigsby, John Keith, Lyza Gardner, Aileen Jeffries, Jonathan Wight, Dom Sagolla, Mike Lee, Louie Mantia,Tristan O’Tierney.
Thanks to all of you for your hard work, and for the opportunity to participate :)
Favorite This Post
11 responses so far ↓
1 iphoniv // Oct 2, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Obama 08 is very cool app. But if you spend 2 or more hours in front of your computer(may be for campaigning), you should try Clip2Mobile for iPhone. more info http://www.clip2mobile.net
Clip2mobile will transfer notes, make calls, add contacts, launch map, launch urls..etc all from your computer. No more typing on your iPhone.. perfect To Go application. Try it today. BTW its free
2 Catriona // Oct 2, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Hi can you tell us who the developers work for – name and website of the company please?
3 Julie Gomoll // Oct 2, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I’m pretty sure they’re all independent, Catriona. For more contact info I’d suggest you contact Raven Zachary. He’s Raven [at] raven [dot] me
4 El Gaffney // Oct 2, 2008 at 4:43 pm
very cool. especially the battleground state sort. would be interested to see what’s in the issues option – imagine that would come in handy big time for heated bar debates.
5 Obama ‘08 iPhone App Is Grassroots Gadgety Perfection [IPhone Apps] | Techno news // Oct 2, 2008 at 6:14 pm
[...] This is something like what politicking at the grassroots level will look like by the next election—local and immediate, but definitely national in scope. It makes you feel like a part of the campaign. Download it if you’re an Obamaniac to have a constant flood of hope in your pocket, or if you’re a McCainite, to see what your candidate’s campaign should be doing. It’s free, so the only excuse is your gag reflex. [iTunes via Launch Pad] [...]
6 Sam Clayton // Oct 3, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I know this is off-topic for the post, but is the opening of LaunchPad still the planned for October?
BTW, your About page still says it’ll be opening in September ‘08.
7 Julie Gomoll // Oct 4, 2008 at 12:08 pm
You’re right, Sam, the About page seriously needs updating. I’ll be putting a new draft of it up today.
Our opening has moved to November – probably shortly before Thanksgiving.
8 Andrew // Oct 5, 2008 at 5:18 am
Belive in Obama. America for Change
9 Free 3G iPhone // Oct 14, 2008 at 10:42 am
This is great app! Cheers for the heads up!
Obama for the win!
10 IPhone App Reviews - Obama ‘08 iPhone App Is Grassroots Gadgety Perfection | iFones.com Apple iPhone 3G News // Oct 18, 2008 at 7:26 pm
[...] This is something like what politicking at the grassroots level will look like by the next election—local and immediate, but definitely national in scope. It makes you feel like a part of the campaign. Download it if you’re an Obamaniac to have a constant flood of hope in your pocket, or if you’re a McCainite, to see what your candidate’s campaign should be doing. It’s free, so the only excuse is your gag reflex. [iTunes via Launch Pad] [...]
11 StacyStace // Oct 21, 2009 at 9:19 am
Cellulean active cellulite treatment serum is the only verified solution for effective cellulite reduction. The secret to the slimming change is the prescription asthma drug named Aminophylline, which has been scientifically proven to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Cure for Cellulite Info
Cellulean Review
Leave a Comment