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Slicehost iPhone App

overhrd.com

18 pointstortilla14 comments

Free version: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftwa...

Paid version ($1.99): http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftwa...

sorry but, really? is it really necessary to change your DNS records on the fly with your iPhone?

Ice cream is not necessary.

Do you not want it? It's not like this is going to be a way to bug you on the go, right, it's not like a phone. It's just there for when you need it.

Nothing wrong with ice cream.

... And if so the really simple to use Slicehost Manager is a tap tap away in Mobile Safari.

Probably not, but it sure will be nice not having to get to a computer when my server hangs up on a Friday night and I'm out at a bar somewhere.

You can already log into the Slice manager with Mobile Safari. You can actually access more data there too because it doesn't rely on the API.

I could think of several instances where I'd like to change DNS records on the fly. Maybe the CDN is down, and I want to point that subdomain back to the origin server? Or one of the servers in my round robin pool is dead, and I want it out of the rotation.

I would rather have the ability to see the diagnostics and stats tab info...

I think sometimes it is. But, I don't think this makes sense as an iPhone app given its current capabilities. A mobile-optimized website makes a lot more sense, especially since hosting companies usually have web-based control panels anyway.

I think it is more of a marketing stunt. There are lots of iPhone apps that are just as well (or better) implemented as normal mobile-optimized web apps. But, it is hard to get a lot of free publiclity by showing off yet another webapp. Packaging your web app as an iPhone app gives you some potential instant publicity, and an effective way to charge for it.

Well, it's not made by slicehost at all, just a customer who wanted it. They are very appreciative for it and even use it themselves (I'll imagine not for any internal infrastructure stuff.). On their podcast they thanked the guy profoundly.

Disclaimer: I'm the developer of this app.

It wasn't a marketing stunt. I made it because I wanted it, and Slicehost offered a nice API. It also gave me a great excuse to learn how to write iPhone apps :)

The SliceManager is great as a mobile web app, but I like that I don't have to enter my username and password to use my account, and I get a native iPhone experience (which isn't really possible in the browser, even with things like IUI).

"Stunt" was a poor choice of words. I simply meant that there is a lot of marketing value in creating an "iPhone App" vs a normal web app, even if the functionality is the same. If you created a web app version, nobody would be interested in it (since SliceHost has their own), even if the web app had the same functionality.

Do you know why the iPhone web browser doesn't (can't?) save your username/password when you use the SliceManager mobile web app? Is a problem with the SliceManager or with the iPhone browser or both? Password saving is a pretty basic feature.

Yeah, there's certainly a lot of buzz around iPhone apps these days...probably more than is warranted in many cases.

As for saving password, I think Mobile Safari doesn't add passwords to the keychain (I may be wrong). Also, I've noticed that switching networks (wifi to 3G, or 3G in one area to a different 3G tower) tends to mess up any sessions I have in web apps. But I haven't really looked into it enough to figure it out.

I don't personally change DNS records on the go (much), but I find having a very quick way to reboot a box that's hanging to be extremely helpful.

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