In March 1976 Francis Ford Coppola started filming a little movie called Apocalypse Now. Filming was set for five months, but due to all sorts of problems and delays it was three years before a version was first shown, a version that wasn't quite what anyone involved in the movie expected or the promised end result. In the end, it's arguably one of the best Vietnam Movies to come out of Holywood. So what does this have to do with an iPad app?
Second shooter is an iOS app that helps photographers get and stay Organized? It has been available for the iPhone and iPod touch for a couple of years now and it's a very useful app and the best of its type I have tried on the iPhone. Second Shootr 1.1.1 was released back in June 2010 with version 2.0 being mentioned on the SS blog as far back as Feb 2011. But there has been long gaps with only the occasional blog post to reassure users that v2 was on it's way and that it would include an iPad and desktop version that could all be synced together...it sounded perfect.
An update to Second Shootr has now been released and is available on the App Store, but it's not the promised v2.0, it's v1.2. The great news is that it's now made to work on iPad as well as iPhone and iPod touch and it takes advantage of the Retina Display. The iPad version is really nice and it's very tempting to start using it exclusivly. Entering data is so smooth and intuitive that you acctually enjoy typing in new client data. Sadly there is no desktop version, but the apps makers say that SS v2.0 is still in the pipeline and will be coming in the near future. In fact their photography business Plinkk Photography has been put on hold so that more time can be spent on the big SS update.
So the big dilema for me and I expect for a lot of other uses now, as iPad & iPhone/iPod Touch versions can't be synced, is to go with one of three options.
1. Start using the iPad version, which is much easier to input data.
2. Ignore the iPad version and stick to the iPhone, as the phone is the device that goes everywhere with you.
3. Input data twice and use both devices.
Well done to the people behind Second Shootr for getting this great app finally on to the iPad, but please please give us the ability to sync between OS devices. A Desktop version would be the icing on the cake!
If you haven't tried Second Shootr yet, go to the app store download it...it could make your life easier! Well worth £4.99 (uk).