In Conversation with Flitter developer Shihab Mehboob

Today I will be talking to Shihab Mehboob, the developer behind Flitter. Read the full interview below.

Q1. How and when did you get started with programming?

A1. I got started with programming in college (UK), as I took Computing as one of my modules and it taught me the basics. Actually, that’s a lie.

I used to play around with Adobe Flash when I was about 13/14, and the animation/code aspects in there, and used to make websites in my free time.

I carried on making websites all the way up through to last year when I stopped as I realized too much work for too little. People expect websites to be made instantly.

iOS developer

I started creating iOS apps about three years ago when I wanted to make something cool for myself once I got my first MacBook and downloaded Xcode.

I’d always wanted to make an app, ever since I was in year 10 or so, but back then I was much more naive and didn’t really know the logistics of how to develop one.

So three years ago, after getting my first MacBook (Air), I dabbled and played around with Xcode and took the plunge in investing in a developer subscription.

I spend pretty much every hour of my waking day programming and coding these days, as I am a Swift Software Developer at my full-time job too, and I come home and get onto my own side projects.

Q2. How does your average day look like?

A2. My average day is far too unhealthy. I’m in front of a computer pretty much all day. I wake up and check the news and scroll through Reddit, and then do a bit of coding on my own apps.

I then head to work and it’s more or less 8 hours. From there onwards in front of a MacBook doing some software development. I then come home and carry on with working on my app.

ios development

If it’s a weekend, it’s either a full day of personal app development, or I head out with friends and family every now and then, which is always a nice break. My days are far from exciting, and not varied at all.

Q3. Flitter is live on the App Store and already a hit among Tweeple. How much time did it take you to develop it?

A3. Flitter took me six months to make, which was without taking any days off, and working around my full-time job work hours.

If you haven’t tried out Shihab’s Flitter Twitter client yet, you can download it from the link below.

Bluebird - Be Social
Bluebird - Be Social
Developer: Shihab Mehboob
Price: Free

Q4. Are you currently working on any new project (may or may not be iOS-related)?

A4. I’ve always had a fascination with the whimsical nature of children’s books, and I’m working on creating and illustrating my own.

I do logos and graphic design work for commission, and I’ve got design experience, so I like to channel that side too when I can.

Q5. Which Apple device(s) do you own? 

A5. My first Apple device was an iPod Touch 2nd-gen, which remains the most magical to me (may have been because I was young at the time and had never come across an Apple device before).

I got an iPad 2 a few years later, which was one of my favorite devices to date before it became unbearably slow.

I then got an iPhone 5 (my first iPhone), which served me for four years before the battery expanded and popped my screen off.

macbook pro

I got a MacBook Air after that, which led to me developing apps, and an Apple TV 2nd Gen. I then got an iPhone 6s and an iMac as I needed a much bigger screen to work on.

Recently I got an iPhone X. And I also have a MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar which was given by work.

Q6. What are your favorite App Store apps?

A6. My favourite apps on the App Store is a tough one, because there are so many. But I tend to love the best designed ones the most.

  • Monument Valley
  • Halide
  • Little Things
  • Labyrinth
  • Tweetbot
  • Apollo
  • Paper
  • Procreate
  • Machinarium
  • and the list goes on…

Q7. Have you ever owned a jailbroken Apple device?

A7. Yes, my iPod Touch 2nd-gen, iPad 2, iPhone 5, and iPhone 6s were all jailbroken.

I used to obsess over tweaking my devices, but these days I’m very happy with Apple’s own operating system without any additional tampering.

jailbreakme

Q8. What can we expect from you in the future?

A8. I’ll always be working on making beautiful apps, it’s what I love doing. But really unsure what kind of apps I’ll progress into creating.

For more developer interviews, check out Facebook and Twitter pages.

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