RustyBrick, Inc. - All News & Blogs

Journal News Features RustyBrick's Bedtime Shema App

Barry Schwartz — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:08:29 EDT

As many of you know, we produced the Bedtime Shema App in the memory of our mother, who suddenly passed away last October. Shortly after, we produced the same app for Android users and even Kindle Fire users.

I emailed some of our press contacts to let them know and the Journal News, the local paper here, they service Rockland and Westchester county here in New York, picked it up. A couple weeks ago, a reporter named Laura Incalcaterra interviewed us and then sent a photographer to take pictures of some of my mother's grandchildren, as well as Ronnie and myself at my brother's home in Pomona.

To my surprise, the article was on the front cover, the feature article, this Saturday. They titled the article Kids' prayer app is a memorial to mom. Here is a picture of the front of the paper:

It was a shock - in fact, when I walked into Synagogue Saturday morning, people started asking me questions and I had no clue what they were talking about until they came out and said - "you didn't know you were on the Journal News front cover this morning?" So I ran out that night to pick up several copies from the local store.

Again, the app is a tribute to our mother. The idea to say Shema came from my nephew, Avi Borgen, who took it upon himself the night my mother (his grandmother) fell ill and passed. The idea to make this into an app came from Ronnie and his wife. You can see pictures in the article of some of the grandchildren using the app, the same children used for the voices in the app.

It is funny, this is not the first time we were in the paper nor on the front page of the Journal News. The last time, my mother was alive and well, and I titled that blog post about us being in the Journal News - making mom proud. This one I named, "Mother Would Have Been Proud." She would.

Thank you all for using this app nightly with your children and grandchildren and family! Our mother really would have been proud!

Source: Journal News Features RustyBrick's Bedtime Shema App at RustyBrick.

Bedtime Shema App Now Available For Android

RustyBrick — Tue, 16 April 2013 00:00:00 EDT

In December, we announced an app named the Bedtime Shema app for iOS devices in memory of our mother (the mother of Ronnie & Barry Schwartz) sudden passing in October 2012. The response for the app has been amazing - with over 15,000 downloads and dozens of great reviews.

To make this wonderful app available to more of the Jewish community, we have decided to built it for Android as well. Android users can now download the free Android Bedtime Shema app via the Google Play store.

As we explained, our mother's life was devoted to her children, grandchildren and her whole family. We wanted to do something to honor her life. The app is a fun and interactive learning aid designed to help Jewish children say the bedtime Shema (a Jewish blessing you say before going to sleep). The app is now available for free in iTunes and Google Play.

The app takes the child through the typical bedtime routine and ends with the child saying Shema in bed with the app. Boy or Girl, there are settings for both! You can flush the toilet, brush your teeth, shut the lights, cover your eyes, and then say the Shema.

This app was dedicated in memory of our mother, Esther Bat Yaakov.

Features:

Learn The Bedtime Shema
Sing Along With Other Children
Interact With The Bedtime Routine
Kids/Full Krias Shema Text
Boy & Girl Modes
iOS & Android 2.2 Compatible
Free - Dedicated For Our Mother

Download it for free on iTunes and Google Play.

Update: Now also available for Kindle Fire via the Amazon App Store.

About RustyBrick, Inc.
RustyBrick is a New York Web service firm specializing in customized online technology that helps companies decrease costs and increase sales. RustyBrick's Web services include; Web page design, Web development, logo design, e-commerce, mobile Web development, iPhone development, search engine optimization and more. Since 1994, RustyBrick has been creating Web software for businesses and organizations of all kinds.

RustyBrick designs premier iPhone & mobile applications for the Jewish market. They also work with clients such as MTV, Harper HarperCollins, Comedy Central, Harvard University and many more. RustyBrick also designed the most popular Siddur for the iPhone at http://rustybrick.com/siddur and has some of the most popular Jewish apps at http://rustybrick.com/iphone & http://www.rustybrick.com/android.

Source: Bedtime Shema App Now Available For Android at RustyBrick.

Getting Glass: Integrated Technology Into Jewish Life

Barry Schwartz — Thu, 28 March 2013 09:26:34 EDT

Google announced the winners of those who are accepted into the Glass Explorer program and we are lucky to have been invited into the program.

I received notification at 2:24am EDT this morning on the application I submitted via Google+ named Jew Glass. Google said, "Hi Barry, thanks for applying! We'd like to invite you to join our #glassexplorers program. We'll be sending you a private message with more details in the coming weeks -- keep an eye on our stream at Project Glass."

Here is a screen capture of it:

What was our proposal? Like I said, Jew Glass. Since we are the premier Jewish app developer for iPhone Jewish apps and Android Jewish apps (we also build non-Jewish apps), I'd figure we can come up with some interesting and useful ways to integrate Glass into the typical daily Jewish life. What were some of our ideas?

Of course things like prayer times, directions to synagogues, taking pictures on some festive Jewish holiday and calling your child on his/her Jewish birthday. But there are many ideas we have and we are incredibly excited to be part of the explorers project with Google Glass.

Here is our picture proposal on some of those concepts:

We will keep you posted on our progress, if allowed by NDA, but do expect some revolutionary ideas on how we can integrate technology into everyday Jewish life.

Source: Getting Glass: Integrated Technology Into Jewish Life at RustyBrick.

Don't Forget To Count The Omer; Now Also For Android

RustyBrick — Thu, 21 March 2013 00:00:00 EDT

West Nyack, New York - RustyBrick, Inc. has released our popular Sefirat HaOmer App for Android users. Originally designed for iOS users, now Android users can download the Sefirat HaOmer App for free.

The app is simple, it tells you what day of the Omer it is. The Omer is counted between the holidays of Passover and Shavout, nightly. The app also will send you a push reminder if you opt in for it. The reminder will not be sent on Shabbat or Yom Tov.

Personally, before this app, it was rare for me to ever complete counting the whole Omer. So get it, it is free.

Android users can learn more and download the app over here and iOS users can do the same over here.

Source: Don't Forget To Count The Omer; Now Also For Android at RustyBrick.

Get A Free Volume Of The Artscroll App

Barry Schwartz — Thu, 14 March 2013 21:18:48 EDT

Artscroll has announced they are giving way a complete volume within the Artscroll App!

This is your chance to see first hand how this app has revolutionized the way you learn the Talmud.

You can download the app for free over here and then follow these instructions on how to redeem the free volume.

Not convinced yet? Well, watch this video on how this app has changed everything!

Enjoy!

Source: Get A Free Volume Of The Artscroll App at RustyBrick.

No More Chametz For Android Users: No Chametz App For Android

RustyBrick — Thu, 14 March 2013 00:00:00 EDT

West Nyack, New York - RustyBrick, Inc. has released our popular No Chametz for Android users. Originally designed for iOS users, now Android users can download the No Chametz Android App for free.

The app is an assistant to helping you remove all the Chametz from your possession both physically and halachically (legally). The app has tools for you to know the times you must sell, search and destroy the very essence of bread from your home.

Chametz is leavened products that are forbidden to be consumed on the Jewish holiday of Passover. Before the Passover holiday observant Jews around the world take significant steps to prepare for the holiday. This app walks you through the steps, helps you learn the actual laws and also helps you keep track of what you've done and what you still need to do.

Android users can learn more and download the app over here and iOS users can do the same over here.

Source: No More Chametz For Android Users: No Chametz App For Android at RustyBrick.

3D & Color Coding The iOS Artscroll Talmud

Barry Schwartz — Fri, 08 March 2013 10:54:14 EST

As many of you know, we released the Artscroll App back in July of last year and as you know, good enough, is never good enough for us. We are always looking for ways to utilize technology to enhance the app experience, especially when we build apps that can improve Jewish life and learning. Lucky for us, we are working with an outstanding partner, Artscroll and the Schottenstein and Wasserman families to really go above and beyond with this technology.

The latest release of the Artscroll App, which you can download here has a bunch of new features but I wanted to call out two. (1) color-coding for highlighting question, statement, answer, inquiry and proof within the daf and (2) 3D scenes of a courtyard to help explain the complex laws of eruvin.

Color-Coding The Artscroll Talmud:

By working with the amazing technology team at Artscroll (especially Mayer Pasternak) and the Mesorah Foundation, the XML schema for the talmud is finally at a point where we can color code text blocks (not just hyperlink) based on the statements or blocks being question, statement, answer, inquiry or proof. The Mesorah scholar team dug deep to 'tag' the vilna to make this all possible. This takes learning the talmud to the next level.

The color coding is done on both the vilna side and the English view. Here is a picture:

3D Scene Imagery:

Imagine not just learning the talmud in black and white text but really understanding it with pictures, but not just flat pictures - 3D images that you can feel like you are walking through in real life. With the new 3D view you can zoom in and zoom out, see an aerial view of the cases and even rotate the scene 360 in all directions.

Here is a arial view, followed by me standing on a roof top:

What about the iPhone version, is it supported? You bet it is!

Oh and on retina iPhone (or iOS devices), look at how sharp it is (note, I downsized the graphic for faster loading):

Again, you can download the app for free over here. Give it a try and geek out your talmud learning experience.

Source: 3D & Color Coding The iOS Artscroll Talmud at RustyBrick.

Jewish Apps: iOS Compared To Android

Barry Schwartz — Tue, 26 February 2013 10:37:23 EST

One of the more common questions we get from companies looking to hire us to build app development is where do they start first? Do you start with iOS development or Android development.

The answer is not always clear cut, it depends a lot of the market you are trying to reach. But most often than not, we recommend starting with iOS. Why? Because iOS users are (1) more likely to download apps and (2) more likely to pay for apps or in-app purchases. This is a generalization and the trends may change in the future but from our experience with building out several hundred apps both internally and externally for clients, iOS is typically the way to go first.

I am often asked to share numbers, data, proving this. I figured I'd share the statistics on some of our free apps that we distribute within the Apple App Store and Google Play store. These are Jewish apps, so the data might be skewed there. RustyBrick is also incredibly popular with the iOS Jewish market and not as popular in the Android Jewish market, so again, take these numbers as you will.

Megillas Esther App: iOS vs Android:

Purim was this past Sunday and we had an app for the holiday. We had the iOS Megillah App and the Android Megillah App available. The iOS version has been available for a few years and the Android version just came out last Wednesday. So when I compare the NEW downloads for each market over the past 5-7 days or so, it is interesting. I did not look at total downloads (the iOS version has tens of thousands of downloads historically), I compared only new downloads even though many folks already have it on their iOS device so they did not download it again.

iOS Megillas Esther App NEW Downloads: 7,200
Android Megillas Esther App NEW Downloads: 3,150

The in-app purchases were even more shocking. We have a way to pay for more sounds within the app and this Purim, the iOS app earned 170% more than the Android version specifically with the in-app purchases.

Other Jewish Apps: iOS vs Android:

We have several other free Jewish Android apps that are replicas of the Jewish iPhone apps and this is how they differ.

Shabbat Shalom (All Time): iOS has over twice as many downloads than Android all time
Shabbat Shalom (30 Days): iOS has ~20% more downloads than Android in the past 30 days
Hebrew/English Translator (All Time): iOS has 40% more downloads than Android all time
Hebrew/English Translator (30 Days): Android has 35% more downloads than iOS in the past 30 days

As you can see, the download rate in the more recent months have pulled closer for our apps. More and more users are downloading our apps on Android but it is rare to see Android have more downloads than iOS for our apps. I guess, except for the past 30 days with the Hebrew/English Translator app? Of course, you need to keep in mind, many of these apps are already installed on our iOS users devices and when they transfer or upgrade devices, those are not considered new downloads. With Android, most of our users are new to our apps and are considered new downloads.

Maybe one day I will share the numbers on the paid apps we have in both markets.

Source: Jewish Apps: iOS Compared To Android at RustyBrick.

Just In Time For Purim; The Megillas Esther App For Android

RustyBrick — Wed, 20 February 2013 00:00:00 EST

West Nyack, New York - RustyBrick, Inc. is excited to announce that Jewish Android users no longer need to be jealous over their iOS (iPhone/iPad) brethren - the Megillas Esther App is now also available for Android users!

The Android Megillas Esther App is now available as a free download. You can download it directly in the Google Play Store or learn more at rustybrick.com/android/megillas-esther.

If you are new to smart phones and you have an iOS device (iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch) you can download the iPhone Megillas Esther App for free as well within the Apple App Store.

The app contains the full content of the Megillah of Esther, several noise making sounds (shake or click to activate), trup and no trup options, and a Haman highligher option.

For more details see rustybrick.com/android/megillas-esther.

Source: Just In Time For Purim; The Megillas Esther App For Android at RustyBrick.

The RustyBrick Siddur Now On Android

RustyBrick — Mon, 04 February 2013 00:00:00 EST

Suffern, New York - RustyBrick, Inc. is excited to announce the Siddur App is now available for Android users. Initially introduced almost five years ago for iOS users and quickly becoming the premier Jewish weekday prayer book - the Siddur is finally available for Android users.

You can learn more about the Android version of our Siddur at www.rustybrick.com/android/siddur. The features are virtually identical to the RustyBrick iPhone Siddur but missing a few functions that will be added over time. To buy the app for your device, go to the Google Play Store here or by searching for "RustyBrick Siddur".

The famous RustyBrick Siddur is now available for Android. The siddur is smart enabled, showing you what you need to see that day. You can now take your weekday siddur with you with this feature-packed Jewish prayer book. You'll get Ashkenaz, Sefard, Sefarad Mizrachi and Nusach Ari (Chabad) versions of davening, including weekday Shacharis, Mincha, Maariv, standard Brachos and more. Real time Zmanim will give you the prayer times for each day based on your location determined with the device's GPS. A Minyanim database will help you find nearest shul. A Luach or Jewish Calendar will aid you in your prayer services.

Video Demo:

Learn more at www.rustybrick.com/android/siddur.

Source: The RustyBrick Siddur Now On Android at RustyBrick.

Artscroll App Now Available For iPhone & iPod Touch

RustyBrick — Fri, 18 January 2013 00:00:00 EST

Five months ago the Artscroll iPad App was introduced in the iTunes App market. Today, we are excited to announce that the iPhone and iPod Touch universal version is available for download. You can download the app for free over here.

The iPhone / iPod Touch version has all the same features as the iPad version but is designed to work on a smaller screen. It is a great way to catch up on the daf or prepare for your shiur while waiting in an elevator, taking a cab or between mincha and maariv in shul. Those who have downloaded the iPad version will automatically be able to get the iPhone version as well. It is the same iOS app, but smart enough to detect the device running the app and adjusts the user interface based on the device being an iPad versus and iPhone or iPod Touch.

Whatever content you've purchased should automatically be downloaded to the iPhone versus and visa versa by clicking on the restore button within the app. All the content should sync over right into the Artscroll Digital Library.

In addition to the iPhone / iPod Touch upgrade, we've made several additional upgrades to the app. They include:

Daf Yomi Shiur Locator
HyperLinks on the Vilna PDF Pages
Download All Volumes With a Single Click
Speed Improvements on the Vilna Popovers
Ability to turn off hyperlinks to speed up Popovers
Database Management options
Speed improvements with Search indexing
Expand the popover by double tapping on it or using the Quickscroll
& Dozens of additional enhancements

Fixes in This Version:

Popovers Slow When adding volumes
Search delay every time content updated
Footnotes not appearing as popups
Crashing of Quick Navigator
Fixes to restore all Daf Yomi Subscription Content
Sync at Startup blocking Search
Time Out issues
Quickscroll not highlighting in Free Flow text
QuickScroll not highlighting Commentaries when it changes page
Losing History when Force Quitting the app
Reset History
Stop Duplicates from Search index
Search Index only indexes new content added

Don't forget, you can download it for free over here. Here are some screen shots of the iPhone & iPod Touch version:

Source: Artscroll App Now Available For iPhone & iPod Touch at RustyBrick.

RustyBrick's YouTube Channel Over 5 Million Views

Barry Schwartz — Thu, 10 January 2013 05:10:14 EST

The RustyBrick YouTube Channel has surpassed 5 million views on YouTube after 5 years of being on YouTube. I think there is a special club or something for reaching 5 million views.

We have about 800 videos on the channel, most related to my weekly search video recaps, which I have been producing since March 2008. The videos with the most views are not all search related, in fact, about half of those 5 million views is from this iPhone Popcorn trick video I made in horrible quality in July 2007. The rest are mostly search and Google related.

Here are some stats on the video channel. Please note, YouTube didn't always report on every stat, so some are missing over certain time frames. You can tell, by looking at the charts next to the raw count:

I guess the number of views didn't catch up yet with the channel count?

Thanks for watching!

Source: RustyBrick's YouTube Channel Over 5 Million Views at RustyBrick.

English iPhone Chabad (Kehot) Siddur

Barry Schwartz — Mon, 07 January 2013 08:31:04 EST

We are very happy to announce a new version of the iPhone Siddur is available. Version 5.2 brings Kehot (Chabad) English upgrade, an updated Tefillin mirror for the iPhone 5, a ton of Nikud (vowel) cleanup, a ton of crash fixes and many more updates.

We have an English iPhone Siddur for all nusachs within the Siddur now. That includes Ashkenaz, Sefard, Sefarad Mizrachi & Chabad (Kehot version). With the Chabad upgrade, you first need to upgrade to the Kehot version of the Siddur to be eligible to upgrade to the English Kehot version.

Another major thing you will notice is that the vowels / nikud is much better places. We found a way to hack it to position those nikuddim in a better position and it really does make a big difference.

You can learn more about the iPhone Siddur or our other apps over here.

To download the Siddur, search for RustyBrick in the app store or click here.

Source: English iPhone Chabad (Kehot) Siddur at RustyBrick.

Shabbat Shalom iPhone App Gets Major Design Upgrade

RustyBrick — Tue, 01 January 2013 00:00:00 EST

The Shabbat Shalom iOS app has under gone a major upgrade both on the design front and the behind the scenes code. Shabbat Shalom is one of our most popular Jewish iPhone Apps with hundreds of thousands of users using it each and every week to look up times for Shabbos.

We've completely revamped the design by giving a dynamic background image that rotates in and out with new Shabbos oriented images. The transparent times and data for shabbos hovers over the images. You can still add locations across the world and swipe through those locations with your finger.

We've added iOS 6 support plus it is now iPad friendly, with updated retina graphics and iOS 5 height support.

Updates Include:

Brand New Design (Full Color Backgrounds)
iOS 6 Support
iPhone 5 Support
iPad Support
Retina Graphics & Text

For more details on this app, see over here and to download it click here.

Pictures Of The New Design:

Source: Shabbat Shalom iPhone App Gets Major Design Upgrade at RustyBrick.

Bedtime Shema App In Memory Of Our Mother

RustyBrick — Sat, 22 December 2012 00:00:00 EST

Roughly seven weeks ago, our mother (the mother of Ronnie & Barry Schwartz) suddenly passed away while visiting Israel for her grandchild's Bar Mitzvah.

Her life was devoted to her children, grandchildren and her whole family. We wanted to do something to honor her life. So we created an app and started an afternoon services (mincha) in our office during the week at 1:30.

The app is named Bedtime Shema and works on iOS; iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. It is a fun and interactive learning aid designed to help Jewish children say the bedtime Shema (a Jewish blessing you say before going to sleep). The app is now available for free in iTunes and the App Store.

This app was dedicated in memory of our mother, Esther Bat Yaakov.

Features:

Learn The Bedtime Shema
Sing Along With Other Children
Interact With The Bedtime Routine
Kids/Full Krias Shema Text
Boy & Girl Modes
iOS Universal App : iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch
Free - Dedicated For Our Mother

To learn more about the app, click here and to download the app, click here.

Source: Bedtime Shema App In Memory Of Our Mother at RustyBrick.

Financial Advisors Magazine Goes With Custom Web Application

RustyBrick — Wed, 28 November 2012 00:00:00 EST

Financial Advisor Magazine hired RustyBrick to migrate them off an open source Joomla system onto their own custom build content management system. The new platform gives them all the flexibility they have wished for under their own backend portal.

The print magazine, which has circulation of over 90,000 readers each month, needed a custom solution for their growing readership. The new site controls a lot of the legacy duplicate URLs that may cause issues for search engines, by ensuring each article, no matter the navigation path, has one URL. The legacy URLs are all 301 permanently redirected to the new structure.

The site features more than just great content. Other features include:

Continuing Education Center with online education and testing
Online Webcasts
Conference marketing and registration
Event promotion and workshops
Online bookstore
White papers library
Online polling
Mobile site
Advanced ad management
Social media integration
and more much

Visit the site at fa-mag.com.

About Financial Advisor:
Reaching more than 90,000 qualified readers each month, Financial Advisor delivers essential market information and strategies that advisors need to succeed in their increasingly complex environment. FA focuses on sophisticated planning and investment strategies to help advisors better serve their affluent clients, as well as practice management ideas to help advisors build their firms. FA goes in-depth to challenge traditional planning wisdom by introducing readers to new approaches to help them better counsel clients. To achieve these goals, FA continuously seeks to bring together the best team of editors and contributing writers to provide the most compelling publication for the top decision-makers in the financial advisory field.

Source: Financial Advisors Magazine Goes With Custom Web Application at RustyBrick.

Added Two-Factor Authentication Too Apps

Barry Schwartz — Fri, 23 November 2012 12:55:04 EST

I am a paranoid person - not at a level that is unhealthy, but I am paranoid. In fact, as soon as Google came out with two step verification (commonly known as two-factor authentication - I set it up with my Google Apps account.

It gives me the added peace of mind that it makes it much harder for someone to hack into my Google Account and take over my email address, and the hundreds of other things I do under my Google Account.

In the past year or so, we've been switching our systems to authenticate off of our Google Accounts. But this past week, we locked down many of our applications and web backends to require two-factor authentication.

Some systems we've set up to always require a token entry before gaining access to it. Some systems we have htaccess and Google login and token requirements. Some systems just have Google login. Some systems have both but let you set a 30-day cookie for the browser to remember not to ask for the token (that is how Google works for most security).

I strongly recommend you set up two step authentication within your Google account and for any application where you conduct business. It is simply not worth risking it.

Now, I wish my banks had that over making me change my password every 30 days or so.

Source: Added Two-Factor Authentication Too Apps at RustyBrick.

Switching From iPad 3 To iPad Mini

Barry Schwartz — Tue, 20 November 2012 15:11:21 EST

A couple weeks ago, we received the new iPad Mini at the office. I wanted to let you know how it felt switching from an iPad 3 (iPad Retina Display 2011) to an iPad Mini (without Retina display).

I am not a typical iPad user, I use it pretty much for two purposes. (1) To give presentations both for client meetings and for my search talks and (2) to do the daily Daf Yomi on the Artscroll app (includes beta testing).

Let's start with what is a set back for me. Switching to the iPad Mini has two drawbacks for me:

(1) Connecting the iPad to displays is harder because of the limited availability of the Lightning connector and adapter. That is less of an issue today, since I recently received my adapter, but it is still somewhat of an issue. The good thing is that we use an Apple TV in our office, so that process is seamless but when I do presentations outside of the office (which is often) it is more of an issue.

(2) iPad Mini doesn't have a Retina Display. I've been using the Retina display on my iPhone for years and on my iPad 3 for a year. So switching to a less crisp display is very noticeable, especially the first week or so. It is one of the things that still bother me today about it. I miss the crisp display and the higher resolution graphics. It is hard to get use to switching back to a non-retina display.

I Am Sticking With the iPad Mini

Despite the two issues above, I just love how light and portable the iPad Mini is. I can even fit it in most of my pant pockets. The iPad 3 felt way too heavy for me. I didn't like taking it with me on trips. I didn't like holding it. The mini is a pleasure and so lightweight.

The weight and flexibility of the device in my hand far outweighs the retina display.

If I had to give someone buying advice, well, it depends on purpose. If it is staying at home or in the office, then go with the larger iPad. If you are traveling with it and you really want Retina, then wait for the Mini to get a Retina display. Otherwise, I'd go with the Mini.

Source: Switching From iPad 3 To iPad Mini at RustyBrick.

Distance Education Gets A Facelift

RustyBrick — Wed, 07 November 2012 00:00:00 EST

Distance Education, a long term RustyBrick client, hired us again to redesign and revamp some of the functionality on the web site.

The new design is cleaner, easier to navigation and brighter. Right from the home page you can quickly find methods to navigate and browse the various online degrees, or reviews of universities and or read some of the latest news and articles on online education.

You can search and browse through thousands of accredited colleges and degrees. You can use the ask a question section to get responses on education from an expert. You can read online reviews of colleges from real students and graduates. You can also dive into the huge library of content on colleges and careers in their article database. Plus add in the new section for careers and military programs, and this may be the most robust online education site on the internet.

The site also features a login area where you can share reviews, post articles, ask or answer questions and much more.

About Distance Education:
Distance-Education.org offers detailed information on over 3,500 degree programs, more than 250 online schools, and 1,800 online courses. We feature hundreds of online college reviews from past and current students, a Q&A section manned by experts in the field, and some of the best online commentary and advice on the web from informed specialists.

Distance-Education.org has one of the largest libraries of online educational content exploring the world of higher learning in online education. From in-depth articles about the current state of distance education, taking classes online, exploring a new career, regulations and law in education, trends, and student help guides you can be sure we will cover it!

Visit them online at www.distance-education.org

Source: Distance Education Gets A Facelift at RustyBrick.

Awards Site For Emerging Managers For S&P & New Legacy

RustyBrick — Fri, 02 November 2012 00:00:00 EDT

S&P Capital IQ in partnership with New Legacy Group contracted RustyBrick to design an awards portal for the first annual Global Emerging Manager Awards.

The event will be held to honor and recognize those who have distinguished themselves among their peers in the areas of best practice processes, business building and fund performance. In addition, some of the premier allocators to emerging managers from around the world will also be in attendance.

The site features a clean and easy to use design with content about the event, the available awards, how to apply, the judging criteria, the nomination committee and sponsorship opportunities.

The award is the brain child of S&P Capital IQ and New Legacy Group and it takes place in March at The Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

Visit the site at emergingmanagerawards.com.

ABOUT S&P CAPITAL IQ:
S&P Capital IQ, a brand of the McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP), is a leading provider of multi-asset class data, research and analytics to institutional investors, investment advisors and wealth managers around the world. We provide a broad suite of capabilities designed to help track performance, generate alpha, identify new trading and investment ideas, and perform risk analysis and mitigation strategies. Through leading desktop solutions such as the S&P Capital IQ platform, Global Credit Portal and MarketScope Advisor desktops; enterprise solutions such as S&P Securities Evaluations, Global Data Solutions, and Compustat; and research offerings, including Leveraged Commentary & Data, Global Market Intelligence, and company and fund research, S&P Capital IQ sharpens financial intelligence into the wisdom today’s investors need. For more information about S&P MMD, please visit www.moneymarketdirectories.com. For more information about S&P Capital IQ, please visit www.spcapitaliq.com.

ABOUT NEW LEGACY GROUP:
New Legacy Group, LLC provides sophisticated and unbiased global investment management products and services to families of substantial wealth, endowments, foundations, pension funds and other institutional investors that seek superior risk-adjusted returns. For more information, please visit www.newlegacy.com.

Source: Awards Site For Emerging Managers For S&P & New Legacy at RustyBrick.

Broad Financial Goes The Responsive Design Route

RustyBrick — Wed, 03 October 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Broad Financial, a New York based self directed IRA or solo 401(k) company, hired RustyBrick to design and deploy their new web site.

The web site has a clean and modern look, but is incredibly flexible both on the front facing features and the backend features. The site is incredibly search engine friendly but at the same time is mobile friendly. It was designed using responsive web design techniques in order to render nicely on both desktops and smartphone devices.

The backend content management system is incredibly flexible, allowing the full manipulation of navigation, content blocks, images and much more. The beauty is in the design and implementation of the technology, in that there is one database to house the content and the content that is fed to the desktop user, mobile user and search engine spider is exactly the same.

Conversion and usability optimization was a top priority for this site, as with most of our sites.

Try the site on your desktop and smartphone at broadfinancial.com.

Source: Broad Financial Goes The Responsive Design Route at RustyBrick.

iOS Siddur Now iPhone 5 & iOS 6 Ready

RustyBrick — Tue, 25 September 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The iPhone 5 is out and so it iOS 6, last week we submitted a new version of the iPhone Siddur to Apple to support both the iPhone 5 and iOS 6. We dubbed this version 5.1 and is available for download as of September 24th (9pm EDT).

The main differences include support of the iPhone 5's 4 inch tall screen. We use all of the screen real estate to make sure you can see as much text as possible. We also added retina graphics to 99% of the screens, so the app's icons and images should look much sharper. The maps has changed from Google Maps to iOS Apple Maps. We also added some iOS 6 specific optimizations.

Here is a screen shot comparing iPhone 4 size to iPhone 5 and the sharpness of the retina icons:

Here is a new look at the maps:

Here is the list of changes to version 5.1 of the Siddur. Note, we didn't update Siddur HD for iPad, we will soon.

iPhone 5 Support (4" Screen)
iOS 6 Support
Added Retina Graphics
Added Prayer: Tashlich
Extended Prayer: Hataras Nedarim
Map View No Longer Auto Zooms In
Many Text Corrections
Optimizations To Underlying Code

Source: iOS Siddur Now iPhone 5 & iOS 6 Ready at RustyBrick.

Allstate Medical : Online Wholesale Medical Equipment Site

RustyBrick — Tue, 04 September 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Allstate Medical, a New York based long term care medical equipment distributor, contracted us to build out a web site where their customers can place orders for product.

The business-to-business web site was designed to allow Allstate Medical's customers to login via the wholesale login area, find product quickly and buy is quantity. The site has very advanced security for customers and administrators. It also was populated by importing data from their MAS 90, now known as Sage 100 ERP, accounting software.

Despite being a business to business web site, the site's public components are search engine friendly and almost consumer-like. Breaking the site down into product categories and utility makes it easy to find products in multiple ways. Plus, each business customer has their own tiered pricing, which pulls from the MAS 90/Sage 100 ERP accounting software.

About Allstate Medical:
Allstate Medical has been serving the Long Term Care market for over 15 years. From our humble beginnings working from a basement office we have steadily grown in becoming leaders & experts in the medical equipment field. Allstate Medical now serves hundreds of health care facilities nationwide.

For more details visit www.allstatemedical.com.

Source: Allstate Medical : Online Wholesale Medical Equipment Site at RustyBrick.

RustyBrick At The "Forefront Of Judaism's Digital Age"

Barry Schwartz — Thu, 23 August 2012 10:38:28 EDT

Nick Harper from JN1 (Jewish News One) in New York interviewed us last week about our Jewish iOS Apps and he honored us by saying we "are at the forefront of Judaism's digital age."

Truth is, we are honored to be a part of this space and helping Jews across the world learn, observe and have fun with Jewish culture, law and religion.

Here is the video interview:

Here is the text summary by Nick Harper:

With technology and the internet moving as fast as it is, almost anything is now available at the touch of a button of a click of a mouse. Which is why some companies are now producing apps for phones and other mobile devices that promote Judaism and make it more accessible to anyone where ever they are. Ronnie and Barry Schwartz are at the forefront of Judaism's digital age. Good at spotting a potential market, they've been drawing on their Jewish roots to create apps for cell phones and tablets. The idea, to make Judaism more mobile. From humble beginnings the business has grown considerably. Ronnie started it in his bedroom 15 years ago while he was still in high school.

Now they make market-leading apps with hundreds of thousands of users worldwide in the rapidly expanding software sector. This map pinpoints where in the world people are using their programmes at any given time. They've made more than 30 Jewish apps, everything from finding a kosher restaurant to learning the Talmud or something more basic like the alphabet for Jewish children. Mayer Pasternak also understands the added value technology can provide. He's behind Artscroll, which lets users access all 73 volumes of the Talmud through a single app. He thinks mobile technology is not just augmenting traditional learning, it's actually changing the way people learn.

Indeed developers believe apps like these are better than books, as they allow users to see more than just words on a page. But many ultra-Orthodox Jews are against the internet, with some rabbinic leaders forbidding it all together, feeling it threatens Judaism. Ronnie at Rusty Brick disagrees. Indeed some parts of their apps do not function on Saturdays, to make sure users observe the Sabbath. This technology is allowing a faith steeped in tradition to change with the world around it. It's a strange mix between old traditional values and new modern technology. But it seems to be working. And many analysts agree it's helping to grow and promote the Jewish faith.

Nick Harper, JN1, New York.

Again, a true honor and privilege.

Source: RustyBrick At The "Forefront Of Judaism's Digital Age" at RustyBrick.

Ramah Camp Alumni Staying Connected Via Ramah365 App

RustyBrick — Wed, 08 August 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Suffern, New York - National Ramah Commission hired RustyBrick to build a mobile app to help Camp Ramah alumni stay connected where ever they are.

The Ramah365 app does just that, by allowing Ramahniks (Ramah alumni) from all over the world download the app on their iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad) or Android device and keep up with the camp and their friends. The app has fun and exciting mobile missions where you can win prizes, and interact with Ramah staff members and alumni across the globe.

Behind the scenes, the app is powered by a web service and online content management system that let's the National Ramah Commission manage and maintain the app's content and alumni database. On the front end, the app works seamlessly on iOS and Android devices.

You can download the app on iTunes (iOS) or Google Play (Android).

About Ramah:

Ramah is the camping arm of Conservative Judaism. With eight overnight camps, four day camps and Ramah Programs in Israel, Ramah impacts more than 9,000 campers and staff every summer. A summer at Ramah is spent immersed in Jewish living - highlighted by dynamic and innovative programming. Traditional camp and outdoor activities, including swimming, sports, dance and art, are enhanced by Ramah's dedication to excellence in informal Jewish education. Combining a love for camping with meaningful Jewish experiences, Ramah instills in its campers and staff a love of Judaism, the Jewish people, Israel and the outdoors.

About RustyBrick:

RustyBrick is a New York Web service firm specializing in customized online technology that helps companies decrease costs and increase sales. RustyBrick's Web services include; Web page design, Web development, logo design, e-commerce, mobile Web development, iPhone development, search engine optimization and more. Since 1994, RustyBrick has been creating Web software for businesses and organizations of all kinds.

Source: Ramah Camp Alumni Staying Connected Via Ramah365 App at RustyBrick.

iOS Siddur Now 4 Years Old!

Barry Schwartz — Tue, 31 July 2012 21:06:38 EDT

August 4th is the 4th anniversary/birthday of our first iOS (then iPhone) app, the iPhone Siddur.

It is hard to imagine, we've developed a few hundred apps since, about 70 that we own and sell directly and the rest was done for our clients. We would have never guessed our mobile business would have grown so much, where we have three dedicated resources on mobile and a ton of developers that pitch in when needed.

To celebrate the birthday, we are immediately putting the iOS Siddur & Siddur HD on sale for $4 less than the listing price. So the iPhone Siddur is now $5.99 instead of $9.99 and the iPad Siddur is now $15.99 instead of $19.99. This sale ends on the day the Siddur App officially went live in the App Store - August 6th, which was two days after it was approved.

You can download the app for these prices now by searching for our apps in the App Store or for a quick link to the iPhone Siddur click here and iPad Siddur click here.

We should also note that today we changed the price of the Kosher App from $4.99 to $1.99. So make sure to download that as well.

Finally, since it is our fourth birthday for the Siddur, here are four free redeem codes for each app (iPhone and iPad) where the first person to use them gets it for free. One time use and they will go quick - so I am sorry if you didn't see this post in time.

iPhone Siddur Redeem Codes: MAKHXREN3FX4; YM7N7KR9HWLM; L9WTEY3RM733 & KT9ALAER3PXH

iPad Siddur Redeem Codes: H4JF9AML76LT; 9PJRRP7RPP9R; NM9RAW737FXL & 4XN69ETEMNT4

As always, thank you for all the feedback and support. Without the feedback, this app wouldn't be the most valuable Jewish app in the market. Keep the feedback coming!

Source: iOS Siddur Now 4 Years Old! at RustyBrick.

Ready For Download: The ArtScroll Digital Library!

RustyBrick — Mon, 30 July 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Suffern, New York - ArtScroll Mesorah Publications and RustyBrick is pleased to announce the ArtScroll Digital Library is now available for download in the Apple iTunes App Store.

This much anticipated Talmud App has been the talk of the Jewish community for almost six months. After several months of development and countless lines of code, the Schottenstein English Talmud is now available in digital format for Apple iPad users.

The ArtScroll Digital Library - Featuring the Schottenstein English Talmud a Wasserman Digital Initiative - is a revolutionary new way to study the Talmud! Ground breaking technology enhances the best selling Schottenstein Talmud - and will allow you to study the Talmud in ways never before possible.

New features like Page-Syncing, Place Tracking, Page Fusion, Floating-translation, Quick-Scroll, resizable text, automatic-delivery, subscriptions - will transform your learning experience!

Features have been added for all types of Talmud students from beginner (English Only Translation) to the advanced (Enhancements to the vilna page)

"Working on this app with ArtScroll may be one of the most meaningful projects we have worked on in a long time," said Barry Schwartz, the CEO of RustyBrick. He added, "taking 2,000 years of content and bringing it to life through Apple technology will change the lives of so many people. This will change how adults and children learn; it is really a revolution in the Jewish world. The most exciting part, this first release is just the beginning. What we have planned for future releases will amaze you."

Ronnie Schwartz, RustyBrick's CTO said "RustyBrick's designers, developers, security engineers and system admin's really went all out on this app." "Mayer Pasternak and the entire ArtScroll Technology Team really did a fantastic job describing the entire Talmud and it's interlinkages into the XML structure we use in the app," Ronnie added. In terms of the complexity of the project, Ronnie explained "there were so many parts of the puzzle that made this a truly extraordinary challenge: Usability, Typography, Security, Web Services, Cloud Infrastructure, Localization and of course Torah!"

Feature List:

Learn anywhere even without being connected to the internet for daily use
You Automatically get the first 7 Blatt/Daf of Berachos when you install this free app.

Multiple Views:

Study in the same familiar format as the printed edition
Full Screen Translation or Vilna Crystal Clear Views
Split Screen Translation and Vilna View
New English Only Translation view
New Hebrew Only Schottenstein View
Reflowable Vilna text with regular block letters
Dynamic Grey Bar shows you the section being translated
Innovative Place Tracking - shows you the exact place on the opposite page - so you will never lose your place and immediately know where you are up to
The new Hybrid page will allow you to study directly on the Vilna page - with popups that can be configured to show you the translation, notes right on the Vilna page!
Resize Text to 250% and Zoom in on the Vilna side

Purchasing Options:

Buy a complete volume
Buy a single daf - only need one page on the run or for school buy single sets of pages i.e. 2a-2b
Daf Yomi Purchase Subscription - sign up to get automatic access to that month's Daf Yomi content and have the pages added to your library forever!
Subscription automatically renews every month. No need to go back to the store!
30 Days of Daf Yomi content is downloaded automatically when you launch the app
Only $11.99 a month

Vilna Page Enhancements:

Click on any phrase and the corresponding Rashi, Tosafos, and Musaf Rashi, Ein Mishpat, Mesores Hashas and more highlight
Click on a Rashi and it will show you the place in the text
Popovers can be configured to show you all the Rashi, Tosafos, and Musaf Rashi, Ein Mishpat, Mesores Hashas that are related to that phrase

General Enhancements:

Looks just like the printed book including the binding - so you can see if you are on the Side a or b. You can even turn the binding off if you like
Statement types - now you can show if each section is a Statement, Question, Answer, Inquiry or Proof to help you better understand the logical flow
New Sugeya Marks
Daf Yomi Calander

Requirements:

iPad (iPhone and iPod Touch will be released in future updates) - we recommend iPad 2 or the New iPad due to the intense processing requirements for the interactive Vilna page
The entire Talmud when complete will fit in under 3 Gig so any iPad will work
An Apple ID is required to get additional content
Downloads and Automatic updates require an active wi-fi or cellular data connection

Screen Shots:

Additional Screen Shots As A Slide Show:

Source: Ready For Download: The ArtScroll Digital Library! at RustyBrick.

A Colder Server Room

Barry Schwartz — Thu, 26 July 2012 11:59:39 EDT

A few weeks ago we moved into our new space and part of our new space was to make sure we had a more manageable server room. Note: We don't manage our production servers in our office but most of our development work is housed internally.

When we moved in, there was no air conditioning or cooling in the server closet. A temporary fix was to stick fans in the drop ceiling and open a couple tiles. In fact, this is how we had it in our old office for ten years. Not the best solution but we didn't have space.

Now that we have space, we wanted to do a better job of cooling down our test servers.

This is how it looked before the A/C was installed:

Now with A/C and vented tiles:

Source: A Colder Server Room at RustyBrick.

Help: Indoor Signage Decisions

Barry Schwartz — Tue, 17 July 2012 17:05:59 EDT

We are all moved in to our new office and now we need to make decisions on the 'less important' things. One item is indoor signage.

As you can see from our 360 views, we have a nice brick wall when you walk into our office. It wasn't cheap but we like brick.

The question is, do we put our logo up there or do we put something more interactive, like a flat TV?

So we asked a local signage company to give us a quote on putting our logo up and this is what he came back with:

I am not too happy with it. So I thought, maybe we should mount a TV on the wall? Here is what that might look like:

Technically, we can do more things with the TV. But is that really better?

What are your thoughts?

Source: Help: Indoor Signage Decisions at RustyBrick.

Early Look At RustyBrick's New Office Space

Barry Schwartz — Mon, 16 July 2012 09:38:26 EDT

As many of you know, after ten years, we finally moved to a new space. It has been a bit hectic but we are all moved in now and things are settling down. We still have a lot more to do, like get signage, new chairs for some of the areas, new conference room table and a lot of small things - but it is shaping up.

Overall, we have so much more space. Space for the developers and designers, space for our servers (not in photos), space for a dedicated kitchen and conference room and many more offices. We even have a lounge area, which we need to hook up a TV or something in there.

I wanted to share 360 degree images of the space for those who can't make it to visit us. You can click on the image and spin it around:

Entry area (need signage):

Main pit area:

Lounge off the pit:

Kitchen:

Conference Room:

Joe's Office:

Jimmy's Office:

Ronnie's Office:

Barry's Office:

So what do you think?

FYI, I used the 360 Panorama app for this.

Source: Early Look At RustyBrick's New Office Space at RustyBrick.

Our New Office Speeds 75Mb/s

Barry Schwartz — Thu, 28 June 2012 10:17:25 EDT

We are moving and this Monday, we will be in our new space. Yesterday, the Cable company came to install our Internet and SIP based phone lines. So last night, we wanted to make sure to test to make sure the network jacks and various devices were up and running in proper order.

I tested the speeds of the internet and they were blazing fast. We are getting 75Mb per second down and a little over 8 Mb per second up. It is the same class of service we have in our existing office, Optimum Boost Plus. But in our office we only get 55Mb/second down, which is great but not 75Mb.

We did try Optimum Ultra which promises 100Mb/second down and 15Mb/second up but we never got that. With Ultra in our existing office, we reached 55Mb/second down and a nice 20Mb/second up but the 55Mb was annoying. It should have been 100Mb and Optimum did everything but never was able to get above 55. So they credited us and put us back at Boost Plus. So to have 75 down in the new office and paying only Boost Plus, that is really nice.

I am curious how fast Ultra would be there and yes, I would love Verizon FiOS Quantum, which offers 300Mb/second down and 65Mb/second up but FiOS is not yet available in that building. Hopefully one day.

How fast is your internet?

Source: Our New Office Speeds 75Mb/s at RustyBrick.

RustyBrick Is Moving

Barry Schwartz — Tue, 26 June 2012 13:54:42 EDT

About ten years ago, RustyBrick moved into the offices we are in today. You can see some pictures of the office in 2002 and with me without a goatee. On Monday, July 2nd we will be in a new office space. A space that is more fitting for the company culture and that can fit a lot more of us geeks.

Throughout the years we looked for ways to make more space out of the same space. I temporarily moved into the conference room but that solution was a bit too crammed to feel comfortable. Then we finally were able to break through and add more rooms but the layout was very awkward. To get to one office, you had to walk through someone else's office.

Our new space is very open, has lots more room. Gives a dedicated space for a kitchen area, a lounge/planning area, reception area, a nice side conference room, additional offices and the whole thing is all windows. Everything looks open and spacious.

Please update your records to reflect our new mailing address; 250 West Nyack Road, Suite 200, West Nyack, NY 10994.

I tried to make our suite 256 but I was shot down by the building owner.

Here is a rough layout of the new space, note, the bottom and right side are all windows:

Alex went to the office and captured a 3D panoramic image of the office. It didn't come out great and yes, they are still working on the space (I hope it is done by Sunday). Here it is:

Source: RustyBrick Is Moving at RustyBrick.

The RustyBrick Baby Girl Streak Is Over

Barry Schwartz — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:31:43 EDT

I am so excited and a bit relieved to say that the RustyBrick baby girl streak is officially over!

Mordy had a healthy baby boy a few days ago!

About two months ago, Ronnie had the tenth baby girl and then about 4 weeks ago, I had the eleventh baby girl born to the RustyBrick family.

Note, there were no boys born to RustyBrick Geeks during their employment at RustyBrick before Mordy broke that streak earlier this week.

Number twelve is a baby boy! Here is a picture:

Maybe this will set a new streak for the company to have eleven boys in a row?

Congrats Mordy and your wife on your beautiful new baby boy!

Image credit to ShutterStock & Mordy

Source: The RustyBrick Baby Girl Streak Is Over at RustyBrick.

The Day I Realized My Wife Is Geekier Than I

Ronnie Schwartz — Wed, 18 April 2012 09:14:12 EDT

On a recent trip to my inlaws, my wife, Civia, discovered a gem of history.

Turns out her 1st grade notebook was wrapped in an Apple II ad that read, "IIe or IIc. That is the question." The journal also features a Apple logo on the back and is dated August 1987 - June 1988.

Besides the improvement of penmanship, vocabulary, etc, I noticed at this moment that my wife is geekier then I.

Just amazing how the timing works. This week marked the 35th birthday of the original Apple II.

For a better look, see the IIe/IIc notebook in more detail.

Source: The Day I Realized My Wife Is Geekier Than I at RustyBrick.

Adobe Browserlab

Sebastian Puerta — Sun, 01 April 2012 11:47:20 EDT

Now that there are multiple browsers to choose from, one of the biggest obstacles in web development is making sure that your website displays and functions properly all across the board. Whether it is Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome or Safari, each browser will act differently and will require tweaks to get them to function properly. As a QA tester, this task can be quite time consuming and requires multiple environments in order to run different versions of each browser. That was until Adobe updated their Browser Lab Services.

BrowserLab allows the user to select from a variety of web browsers on multiple operating systems to ensure that their website is compatible on all popular browsers. It renders a screen shot and displays the website as it would appear on the specific browser the user has selected. A nice feature that is built in to browserlab is the “2-up-View” which splits the screen in two and allows the user to compare the site in two different web browsers side by side. This makes it easier to focus on a specific area that might require some modifications rather than switching from browser to browser. Another useful feature that Adobe Browserlab provides is the “Onion-Skin” view. This view layers two copies of the webpage on top of each other so that the user can see how well the website lines up on different browsers. My favorite feature about Adobe Browserlab is that it is an online service and there are no applications to download. Try it for yourself at browserlab.adobe.com

Source: Adobe Browserlab at RustyBrick.

Jewish Press Selects RustyBrick Siddur As The One Must Have App

Barry Schwartz — Fri, 23 March 2012 11:59:51 EDT

Yoni Glatt from the Jewish Press said in an article published yesterday in the magazine that the RustyBrick iPhone Siddur is the must have app have for any Jew with an iPhone. His words, "I can say that if I could only have one Jewish app on my iPhone the Siddur would be it."

I am biased but it is definitely the most used non-Apple App I used on my iPhone. I use email and Safari maybe a little more than I use our own Siddur. But I run into people all over the world who tell me they live by the iPhone Siddur. It is a true honor to be able to contribute our portion to the Jewish community with this Siddur.

Yoni wrote:

I remember that before getting an iPod touch (and later an iPhone), I would carry a tiny siddur in my wallet. It certainly added unwanted bulk, awkwardly making my wallet protrude from my pocket. I immediately downloaded a free app with tefillah on it, but then came across the Siddur app – and became sincerely awed. It had full prayer services in Ashkenaz, Sephard, and nusach Ari, could find a shul or minyan near your current location, and had a full luach with daily z’manim. For these reasons alone, I felt (and still feel) that it’s worth the $9.99 price tag. And that was only the early version of the app. Two weeks ago RustyBrick updated the Siddur app to version 5.0.

The Jewish Week a few weeks ago listed seven of our apps as the top 30 Jewish apps in the Apple iTunes App Store. Now to see the Jewish Press say that if they were only allowed on app on their device, it would be our Siddur App, that is tremendously meangingful for us.

We are really excited for the future and working with Artscroll, with endless rich content, the possibilities are endless. Hold on - exciting things to come.

Image credit to ShutterStock.

Source: Jewish Press Selects RustyBrick Siddur As The One Must Have App at RustyBrick.

CMT Insider App Featured As Apple Staff Favorite

RustyBrick — Thu, 15 March 2012 00:00:00 EDT

On March 5, 2012 the CMT Insider App was published to the Apple App Store. 10 days later Apple has featured it in the Staff Favorites section of the App Store.

RustyBrick was contracted by MTV Networks to build out CMT Insider iPhone and iPad app. The app is designed to give you access to the biggest country stars in the world. The features include:

Watch exclusive music videos and clips from your favorite CMT shows.
Customize a grid of your favorite artists.
Read articles sorted by artist or browse all of the latest headlines.
Scroll through celebrity photos from CMT events and more.
Find out when your favorite artists will be touring near you.
Share news articles and photos on Facebook, Twitter, SMS or e-mail a friend.
Listen to your favorite songs and discover new music from your favorite artists with Rhapsody audio clips added to each artist's profile./li>

We are honored that MTV selected us for the iPhone app development and honored that Apple picked it as a Staff Favorite.

About CMT
CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network's digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.

RustyBrick designs premier iPhone & mobile applications for the Jewish market. They also work with clients such as MTV, Harper HarperCollins, Comedy Central, Harvard University and many more.

Source: CMT Insider App Featured As Apple Staff Favorite at RustyBrick.

Artscroll & RustyBrick To Create ArtScroll Schottenstein Talmud App

RustyBrick — Wed, 29 February 2012 00:00:00 EST

Suffern, New York - Monday night, at the Mesorah Dinner, Artscroll announced the "ArtScroll Digital Library." We at RustyBrick are responsible for designing and developing the application software for mobile devices including the Apple iPad & iPhone. We are honored to be working with the premier publisher and seller of Jewish books, Artscroll, to build out this app.

First, we will be starting with the ArtScroll Schottenstein Talmud. The ArtScroll Schottenstein Talmud will revolutionize how the Jewish world learns and studies the Talmud. By combining Artscroll's mastery of design, layout and content with our technical prowess, this application will change the world of Jewish study forever.

Some of the features include:

Page Syncing
Place Tracking
Extra Hand
Page Fusion
Hybrid Page
Floating Translation
Quick Scroll
Integrated Notes
Page Mapping
Color Coding
Show It To Me
Find It For Me
Advanced Search
Daf Yomi Map
Daf Yomi Calendar
Automatic Delivery
Monthly Subscriptions
Resizable Text
Notes
iPhone, iPad Support

Here is a video demo of what to expect in July 2012.

If you are having issues with the video, Click Here

About Artscroll
ArtScroll is the official imprint of Mesorah Publications. Based in Brooklyn NY, the company has grown from one small book, a dedicatory printing of Megillas Esther in 1976, to over 1,000 titles in stock today. ArtScroll publishes scholarly and popular works for the Jewish world from a Torah observant perspective. ArtScroll is best known for publishing the monumental, 15-year, 73-volume Schottenstein Edition of the Babylonian Talmud.

Source: Artscroll & RustyBrick To Create ArtScroll Schottenstein Talmud App at RustyBrick.

iPhone Siddur 5.0: Gesture Support Added

RustyBrick — Wed, 29 February 2012 00:00:00 EST

Suffern, New York - RustyBrick, Inc. is happy to introduce version 5.0 of the iPhone Siddur. The new version supports Apple's multi-touch gestures by enabling full screen mode, swipe to flip to a new section and pinch for font size controls.

"Currently, we have created the smartest Siddur [Jewish Prayer Book] on the planet," Barry Schwartz, the CEO of RustyBrick said. "Version 5.0 is our attempt at not just making the Siddur the smartest but also the easiest to use," Schwartz added.

Full Screen Mode:

Remove the navigation bars from both the iPhone and iPad version of the Siddur by simply double tapping the screen with your finger. The menus will go away and put you in a mode of full concentration and devotion to the text you are saying.

Swipe To Flip Sections:

To switch from one section of the prayer to the next, now just swipe your finger from left to right (Hebrew orientation) and the page will flip to the next section. This can replace those top navigation arrows in future releases.

Pinch To Zoom:

Now with pinch to zoom, you can control the font size of the text in the app. Instead of going to the settings screen and adjusting the font size, all you need to do is pinch to zoom. This pinch to zoom feature will not have awkward wrapping issues, it will act as a font size option instead.

"The latest version, version 5.0, is one of our 60 or more updates to the Siddur since we launched three and a half years ago," said Ronnie Schwartz, RustyBrick's CTO. The feedback we get from the Jewish community has been outstanding and our strongest motivation to continue to make improvements and future thinking updates to the iPhone Siddur.

Here is a video demo of some of the new features in version 5.0:

Source: iPhone Siddur 5.0: Gesture Support Added at RustyBrick.

An Online Network For Israeli Artists: AICF Artist Network

RustyBrick — Mon, 06 February 2012 00:00:00 EST

AICF, American Israel Cultural Foundation, expanded their web site to include an online network for Israeli artists. The new Israeli Artist Network enables artists to connect across the world through an online portal. The network helps these articles network, learn about each other, promote their work and talents and share in building awareness and support for Israeli culture.

Artists can register on the network, then login and post their biography, profile information, upload their media, art, video, audio files and other details. Then they can connect with other artists, share their work on other sites including social networking sites.

AICF's Executive Director in the U.S., David Homan said, "Israeli culture has clear needs, and artists at every stage of their careers need support that is difficult to find. This includes: travel support, grants to allow time to create your work, fellowships, purchases of equipment, and commissions/support of various projects. We know your needs, and AICF plans to help as we develop awareness of AICF and venture into grants to help with career support."

To see the artist network, visit aicf.org/artist_network.

About AICF:
The America-Israel Cultural Foundation supports artistic life in Israel. Since 1939, AICF has played a leading role in helping develop and fund many of Israel's largest cultural institutions. Most of Israel's finest artists in every discipline have received assistance from AICF. Among those supported: Itzhak Perlman, Menashe Kadishman, Pinchas Zukerman, Gil Shaham, Yefim Bronfman, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Museum, and the Batsheva Dance Company. We invite you to find out more about how AICF has impacted the creative arts in Israel.

Source: An Online Network For Israeli Artists: AICF Artist Network at RustyBrick.