Recent Activity

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  Made the Ajaxian Showcase!

  Things have been bubbling along quite nicely here at APPLEBOX. As we're a local video store, our focus at this point is on building local membership. In our area (around our shop in Fairfield, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), that's typically a non-tech crowd who use APPLEBOX simply because it's a better way to rent DVD's than going to Video Ezy up the road.

  So to satisfy the inner-geek within myself (and pop my head up amongst the techs out there), I recently posted a run down on our web stack and development approach: http://applebox.com.au/blog/2007/12/mda-soa-and-serverless-ajax-our-web-stack-defined/

  And wow! We got picked up by Ajaxian and featured in their showcase section: http://ajaxian.com/archives/applebox-itunes-in-serverless-ajax . Yikes, the traffic spike was great , and even better to know our little server chugged along quite happily without missing a beat.

  So we're still here, alive and kicking! 

  Posted 09 Dec 07

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  APPLEBOX doors have opened!

  The APPLEBOX storefront/webfront is one thing - but the actual APPLEBOX bricks and mortar is where all the trading happens. Customers select and reserve online - but they still pickup their DVDs from my store. The rub - the store where they pick up from is COOL! No more acres of space, bad lighting, thousands of covers staring out at you. No more forgetting what you wanted to watch, aimlessly wandering isles, picking something you're not really happy with. The response on the ground has been fantastic - everyone loves the idea and it all just makes perfect sense. Checkout these photos:

  

   

  

   

   

  You can see some hi-res versions here:

  http://applebox.com.au/press/APPLEBOX_inside_1.jpg

  http://applebox.com.au/press/APPLEBOX_inside_2.jpg

  http://applebox.com.au/press/APPLEBOX_inside_3.jpg

  http://applebox.com.au/press/APPLEBOX_outside.jpg

  
   

  Posted 24 Sep 07

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  Latest Iteration

  Hi all, I've released the latest iteration of APPLEBOX. This means you can now sign up with the service and create and keep as many collections of movies as you want!
  
  APPLEBOX is tied to a physical, retail business which will be opening doors for renting DVDs in about 2 weeks. Once the basics of the operation are bedded down, there's a helluva lot more I want to do with the software - sharing collections, writing reviews & watching previews are a few that spring to mind! If you can think of anymore, lemme know!
  
  I'm still a little light on data in some areas (namely tv), but that will be coming up to speed very quickly.
   
  Cheers,
  Simon (APPLEBOX)

  Posted 13 Aug 07

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  Design and Usability

  Yep - I've skinned Applebox to look like iTunes. I plan to create other skins, but iTunes is the first.
  
  Does it work for you?

  Posted 06 May 07

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  Latest iteration bugs/issues

  Thanks for the screen cap! - yep the rental prices are not yet in there - I'm still finalising  some of the pricing, and it probably won't get in there until just before I open (my rates are pretty standard - competitive to other local video stores).

  Posted 14 Aug 07

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  Web 2.0 or not?

  Applebox is chock full of web 2.0 technology - plenty of ajax,
  javascript, xml. There's not much in the way of social networking yet -
  I'm just bedding down the technology and the back office systems. I
  want to do lots with people maintaining their own lists of movies,
  favourites, and see what their friends have watched. But that will have
  to wait until I've got the bricks and mortar side of Applebox up and
  running.
  

  
  So - does Applebox make the web 2.0 club?

  Posted 06 May 07

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  OUTAGE

  My apologies, the hosting facility I use has just gone offline(hmmm). APPLEBOX is offline. As soon as this is sorted, I will postback. 

  Posted 09 May 07

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  Comparisons/Thoughts

  Better or worse than Quickflix? Would you rather still handle DVD's at
  a local Blockbuster? Is a future of Video on Demand going to pummel me
  into the ground? Why haven't any of the big franchises tried this idea?
  I've got my own theories of course - but interested in what others
  think.

  Posted 06 May 07

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  Screenshots and Screencasts

  Now isn't this the RIGHT way to present a movie? Big poster art, great colours, easy to read details?

   

   

   

   

  Posted 06 May 07

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  Impressions

  Is this a good way to find a DVD to watch? If I opened a store next to your local, would you switch?

  Posted 06 May 07