
Why the iPhone Simulator is Awesome - blasdel
http://apenwarr.ca/log/?m=201004#08
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plinkplonk
So (as a non IPhone/Apple ecosystem developer), let me ask Iphone devs here,
how accurate is the simulator? When something works perfectly on the simulator
how often does deployment to the actual device force code changes? Frequently?
rarely? never?

Is it possible to get an "almost perfect" IPhone app with just a MacBook Pro?

(Some context: If Apple ever drops its annual developer fees for the
Iphone/Ipad, I'll buy an MBP and/or an IPhone or IPad. Just curious as to how
much I can get done with just an MBP before buying an IPhone/ IPad.

Apologies in advance if this is a stupid question. I know next to nothing
about what development in the Apple ecosystem is like).

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albertzeyer
I developed a game and it just worked exactly the same in the simulator. I
only couldn't really test the multitouch functions (because you only have your
single mouse cursor).

~~~
cpr
You can use iSimulate on your phone to send full touch, motion, attitude, etc
events to your code running under the simulator. Pretty nifty.

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monkeydev
i strongly disagree

the simulator will run with the performance and memory of your workstation,
this is _NOT_ a realistic test of your app. Have seen many devs that run into
showstopper memory/or speed problems once they switched to on device debugging
( always test on the device !! )

Moreover you have _subtle_ api inconsistencies, some calls work on the
simulator that fail hard on the device ..

stuff life location , rotation , storekit , etc are different ( but that
should be rather well understood )

so if you develop on a fast workstation and not a underpowered laptop then you
should always prefer a native simulator ...

( my experience is based on working with iphone,j2me,and android emulators )

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dshep
The Nokia/Symbian SDK emulator works similarly -- to run your application in
the simulator you must compile for it separately. And it runs only on Windows.
Unlike the iPhone simulator though, Nokia's is painfully slow.

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jlgosse
Almost every negative he mentioned for BlackBerry emulation is incorrect. It
blows my mind that people write critical articles like this and not do ANY
homework on the actual subject.

~~~
rbanffy
When you transition to fanboy-condition, it's a given you have precious little
experience with any platform other than the object of you fanboyism. Don't
expect an Apple fanboy to also have not only a Blackberry, but a BB SDK.

I am somewhat of an exception. I really love Linux (although any X-ish Unix-
like with decent package management will do) and I am currently condemned to
run a Windows notebook at work.

sigh.

~~~
blasdel
Turns out he does have a Blackberry and the BB SDK:
<http://apenwarr.ca/log/?m=201004#09>

~~~
rbanffy
Well... That makes him an atypical fanboy...

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johnsto
Microsoft do (did?) the same thing with PocketPC development. Their emulator
ran natively, as would any apps (which also had to be compiled natively to x86
for the emulator), but you'd then switch to ARM/MIPS/SH3 for release.

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glhaynes
"the simulator can slow down your program to iPhone speed" Completely untrue,
afaik.

~~~
wallflower
Yes, the simulator has no throttling features, for CPU speed or network
bandwidth.

This is why we have a collection of vintage iPhones (4/8GB models). It does
not address the issue of network speed though, unless we swap SIMs (which
we're not even sure will work).

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stuaxo
I think most phone simulators work in the way he's describing, certainly the
java based ones.

If they did emulate the CPU it would be better and more accurate though.

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shareme
His 1st assumption is wrong:

Mos mobile sdk emulators run at device speeds on any 1.5GHZ to 2.8GHZ or
higher machine including Android SDK emulator

Even MS Mobile emulators run at device speeds on desktop

Unlike the Apple ipHone emulator I can run most j2me MS Mobile and android
emulators at the exact device speed

