iPhone app to promote e-book publishing company

Iphone and Ipad app for e-book publisher VIVA Travel Guides The purpose of this app is to promote and sell the e-books of a publishing company. It enables users to find, read and purchase books, stay up-to-date with news feeds, and view photos, audio and video clips published on the web. Upon opening the app, the loading graphic displays the default home [login to view URL] default home screen (which could be any of the below navigation buttons) is defined by an XML content definition file. This XML file and accompanying directory of assets (of graphics, and other file types) will define and contain all data (styles/text/urls/feeds/etc ) that the app will use to display to the user. VIVA will provide all graphics, content, and samples of XML content definition files. All aspects of the system that are handled in web browsers from remote urls will be implemented in entirety by VIVA. The developer is responsible for handset software development only and not server or any web application development. Buttons/Main Navigation: a) News/Latest/Updates This displays rss, facebook, and twitter feeds combined in a user friendly manner by displaying headlines (and sources (blog, twitter, facebook) in chronological order. b) Bookshelf Upon opening, the user sees a shelf (within a web browser and displaying cover graphic and title) with: 1. already downloaded ebooks (epub files for offline reading), 2. featured free promo material which is downloadable as an epub file from defined url, 3. featured paid books for download which would be bought via an apple app store in app purchase and, or link to a url to purchase from external source via html browser, 4. n-levels of sub-categories of featured ebooks, 5. search functionality that will post search string to third party provider in an html browser within the app. Options 2-5 should display web content from a remote catalog url. c) E-book reader (Read) The app should have a very basic epub reader that enables the user to view large (10mb) epub files' text and graphics without being connected to the Internet. We hope to integrate an existing epub reader from a third party into the app. d) Events This screen will display upcoming events in chronological order (Displaying title, location, and date) that come from an rss feed created by the web application. Push notification events created in the web application will be sent to handsets via Apple Push Notification Service, so the app needs to receive these notifications and display them as a push notification on the handset. Upon opening the Events screen the phone should alert user to give permission to record GPS Location, then the app should send the user's geographical coordinates to the web server. In OS 4 handsets, “Local notifications” should notify users if they are within a certain radius of an event during a defined time period. e) More... (Media & links) Videos, audio, photos, fan/follow me, and mailing list sign up are either links to urls or as files in the assets directory. App management The app must be packaged as two different versions, free and paid: Paid Book app. This is a paid app that includes an ebook and the ability to buy other ebooks as in-app purchases. Free Promotional app. This is a free app that contains publisher information and may include one or more free ebook samples. Within the bookshelf of this app, the user would be able to buy other books in the form of apps. This would then download the book app (which is paid) and merge it with the existing free app, thereby upgrading the free app to a paid Book app which will then have the ability to make “in-app purchases”. The merging functionality should work similar to Lonely Planet's iphone app. Install two or more free Lonely planet apps such as: [login to view URL];ign-mpt=uo%3D2 General requirements The app should be developed for the Iphone OS 4, and be fully compatible to run on iPhone 3G, 3Gcs, iPad, and 2nd and 3rd generation ipod touch. When the app is closed, it must remember the screen that it was on so that when opened again, it opens displaying the last screen opened. This facilitates efficient reading of e-books so readers can start reading where they left off. In OS 4 devices, the app should support “Fast app switching”. The app should display all international characters correctly, and settings (hyphens/international characters) should default to the system language. The app must be developed using Apple's recommended development best-practices, and design methods and following Apple's iPhone Application Programming Guide. iPad compatibility The app should be developed using the iPad Programming Guide, Human Interface Guidelines and iPad simulator to assure universal compatibility among iPad, iPod, and iPhone units, and optimal presentation in full size 1024x768 pixel iPad resolution. The app will be developed in coordination with VIVA engineers in daily communication. Timeline Basic prototype that can be used to demo for potential clients (without the events screen): 3 weeks from project start Beta version of full app: approx 8-10 weeks Publish to app store: approx 10-12 weeks VIVA requires that upon final payment, all intellectual property related to the software developed in the contract be transferred to VIVA.