TapLynx

We’re loving the I-5 North app here in the Push IO office. As music people, we’re always looking for new artists to add to our playlists. I-5′s TapLynx app features video and audio streams that deliver the Northwest’s hip-hop scene to any mobile device. Here we chat with Littleton Miller, the creator of I-5,  about the story behind the app:

How did you get into the world of apps?
Coming from an entertainment and music background I was looking to extend my reach past the normal channels of CDs and DVDs.  A mobile app was the perfect solution.

Why I-5 North? What is the idea behind the app?
Ironically, Apple actually sponsored the original I-5 North Project over 12 years ago: it was a DVD.  Being from the Seattle area and having close ties and a vast history with the Hip Hop community here, I decided to start visually showcasing the local talent with interviews, footage of live shows/performances, freestyles, poetry, etc. I wound up getting a  worldwide distribution deal for the DVD, and sold a decent amount of product internationally, and stateside in Borders, Barnes & Nobles, Circuit City, Best Buy and other big stores. Sometime later, the footage was licensed to MTV2 and I abandoned the project. That DVD alone helped me establish myself as a Director/Cinematographer/Editor, gave people outside of the region a look inside the NW Hip Hop community, and paved the way for other similar projects and products. Over a decade later, when I decided to pick up where I left off,  it was only fitting to do an iPhone app with the way people are using mobile today.

How do you see people using I-5 North? Where is user engagement happening?
Watching music videos online is very popular. I wanted to give that functionality inside an iPhone app for a particular demographic/community, while allowing users to submit their own content. I also wanted them to stay engaged with other related content like photo galleries, radio shows, interviews and rap battles.

What features do you use to make your app stand out?
My app features some of the hottest, independent, underground talent along the entire Interstate 5 corridor. Giving them a innovative platform to showcase their work is my main focus and I believe the upcoming features and updates will stand out most: I have plans to use push technology to instantly let app users know about live concerts and performances currently streaming through the app. Also, the current I-5 radio show is getting a lot of great feedback, so I have future plans to feature live streams and audio only interviews on the app.

Why did you decide to build on TapLynx?
Learning Objective C quickly didn’t seem to be an option for me and after fumbling through the “pay as you go” offerings, I just wasn’t impressed.  Luckily, I found TapLynx, and after doing some research and a whole lot of forum trolling, I had finally found a solution that was a great fit and simple enough to understand.

Any other cool projects you’re working on?
I have some very cool ideas for the iPad that I’m sure will work great on the updated TapLynx framework coming soon. Before I do this, though, I need to expand I-5 North a little more.

(Screenshot of Video Playing, “Things I Couldn’t Say” by Dice)