BK: What drew you to the IT field?
Going back to when I started using computers in high school, it was probably the games. Prince of Persia was very popular then. So I started playing games first, and then learned about the other things you can do with computers and started studying software.

BK: What were you doing before you started your company iAppDev?
I worked at a jewelry company creating inventory systems for about 10 years, then the iPhone came out. Now I’m an iOS [Apple’s mobile operating system] developer, developing programs for iPhones and iPads, like The Nation app and the Finlandia (vodka) app. It’s definitely better paid than when I was working for a company, because as an employee there was a limit to what they’ll pay you. Now it just depends on how many projects I can get.

BK: How much does it cost to get your own app?
We have to look at the requirements first, and calculate from there how many man-days are required. The price can range from five to six figures, depending on the size and difficulty of the project.

BK: Tell us about your Thai keyboard for iPhone.
In iOS 6, Apple’s actually changed the keyboard to a 4-row layout, like the one I developed for iOS 5. So after going through five versions, Apple’s probably realized that Thai people are comfortable with a different style keyboard, not their 3-row format. Their new keyboard is very similar to what I developed. But there will also be people who want Apple’s old 3-row format back, so now I’m making a 3-row keyboard app, too.

BK: Now that it’s finally been revealed, did the iPhone 5 live up to your expectations?
I’d have to say it’s 50/50. There was so much leaked information that I think everyone expected something really new from Apple, but we already knew about most of the new features before the release.
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BK: Where do you get your ideas?
I like to learn about new things. If I want to find out what new ideas people are coming up with, I go onto www.kickstarter.com. People post their ideas on the website and anyone who thinks the idea will work can help fund them.

BK: What would be your dream project?
I want to link up traffic information from all over Bangkok by making a crowdsourcing app, because information from a central database is not always up to date. The app could help build a network that makes it easier to get around Bangkok.