Someone quotes you $50,000 to build an app and your first reaction is to laugh a little. You've seen apps on the App Store ...

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Last summer, after watching an inspiring showcase featuring apps created by young coders using Apple's Swift Playgrounds programming language, I resolved to enlist my kids to develop an iPhone app.

Take your smartphone and count how many applications are on it. Now, think how much it costs to develop and maintain these helpful little squares. Spoiler: It's a lot. Apps have become integral to our ...