If so, and only the later posts are about hiring, what, I assume, means you were hiring only after you've found about initial success, how come the first version ever came out?

Beside that, great story, great spirit, congratulations, I admire everyone actually getting things done :)

I'm not sure I understand the question, but I think you're asking how I made the app at all if I'm not a dev/designer?

I outsourced 95% of it. I created the initial mockups by hand and did some of the debugging, but the core app development was done by contractors. And yes, for $500.

The point is it wasn't great, but it was good enough to test the market.

Did you develop it yourself, or outsource it?

I did the initial mockups by hand and some of the debugging. Other than that all outsourced.

Is it possible that the guys you outsourced it to could just make their own version and put it on the store? I haven't read a HN article titled "How foobar consulting stole my iPhone app and re-branded it as their own"

That has definitely crossed my mind more than once. There's a few reasons this isn't as scary as one might think:

1. Contractors work on tons of apps, the vast majority of which don't make any money. Their business is making apps, not selling them.

2. Focus on long-term relationships. If the contractor knows you're going to hire them in the future for more work they'll be less likely to screw you over now.

3. Last resort: you can report pirated apps to Apple.

Would you care to throw the offshore team some love by posting who they are? I have a web service and would love to use them if it cost $500.

The original guy I hired doesn't do development any more, but his Elance profile is here: https://www.elance.com/s/iprogs/

Since then for upgrades and other apps I've hired others that have cost more than $500 :)

+1