Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone, App Store
First Look: WriteRoom for iPhone
Just like its Mac counterpart, WriteRoom for iPhone gives you a simple application to create a document in. When you open WriteRoom you are presented with a black screen -- all of your documents are located here. Clicking on a document name will place you in editing mode.To create a document, just tap on the "+" button at the top right of the screen and a blank document will show up with a subtle blinking cursor against a black background.
WriteRoom's developer has created a neat way to retrieve documents from your iPhone and get them on your computer. You can browse, edit, and even create a new document on your iPhone from Safari. All of this is dynamic, so as soon as you create a document in Safari, it appears on your iPhone and vice versa (a web page reload is necessary in your web browser). The main problem with Bonjour sharing over Safari is that it only works with Safari's Bonjour bookmarks.
Overall, WriteRoom for iPhone is solid, just works, and is completely worth the $5 (US). WriteRoom is simplicity at it's best, and has a very nice user interface without distractions and fancy addons. You can purchase WriteRoom for the iPhone from the iTunes AppStore for $4.99 (US). Be sure to check out our gallery of WriteRoom screenshots.
Gallery: First Look: WriteRoom for iPhone
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
losty. said 9:15AM on 9-15-2008
Out of interest, is anyone developing / has anyone developed a free app like this?
I know $4.99 isn't much, but if there is a free alternative already doing this then I'd love to know.
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Tomahawk said 9:36AM on 9-15-2008
I'm not sure how it works the iPhone but you should look at http://www.writeboard.com/. 37signals are usually good at making their site iPhone friendly.
Jesse Grosjean said 9:52AM on 9-15-2008
Still not free. But wanted to mention that when you buy WriteRoom.iPhone for $5 you also get a $5 off coupon code for WriteRoom.app for the Mac. So if you are also planning to buy WriteRoom for the Mac, then the WriteRoom.iPhone is "free".
tuaw said 9:23AM on 9-15-2008
It's also worth pointing out that WriteRoom also supports landscape typing, which is what intrigued me.
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JoseComments said 10:23AM on 9-15-2008
If it's got landscape typing, I'm in! I wish more apps had this. - Jose
Unregistered said 9:34AM on 9-15-2008
Is there any "do you want to save" prompt?
I had a bunch of bills to pay and had keyed the account numbers and the owing amount inside Notes. While waiting at the automated bill payment machine, I accidentally erased every thing, and had even touched 'done', thus over writing everything.
There's just too many bills to pay to make using pictures a good alternative.
I will use FileMagnet/Air Sharing to store the text file for "Viewing" in future.
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Jesse Grosjean said 10:20AM on 9-15-2008
There isn't a "Do you want to save" prompt. Your changed are saved when you switch to a different view or when you exit the app.
Yazdgerd said 10:02AM on 9-15-2008
Expensive app, it also reminds me of DOS 6 with that dark background. Come on guys, be creative
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Lanky said 1:43PM on 9-15-2008
RE: dark background
That's the whole _point_ - to be "easy on the eyes".
By having the background dark and the characters lit, (like you said "dos-like"), it's supposed to allow one to focus on "just the text" as opposed to black text on white background. Black text on white is more "paper-like", but it does have the down-side for some of having mostly all the pixels on and glowing.
Bad explanation by me, and it's not for everyone, but from a focus and eye-fatigue perspective, it is cool for some.
I don't use it always, but sometimes you just want to get rid of all the ticky-tack visual clutter and have "text on a screen".
Dave said 4:08PM on 9-15-2008
I find that, when working on a computer, a light background with darker text is easier on the eyes. Notice that most web sites use a lighter background with darker text? The inverse (which WriteRoom uses) seems hard on the eyes for me, and I notice an almost ghosting effect as the text burns in to my retinas.
If the option existed to swap foreground and background colours, I would have opted for this apt instead of TextGuru.
Slobi said 10:07AM on 9-15-2008
Really nice idea. However, one thing needs mentioning. The readability of any small font text over a black background is, in average, up to 30% poorer than on black text over white background. Nifty design aside, I think that developer didn't do his work correctly when deciding to push for design over usability.
Yes, let the flame wars begin! OK, I KNOW all the things you'll want to say, probably better than those of you trying to say them. And I definitely posses the capacity to read that, or any other text, including one reflected in the mirror, such is my superior brain. So, IF the idea for this kind of application is to be more pretty than usable, or NOT to be as good as it can be, I surrender. In any other case - sorry, poor design.
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Jesse Grosjean said 10:27AM on 9-15-2008
Right now the competition is black on yellow with a Market felt font. But your superior brain will be happy to learn that in the next WriteRoom.iPhone release you'll have the option to change text and background colors :)
Doing my homework... I did my homework by just using the app, while possibly not optimal in the math equation sense, white text on black background it's plenty readable.
Slobi said 11:46AM on 9-15-2008
I like your attempt at "House" contempt. However, a category of "trying" doesn't exist in App store. So, I can not "try" the app to discover all neat features which were omitted by the developer in the description on app store. And, maybe where you come from, "trying" for $5 still passes for "an attempt", where I come from that passes for "spending money on poorly documented application". So, don't be so smug, you have absolutely no reason to be so.
Slobi said 11:47AM on 9-15-2008
@ Jesse G.,
I like your attempt at "House" contempt. However, a category of "trying" doesn't exist in App store. So, I can not "try" the app to discover all neat features which were omitted by the developer in the description on app store. And, maybe where you come from, "trying" for $5 still passes for "an attempt", where I come from that passes for "spending money on poorly documented application". So, don't be so smug, you have absolutely no reason to be so.
Jesse Grosjean said 12:56PM on 9-15-2008
@Slobi Generally I (and I think at least some others) wouldn't describe myself as snarky and smug. I was trying to respond with (first paragraph) some humor, thus the smily fact. Second paragraph I was just trying to make the point that the app is still very functional and I really don't think white text on black is an issue. And last I said that in any case colors will be an option soon. I'm jesse at hogbaysoftware.com if you want to discus things further.
mike said 10:21AM on 9-15-2008
Can you e-mail documents you write in WriteRoom? (like Notes) I've been waiting to buy this app until I can confirm that.
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Jesse Grosjean said 10:27AM on 9-15-2008
Yes you can. Though there is a bug in the current release that cuts off the emailed content if you include a '&' in your note. I'll fix that for the next release.
paperless said 10:27AM on 9-15-2008
I'll stick with TextGuru, thanks very much.
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Timm Hackett said 11:51AM on 9-15-2008
WriteRoom for the iPhone is a great way to jot notes down. I am especially pleased to see a landscape mode on a writing app for the iPhone.
Now the Jesse has divulged that the updates will give users the ability to select the text color, it makes it even more useful.
Now, if someone could get the Apple Bluetooth keyboard to pair with the iPhone...
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Stephen Lang said 12:09PM on 9-15-2008
@Slobi,
Chill out. I don't believe Jesse was being snarky with you in any way. He basically acknowledged your concern (customization is coming). He didn't deny your claim regarding readability either.
This iPhone app is a carryover of the Mac app, which many use with a light text on black theme. Even if it's technically not as readable, I think it is a more relaxing color scheme for writing (vs. a general text editor.) For that reason the initial version here makes sense. I do think that the writing experience is a bit different on a desktop or notebook vs. an iPhone/Touch so perhaps light-on-dark won't prove to be as popular (I haven't used it yet so don't know.) But if the app is of any interest to you, you will get customization soon.
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