Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
First Look: Equivalence for iPhone
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Keeping with the famous science teacher saying of "every number must have a unit," Equivalence (iTunes link) is the one-stop converter for all things units. Did we say "one-stop?" Why yes we did, because Equivalence can convert between over 260 units in 31 categories.Once of the nice features of Equivalence is the ability for the application to auto update the unit conversions over the air, instead of through the App Store. So, if the developer decides to add a unit, or if a unit were to change, updates could get pushed out to the application.
The beauty of this application is when you flip your iPhone into landscape mode. Just like the built-in iPhone calculator, this application adds much more functionality when horizontal, including a calculator that can add units together.
Bottom line: This is the best unit converter for the iPhone, hands-down. Be sure to take a look at our gallery of Equivalence screenshots. You can buy Equivalence from the iTunes App Store for $4.99 (US).
Update: The developer has dropped us an email to let us know about a special promotion. Equivalence will sell on the App Store for $1.99 until October 6th. The pricing changes have already been submitted to Apple for approval and should appear soon. Also, we have added two new screenshots in the gallery showing off the landscape mode in Equivalence.
Gallery: First Looks: Equivalence for iPhone
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
smak said 1:06PM on 9-22-2008
Uh, it's called Units, and it's free.
Reply
Bryan Henry said 2:23PM on 9-22-2008
Hi smak -
There are a great number of unit converters available on the AppStore, but none of them come near providing the power that the landscape mode provides users with.
Admittedly this mode is targeted at users with slightly more advanced needs than the average user, but for those people it is the best conversion application out there. For simpler users, I provide some of the best customer service available in terms of response and updates, especially because of the update system built into Equivalence.
Bryan Henry, ApogeeDev
dev@apogee-dev.com
mentalsticks said 3:42PM on 9-22-2008
bryan --
Sorry, but did you just say that your app is the best app and that your customer service is the best customer service? You did, didn't you?
Then it must be true.
Bryan Henry said 4:00PM on 9-22-2008
Heh, well you don't have to take my word for it - go read the reviews on the AppStore. A good deal of them mention positive responses and fast times.
Bryan Henry, ApogeeDev
dev@apogee-dev.com
mentalsticks said 4:10PM on 9-22-2008
then how about "many users find my app the best conversion app and my customer service to be of high quality?" that sounds a lot less shitty and arrogant and smug.
James said 1:09PM on 9-22-2008
Isn't providing a method of updating other than the App Store a violation of the SDK?
Reply
Bryan Henry said 2:27PM on 9-22-2008
James -
The updates work by merely downloading a single file from my update server whenever there is an update, and it contains any new or updated conversions. This isn't against the terms of the SDK agreement - think of it as similar to an app that gives movie times downloading the times for the next week. The application doesn't change, only the content it operates on.
Bryan Henry, ApogeeDev
dev@apogee-dev.com
Buckingham said 2:37PM on 9-22-2008
I think it's uses calculations as "packaged" units that can be downloaded by the program and run as some sort of plug-in. This is unlike the Units app whose calculations are statically compiled into the code, and can only be updated through a recompile.
Gus Jenkins said 1:34PM on 9-22-2008
Great App, but I just have one complaint.
The keypad is not a normal calculator keypad with the 1 2 3 on the bottom.
Reply
Bryan Henry said 2:45PM on 9-22-2008
The option for this keypad format is in the works for the next update (after 1.0.3, since that's already near the end of approval).
Bryan Henry, ApogeeDev
dev@apogee-dev.com
Mobilehavoc said 2:09PM on 9-22-2008
Here's a conversion for you...
$4.99 for this app = no buy for me
Reply
Bryan Henry said 2:43PM on 9-22-2008
Hi Mobilehavoc -
Equivalence will be available for just $1.99 until October 6th. I had planned this to coincide with the coming 1.0.3 update, but the updated price unfortunately hasn't populated to the store yet. I'd check back later today.
Bryan Henry, ApogeeDev
dev@apogee-dev.com
Dave said 2:15PM on 9-22-2008
The $0.99 Units app by Crossroads Solutions is better.
Reply
SpinThis! said 2:19PM on 9-22-2008
The screenshot is a little funky. A pica is not a point—a pica is a actually unit itself:
* 1 pica = 12 points
* 72 points (pts) = 1 inch
* 72 picas = 12 inches
A quick Google search you can reference each conversion: [ http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=1+pica+in+points&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 ]
Reply
Bryan Henry said 2:41PM on 9-22-2008
Hi SpinThis! -
Yeah, I'm not quite sure why the screenshot shows that. Its likely because of the development version used in the screenshots, rather than the release version available on the AppStore.
The app definitely makes a distinction between the two, though, and you're correct about the numbers.
Bryan Henry, ApogeeDev
dev@apogee-dev.com
AdamY said 2:41PM on 9-22-2008
Why isn't there a screenshot in landscape mode? That doesn't seem like you TUAW...
Reply
tevetorbes said 3:16PM on 9-22-2008
The program looks neat, but you can do this for free without downloading anything by going to google.
It knows just about every unit conversion you can think of.
Reply
Zommah said 3:19PM on 9-22-2008
Units by Crossroad is definitely superior to this and every bit as powerful (also only 99cents).
So the 'hands-down' comment is baffling if you haven't tried it.
Reply
Bryan Henry said 3:39PM on 9-22-2008
Units is definitely good in its own respect, and its developer did a good job with it. It lacks Equivalence's power, however, because it as well as any similar app in the AppStore lacks this app's landscape mode. The landscape mode allows completely free-form calculations with units which is why I believe Cory says its "the best...hands-down."
Bryan Henry, ApogeeDev
dev@apogee-dev.com
Bryan Henry said 3:33PM on 9-22-2008
You can find some landscape screenshots at
http://apogee-dev.com/equivalence/screenshots.
Bryan Henry, ApogeeDev
dev@apogee-dev.com
Reply