Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Developer, iPhone, App Store
Convertbot updated to 1.1, adds more units to convert
I haven't had much use for Tapbots' Weightbot, even though I actually am currently watching my weight, but I really appreciate the look and feel of the program -- it's one of the most polished apps on the App Store. And Convertbot is no different -- while the actual situations where I need to convert units are pretty few and far between, the app is just so intuitive and polished that you look for ways to use it, from the stylistic user interface to the little beeps and clinks that make the buttons feel as tactile as they can on the iPhone's touchscreen.And now there's even more opportunities to use the app: with the newest version 1.1, out now in the App Store, you can convert more than 100 different units, everything from angles to lengths to cooking volumes to even speed, time, and work (I can't remember the last time I had to convert BTUs to Joules -- high school? -- but this app can do it).
At just 99 cents, it's definitely worth trying out, if you're a fan of quality iPhone apps at all. I kind of wish Tapbots would aim a little higher, but then again, this is kind of their thing: taking really simple apps and polishing the heck out of them until they shine way past their basic functions. It would be interesting, though, to see what they could do with a bigger concept.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jb.seymour said 12:22PM on 4-21-2009
The million dollar question is:
Does it convert velocity or speed into Furlongs/Fortnight which equals 0.00037202381 mph. If not they need to add it.
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airmanchairman said 1:54PM on 4-21-2009
LoL. Or Chains per Leap Year to Poles per Lunar Month...
Galley said 1:08PM on 4-21-2009
What about Force measurements?
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Justin said 1:19PM on 4-21-2009
Just got this yesterday thanks to TUAW's giveaway! I've played around with it and it's pretty slick.
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petey said 7:37PM on 4-21-2009
i stopped reading this blog for 3 months because there were far too many long-winded, fawning reviews of iphone apps. i see nothing has changed. see you in july... maybe.
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AlanY said 2:05PM on 4-21-2009
Sadly, the iPhone seems to have drawn away the attention of a big chunk, perhaps the majority, of Mac software developers. The flow of new Mac apps has really slowed down.
I do agree with you though, all this iPhone stuff should be a separate blog.
jb.seymour said 2:43PM on 4-21-2009
Why not use the iPhone free version:
http://www.tuaw.com/tag/@not-iphone/
Sax25 said 2:24PM on 4-21-2009
eh.. why is it so difficult for them to implement ALL world currencies? To me that is really the only thing that is not great about this app. All other currency converters can handle all currencies, so why do they just pick and choose? The same way all these other currency converters tap into an online location to get all the currencies - convert bot should do the same. When this app handles all world currencies with an option to update to ensure you are getting the most current rate - only then will it be worth it.
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Tapbot_Paul said 2:58PM on 4-21-2009
1.1 supports around 130 different currencies. You can look here for the full list.
http://tapbots.com/convertbot/units.php
nicleT said 3:34PM on 4-21-2009
Suggestions: I would like to see movie Frames to seconds conversion for movie creator. Also a very original one (and useful for musicians) would be: measures/bpm to minute-second. What do you think ?
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Mike said 3:56PM on 4-21-2009
The number of times I have gone into a grocery store with a shopping list with ingredients in one measurement and the packages listed in another (shredded cheese is a main offender) is easily worth $1.
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amiga_tone said 3:58PM on 4-21-2009
Ummm... That logo they are using is a corporate logo for CityRail in Australia. Is that legal?
http://www.cityrail.info/
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Taeun said 4:26PM on 4-21-2009
If that's the case, TUAW is using the Carl's Jr. logo for their comment rating system: http://www.carlsjr.com/
mentalsticks said 4:48PM on 4-21-2009
Taeun's point being, and rightly so, that this double arrow is a rather generic symbol. i'm pretty sure that cityrail isn't the only railway to use it, for starters.
Robert said 4:13PM on 4-23-2009
They are not exactly the same. The app's sync button has a sharp triangular edge on the top and bottom, but CityRail has a parallelogram shape on the top arrow and bottom arrow.
Plus the CityRail logo is not registered in the Australian Trade Mark system:
http://xeno.ipaustralia.gov.au/search/
And if it were, it would be registered in the transportation industry, and probably wouldn't apply to a calculator.
Dyranios said 10:30PM on 4-21-2009
lol why do you report on this .1 upgrade so many (better) unit converters have been out for alot longer i wonder how much they paid you or w/e
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