Awesome Software

Altitude Conversion for Running

Our latest product, altidude performs altitude conversions for running.  Unlike most altitude conversion tables, which give a fixed time allowance, our software predicts your actual sea level time from your performance at altitude.  The reason a fixed time allowance is less accurate is that performance decreases proportionally - that is, a 30 minute 10k runner and a 40 minute 10k runner will both slow by the same percentage at altitude, but the amount of time represented by that percentage will be more for the slower runner.

For example, imagine that both runners slow by 3.3% at roughly 5000 feet altitude.  The 30 minute 10k will become 31 minutes: 30 + (30 * .033) = 31.  But the 40 minute 10k will become 41:20: 40 + (40 * .033) = 41.33.  Both athletes slow by the same percentage, but the absolute time difference is magnified.  Our software takes this difference into account automatically, so you always get a prediction tailored to your individual performance.

Submitted to Apple

Altidude, our first iPhone application, is now uploaded and pending approval from Apple.   The submission process was relatively painless, although there were a few gotchas in the last couple of steps.  For example, even though every single other image needs to be a .png, you need to submit screenshots as .jpg or .tiff files.  Also, the rounded corner/gradient effect?  Apple does that.  You need to send in a version with neither of those effects applied.

My advice: keep photoshop open while you’re preapring your app for submission.  You’re going to need a whole bunch of different sizes, shapes, and formats of your main application images

So, what kind of program is it? Briefly, it’s an altitude conversion calculator for runners.  When you run a race at significant altitude (such as Boulder, Colorado, where I live), you inevitably go slower than you would be able to at sea level because of the reduced oxygen in the air.  The amount of slowing depends on the altitude (and, to a lesser extent, the race distance).

If you have a 3g iPhone, with builtin GPS, it determines your altitude automatically.  Otherwise, you can enter it by hand.  Then you choose your race distance and enter your time, and the result is your corresponding sea level time.

In the wild

The first few copies of Smore are now in the wild … whoever you downloaders are, thank you!  It’s always a neat feeling to have strangers downloading your software.  I hope you like it!  If you don’t, I hope you’ll let me know; if you do, I hope you’ll let someone else know!

It has been a valuable and fun tool for our development team to have in Campfire chat.  Ours has even developed a bit of his own personality.  Sort of.  Mostly he heckles, and sometimes he sulks, but he always talks in all caps (this is a hard-coded feature of Smore: it always shouts into the Campfire room) and he is not quite as good as the rest of us at mastering the shortcuts available in the shared chatroom.  Hopefully that will improve with time!

Beta!

Not that anyone reads this blog, but the beta version of my new companion tool for Campfire is ready.  If you want to beta test it, drop me a line using the form on this page, and I’ll set you up with a copy and a license key, so you can access the cool bonus features!

What is this program?
It’s called “Smore”, and it is a mac desktop program that provides a shared anonymous account for campfire chat rooms.  It’s handy for providing semi-anonymous suggestions, sending messages into a room you can’t read, and generally heckling each other.

What is Campfire?
Campfire is a web-based chat tool from 37signals; it provides web-based shared group chat.

Want to try it?
Thanks!  Just fill out this form, I’ll get you set up!