Our First iPad App
- July 13th, 2010
- 45 Comments
It’s been a crazy couple of months over at Tapbots. Between potential lawsuits, Tweetie getting acquired by Twitter, and Apple releasing iOS 4 (and the iPhone 4!), we’ve been working on a little bit of everything. But being busy is a good thing. All of our apps are now iOS 4-ready and optimized for the retina display. And what our customers seem to want the most is our upcoming Twitter app. Yes, it’s coming…but not today.
Today is all about a tiny project we’ve been working on for the iPad (and iPhone).
Introducing Calcbot.
Yes, we went and created a calculator app. What’s the point? Calculators are always useful and Apple never shipped one on the iPad. There are other calculator apps on the App Store, but we weren’t happy with any of them. None of them brought anything new to the genre. Calculators haven’t changed in decades. We really wanted to make a better calculator and solve issues that plague them. I have two common issues with the average calculator:
- There’s no way to see my calculation expression so if I’m even slightly distracted, I lose my place. I almost always repeat calculations twice to verify the result.
- I’m bad at remembering numbers and I have no idea how those memory buttons work.
We think we were able to solve these two issues by creating the live expression view and history tape. The live expression view is not entirely new. It’s been done in expensive graphing calculators for years. But I have no idea why no one (as far as I know) does it for standard calculators. But we did improve on the concept by always providing a live preview of your final calculated value as you type. Use calcbot for a few days and you won’t be able to use a calculator without a live expression view again.
The history tape is also not a new concept. But we wanted it to be easy to understand and usable in every day calculations. It basically replaces the memory keys found in most calculators because you can recall any number (or expression for that matter) in your history. You can even append history values to a new calculation.
We finished Calcbot for iPad in little over a month. We didn’t want to spend a lot of time on it as we know people were waiting for some other Tapbot app and we also wanted to keep it simple. We submitted it to Apple and about a week later, it was approved and ready for sale…or was it?
tap tap tap-bots?
Around the time the app was approved, we shared our new app with tap tap tap. They make great iPhone apps and we occasionally share and bounce thoughts off of each other. Tap tap tap doesn’t only make great apps, they are the marketing geniuses behind Macheist and many highly successful iPhone apps. We make great apps (or so we’re told), but don’t quite have the knack for marketing. The guys at tap tap tap really liked Calcbot and wanted to help us make sure it succeeded. And I have to say, partnering with them on this app is a big win for our customers.
They pushed us to develop an iPhone version and make it universal. At first it may not make sense to buy a calculator for the iPhone since Apple already ships with one. But once you experience the expression view and history tape (and of course the Tapbots’ style), you really can’t go without it. The default calculator starts to feel archaic and bland. Another feature they pushed us to do is provide all the scientific functions that exist on the default calculator. They were kind enough to let us borrow their SwipePad concept for switching between different keypads. This was an original tap tap tap idea planned for one of their apps. And finally, with their ability to reach a much larger audience, we are able to sell this universal app (with very unique experiences on each platform, I might add) starting at only 99 cents. Partnering with tap tap tap on Calcbot has made it even better than it would have been and we are really excited to hear what you think about it!
We’d also like to thank Vincent Knobil, Yuzuru Shiraiwa, Filippo Spiezia, Martín Marconcini, Tobias Brummer for their great work in getting Calcbot localized.
But wait, there’s more!
In typical Macheist fashion, they are providing a great mac app that you can have for free, just by sharing the release of Calcbot on Facebook. That app is Socialite from Realmac Software. Socialite allows you to interact with Google Reader, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Digg, and RSS feeds all from one beautiful app.
Just visit macheist.com/calcbot to learn more about the promotion.
Learn more and view screenshots of Calcbot for the iPhone and iPad.
Read tap tap tap’s post about our partnership on Calcbot.
Looks very polished. What I have come to expect from you guys! ;-)
Fantastic little app. I can replace both PCalc and Soulver with this. Never get tired of those clicking, whirring, sound effects.
I think I’m going to have a folder named Tapbot Awesomeness. Looking forward to this and the twitter app.
You guys are so good, I need only hear you’re releasing app and it’s an instant purchase. The history tape seals the deal for me. Please, please, please tell me you’re working on a personal finance bot. ‘Cause that would be awesome!
Merci for the thanks. It’s a pleasure working with you guys!
I’m so jealous! This app looks/work/sounds fantastic. I’ve already got it on my iPhone4 & its amazing.
May I just say that I am very glad TapTapTap pushed you to make an iPhone version. This was an immediate buy with almost no need for consideration at all, especially at that price. I would have happily paid more for it.
I just wish 2 things. 1, I had the design and coding skills of you guys, 2, I knew what font you used for the text on this site and specifically the publish button below where I am typing this.
Your apps bring a tear to developers everywhere. A “polished” calculator? Not happy with the current one? Why not consider bringing new features to the table, like functions and graphing. If not, then this is a complete waste of money. /shame
Very nice app. It would be awesome if you could put the history left of the keypad. It’s much more convenient to type on the right side of the display if you’re right handed.
Great App! Just installed it on my iPhone and am already happy to finally see my equations in full length! The default Apple calculator really sucks compared to Calcbot! It would be cool though to add buttons for brackets (like “(” and “)”) to enter even longer formulas at once.
@Dan Palmer
Wow perfect timing! I was just considering buying Soulver, but now this will definitely replace it. Gorgeous design… and I love the tapbots/taptaptap collaboration. Good work!
Just freakin’ release an iPad version of PasteBot already!
Beautiful (as are your other apps). I don’t suppose you’d consider making RPN entry an option for the really geeky people out there?
I just purchased it, while it nice it has a few issues. One is the same as the stock calculator which evaluates 2222 as 256 instead of 65536. 2222 should be evaluated as 2(2(2^2)). As there is no parenthesis, which is a big shame in my opinion
Really beautiful app.
I just decided to buy a calculator app, came on Twitter and saw this annoucement.
Perfect timing, now buying calcbot instead of calculatorhd !
Thanks!
Great app!
To accomodate both left handed and right handed people, you could have the keyboard show up on the left side when the iPad is rotated in landscape one way (home button on right side), and have the keyboard show up on the right side when the iPad is rotated in landscape the other way (home button on left side).
@Pascal we’re considering that one for a future rev
@Rich L I’m a big RPN fan as well
@apere006 every calculator i’ve tried does that the same way and returns 256
@Abhimat interesting way to implement that
Every botapp is an instant purchase! keep up the good work!
Overall i miss 1 basic button in the interface = “()”. for use functions like “sin” and “cos” i NEED parenthesis, P-L-E-A-S-E.
Now, the rest:
- The iPhone interface is just perfect, no changes, no features. Just the perfect app.
- The iPad interface could be better, in my opinion. I just think the buttons is way to big. The interface seems to be missing something, like “there’s a lot of space, and not so much thing to put on it, so, let’s make a giant calculator!”.
Why not add some basic math functions? I mean, solutions for x
Calcbot Rocks! I am a huge Bot fan!
You are so right I can go back as soon as i opened it and messed with it
the calculator app went in the folder with stock and weather (the folder I use
for stuff I don’t like and can’t get rid of)
Keep It up all my bot apps look stunning on the retina display!
P.S. did y’all notice some of the icons in Convertbot are not updated for the
retina display?
Thanks for everything
– Another Bot Fan Tanner
Fantastic. I have no experience with tapbots app but I bought it immediately based on recommendations from tap tap tap… Love the app. It immediately replaces my iPhone calculator. My only complain is I feel that there is a very slight delay. It’s not as zippy and smooth as I would have like – granted, I am running it on iOS 4 on a iPhone 3G. Any plans to optimize it further?
Well done!! Fantastic little calculator :) It has officially replaced the calculator on my iPhone. Can’t wait tot get my iPad now to try it on there too :)
Keep up the amazing work guys!!!
Calcbot is awesome! Sleek and polished way better than the default calc application. Thank you for that great work! :)
Nice app, please provide financial buttons!!
Calcbot is great, I pretty much buy Tapbot apps sight unseen now because I know they’re that good.
Any sense of when Pastebot and Convertbot will become iPad friendly? I hate double-sizing iPhone apps.
Calcbot is another great app of Tapbots. Well done!
But I have one suggestion: Wouldn’t it be better if you made the interface in a light grey like the other apps and make the icon in a light grey?
I’ve got only three apps from App Store on the first page of my home screen. Two of which are Pastebot and Calcbot from Tapbots!
You guys are like a great band. Products are well designed and well polished. Hey, you have a nice Japanese translator also. The localization is pretty natural.
Very nice app. Downloaded it right away, and it was exactly what i was expecting. I also hope there will come a note app sometime in the future. :)
Hope to see pastebot and convertbot become universal as well.
Thanks for another great app, folks. I own every app you have made and will continue to purchase what you put out. excellent work all the way round.
One request from a loyal customer: Please make Pastebot a universal app next. I get use from all of your apps, but Pastebot is one of the few that holds the coveted “indispensable” and “mission critical” labels in my book and a spot in the iPad dock. It currently works on the pad, but the experience is a bit lacking due to the interface translation.
Anyhow, Thanks again and keep up the good work.
crstfr
Hi, I seem to be having a problem with the button. For example, if I type 1000 – 10 I’m getting 999.9 as the answer instead of 900. This is the same with 1000 + 10% I’m getting 1000.1 instead of 1100.
However it seems to be working when I type 1000 × 10%, I’ll get 100 as the answer. Not too sure if this is a bug, but any help would be appreciated.
Other then that, love the app
Thanks, Jason
Sorry that was suppose to say having a problem with the percentage button
1000+10% (aka 0.1) should be 1000.1
I think what you are looking for is 1000+1000*10%.
I really REALLY love this app. It’s way better than Apple’s Calculator!
A little nitpicking;
- The animation when numbers fade in/out of the live expression view makes the app feel a bit sluggish. Please make the animation faster or make the numbers appear/disappear instantly.
- The app’s icon is a little dark and dull, especially on a dark background. Calcbot sits next to Convertbot on my homescreen, and somehow Calcbot feels out of place… Maybe you should give Calcbot a touch of light grey like Mladen suggests? That would make it feel more like a Tapbot :)
Other than that it’s a great app!
1000 + 10% (which by the way is 100) would = 1100 (the correct answer) this does not work on the Calcbot.
How can on get the “%’ Key to work correctly?
Example like calculating tax:
$1000.00 + 5% tax should/would + $1050.00.
Please Help,
Thanks
sorry + should be = $1050.00
What’s the score with the other apps for us iPad users? Will it be worth us going out and buying them now to become universal apps as a free upgrade?
Thank god TapTapTap pushed you to make it iPhone optimized as well! Don’t you ever dare to try to make iPad-only ever apps again!
Awesome! Just found the little joke you guys put in there. Hilarious!
@Peter the % issue will be fixed soon.
Used the app this weekend to do my bookkeeping. It made the experience so much less painful. Thanks guys on ANOTHER great app! xxx
I do think you need to give us a really good Cha-ching replacement. I don’t see any other iphone app company who can pull this one off. I already had a full line of tapbots in my phone.
I Hate how if you want to calculate the sin of 45 you must go
45 sin
rather than
sin 45
I’ve been happily using calcbot for a few weeks now guys – definitely one of my main ipad apps! love it so much!
now! to the inevitable request – weightbot, pastebot & convertbot need a porting ;) pleeeaasseeee!