Anywhere to suggest apps (i.e., I REALLY need this app)?

[atomheartmother]

Is there anywhere on the Apple website or elsewhere where I can send in a suggestion for an application I would like to be made and developers will see this suggestion? I really need the following app made:

It's really an extremely simple, basic app. In essence, it simply plays a beep/tone at a specified interval (e.g., it plays a beep every 10 seconds). So the features of the app would be to set the interval at which the beep plays and the number of intervals (i.e., total time). That's it.

I need it for conducting partial/whole interval observations.


I would even pay a handsome sum for it (maybe $10), if done well.


How hard is it to make apps and what must one do to do so? Keep in mind I know nothing about programming.


Conversely, does anyone know of a Mac app that would allow me to easily create sound files of beeps/tones at specified intervals that I could just download to my iPod as a sound file?

 

[gusious]

Well programming is very very hard. You can try posting this in the Programming section. Maybe someone there could help you although i think this thread is against the rules.......

Maybe the app you need already exists. Try googling it with a name that you think it may be named like timer app or something.....

 

[robbieduncan]

Posting it here is probably a good idea. I'm sure lots of developers read that and thought, that sounds reasonably straight forward, I can do that. The only issue I see with this app is how many other people would pay $10...

 

[atomheartmother]

Posting it here is probably a good idea. I'm sure lots of developers read that and thought, that sounds reasonably straight forward, I can do that. The only issue I see with this app is how many other people would pay $10...

Oh, I'm sure no one would. But in all honesty, given how simple and easy it would be to develop (for someone who is experienced in development), it in all honest should be a $0.99 (or free) app, given the vast amount of far more complex free apps out there.

Though, I personally might be willing to pay up to that. Even at free, I'm not sure how many people would download it.


Anyway, it doesn't look like I'd be able to develop the app anyway as it appears you must have Leopard to do so (I'm using 10.4.11).

 

[Jeremy1026]

Oh, I'm sure no one would. But in all honesty, given how simple and easy it would be to develop (for someone who is experienced in development), it in all honest should be a $0.99 (or free) app, given the vast amount of far more complex free apps out there.

Though, I personally might be willing to pay up to that. Even at free, I'm not sure how many people would download it.


Anyway, it doesn't look like I'd be able to develop the app anyway as it appears you must have Leopard to do so (I'm using 10.4.11).

If you don't care about it looking very pretty, it could be done in about 20 minutes. PM me, maybe if you provide me with a few more details I could make what you are looking for. I'd have no problem listing it as a free app on the store.

 

[robbieduncan]

Oh, I'm sure no one would. But in all honesty, given how simple and easy it would be to develop (for someone who is experienced in development), it in all honest should be a $0.99 (or free) app, given the vast amount of far more complex free apps out there.

Though, I personally might be willing to pay up to that. Even at free, I'm not sure how many people would download it.


Anyway, it doesn't look like I'd be able to develop the app anyway as it appears you must have Leopard to do so (I'm using 10.4.11).

You've fallen into the classic user trap of assuming that because something looks simple it's easy to program. You've admitted you know nothing about programing so why assume it's easy. Very little annoys me, as a developer, than this!

I also have a problem with this "it should be free" culture. There should be no free apps. Every single one is the result of developer time, skill and effort, not to mention the $99 they paid to distribute that app. How would you feel if I told you that you should not be paid for your job and you should have to pay to do it?

Having said that I might implement this as the basic requirement is not all that hard. If I do I'll post back. Won't be free though...

Edit to add: looks like you have a free-be taker so it's much less likely that I'll bother

 

[atomheartmother]

I'm not sure if this is against the rules to post this (someone tell me if it is), but here is exactly what it would entail for anyone who may be interested in making this:


Here is what it should basically do and what the interface should be (consisting of ideally two separate screens--main and play):

The main screen should have two things:

1. Set Interval - This should set the interval at the end of which the beep or tone plays. So, for example, with the interval set to 10 seconds, a beep plays at exactly the end of the 10 seconds. This then continues for the set number of intervals. So, in essence, there is a beep every 10 seconds, on the 10 second mark.

I suppose this could be done with either some sort of scrolling dial or (ideally) a box that allows you to enter the exact interval length. If there are no programming constraints on setting up each interval length, a range of 3 seconds to 10 minutes (with everything in between) would be nice. If that's too difficult, you could just have a set list of intervals to pick from (e.g., 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 7 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 1 minute...10 minutes). But being able to put in any interval length would be great.

2. Number of Intervals - This allows you to set the total number of intervals. The ideal range would be two intervals to maybe 100 intervals (or more if possible). This could done by either some sort of scrolling box or just typing in the number of intervals. Also, if in a little box underneath states the total time (basically, interval length X number of intervals) that would be awesome.


Then below those two options, there would be a Start button.

After pressing the Start button, you'd be brought to a screen that lists three things and the timing for the first interval would begin immediately:

1. Interval - This notates the interval that you are currently on.

2. Interval Time Remaining - This indicates the amount of time remaining for that particular interval that you are on.

3. Total Time Elapsed - This indicates the total time that has elapsed since the observation started (i.e., since "Start" was pressed).

If there could be another timer listing Total Time Remaining that would be helpful, but not at all necessary.


Below those, it would be great if there were Reset button or something that resets it back to interval one and starts it over (but keeps the settings from the main screen). Then, maybe in the corner, it would nice to have a little button that exits you back to the main screen.


*The key/most important thing is to get it to accurately and reliably play the beep/tone at the end of each interval.


Anyway, if someone should decide to make this, I would be willing to send him/her some money via Paypal if it is made like stated above, even if it is decided to be a free app.

Let me know if any of the above would be difficult to do, and we could make adjustments.

Thanks for considering this!

 

[atomheartmother]

You've fallen into the classic user trap of assuming that because something looks simple it's easy to program. You've admitted you know nothing about programing so why assume it's easy. Very little annoys me, as a developer, than this!

I also have a problem with this "it should be free" culture. There should be no free apps. Every single one is the result of developer time, skill and effort, not to mention the $99 they paid to distribute that app. How would you feel if I told you that you should not be paid for your job and you should have to pay to do it?

Having said that I might implement this as the basic requirement is not all that hard. If I do I'll post back. Won't be free though...

Edit to add: looks like you have a free-be taker so it's much less likely that I'll bother

Well, I have no doubt that it would be difficult to program. I simply mean that it would be relatively easy compared to many other programs out there that have all sorts of fancy GUI's, user interfaces, and such (e.g., Aurora Feint or something).

 

[atomheartmother]

Update: It looks like Jeremy is interested in developing this. If any other developers would at all be interested in doing this and could do it as outlined above, let me know.

 

[Ding.Dong]

It's really an extremely simple, basic app. In essence, it simply plays a beep/tone at a specified interval (e.g., it plays a beep every 10 seconds). So the features of the app would be to set the interval at which the beep plays and the number of intervals (i.e., total time). That's it.

There's a ton of metronome apps out there already. Is that not what you're looking for?

 

[liptonlover]

if I understand what you're asking for correctly, it seems pretty darn easy to write. If I had a paid developer plan yet I'd go ahead and try myself. But there's that, and I don't know anything about saving any type of files, let alone sound files. But I'm sure someone else here can. Good luck!

 

[atomheartmother]

There's a ton of metronome apps out there already. Is that not what you're looking for?

Not quite. That technically *could* work but I don't know of any metronomes that go low enough. At the absolute shortest interval that I could conceive using would be 5 seconds, which would translate into about 12 beats-per-minute (BPM). When you think about music, even 60 BPM is pretty slow, so I can't imagine a metronome meant for music going low enough for my needs, especially considering I'll often need to go as low as one BPM or lower (i.e., intervals exceeding one minute).

But essentially, yes: what I'm looking for is very similar to a metronome. But I'd like to have more control over it as is outlined in my above post about the program.

 

[atomheartmother]

Any other programmers out there interested in doing this? I haven't heard back from Jeremy in a while.

 

[Jeremy1026]

Any other programmers out there interested in doing this? I haven't heard back from Jeremy in a while.

I'm working on it currently. But it is on the back table behind a major project, it is something I goto when I need a break. I expect for it to be submitted to Apple by October 1.

 

[Pring]

Heh, I was actually looking for an app like this when I was playing a drinking game (Centurion) a few weeks back. Resolved to make it but I got so drunk I forgot about it.

I might look into it after I've cleared some other projects.

EDIT: Or not bother if Jeremy's got it in hand

 

[jstanier]

EDIT: Or not bother if Jeremy's got it in hand

Consider this my position too.

 

[atomheartmother]

I'm working on it currently. But it is on the back table behind a major project, it is something I goto when I need a break. I expect for it to be submitted to Apple by October 1.

OK thanks. Sounds great. I PM'd you a few days ago to check on this and didn't hear from you, which is why I posted here again.

 

[zap2]

There should be no free apps.

What? Fine you want to charge for your Apps, but you would really force Ubuntu and other Linux distros to charge for their product, when they don't want to?

 

[Niiro13]

What? Fine you want to charge for your Apps, but you would really force Ubuntu and other Linux distros to charge for their product, when they don't want to?

No, he's saying that we shouldn't complain when a developer charges for an application. If they don't want to, then fine. But if they do, we shouldn't rip just because Linux is an entire operating system and is free. If we compare to those standards, virtually everything in this world would be free.

 

[TodVader]

As a programmer, I can tell you that this app is VERY easy to make. I don't have a licence to sell on iTunes but if I did, Id do it for free in under 10 minutes. This is extremely basic programming.

 

[hobbbz]

You could build a web app to do this in very little time with no licencing problems. it might be an issue to make a beep but you could at least make the screen flash a color to signify it.

 

[atomheartmother]

You could build a web app to do this in very little time with no licencing problems. it might be an issue to make a beep but you could at least make the screen flash a color to signify it.

Well, there are two problems with that:

1. I needs to be on the iPod and not web-based as not everywhere (if not most places) that I'll be using it will have Wifi (I have a Touch, not an iPhone).

2. It needs to be a beep. The whole point of the beep is so that I don't have to look away at a clock or something. I need to keep my eyes on what I'm observing at all times.

 

[Aea]

Well, there are two problems with that:

1. I needs to be on the iPod and not web-based as not everywhere (if not most places) that I'll be using it will have Wifi (I have a Touch, not an iPhone).

2. It needs to be a beep. The whole point of the beep is so that I don't have to look away at a clock or something. I need to keep my eyes on what I'm observing at all times.

If it's possible to make the iPhone/iPod play sounds via JS you could just encode the whole page as a "bookmarklet" and that'd be all you need.