The Aura Toolkit App
The Aura Toolkit app for Windows Phone 7 has just been published to the Marketplace (Windows Phone Marketplace). This has been a project I have been experimenting with for quite a while and am very excited to have it available finally. As a quick disclaimer, this post contains some of my own opinion so bear this mind as you read on.
The main feature of the Aura Toolkit is the wizard that allows you to select Bobbin Drive and Flyer Drive ratios (by touch) and then it auto-magically can calculate the draw and twist per inch for yarn. It also has a selection of recipes as well as ratios and dimensions of the Aura. It uses the very cool Panorama control as well as some other neat bits I have found or made. The best bit to share is the price…
FREE!
Here are a couple of screenshots
If you have a Windows Phone and would like download it, look in “Tools and Productivity” in the Marketplace.
The question that I am sure is going to come next is “Where is the iOS/Android version?”. Well, <opinion>Microsoft has excellent tools, resources and online support. I find WP7 to be very elegant and innovative and produce quality apps in a short time. Also, it is easier to get an app noticed in the Marketplace as WP7 is ‘on the up’. I am very excited to see what the Nokia phones are going to look like which are going to be coming out before the end of the year and I also suspect the integration with Windows 8 (middle of next year) is going to be pretty special too. From what I understand iOS has a steep learning curve. Android does not have hardware standards and multiple versions of the software so making sure the app runs reliably everywhere is not easy. It will be WP7 only for a while unless I fancy some new challenges.</opinion>
So there you have it. Download it, review it, rate it, make suggestions (I already have some ideas for a newer version). It will remain free because we want to support Majacraft spinners and give you fun tools to help in your creativity.
You can get it here Aura Toolkit
Until next time.
Andy
Wow this looks awesome! Unfortunately I don’t have a windows phone I use an iphone so maybe someday I’ll be able to use this app 🙂
I just got my Aura last week and it’s a wonderful and gorgeous wheel!
I have an Iphone … (cry)
Fantastic idea but alas I also have an iphone with no plans to change.
Respectfully, I would think the customer who has an Aura would be the least likely to have Windows phone. Are Windows phones available anywhere yet?
You can look in any Mac magazine such as Mac World and find ads for developers who will take your idea and make an iPhone app. With all you have done so far it probably wouldn’t cost much at all, you could sell the app for .99 or 1.99 whatever needed.
If you still want to do yourself, the iPhone development tutorials and kit are freely downloadable on the apple site. Do a search for either. You have a good idea, why stop here? Hope you at least try Apple products. I’d never say they have a steep learning curve, that is their core appeal.
My husband is Apple certified technician, I studied Windows A+, by far the Apple course is easier, more straightforward.
The Aura I bought has the easiest learning curve of any spinning wheel I’ve tried, I love it to bits and would like to see your app some day! All the best to you.
Hi Megain,
Thanks for your constructive comments. I will take a bit of time to investigate the possibility of doing an iOS version as I am totally aware that most smartphone users (and who are users of Majacraft products) have an iPhone.
The comments about ‘steep learning curve’ were not the actual device usage – the user experience is excellent on iOS. It was referring to the actual programming in Objective C.
Windows Phone is definitely very small at the moment (only a couple of % I think) however, in the next couple of weeks Nokia (who are going to use WP7 exclusively now) are going to release their phones and I suspect (hope) they are going to be very good indeed. It is also a very nicely designed OS – especially with the Mango update in the last month – that is optimised to run well on hardware that would make Android chug.
I think it is time for me to stop as I will start sounding like a zealot and we might get on to a political or religious discussion 🙂
Sincerely
Andrew
(thanks again for the suggestions, I really love *constructive* criticism/comments)
Hi
I’m inclined to agree with June being one of your Aura lovers but having a most ancient mobile.
I love what this app offers but realistically I’m unlikely to ever to own a modern phone.
Could you make the app downloadable in some other way say from your website so it could be used on a computer rather than a phone?
Hi, I too have a Iiphone and have no intention of changing over. Come on, you owe it to us Aura users. Please, please, please!
Hi , I have just ordered the Aura and I stumbled across your site about the app.
I too happily am an iPhone user. Would love to be abe to access your offerings.
Me, too, on the iPhone, and the Aura is my main “go to” wheel for art yarn spinning. Perhaps it would be worth hiring someone to do it.
The Aura Toolkit app review! It is used for Windows Phone as iPhone etc. I appreciate Aura for my iPhone. Thanks!