A few months back I wrote a post of what I should do about Obtain. The app hadn’t and still hasn’t made much money, but it still held a special place for being my first personal app in the store in many many years. I ended up on deciding to keep it in the store. I did push an update or two since then, but it really hasn’t seen any real love in over 8 months.

With stepping away from kernel I now have some time (not a ton, but some) on my hands. So I went back in to check things out 🙈.

Little back history Obtain was my second swift project ever, so it was definitely a code and learn experience. I also developed pretty quickly (in chunks) I wrote most of it in a a week in January 2017 (I think) then polished and finished it up in November-December of 2017.

That all being said the app needs a ton of refactoring (restructuring). So that’s the first step I took a couple nights and cleaning up the main screen and plan to submit that tonight. Next I plan to refactor the other areas a bit and then I really want to add a graph view so you can see your progress visually and add direct connect to Withings so I can remove their app from my device.

After those items are done I am not sure what will be next I still have some more features I would love to add, but not sure which will be next at the moment.

It’s never easy to walk away from something you’ve built, but after much back and forth with myself. I have decided to set away from Kernel and hand my half of the product over to Nikias.

There are a lot of factors that play a part, covid and the state of movies have definitely caused a lack of excited around the app for myself, but time is the main one. I still think Kernel has the potential to be big, but the time and dedication that it needs to get there is just more than I have to give.

So I did what was best and have stepped away. I will still have side projects its impossible for me not to be making apps, it’s my job, but its also my hobby. So for the time being I plan to focus on giving some much need TLC to Obtain, my weight tracking app and eventually move on to another project that will include some SwiftUI and a Mac app (which I am super excited about.)

I still have Kernel on my phone/watch and I plan to keep it there. It’s the best way to keep track of releases and the next update when released is going to make it even better.

Yesterday I filmed the first of hopefully many videos of me teaching my oldest Lincoln (8 years old), how to code.

We are starting out with Swift Playground’s Learn to Code sessions. Eventually the goal is for me and him to make a simple app together and publish it to the store. I have no timeline for how long it will take, but I am hoping to do at least 1-2 videos a week on it. They get super long, but if anything I like documenting the process for even just myself.

If you are interested in watching the first one is now live. My youngest Hudson (4 years old) comes in about half way through and add some comedic faces to the video.

Dear Apple,

Look I know it’s most likely not going to happen this year, maybe not even next. I also know if I had to program full time on an iPad it’d probably drive me crazy, but I still want it!

After building Kernel, which I wrote fully as I do all my other stuff on my 2016 15in MacBook Pro (no external monitor, keyboard or mouse). I also had to do some web stuff for the sharing feature of the app. So I turned to my 11in iPad Pro, Smart Keyboard Folio, and Coda. There were some pain points, but mostly it was just fun.

Yes, it was different, so that may have been a lot of what made it more fun, but still it was fun! And after developing for iOS for the last 8+ years anything that can bring a little more fun into my work life is a welcomed addition.

So, I am one of the (probably) many developers who cant wait for Xcode on the iPad and I am willing to take it in whatever form you (Apple) is willing to provide, as soon as they can provide it and when you (Apple) do. I plan to challenge myself to only use Xcode on the iPad for as long as I can. I am always jealous of all the iPad only people, I wanna try that so badly, but right now there just isn’t a reasonable solution for that.

Going fully iPad may not be in my future for a while, but even just the thought of being able to leave my laptop at home while I go on a trip or vacation. And use the iPad for any possible fires that arise while I’m gone would be the dream!

So Apple, Please Please give me Xcode for iPad.

Forever your fanboy,

– Brian 🤓

It was actually released the other day, but I haven’t had time to write a post about it in until now. If you haven’t gotten the app yet you can download it here.

The watch app is pretty simple as I stated in my last post. I want to keep it fast and easy to use. It was a ton of fun to create. I hadn’t been able to make one since ChoreMonster. I am also still super proud of the watch icon.

I still have a ton planned that I want to add to the app and plan to keep working nights and weekends to bring more and more features. Feel free to hit me up with anything you’d like to see

Also don’t hesitate to write a review for it if you have tried it out.

Thanks again,

-Brian

It was actually released the other day, but I haven’t had time to write a post about it in until now. If you haven’t gotten the app yet you can download it here.

The watch app is pretty simple as I stated in my last post. I want to keep it fast and easy to use. It was a ton of fun to create. I hadn’t been able to make one since ChoreMonster. I am also still super proud of the watch icon.

I still have a ton planned that I want to add to the app and plan to keep working nights and weekends to bring more and more features. Feel free to hit me up with anything you’d like to see

Also don’t hesitate to write a review for it if you have tried it out.

Thanks again,

-Brian

This weekend I built the watch app for Obtain. I still need to work on the complication, but I finished up the icon, interface and all the connectivity between it and the phone.

With the watch app I am keeping it simple. It displays your current weight, goal progress and the ability to add a new weight from the watch. I feel a lot of apps try to cram in too much info into their watch apps, which causes the app to take longer to load and in turn stops people from wanting to use it. Luckily my app itself was already simple, so simplifying the watch app was easy.

All in all there are only 5 variables that I need on the watch:

• Current weight
• Current goal (Next marker or main goal if Pro isn’t unlocked)
• Start weight for the goal (either your start weight or last goal)
• Weight type (pounds, stones, kilograms)
• And if Pro was purchased (which is required to add a weight from the watch)

For now, I decided to store all these items in UserDefaults rather then bringing over CoreData or any other type of data management. In my opinion with 5 items anything else would be overkill.

All that being said. It was a blast to work on the watch app this weekend. The watch is still my favorite Apple device. Sadly, I haven’t had many chances to work on the watch so making one for Obtain was a high priority. As I stated before I still need to work on the complications and hope to finish them next weekend 🤞. I’ve never done them before so looking forward to learning something new. 🤓

Below is a short video of the watch and iPhone app doing their thing.

This weekend I built the watch app for Obtain. I still need to work on the complication, but I finished up the icon, interface and all the connectivity between it and the phone.

With the watch app I am keeping it simple. It displays your current weight, goal progress and the ability to add a new weight from the watch. I feel a lot of apps try to cram in too much info into their watch apps, which causes the app to take longer to load and in turn stops people from wanting to use it. Luckily my app itself was already simple, so simplifying the watch app was easy.

All in all there are only 5 variables that I need on the watch:

• Current weight
• Current goal (Next marker or main goal if Pro isn’t unlocked)
• Start weight for the goal (either your start weight or last goal)
• Weight type (pounds, stones, kilograms)
• And if Pro was purchased (which is required to add a weight from the watch)

For now, I decided to store all these items in UserDefaults rather then bringing over CoreData or any other type of data management. In my opinion with 5 items anything else would be overkill.

All that being said. It was a blast to work on the watch app this weekend. The watch is still my favorite Apple device. Sadly, I haven’t had many chances to work on the watch so making one for Obtain was a high priority. As I stated before I still need to work on the complications and hope to finish them next weekend 🤞. I’ve never done them before so looking forward to learning something new. 🤓

Below is a short video of the watch and iPhone app doing their thing.

So my app, Obtain has been out for a week. In that time it’s had 125 installs and 19 IAPs. Not setting any records with those numbers, but I didn’t expect to and I’m happy with the progress so far.

My goal was to get my own app in the store again any income it brings is a bonus. Yesterday 1.0.2 was released with a few more bug fixes, nothing major, also so far the app hasn’t had any reported crashes 🤜 🌲 (knock on wood).

Next up is to build the watch app, I started on it the other night and got the icon and layout finished along with requesting the data from the phone app and storing it locally on the watch. I still have a lot of optimizing to still do there, but I am hoping to finish that up this weekend. Then I’ll have to move onto the complications. I’ve never built those before so that may take a little bit of time. Goal is to have 2 sets. One for just launching the app and another for showing your progress towards your next goal (second one requiring the pro purchase, which will also be required to update your weight from the watch.)

After the watch is done I am going to add a Face ID /Touch ID /Passcode lock to the app so no one can just open the app as see your weight information. I totally understand and have used features like this before, so I want to get that out there ASAP and it should have had it in the 1.0.

Lastly I want to add in FMI (Fat Mass Index) for those that prefer that over BMI.

Goal is to have all this done sometime in January (shooting for no later then the 15th 🤞)

I also want to say thanks to all those that have downloaded, installed and gone as far to buy the IAP. It means a ton, I’m having a blast working on this app and I can’t wait to continue to improve it and create a couple more in 2019.

And if you haven’t downloaded it yet you can just click here to get it now. 😁

Thanks!!

Also here is what the watch icon will look like. I’m overly proud/excited about it. I am far from being a designer, but “designing” this app has been a lot of fun.

So my app, Obtain has been out for a week. In that time it’s had 125 installs and 19 IAPs. Not setting any records with those numbers, but I didn’t expect to and I’m happy with the progress so far.

My goal was to get my own app in the store again any income it brings is a bonus. Yesterday 1.0.2 was released with a few more bug fixes, nothing major, also so far the app hasn’t had any reported crashes 🤜 🌲 (knock on wood).

Next up is to build the watch app, I started on it the other night and got the icon and layout finished along with requesting the data from the phone app and storing it locally on the watch. I still have a lot of optimizing to still do there, but I am hoping to finish that up this weekend. Then I’ll have to move onto the complications. I’ve never built those before so that may take a little bit of time. Goal is to have 2 sets. One for just launching the app and another for showing your progress towards your next goal (second one requiring the pro purchase, which will also be required to update your weight from the watch.)

After the watch is done I am going to add a Face ID /Touch ID /Passcode lock to the app so no one can just open the app as see your weight information. I totally understand and have used features like this before, so I want to get that out there ASAP and it should have had it in the 1.0.

Lastly I want to add in FMI (Fat Mass Index) for those that prefer that over BMI.

Goal is to have all this done sometime in January (shooting for no later then the 15th 🤞)

I also want to say thanks to all those that have downloaded, installed and gone as far to buy the IAP. It means a ton, I’m having a blast working on this app and I can’t wait to continue to improve it and create a couple more in 2019.

And if you haven’t downloaded it yet you can just click here to get it now. 😁

Thanks!!

Also here is what the watch icon will look like. I’m overly proud/excited about it. I am far from being a designer, but “designing” this app has been a lot of fun.