InfiniTime Blue-purple Elderberry - stability & Metronome app
Exactly one month after Dragon Fruit / 1.1, here's another InfiniTime release, bringing stability, a new Metronome app, and the support of a new accelerometer (the BMA425).
Why a new release so soon?
The release does not bring a lot of new "obvious" features, however the ongoing shortage in electronic components had an impact on the PineTime itself: the BMA421, Bosch's accelerometer used by the PineTime, was no longer sourceable by the factory.
The factory proposed to used the BMA425 instead, which, although very similar, meant that the InfiniTime software had to be changed to support it (e.g. take into account the BMA425 chip ID).
JF decided to release this 1.2 firmware, which includes compability with the BMA425, so that the factory can resume shipping PineTime devices.
What's new?
Besides the new accelerometer, Blue-purple Elderberry brings:
- an improved Stopwatch application (thanks to Riku Isokoski),
- a new Metronome app (by Bryton Hall),
- memory usage optimisations,
- bugs fixes.
Improved Stopwatch app
Subtle changes but very welcome:
- Numbers change color when stopwatch is being used:
- Green when running
- Yellow when paused
- Laps are displayed in yellow
- UI is more intuitive:
- Stop and start icons are side by side
- Stop icon changes to Lap icon when app is running
If you want to compare with the previous version, there are some pics in this article.
New Metronome app
Another useful app which seems basic but is well delivered.
The idea is that you define how many beats per minute (BPM) you want, as well as
beats per bar (BPB, i.e. a slightly stronger accent), and then the app uses the
vibrator to give you the tempo.
In the above screenshots, the app will vibrate 120 times per minute (2 times per second), and will produce a slightly stronger vibraton every 4 vibrations.
I can think of many usecases for this app, such as when running (to help me achieving a target cadence), or for musicians (piano, guitar, ...).
Memory usage optimisations
The PineTime has limited memory available: 512 KB of internal flash, with 4 MB of additional external flash, as well as 64 KB of RAM.
It becomes challenging to include new features because of a lack of internal flash, therefore JF has started some analysis (here and here), which allowed better understanding the memory consumption, and improve the size of the firmware, and the memory usage of some apps (e.g. Navigation app).
More to come soon, but that's a good start!
Bugs fixes
Have a look at the Commits done since Dragon Fruit to get more details, e.g.:
What's Next?
The InfiniTime projects does not slow down, and I'm glad to see so much new stuff happening!
JF mentioned in the release notes of 1.2 that there are many things in the work, so pretty excited about the future!
As often, looking at GitHub or Twitter is a good way to find out what will happen, and in that case, this GitHub project aims at storing health/fitness data, and expose them to companion apps such as Amazfish on SailfishOS, or GadgetBrige on Android.
With that, thanks for reading, and enjoy your InfiniTime upgrade!
Tags: PineTime