BitCam
| Category | Price | Seller | Device |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo & Video | Free | The Iconfactory | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
BitCam is the digital camera you would have used on your mini pocket computer back in 1996. We made it to celebrate the Iconfactory's 20th anniversary of making cool things with pixels!
The design brief for this app was simple: “What would we design today given the constraints of the past?”
What we ended up with shows how much technology has improved since we first started writing software for Apple’s products.
We stuck to a black & white interface because color graphics support back then was hit-or-miss. Some folks had it, some didn’t. A mini pocket computer would certainly need a color graphics card upgrade, and that hardware would cost you hundreds of dollars!
There’s also none of the typical animation we see in today’s apps. Zoom rects were used for view transitions, scrolling in credits was jerky, and chunky controls were par for the course. (And boy, were they hard to implement on today’s devices that do asynchronous layout and high resolution drawing without an XOR operation!)
We did notice one thing that hasn’t changed over the years: the importance of clarity and simplicity in a user interface. BitCam’s graphics are blockier, but have many of the same traits we strive for in today’s client work. (We kinda wish buttons still had borders, too.)
Retina displays, selfies and social networks weren't around in 1996. Coming up with terminology in BitCam was a blast: we tried as hard as we could to guess the future wrong! The only reason we got FatBits right was because Bill Atkinson had already invented it. He also came up with the dithering algorithm used in the app. :thumbsup:
Another big difference is today’s 64-bit processor: it can easily process the video signal at 30 frames/second. We throttled the speed to simulate the 16-bit processor in the mini pocket computer. Higher resolution settings are slower for a reason!
We even thought about the past while making the app’s promotional website. If you’re a web developer, take a moment to view the source at www.iconfactory.com/bc.html (even that URL is old skool!) Native apps aren’t the only thing that’s improved remarkably since we first started out!
And then there’s the price. BitCam is free to download and try out, just like the shareware we first sold at the Iconfactory. The difference now is that BitCam’s in-app purchase is 1/10th of what we charged in 1996. Your kind support will help keep us in business for another 20 years.
Finally, make sure to check out the credits screen: it’s our tribute to the folks that have helped us be a success over the years. There's also a fun, and retro, surprise!
Reviews
Edit existing photo?
Capt_Obvious_
I do laser engraving and this app would make it easy But unfortunately it doesn’t let you edit existing photos Update: fantastic and the best results of any dither app on the App Store, please continue to support this program as it will help my business as well!
good advert
Pool Noodles
saw an ad for this on twitterrific, downloaded in 1 second. i like it already
great app
blackpool86
having a lot of fun with this.just bought color upgrade,but for the life of me i cant figure out how to access my photos to be edited.i tried following your instructions and all i'm able to see are the basic options on the far left.maybe i'm being incredibly thick here,but i don't see any "edit" screen .pls help.
*LOVE* this app, but it needs an update!
Johnny-o-doc
The folks at Iconfactory are the best (if you’re a Mac-using artist or designer, you *must* check out XScope!). This is such a great app, but it hasn’t been updated in 2 years+!! Can you please update it for the iPhone X & Xs screens, at least? Pretty please?? Please note: I haven’t even marked down your rating in an attempt to force you to do my bidding! ? [Seriously though, keep up all your awesome work. I just downloaded Linea Sketch for my new 11-inch iPad Pro, too.]
Great :-)
ReviewerNickname1
Great app, a trip to use, reminds me of my GameBoy Camera. Love the old school sound effects too. Only 2 suggestions - maybe offer a greyscale mode also? Even the GB had B&W+2 shades or grey. The other thing is the adding Volume Up button shutter support. I find it makes Portrait selfies much easier.
So Cool
JaysG!
I’ve been a fan and customer of the Icon Factory for 50 years now. ;-) Yes we’ve both been around for awhile. The BitCam app is a wonderful blast back to the old 2 bit Mac graphics. The app or “Application” or even “Program” as they used to be called is nostalgic, simple and just plain fun to use. Friggin “Fat Bits!” Thanks Bill! Thanks Icon Factory.
