[APP] Recast - weather and widgets Beta

[mstroud]

*Updated 9/11/2012*
Recast is a completely personalized weather and widgets application.

If you have ever wanted complete control over the look, layout and size of your weather and system widgets, your search is over. Recast lets you customize nearly everything about the look and feel of weather and widgets:

• One app works on phones, tablets and TVs!
• Choose from multiple, different weather icon sets
• Add as many locations for weather as you want
• Customize the data formats and weather providers
• Pick from a series of pre-defined color themes
• Select different fonts and typefaces
• Choose one of the multiple utility widget icon sets
• Switch between many different color and themed backgrounds
• Resize widgets to any size on Android 3.x and 4.x

Recast Paid version: download from Google Play Store (v. 1.0.6, 9/11/2012)
Recast Paid version: download from Amazon Appstore (v. 1.0.5, 8/31/2012)
Recast Free version: download from Recast website (v. 1.0.6, 9/11/2012)

Please note: all Recast versions prior to 1.0.4 must be uninstalled prior to installation and are no longer supported.

Release notes: can be found here

Help us translate Recast into your language by visiting this site

Here are the requirements to try Recast today:

• Supported Devices: nearly any Android phone, tablet or Google TV
• Supported OS Versions: Android 2.2, 2.3, 3.x, 4.0 and 4.1
• Supported Countries: everywhere on Earth, English only for launch
• Requires WiFi, 2G, 3G, 4G or Ethernet connectivity for access to the Internet to get weather data
• Requires Google Maps and Google Location Services to determine your location, time zone, sunrise and sunset times

PLEASE NOTE: The Recast Free versions expire on November 1, 2012. This is to make sure everyone stays on the latest versions of the app.

Full details can be found the launch site for Recast. Please leave any comments about the app in this thread or on the launch site and we'll do our best to address them as quickly as we can. Thank you in advance for all your help.

 

[mstroud]

Some people reported problems with the first download link. An alternative link is now provided that should work for those still having issues.

 

[mstroud]

OK everyone, Beta 2 is now posted. Take a look back at the first post in this thread for details or visit the Recast web site for details.

Let us know how this one works for you. We're hard at work on the next beta version and fixes for things you folks have already reported.

Regards,

Micah Stroud

 

[_JKK_]

I'm downloading this. Looks interesting Very interesting, actually.

 

[_JKK_]

I loaded it up, and it shows promise. However, if I were you guys I'd focus on trying to make the interface more ICS-like in its fonts and typefaces, as well as the icons. On my Galaxy Nexus, it feels pretty shocking to move from something like Boid (a very good example of an ICS app) to this, with its custom everything.

Just my thoughts, and I'll keep an eye on it

 

[3rdpig]

I installed this app a few days ago and so far I like it. The widgets are excellent as are the font choices.

A couple of suggestions if I may?

1. A time zone for Arizona. We're on MST but we do not go on daylight savings time.
2. More choices of weather providers, Google is ok, but Weather Underground is far more accurate.

 

[mstroud]

JKK Photography, thanks for the feedback. We're not too sure what you mean by " focus on trying to make the interface more ICS-like in its fonts and typefaces". Recast uses the same exact font (Roboto) as ICS does. If the OS includes that font, we use it. On older OS's we use the Droid font because that is what is present.

All dialogs, popups, menus, pretty much everything inside the app uses Roboto on ICS systems, so we're at a loss as to why you think it doesn't look ICS like. We also use the Google Android UI patterns for design and layout, and we compile against the API 14 level, so to us everything is completely native.

We did take a look at the app you mentioned and we really aren't that different. List views are list views inside of Android on 4.x, so unless you are referring to our use of images and custom headings we're stock the whole way. Take a look at our Settings > General or About screens... they are bone stock.

 

[mstroud]

3rdpig, thanks for the feedback. We're aware of the DST issues and they should be addressed in the next beta release.

On the weather provider front, unfortunately we can only use Google and World Weather online. Accuweather, Weather Underground and others are prohibitively expensive for we small developers to use. In fact, when we tried to contact these providers they basically told us that until we had millions of users (and dollars) to not bother with them. This can always change in the future, but for launch we'll stick with what we have.

 

[mstroud]

OK folks, Beta 3 is now posted. Jump back the top of this thread for details and the link.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are upgrading from any previous version of Recast and want all the new widgets, fonts and Celsius/Metric settings on your device you must uninstall all previous versions of Recast before updating to Beta 3.

Let us know how it goes. And thanks, as always for your feedback!

 

[jfo7404]

Downloaded tonight and looks good. One thing I noticed is the option to use 24 hour click does not update the widgets.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

 

[mstroud]

jfo7404, you need to change the 24hr settings in each location that you want it to apply to. Go to Recast > Settings > Locations > Location name and set every item that you want to show 24hr time to that option.

The settings in "General" apply ONLY to new locations created AFTER the moment that the time format is set. This is something we will improve in the next beta release.

Thanks for your question.

 

[mstroud]

Beta 4 is now available to try. Check the top post for details.

 

[mstroud]

We've just posted Beta 5 for everyone to grab.

 

[Scooter_In_MN]

Like the look and seems to function without a hitch. The Google Maps requirement is a deal breaker for me. That is the first thing that I uninstall when I get a phone. It's not worth the 4 extra hours of battery life.

 

[mstroud]

scooterinmn, thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately the only reliable and API available location provider we have to use is the Google provided Maps API. Without access to this Recast (and the majority of other weather apps on the market) would be unable to find your current position, get the latitude and longitude, and submit that data to weather providers. It simply isn't feasible to roll-your-own location service in the development world today.

 

[cmb6]

I have replaced Beautiful Widget's app with Recast. Good job.

 

[mstroud]

cmb6, thanks. We are glad you like it. Keep checking back with us as we get ever closer to the final release of Recast.

 

[mstroud]

We made it into the Google Play Store. Check out the final version there!

 

[mstroud]

The new version 1.0.2 of Recast, for both Paid and Free customers is now available.