It’s been a long time since my last post (last June!), and my excuse is of course that I’ve been crazy busy ever since I started working full-time for Ratio Interactive last July.
Prologue: Pre-Ratio
Before I started working at Ratio Interactive, I spent about two years working on an “indie app” called iSyncr for JRT Studio. It’s an excellent Android app that allows you to sync your iTunes music and playlists to your Android device via USB or WiFi – specifically, I worked on the WiFi syncing solution, including both the Android app code (Java) and the server applications for Windows (C#) and Mac OS X (Objective-C).
I also co-wrote a similar app called Cheetah Sync for JRT Studio, which is a handy Android app for wirelessly syncing files and folders between your Android device and your PC or Mac. Check it out!
Working on these two apps was my first foray into Android app development, and although I was only working about “half-time” on these apps, I learned a ton and now have the right to call myself an accomplished Android developer. I’m very proud of having had this experience.
Ratio Who?
What is Ratio Interactive? Basically, we are a small but talented digital agency composed of talented designers, software engineers, and project managers that develops top-notch web apps and mobile apps for Windows 8, iOS, and Android. We’re located in Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle, but our apps have a worldwide reach. We are especially well known for being the Windows 8 app agency, having launched over 20 apps for Windows 8 when it premiered last year, and we continue to drive the core principals of Windows 8 app design. But we are far from a Windows-only app agency, having developed several quality apps for Android and iOS.
Culturally, Ratio is a relatively small team of fun, creative, yet hardworking individuals who are passionate about creating great apps and websites. Where many software companies have sterile, impersonal cubicle farms, or isolated closed-off offices, we have an open floor layout in a loft office which lends itself to open collaboration among developers, designers, and project managers which allows us to be highly agile when working across various projects. It’s really an excellent, open working environment, and it’s a lot of fun.
Projects I’ve Worked On at Ratio
Even in just a few short months at Ratio, I’ve been involved in several different projects. Here are some of them:
iCookbook – Android
iCookbook is a handy app containing thousands of searchable / filterable recipes that you can use to cook up something interesting in your own kitchen. You can view the ingredients list for each recipe, preparation instructions, take notes, create a shopping list for recipes you want to make, and much more.
When I came onto this project in July, the initial release of the app was for Android tablets only, and I was tasked with updating the app to make it work better on Android phones as well, and I think it’s fair to say that we succeeded. We created an entirely new set of screens that are optimized for the smaller form factor of Android phones and yet the app experience is just as useful and capable.
Pirq – Android
Pirq is a really cool location-based app for finding real-time deals near your location. Want to go out to lunch and get a really great deal? Pirq can help you discover a great lunch venue on the cheap, sometimes as much as 50% off.
I must admit I didn’t do a lot of work on Pirq, but I did help fix a few bugs prior to its 2.0 release =)
New Android Project
I’m currently working on an Android project that’s so secret, I can’t even mention what it is. It is, however, a really interesting project and I’m really excited to be working on it!
Join the Team!
Are you a talented designer, app developer, or project manager looking for a great place to work? If so, you should consider working for Ratio Interactive. We’re always looking for talented front-end devs, iOS devs, Android devs, Win8 devs, graphical designers, and project managers who can help us take Ratio to the next level. You can contact us through our website, or contact me and I’ll see that your information reaches our talent recruiter’s desk.
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