I’m a university student, and currently thinking about taking an iphone/ios course, where the task is to develop an app in the semester.
I don’t really have any idea yet, but I might as well do something unicycle related 
So If you have something in mind for an app, don’t hesitate to share.
Is there something you would really like to see, but doesn’t really exist yet?
How about a unicycle designer, where you can take existing unicycle parts of all kinds and put together custom unicycles with the option to paint everything different colors?
How about something useful instead? I know, so your next question is “What?” I’d probably enjoy having a handheld version of this web site. I think that’s more of a web-coding thing though, and not so app-ish.
How about a Unicyclist-finder? People would have to register, I suppose, but then they could find each other. That might be useful for a few people. Or a ride-logging app? Feed it the details of your ride and it keeps a record of it, which you could use for training. This probably exists for other sports, and might be hard to make it uni-specific in a meaningful way…
I know, how about a Unicycle Picker app? One of the most common questions here on the forums is “what unicycle should I buy?” It could ask a series of questions of the user to help them determine how they’d like to start. Budget questions can help them determine between a super-cheap learner, or a more robust cycle they can use long-term. Then the many possibilities of different unicycle types; explaining what they are, what they’re for, the differences between each, etc.
You could make a unicycle version of this:
seeing as how we’re not allowed to use that
Well doesn’t he sound like a right arsehole…
Cool, I’m studying Software Engineering and have been thinking of making some kind of unicycle game for Android or Facebook, but wasn’t really sure what… johnfoss has some good ideas.
Me too, but we’re supposed to develop several apps and we’re looking for local sponsors. And I’m not thinking about taking the course, I’m already well into it.
Maybe, but I ain’t writing it unless UDC or someone pays for it, and a flash plugin on their website would be better for that anyway.
Yup.
Yup.
I don’t recall similar things ever working in the past and don’t see why an app for it would be any different, plus it would just be the same as web stuff–insert stuff into forms, browse results, eh?
Though one could probably cook up a more elaborate social networking thing… upload pictures of the unicycles that you own… click to message a specific unicyclist…provide the current gps locations of nearby unicyclists… … hmmmm… too stalkerish? 
Yup…
The most important part of that app is just a big online database.
Plus it’s probably not open source (though I haven’t checked their site to see) so making a uni version would basically be an exercise in cloning an existing app without a source for no real added functionality.
…nah, you could add functionality. I’d add options to mark good trials spots or whatever as specific locations, perhaps along en route, plus add pictures of them.
Doable, but I don’t want to pay for webhosting and getting a userbase going to start building the database would prolly be a pain.
Not a very interesting app, especially if it’s just a bunch of data all hard-coded into the app. The only thing that would involve any programming would be writing the xml files for the layout of the app. Might as well just link them to the uni wiki or something.
OK serious thought here - how accurate is the accelerometer on the iPhone, and is it 3 axis? I think I’ve also heard about a gyro. How about a motion logging app for use when learning stuff - you could record what happens when you do it right, and compare the trace from when it goes wrong to see where it went wrong. Or even if it’s something you can learn in stages, compare the recording of doing the whole trick (when you’re getting it wrong) with the recordings of doing the different bits right - which might help understand which bit you need to work on.
Probably not all that useful in the real world, but then you weren’t necessarily after something useful were you?
Have a look at Sheldon Brown’s webpage. He has a bunch of calculators that allow you to work out gear inches for bikes. You could do similar. Calculate maximum speed for a given wheel size and cadence. Or a calculator that allows you to compare gearing combinations in bikes with wheel size/crank length combo’s on a uni.
You could also do it for penny farthing wheel sizes.
This one’s right up my alley. Data collection and modeling.
Most of my knowledge of how the accelerometer works comes from skimming over the source code for a poorly-functioning pedometer, though.
1)strap tablet/mobile device to torso
2)hit start button
3)attempt maneuver
4)hit stop button
5)???
6)muhahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa
Just a thing though, unless doing XC i dont like to carry stuff in pockets, so the likes of a gyro type of app would be pointless
End of the day wen practising tricks and you fall, you dont want to be breaking your fone
Haha, if I were to make that particular kind of app it wouldn’t be to try to sell it or market it as being particularly useful to anyone. It would just be entertaining for me personally. This is what I do for fun 
Might be able to get a seminar project out of it, too.
App that does the same thing as a spreadsheet that can be made in 10 mins, and probably not as well, = not interesting.
App that can collect and help analyse all kinds of cool new data = very interesting.
I’ll only code boring stuff if I’m getting paid for it 
Exactly - as I said when I suggested the idea, it’s unlikely to be useful to anybody, but like Heretical (I can call you that can’t I? 
) I’d find actually developing an app to do that interesting, and who knows there might be useful spin-offs. We’re talking about uni projects here, where the point is in writing the code - I’d think you ought to get pretty decent marks if you can do anything sensible with accelerometer/gyro data.