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Category: Utilities
Developer: Neuwert Media
File Size: 0.7MB
Version Reviewed: 1.2.1
Requirements: iPhone 2.0 software
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
Price: $0.99

The App Store is full of conversion apps, but how many do we really need? One, unless you never convert anything. Measures is a conversion utility that is cheap, fast, and intuitive. If you convert between units often, then a conversion app like Measures is definitely something for you to consider.

This app’s main focus is usability, and it shows. The app has only one view with wheels at the bottom to select the units to convert from and to. The leftmost wheel has a picture for each category. The right two wheels have abbreviated names of units. At the top, your values are displayed along with the full names for the units of measure currently in use. The only thing missing is a negative button to accompany the numeric keys.

Conversion is amazingly simple. Select a category and unit to convert from followed by the unit to convert to. Enter a starting value and you have your converted value. That’s it. It’s really easy and fast. Then, if you wish, you can browse other units to convert into and watch the value change. If you change categories, selected units are saved within categories. So, if you switch back to a category, you don’t have to scroll to find the last units used.

The GUI has two skins, but the “Elegant” skin is pretty consistent with the type of interface you’ve come to expect from in an iPhone app. You can even shake your iDevice to either swap conversion direction or clear your value.

There are hundreds of units sorted into over 20 categories, many of which I’ve never heard. That’s a lot of units to sort through, but it’s easy since you can customize the app in a number of ways. You can choose your four favorite unit conversions, and these will get their own dedicated buttons. Also, if you never use certain units, just deactivate them and you never have to see them again.

The app also includes a calculator so you don’t have to switch out of the app to do some calculations (especially to your initial conversion value). To access calculator functions, just tap the display and the unit selection wheels are replaced with buttons. I personally find the calculator a little clumsy, but it is still useful. A calculation can be performed on the initial value, and its resulting value will be shown along with its conversion, which is handy. Sadly, the calculator is the only way to enter a negative number since the negation button is hidden away with it. It also houses a slider to change the decimal accuracy.

Currently, Measures supports length, area, weight, volume, temperature, time, fuel consumption, data storage, speed, currencies, acceleration, pressure, energy, power, force, torque, angle, charge, density, luminance, SI prefixes, flow, radioactivity, magnetic flux, magnetic flux density, clothes sizes and show sizes. It’s amazing how many units are supported. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have fun discovering new units and how they relate to ones you’re actually familiar with.

A note about currencies. Since exchange rates can and do change so quickly, they are updated daily. Every time Measures is launched, it checks how old the rates are and updates if necessary.  This feature can be turned off if desired.

Neuwert Media is all about listening to the user’s needs, so if you find a conversion missing, just contact them and they’ll do their best to add it.

Overall, I like this app. Admittedly, I don’t convert between units of measure all that often. But, if you do, then this is a great app to help. Conversion is fast, easy and intuitive. However, the calculator doesn’t fit my style, and I don’t like that you need to switch to the calculator to access a negation button. This needs to be fixed. Otherwise, it’s a great app and a solid choice among conversion utilities.