Almost two months ago, my wife and I were discussing a noise generator app we’d used while our first child was very young. As we recalled the app and remembered how ugly and simple it was, I decided that it wouldn’t be very difficult to improve upon. A few minutes after our discussion, I tweeted:

Wife: “that’s a cool idea.” Me: “CHALLENGE ACCEPTED”

The first proof-of-concept for the app took me just over eight hours. I was able to loop static noises, and had some very basic remote control support in place. It worked, but was hideous. So I spent the next week or so considering some ideas and implementing a few of them. I collected some new beta testers, and started showing people what I was working on.

About a week before I planned to submit the app to Apple, I realized the design was still hideous. I scrapped the UI, and started fresh. The result was something much more satisfying, and I’ve sworn the beta testers who saw the first stuff to never reveal how awful it was.

Static is a noise generator that can be remotely controlled from other instances of the app.

In the end, this weekend app took almost two months to build. Even after writing software professionally for years, it still amazes me how hard the last 20% of a project is.

Static is currently submitted for review with Apple. Once available, I hope you’ll check it out. The app is free to try, with unlimited use of one sound (including full remote control capabilities). Additional sounds and future features can be unlocked with an in-app-purchase.