One app for all

We’ve been keeping it on the quasi-down low, but did you know you can beta test the new RaceCapture App on Android? There are a couple of steps you have to follow to access the Beta version of the RaceCapture App in the Google Play Store – this lets people try an unreleased version of an app without disrupting the current production released version.

Try it out

If you’re running the RaceCapture/Pro MK2 or MK1 (v2.7.x firmware required) you should download it and give it a spin. Why? because for the first time, you can access all features currently available on the desktop/laptop RaceCapture app, but instead on your Android compatible tablet. It’s a step towards our ultimate goal: no laptops track-side!

Run it in dashboard mode to see your current laptimes and delta from best, then switch to configuration mode to calibrate your accelerometer, adjust a sensor channel or select your favorite race tracks.

It’s raw, baby!

It’s Beta! It’s got issues! Use it on a tablet first, because it doesn’t work well on phone form factors – we’re working out the scaling issues on some of the screens. You can read/write configuration from RaceCapture/Pro but we still need to work on saving configs to your local device. We’re working on some performance enhancements, too – like improving the configuration screen loading time (lazy loading: do you even!?)

Get the Beta app

It’s pretty easy to get access to the Beta Race Capture app. Follow these steps:

MK1 users: upgrade to the latest firmware!
Uninstall the current version of the RaceCapture app – there’s a limitation with the Google Play Store where it won’t upgrade the current production app.
Request access to join the Autosport Labs Beta Testers group. Again, this is the Google mechanism for accessing Beta versions of Play store apps.
Follow the instructions in the announcement section of the group. Here, you will learn how to switch back to the current version.
Make note of the major things that don’t work, and post some testing feedback – including the device you’re working with!

Here’s what’s new in the 1.2.4 version of the app, and the major things that don’t work:

version 1.2.4:

– Improved Bluetooth communications

– Background data service designed to exit gracefully

– Dashboard features completed (best lap tracking, live delta to best lap)

– Sleep mode disabled when loaded (for dashboard mode)

Still issues:

– Reading / Saving configuration still needs work

– Screen loading optimizations (need to lazy load config views)

– Basic analysis coming next major version

More platforms coming

iOS, Mac OSX, Linux – watch for support for these platforms soon!