James Thomson

@jamesthomson

Indie iOS / Mac developer from Glasgow, Scotland. Maker of the PCalc scientific calculator, and a cool dice app. Occasional writer, conference speaker, D&D player, and podcast pundit.

565 Following6,390 Followers436 Posts

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James Thomson@jamesthomson· Apr 1

A timely update to my #TTRPG dice rolling app, Dice by PCalc, is out now! This release adds three new dice themes including a 50th Anniversary tribute to Apple. There's also a blue velvet dice tray, and a variety of new features and fixes. iOS: pcalc.com/store/dice Mac: pcalc.com/store/dicemac

A screenshot of some six colour dice with a lil finder guy in each one.

A screenshot of some disco ball inspired dice.

A screenshot of a blue velvet lined dice tray with a lil finder guy and a banana for scale.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Mar 14

Once again, Pi Day rolls around, and I forgot to actually do anything substantial to promote PCalc. Even worse, I added Tau in the latest release, and the Pi people and the Tau people have been at war for decades. Don't ask… But the current iOS version is 3.14.x and so Pi wins today! pcalc.com

A screenshot of PCalc running on iOS and displaying Pi.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Mar 12

Some updates to my PCalc scientific calculator! Consider this the "new features that should have shipped last year" release. Mac: pcalc.com/store/pcalcmac Everything else: pcalc.com/store/pcalc

A screenshot of the advanced settings window of PCalc, with arrows highlighting some of the new features.

A screenshot of the themes settings window of PCalc, with arrows highlighting some of the new features.

A screenshot of the conversions window of PCalc, with arrows highlighting some of the new categories.

A screenshot of the key editing window of PCalc, with arrows highlighting the new image support.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Mar 11

It's still cold, but the sun is finally beginning to shine. What you really need in this confusing weather is a matching embroidered PCalc beanie and a t-shirt! Some new products in the extensive PCalc and Dice by PCalc merch range are available now at pcalc.fun!

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Dec 19

Dice by PCalc 2.9 is out now! My #ttrpg dice rolling app now fully supports all the 26 OS updates and has a shiny Liquid Glass redesign. I've also reworked the reroll function, so it better remembers the starting state of the last dice roll. iOS: pcalc.com/store/dice Mac: pcalc.com/store/dicemac

$A screenshot of Dice by PCalc showing a set of colourful dice that are refracting in a pleasing way through the new glass controls.$

A screenshot of Dice by PCalc showing the settings window which looks more in keeping with the Liquid Glass styling of the OS.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Nov 27

✨50% OFF BLACK FRIDAY SALE ✨ My calculator PCalc and my TTRPG dice app Dice by PCalc, are 50% off until Monday! PCalc for iOS / watchOS / visionOS: pcalc.com/store/pcalc PCalc for macOS: pcalc.com/store/pcalcmac Dice for iOS / watchOS pcalc.com/store/dice Dice for macOS: pcalc.com/store/dicemac

An infographic that says “BLACK FRIDAY SALE, 50% OFF UNTIL MONDAY, PCALC SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR, DICE BY PCALC TTRPG DICE ROLLING APP”.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Nov 26

The moment you realise the inner corner radius of the screen next to @samreich.bsky.social is _slightly wrong_ and you might be _slightly neurodivergent_.

A zoomed in shot of the screen in Make Some Noise, where the inner corner is slightly the wrong radius.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Sep 13

PCalc 3.14 - the π release! - is now out for iOS, iPadOS, visionOS, watchOS & tvOS 26: pcalc.com/store/pcalc As well as full support for iPadOS 26 multitasking, there's a new default dark theme, a Control Center button, and a completely reworked set of alternative icons, including dark variants.

A screenshot of PCalc running on iPad OS in a window as a small phone sized calculator.

A screenshot of PCalc running on iPad OS in a bigger window as an iPad class application.

A screenshot of PCalc on iPadOS 26 showing the new menu bar.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Jun 30

There's a selection of new Dice by PCalc pride shirts on my merch store, and I'm donating my profits from them to local queer charities. Why not treat yourself on this last day of June? pcalc.fun

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Jun 10

I've added some new Dice by PCalc t-shirt designs to the PCalc merch store! All my profits from them will go to local queer charities. pcalc.fun

A t-shirt featuring a dice design with pride flag colours and a 42 in the middle.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Apr 8

A small update to my #ttrpg dice rolling app. Dice by PCalc 2.8.1 fixes a problem with the display being black at startup, but the theme picker now also shows which dice support multiple tint colours (eg, the Six Colors or pride flag tints). iOS: pcalc.com/store/dice Mac: pcalc.com/store/dicemac

A window displaying a list of sixty dice themes for the app, laid out in a grid. Some are labelled as supporting “smart tints” and some as “new”.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Mar 27

Some of the new dice themes can display tints in different ways, and there is also now an editor that lets you create your own tints.

A collection of dice displaying a variety of different striped colours.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Mar 27

Dice by PCalc 2.8 is out now (finally)! This release adds support for iOS 18 and macOS 15, including Control Center buttons, and dark icons. There’s also a new picker which makes it easier to see all the visual options for dice in one place. iOS: pcalc.com/store/dice Mac: pcalc.com/store/dicemac

A collection of 3D dice - one set is white with six colour stripes on each face, one blue with radiating circles, one dark red with stepped ridges, and another that’s purple with triangles.

The new dice theme picker in Dice by PCalc, showing all the dice themes in one place. Some are tagged with a “new” icon.

The new dice tint picker in Dice by PCalc, showing a list of colours that can be applied to each theme. At the bottom of the list are a variety of pride flags.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Mar 9

A pleasure to meet both Sam Béart and @davejones.actor today, they were both lovely people! I gave Dave a Pascal the Panda pin, and was pleased to realise later he was wearing it for the rest of the day (zoom and enhance).

Sam Béart with a traffic cone on their head, sat on a sofa next to Dave Jones, wearing a panda pin.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Feb 14

A bold new direction for the character, and I wish her well.

A sign at the cinema listing “Captain America: Bra”

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Jan 20

Ah yes, that is definitely the most important story of the day on the BBC.

Most read

1. Melania's striking hat and other eye-catching looks

2. Trump to declare national emergency at border in flurry of day one orders

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Dec 26

A Xmas gift of books written by the wonderful @emmasternerradley.bsky.social - this should keep me going for a while!

Three books - Silver Beasts, Golden Sea, and Copper Throne, all by Emma Sterner-Radley

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Dec 18

Reading this opinion piece about how men maybe could stop being sexist assholes in the TTRPG space… from Imagine magazine in 1985. Yeah, we totally fixed that.

One step forward in the battle to equalise the sexes can take place in your own game.

Why base your game world on an antiquated, highly biased, and uneven medieval society?

This is a fantasy game we are talking about, after all, why be limited by the background you initially receive? You are the only person responsible for the game you run, and the way it appears to outsiders. Wouldn't you rather be represented by a game which treats all its players and characters equally?

Fantasy role-playing games have grown and matured over the last ten years; there have been some big advances in ideas and systems. But the only way FRP is going to throw off the immature schoolboy image which it still retains in many people's eyes is by accepting that the traditional female role in fantasy is outdated and needs replacing.

Otherwise, we are going to be left with the chain-mail bikinis, and Frank Frazetta covers, which offend half the population, at least.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Dec 2

We’re going to be feasting on red cabbage tonight.

A pile of red cabbage next to a sign that says “£0.00 each”

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Nov 29

Finally, if you own all my apps already and just want some sweet PCalc merch, there's free shipping on everything from Cotton Bureau through Monday with the code EXTRAGRAVY (half price shipping outside the US). pcalc.com/merch

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Nov 29

My #TTRPG digital dice app “Dice by PCalc” is also on sale through Monday, 50% off for the low low price of 99c in the US. iOS / iPadOS / watchOS: pcalc.com/store/dice macOS: pcalc.com/store/dicemac If you were thinking of playing some D&D this weekend, it would be foolish _not_ to buy a copy!

A screenshot of the macOS version of Dice by PCalc, showing a wooden tray filled with dice.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Nov 29

PCalc is 50% off from now through Monday for our Black Friday sale! That's only $4.99 USD. iOS / iPadOS / watchOS / visionOS: pcalc.com/store/pcalc macOS: pcalc.com/store/pcalcmac This has been a difficult year, and my updates have been slow as a result, so your patience with me is appreciated!

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Nov 19

Babe, are you ok? You’ve barely touched your Blåhaj Mountain.

Quite simply the largest number of Blåhaj I have seen in one place.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Jun 7

Dice by PCalc 2.7.2 is out now, with a wide variety of pride flag themed dice! 13 flags in total currently, happy to add more! iOS / tvOS: pcalc.com/store/dice Mac: pcalc.com/store/dicemac You can also get matching PCalc shirts all year round: cottonbureau.com/people/tla-s... Happy pride folks.

A set of striped dice in pride flag colours.

A set of striped dice in trans pride flag colours.

A set of striped dice in bi pride flag colours.

A set of striped dice in twelve different pride flag colours.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Feb 12

I look forward to @ryannorth.ca writing Batman comics a decade from now.

A panel from the Fantastic Four where Sue Storm says “It’s public domain. You can print your own version called that.”

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Feb 4

It is impossible to read the footnotes in the Lower Decks comics without hearing them in @ryannorth.ca’s soothing voice.

Footnote reads: “DRACULA IS A CHARACTER ANYONE CAN USE, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN PUT HIM IN ANY STORY YOU EVER WORK ON! AND PROBABLY SHOULD. THERE ARE LITERALLY NO DOWNSIDES!” - that’s so Ryan!

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Feb 2

If you get an Apple Vision Pro today, and are looking for a native visionOS calculator, may I suggest my PCalc? It's a universal purchase with the iOS version, so you might even already own a copy! apps.apple.com/us/app/pcalc...

A screenshot of PCalc running on visionOS.

A screenshot of PCalc running on visionOS, rotated vertically.

A screenshot of PCalc running on visionOS, with multiple lines of display, in RPN mode.

A screenshot of PCalc running on visionOS, with two calculators both with different configurations.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Oct 26

Dice by PCalc, my #TTRPG dice app, has a new version out now with some scary glow-in-the-dark ghost dice. Ideal for Halloween-themed campaigns, or predicting the results of Apple's next keynote! iOS: pcalc.com/store/dice Mac: pcalc.com/store/dicemac It also adds support for Personal Voice on iOS.

A selection of translucent D&D dice, each one containing a cute little ghost that is looking at the camera.

The same dice, only now the lights are off, and you can see the numbers of the dice glowing, along with the eyes of the ghosts.

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Jul 27

Or superhero 😉

James Thomson@jamesthomson· Jul 27

Thank you! I did a mini photoshoot with Kathy Campbell when I was out in Portland two week ago, and that was one of them. A lot of great shots!