In continuous efforts to enhance user experience, I'm excited to announce the latest version of WhatPulse, v5.5! We've listened to your feedback and made significant improvements and fixes.

Let's dive into the details:

🎉 New features:​

In-application messages banner​

When there's a software update available, WhatPulse already shows you a nice message banner at the top of the window. We've added more important messages to show you, starting with a message when your computer is archived and unable to pulse. Introduced a few weeks ago, you can archive unused computers to clean up your dashboard. Starting with WhatPulse v5.5, you'll see a message inside WhatPulse if you happen to archive a computer that's still active.

We'll add more messages in the future, for example, when you achieve a badge or cross a milestone.

Key combination export​

The Export Wizard is a great way to get your WhatPulse statistics in a CSV format, which you can then process. We've added key combinations to the export options. Export the History of Key Combinations to get all the combinations during your day and see which ones you use the most. Or export them per application to see which combinations you use the most in specific applications.

Manual database backup​

It's now easier to create an online backup of your valuable local statistics with a new button called Start Backup on the Account tab.

📈 Improvements​

Bigger mouse heat map export​

Your mouse heat export image now scales perfectly to match your desktop resolution. No more tiny points on larger screens, providing better accuracy and visibility of where you click.

Auto updating​

We've reintroduced the auto-updating feature, making it easier to stay up to date with the latest WhatPulse versions. Enable the option called Automatically install new versions in the General Settings, and WhatPulse will check for new versions when it starts and install them automatically. Never miss out on the latest enhancements.

Translation testing​

To make it easier to translate WhatPulse into another language, the client now supports loading a custom translation file via a command-line parameter. This is very useful when you're creating a new translation and you want to see how it looks. Find more information about client translations and how to use this new feature on our GitHub page.

🐛 Bug fixes​

Network, network, network​

The high level of different measurements inside the network stack has made the WhatPulse network statistical journey quite a ride. WhatPulse v5.5 includes a ton of network measurement improvements, including a few bugs that could crash WhatPulse in certain conditions. Here's a summary:

• Fixed a bug causing high CPU usage when a network interface disappears.
• Resolved a bug where the client could crash when resuming from sleep, when networking was enabled, and there was a change in the computers network.
• Resolved an issue where the network interface IP address was not displaying on macOS.
• Optimized network interface counters for macOS, resulting in better performance and reliability.

How to update​

Version 5.5 is now available when you use the Check for Updates function, and you can download it from: https://whatpulse.org/downloads

Conclusion​

While this is not all (find all changes in the release notes), I hope this summary of WhatPulse v5.5 shows that we're continuously improving WhatPulse and hope to provide you with the best user experience and computer statistics possible.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates to come!

We are thrilled to announce WhatPulse achievement badges, a fantastic way for you to show your statistical accomplishments!

Starting today, active accounts will automatically be assigned our unique badges daily. We’re launching with 22 badges and will continue to add more. You can find a complete list of the badges and their requirements here.

Once you earn a new badge, you will receive a notification about your latest accomplishment. Your new badges can then be accessed and admired on your profile under the new "Badges" tab (figure 1, arrow 1):

This dedicated section proudly showcases your badge collection, allowing you to share and compare your achievements with others.

A keen eye will also see the “Latest Badge” (figure 1, arrow 2), which shows the last badge you’ve been awarded. Your latest badge is visible on your profile page, ensuring that your most recent feat receives the recognition it deserves.

Click any badge or badge title to open a window with more information about the badge, like when you unlocked the badge, and easy social media share buttons:

A growing collection​

We are excited to launch 22 unique badges covering a wide range of milestones. However, we'll continuously add new badges to offer even more opportunities for you to challenge yourself and achieve new ones. Keep an eye out for future badge releases.

If you have any ideas about what badges we should add, leave feedback here.

Happy badge hunting!

Through our working lives, we go through numerous computers and laptops. Perhaps you've changed jobs, and you've been given a shiny new Apple MacBook. Or maybe you've upgraded your battlestation at home with a custom-built gaming masterpiece. Either way, your old and unused devices are still sitting in your WhatPulse account and profile. Introducing: Archived Computers

Organize your unused devices with the new Archived Computers feature

You can now log in to your WhatPulse account and archive any computers you are no longer using. These devices will still be available in your profile, dashboard, and stats, but you won't be able to pulse to them. They'll sit in a shiny new Archived Computers section on your profile.

Additionally, archived computers will not count towards your 3-computer limit if you are not currently a premium subscriber.

Pro Tip: Premium users can have unlimited computers attached to their profile without ever needing to archive. Upgrade here.

How to archive your computers on WhatPulse​

Archiving your computers is super-easy! Just follow these steps:

• Log into your account on the WhatPulse website
• Head to Computers on the left hand menu
• You'll see a checkbox to the left of each Computer. Check the box for the one(s) you want to archive
• Click the Archive button at the top of the page
• You'll get a warning pop-up that you will no longer be able to pulse from these Computers. Click Archive
• Those computers will now be visible towards the bottom of the page in a new Archived Computers section.

Pro Tip: If you want to archive just one computer, you can click the Edit icon on the far right of the page for that device and change its name at the same time as using the toggle to archive it.

Archive a single computer and edit it's name at the same time

And that's it! Just another way to manage your computers and productivity with WhatPulse.

Happy Pulsing.

There are significant improvements in application handling. Previously, it was possible for applications not to appear on your computer profiles online, but this issue has been resolved. Additionally, the %TodayUptime% has been added to the stats available in the Geek Window, representing today’s uptime.

Other improvements include automatic sizing of the Geek Window, allowing for it to be made smaller, and automatic online database backups for Premium users. Previously, backups only occurred when the client was starting up, but now, they will also be created weekly when the client is running continuously.

For users on macOS 13.1 and above, there was an issue with the WhatPulseMaintenanceTool.app being blocked from running by macOS. Unfortunately, users will need to reinstall the client to receive new updates.

Privacy Policy Update​

Our commitment to user privacy remains as strong as ever, and that’s why we’ve removed Google Analytics and brought in Plausible Analytics, a privacy-focused analytics service. No cookies are used and no personal data — not even an IP address or browser user agent — is stored.

We’ve also added Paddle as a new payment processor. Review our privacy policy here.

Paddle for WhatPulse Premium​

Lastly, we’re also excited to introduce Paddle as our new payment provider for Premium subscriptions and one-time purchases. With invoicing support in 28 currencies, it’s now easier than ever to get your premium membership and access all the incredible features WhatPulse Premium has to offer.

Remember, upgrading to WhatPulse 5.2 before March 16th will ensure uninterrupted pulsing. As always, we welcome any feedback or suggestions you may have. Thank you for being part of the WhatPulse community!

We’ve added new stats in this release: mouse scrolls and distance moved. The mouse details page is completely redesigned to show off the new metrics. Scrolls and distance are also available on the website, including rankings and per-application stats.

Ever wondered how long you’ve been behind your computer this week? The new Computer Uptime page answers this question beautifully.

There are now also hourly mouse coordinate exports for Premium members, Geek Window customization is improved, and many tweaks that make WhatPulse easier to use.

We’ve also added support for macOS Ventura (13.0), and there’s a brand new client for Apple Silicon chips next to the existing Intel client. This’ll improve performance on Apple’s M1/M2 processors. WhatPulse also won’t require Rosetta anymore.

Before I dive into the WhatPulse 5.0 details, we’re also launching our yearly premium promotion to celebrate the start of the holiday season! Redeem the code HOLIDAY2022 at this link to get three months of free Premium.

Now, on with the WhatPulse 5.0 details!

New Stats: Mouse Scrolls and Distance​

Ever wondered how far you move your mouse across your monitors? Wonder no more! WhatPulse 5.0 measures mouse distance and translates it into kilometers and miles (depending on your location). Using the same historical recording as current stats (keys, clicks, etc.), you can see how far your mouse travels during the workweek compared to your gaming sessions. 😉

The Mouse page has been redesigned to fit the new stats, and you can switch between the heat map page and the details page easily:

New mouse heat map and detail pages

Additionally, we also measure mouse scrolls in every direction: up, down, left, and right.

Both scrolls and distance are available throughout the WhatPulse software and website. Put them on your Geek Window, export the data, look at your global rank on the website, and see in which applications you move the most.

MacOS Ventura (13.0) and Apple Silicon Support​

Apple released macOS Ventura (13.0) a few weeks ago, and WhatPulse 5.0 now fully supports it. There is now also a different download to support Apple Silicon processors. Up until now, the WhatPulse software was built for Intel processors, and while the Intel software ran pretty well on Apple’s M1 and M2 processors, it depended on Rosetta. That could impact performance and ease of use.

If you have a Mac with an Apple Silicon processor, please reinstall WhatPulse by removing the current version and downloading the Apple Silicon version here: https://whatpulse.org/downloads/

New Computer Uptime Chart​

First appearing in the Weekly Updates and Dashboard for the uptime throughout your entire account, the client now also displays the uptime of the last eight days in the redesigned Computer Uptime page. How much time have you spent on your computer during the week and weekend? Have a look:

New Computer Uptime page

Keen eyes also notice that the Favorite reboot days chart has changed from a dot chart to a pie chart, blending in with the new uptime chart. It looks like I’m not particularly eager to restart my computer on Mondays. 😉

User Experience, Feedback, and the Help Center​

Every release, we invest time in making WhatPulse easier and more intuitive to use, and this release is no different. For example, the Geek Window is better at remembering its previous position and is easier to edit. On another note, the update process is now completely automatic with one click update.

Another addition is a direct link to our Help Center to help you find articles on how to use WhatPulse. Next to that is a direct link to our Feedback form, as we increasingly would like to know your ideas about WhatPulse to drive the future of the software and website.

Feedback and Help Center links

So, when you’re using WhatPulse and have an idea to improve it or find something that can work better — click the feedback button and let us know!

Conclusion​

Sporting twenty-two changes and three new major features: WhatPulse 5.0 is another big step forward and increases your computer activity and productivity insight.

There’s more in this release than I can cover in this blog post, but I wanted to highlight a few more:

• Bug fix: Input and Network applications could show fewer stats than recorded when applications have multiple different folders from where it runs. An example of an application that does this is Discord.

• New: Add support for hourly mouse coordinate exports.

• Improved: Upload the computer profile (specs, hardware) after pulsing if the website doesn’t have a profile. Speeds up the computer profile visibility.

Find the complete list of new features, improvements, and bug fixes here: https://whatpulse.org/releasenotes/5.0/