I have a Surface...do I just use IE (tile or desktop) to get to the forum?
Any web browser will allow you to use the forum in the original experience it was meant to be used in. The Android, Kindle, and iOS apps were really added for those without reliable access to a useful browser. However, this does not preclude these apps from containing some interesting features of their own, such as push notifications. I would think the best scenario to use these apps would be when you have little to no choice in the matter, are on the go, or only have cellphone access, for instance.
But, there is good news to report this morning about the continued development of these applications. First of all, most of the show-stopper bugs, which many people complained about, whereas the Android/Kindle version crashed, have been repaired.
A major upgrade to our server-side application programming interface (API) for smart phones and tablets was made this morning. And, prior to that, another upgrade was published two nights ago. These changes do not require a software upgrade.
This morning, I have released the latest version of the mobile application to Apple as an upgrade. This version contains numerous bug fixes of high to critical importance. If you have been astute in examining the Android version of the app, you may notice that the format has changed to a drop down interface, rather than a side scroll to access navigation.
This is intentional, as the drop-down, buttoned version, is known to work quite well for Android, yet the newer side-scroll edition, is about 16MB instead of 3MB, and contains substantial overhead. This update fixes all of the issues since the apps were released in September. Most of our mobile users are now using, surprisingly, the iPhone, with numerous Android devices coming in at a close second. It does take more time to update the iOS/Apple application due the review process performed by Apple and the digital signing certificates that are involved, which is why this latest update took longer than the rest.
It is important to remember that all of these applications are free, and continue to be developed. Over the next few months, custom tabs are planned to be added in a future release that may allow you to access areas of the website not normally found in the existing apps.
In the future, the latest release version of the apps will be made available simultaneously, over the last weekend of the month, if possible. This gives those who already have the app installed on their device to receive an update notification during this time period, on a regularly anticipated upgrade schedule. There may be some cases where this will not be possible, especially if a change needs to be made to immediately remedy an error.
Here are some release notes:
Android and Kindle - 2013-10-11: Additional miscellaneous bug fixes. (Build version 2.4.12.3
- 2013-09-26: Initial publication (Build version 2.2.1)
Apple iOS (iPhone, iPad, etc) - 2013-10-19: A new version of the app has been published to Apple and should be processed and available within 24 hours. This update features fixes for breaking changes that have been reportedly experienced by users of Android and Kindle version. (2.3.3)
Server-side Updates (All Versions; Does Not Require App Update) - 2013-10-19: Major server-side service upgrade. (1.9)
- 2013-10-17: Additional server-side updates. (1.8.2)
* Indicates app upgrades are not required for these changes to take effect.
On October 19th, 2013 and October 17th, 2013, two major server-side service upgrade were performed. On October 11th, the software itself was updated to fix numerous issues related to the app, including a variety of miscellaneous bug fixes and interface changes to improve the software. The original version of the software was released on September 9, 2013.
The server-side upgrade performed this morning addresses issues regarding the stability and functionality of the apps. It does not change the updated Android version from October 11th, but it has been performed with the release of the latest iOS version, which should become available on the iTunes store within the next two business days.
Again, links and descriptions for the mobile software can be found here:
While the first two are a virtually identical, the Apple iOS app currently contains some advanced features. The main goal of multi-platform support is to give Windows license holders and customers a chance. who may not have access to the Internet, or a working Windows computer, for that matter, to participate in the forums. The traditional senses involves using search, contributing to, or asking for help on the website under the various forum categories
Thanks for your patience with this endeavour. Remember, the work is just getting started with these apps, they are being provided for free, some additional testing will remain required. Currently, the Android version of the app supports over 4,800+ devices.
Be sure to have a happy and safe Halloween and thank you for your patience with this software.