River Thames Guide - Android version available

[Rascal Joe]

The free River Thames Guide App is now available for Android devices. Just as the Apple iOS version this offers an interactive map, journey planner, lock guide, bridge headways, advice and guidance for river boating all without an Internet connection. If you are on line you can also check river conditions and local weather. The app should work on all Android devices. But PLEASE note the following before downloading:

1. although available for all Android it can ONLY be downloaded from the Amazon App Store: [URL="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jeff-Maynard-River-Thames-Guide/dp/B00QM1STFY/ref=sr_1_1?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1426251727&sr=1-1&keywords=river+thames"]Amazon Store[/URL]

2. although using on the same code base as the iOS version, this is still in beta so please let me know if you find any issues (I can only test on one single Android device)

3. recent changes have made it easier to find information and contact detail for Val Wyatt Marine who sponsor the App. Please take a moment or two to check out the Val Wyatt offerings; it is only with user interaction that Val Wyatt will continue to sponsor the App. If sponsorship falls away then the App will have to carry ads or be chargeable (or just fade away).

An updated iOS version (for iPhone, iPad and iPod) is currently with Apple and will be available on-line in a day or two. Like the Android version the new iOS version includes easier navigation and a boating glossary.

As ever, please send feedback, comments, feature requests etc.

Racal Joe is back in the water at Wargrave and will be out-and-about over the coming weeks...

 

[bumperdump]

tried downloading the app on my galaxys3 and the s5 both say incompatable with this device .

 

[Rascal Joe]

Part of the problem with Android is that there are so very many devices. Apple provide a simulator for every iOS device; Android does not. Having said that Amazon does claim that apps submited via their developer portal will work on any Android device.
I will try to follow this up but can only do so by research since I don't want to buy loads of Android devices (I have only one: a Kindle Fire on which the App works perfectly).
My only suggestion for now is for you to search Amazon.co.uk for 'River Thames Guide' rather than follow the link I gave and see if that changes anything.
Thanks of the feedback.

 

[DRA]

Please keep trying, Joe. It will be great to have your app on my devices. (Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Tab 3). I "bought" the app in case the Amazon App Store was lying about the compatibility but it won't show up as a purchase on the devices so I can't get any further.

One possible thought (from someone who knows virtually zilch about these things) - my devices run Android 4.4.2. The app blurb on Amazon says minimum requirement is Android 2.3.3. Is Android fully "back-compatible"? (i.e. will an app written for V2 run on V4).
D

 

[Relax.A]

I have an HTC one and it wouldn't accept the download .
Many thanks for your efforts so far and thanks for listening to us non Apple users I look forward to the glitches getting sorted .

 

[mlines]

The Amazon store says that I do not have a compatible device, however if I continue and ignore the warnings it loads and runs just fine.

Google nexus 5 running lollipop

 

[Rascal Joe]

The Amazon store says that I do not have a compatible device, however if I continue and ignore the warnings it loads and runs just fine.

Google nexus 5 running lollipop

Lets hope this works for all devices - perhaps those who experienced error messages could try this?

BTW: it always amuses me when folks think that my boat is named after me (I could admit to being a rascal but my name is not Joe...). She is actually named after a black and white toy panda now threadbare and 39 years old but still a much-loved family member!

 

[Mushroom2]

No Luck here. Nexus 7 running 5.02. Wouldn't accept the download

 

[mlines]

When you say it wont accept the download is that the exact message it shows?

 

[Mushroom2]

When I tried to send it a message appeared saying it may not be compatible with your device but I went ahead anyway. It just has not appeared - I tried another free app just to make sure the system worked. I can't get it to try again either.
Mu Nexus is running the latest Android version which may be the problem.

 

[Murv]

Same as the above, it isn't showing on my device (htc one m8 running 5.0.1)

Thanks anyway, looking forward to seeing it working

 

[mlines]

Well mine is a nexus running 5.0.1 and apart from Amazon saying its not compatible it loaded and ran fine.

 

[Rascal Joe]

Sad News:

I discovered today that Amazon has removed the option to upload Apps suitable for any Android device; they only accept Apps for Kindle/Amazon devices - there has been no explanation of this change of mind (despite lots of developers crying 'foul').
I guess that some devices check for compatibility and reject if no match whilst others will load anything (hence some users being able to download River Thames Guide).
I hope Amazon has a change of mind since we now know that the App will run on other Android devices. Amazon remains the easiest and simplest platform for developing Apps. Whist the Apple platform is quite convoluted, it is something that I have learned to live with over several years of iOS development. The Google platform (to put Apps in Google Play) is more complicated than Apple and (obviously) not compatible. Hence a significant learning curve which I don't feel able to tackle currently.

I will continue to monitor the Amazon position in the hope that they decide to reinstate the non-Amazon device option (and will pass any news on this forum). Meanwhile, I can only apologise for the issue and thank those who tried to install the App.

River Thames Guide continues to be available in the Apple App Store.

 

[mlines]

The alternative is to simply publish the APK file for download. This has some disadvantages:

1. customers have to trust your application is genuine
2. customers have to manually update on new version.

but it bypasses all the corporate game playing in Google and Amazon

 

[Gumpy]

The alternative is to simply publish the APK file for download. This has some disadvantages:

1. customers have to trust your application is genuine
2. customers have to manually update on new version.

but it bypasses all the corporate game playing in Google and Amazon

I was thinking the same thing.......was just about to send a pm asking RJ if he could make it available for download.

 

[Chris_d]

You mentioned that Val Wyat had sponsored it, could it not just be available to download off their site? Free advertising for them surely.

 

[Rascal Joe]

The alternative is to simply publish the APK file for download.

Guys
thanks for the suggestion. In theory this is the way to go; unfortunately, the reason Amazon is my preferred app shop host is that they take the base code and wrap the APK around it.
Creating an APK (for Amazon or Google) is the long-winded process I referred to in an earlier post.

I will look into this and other options to try to get a working App to Android users before the season gets fully under way.