Mobile app 4.0 feedback thread

[sakuragi]

When in kibitz mode pls also allow disable chat. Else the cards are too small.

[alanrick]

Maybe it's just me (focus on learning bridge) but I often practice without logging on and use "Show Other Tables" a lot. On the mobile app (if you haven't loggged on) there is plenty of space for this button. Instead after I have to click:

1. Show results.

2. Show Details

3. Show Other Tables

 

I'd much prefer a single button "other results".

Alan

[bethny]

I play on an iPad Pro. Since the very first iPad, I have happily played in landscape mode to get a larger view. Now for some reason you have made landscape mode totally unusable -- the larger view (and it is hardly large enough) is in portrait mode. Landscape mode results in a tiny playing area. A big loss.

[sakuragi]

+1 missing the landscape mode bigger cards

 

overall still like the new version. pls consider

(1) ability to hide chat in landscape mode

(2) ability to hide chat in kibitz mode

 

I play on an iPad Pro. Since the very first iPad, I have happily played in landscape mode to get a larger view. Now for some reason you have made landscape mode totally unusable -- the larger view (and it is hardly large enough) is in portrait mode. Landscape mode results in a tiny playing area. A big loss.

[baystate]

I hope the software developers monitor this thread.

 

I have been using the new app on an iPad since it was released. I am getting used to it...but I still don't like it.

 

A couple of specific problems that I have encountered. These all relate to playing in the daily Total Points Club tournament.

 

Twice yesterday, I could not sit at a table. The table was set to require permission to play -- and no matter how many times I clicked "sit," nothing happened. I fixed it both times by logging off/on. The second time (one hour after the first), the table host reserved a seat for me. That worked fine. I don't recall this being a problem a few days earlier. There was no problem when I was the table host.

 

While this is going on, I cannot see chat messages. This is a big problem because the table host, my partner and the tournament directors were sending me private chat messages. The only way to see these is to click off the "play" screen and onto the "message" screen. Previous versions always had the chat window open.

 

Similar problem comes when I leave the director's table and click "Show Open Tables." There is no ability to chat from this view. When I did not see a table to sit at (assigned by the tournament director), I want to send a chat to my partner or to the TD. The only way to do this is to leave this screen and go to the message screen. Not every chat is answered immediately. So I go back to "Open Tables" to see if the table has been opened. If not...back to chat to see if anyone has answered me...or to send another chat.

 

At this club, there is a lot of chat. Table assignments are made in chat. All kinds of casual messages are sent in chat. But this version still not does not allow me to scroll back to old chat messages. I have made the font as small as the software allows (even smaller would be OK with me), but there are times I cannot get enough messages on my screen.

 

In sum, I would like to have:

• 
   
  
• Chat window available from all screens
  
• Ability to scroll back through chat messages
  
• Option for smaller font sizes for chat
  

[billw55]

Tried the new version briefly. I do like the new layout so far. One thing I did prefer the old way was swipe to view scores.

 

For me the overwhelming fault of the app has always been the adds. I have said before that I would gladly pay for an add-free version. This is a common model for mobile apps, and for good reason. Even worse, the adds that cannot be removed are just awful: glaring colors, movement, flashing, sexualized images ... it really deters me from using the app at all. Come on BBO, get with it and offer a pay version!!

[1eyedjack]

Tried the new version briefly. I do like the new layout so far. One thing I did prefer the old way was swipe to view scores.

 

For me the overwhelming fault of the app has always been the adds. I have said before that I would gladly pay for an add-free version. This is a common model for mobile apps, and for good reason. Even worse, the adds that cannot be removed are just awful: glaring colors, movement, flashing, sexualized images ... it really deters me from using the app at all. Come on BBO, get with it and offer a pay version!!

Don't you get a "pay" version, simply by registering for a $0.25 tournament? You don't even have to play in it. And you don't have to pay for the days that you don't log on, either.

[billw55]

Don't you get a "pay" version, simply by registering for a $0.25 tournament? You don't even have to play in it. And you don't have to pay for the days that you don't log on, either.

Hmmm, I have not tried that. If it gets rid of the adds, win.

[1eyedjack]

Hmmm, I have not tried that. If it gets rid of the adds, win.

You may need to ensure that you only register in an event the bailing of which would not affect your TCR (unless you want to stay the course of that one).I think that an "Instant" possibly counts but someone else may confirm

[billw55]

And you don't have to pay for the days that you don't log on, either.

Looking at this again, it sounds like you are saying I would have to pay every time I log in, or every day I log in.

 

What I am suggesting is a one-time purchase that would permanently remove ads.

 

I paid $10 for KGS mobile and it has no ads. I paid $10 for XG mobile and it has no ads. I want to pay $10 for BBO mobile and have no ads, but this option is not available.

[diana_eva]

If you play logged on you shouldn't see ads at the moment. Do you see ads when you log in, or in anonymous mode?

[billw55]

If you play logged on you shouldn't see ads at the moment. Do you see ads when you log in, or in anonymous mode?

At this moment, I see no ads when logged in. I assume this condition is temporary.

 

 

 

 

[Peter_f]

What I dislike most is the more than bad localisation.

 

In the browser version I can add "?lan=en" to the link and have bbo in english - everything OK.

 

In Germany the texts are a wild mixture of english and german (with errors). This is done automatically and I don't know a way to change it.

 

Peter

[diana_eva]

What I dislike most is the more than bad localisation.

 

In the browser version I can add "?lan=en" to the link and have bbo in english - everything OK.

 

In Germany the texts are a wild mixture of english and german (with errors). This is done automatically and I don't know a way to change it.

 

Peter

 

The app takes the language your device is set to. If you prefer to have it all English the only way ATM is to change your device language to English.

[diana_eva]

At this moment, I see no ads when logged in. I assume this condition is temporary.

 

Yes, it's temporary. I was just checking in case there's a problem and you see ads where you should not.

 

The only way to disable ads in app (when ads will be turned on again, no need to do that right now) is same as on BBO, play something pay and that hides ads for 24 hours. There is no pay version of the app.

[billw55]

The only way to disable ads in app (when ads will be turned on again, no need to do that right now) is same as on BBO, play something pay and that hides ads for 24 hours. There is no pay version of the app.

Which is unfortunate. It would be a win-win: users would like it, and BBO would get a substantial gain of revenue. There is a reason so many developers use the pay-or-ads revenue model, it works.

 

But ok, this is not the choice that has been made. Can you at least make the ads less obnoxious? I know this is possible, I do have apps with ads that are not so. Try for example accuweather to see the difference.

 

 

[1eyedjack]

There is a reason so many developers use the pay-or-ads revenue model

As does BBO, as explained above. The only difference being that the user has to make a pay-or-ads decision on a daily basis (but only on those days when using the facility).

 

I see no harm in offering the user a choice of an annual subscription to remove ads. As long as it is provided purely as an option and without removing the existing facility (without annual sub) to remove ads on a daily basis for those in pay-to-play tourneys.

 

The existing arrangement is certainly more onerous than an annual subscription, for those who have no intention to play in paid tournaments but still prefer an ad-free experience. But it also has the benefit (contrasted with an annual sub) that you are not paying for periods when you are not using BBO.

 

But I would expect them still to pay the same amount for any pay-to-play tournament.

[obonden]

If all you want to do is kibitz and watch vugraph, try "Watch anonymously" instead of logging in. The navigation bar will not appear.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

There has been many comments on the pure chat in the mobile version, but I haven't been able to find any answers/comments from the admin group. Will there be any changes? ...or am I doing wrong? To chat to table I either tap "Messages", then "Chat" (because "News" seems to be default), then scroll to "Table" and finally type my message.... or I tap someone elses chat, then scroll to "Table" (because that "someone else" is default"), and then type my message. Any better solutions?

 

I do also have trouble searching for a player who is not among my listed friends. That makes it about impossible to get back to a table when being disconnected.

 

Kjell

[Antrax]

I found a weird bug. If you play anonymously vs. 3 robots, bid so your partner becomes dummy, then undo (going back to the auction) and bid so that the opponent's declare, your partner's hand remains visible.

[prtoni]

I agree completely! The new iPad/iPhone app is terrible. The chat function is so bad now I just can't use it while playing. The screen is so busy with ads and icons it it distracts from the game tenfold from the slightly annoying ads before. It is also very buggy. It's is harder to find and communicate with friends. I just don't like. Please roll it back!

 

 

Sorry, but the new app is dreadful on my iPad.

The actual playing area is smaller still, now we have the ads and the new sidebar always on. This is the single most important thing about playing - being able to clearly see the whole table.

 

Chatting - to players or "table" now takes longer, you have to click on the little icon, then click on chat then type your chat. Previously only 1 click required.

 

Looking up the previous hand to see what others played in and made is also now clunkier.

The chat area itself is now smaller so a long comment by someone in a club makes it very easy to miss a comment from someone else at your table.

 

Please offer the old version as a downgrade.

[lightner_x]

Why camera access in a card game app?

To add a picture to your profile? This is a privacy violation for an useless feature.

[42krunner]

When will these issues be addressed?

[fred]

When will these issues be addressed?

We have been working very hard on a new and much improved version. We are in what one might call the "final testing phase" now. Not clear exactly how long that will take, but it rates to be days rather than weeks. The iOS version will take longer to be available through the app store than the Android version because Apple's app-approval process typically takes a few days (whereas Google's is basically instantaneous).

 

Thanks for your patience. Thanks also to all the people who provided such useful feedback.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[barmar]

Why camera access in a card game app?

To add a picture to your profile? This is a privacy violation for an useless feature.

If you don't try to upload a picture, it never uses the camera, so there's no privacy violation. But it needs the access for those who want to use the feature. You may not care, but probably many others like it.

[lightner_x]

If you don't try to upload a picture, it never uses the camera, so there's no privacy violation. But it needs the access for those who want to use the feature. You may not care, but probably many others like it.

If you really, really need a photo in your profile, the website with an upload possibility of a jpeg is enough. This oversimplyfication for a one time usage feature does not justify the need for a possible cam access. I am interessted in the % of users that used this app upload feature. An other point. BBO is not facebook that uses the pictures of the users to generate money. Thats done with the ads or am I wrong here? So why generate the impression to install a spy app here?