- General
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Ideas
+1
Enrique - can an area Router Scan be added to your App? ... Read my idea to help end the confusion of connection problems.
Can you create a program option that displays the "settings / WiFi Networks" listings of connections in the immediate area, that lets the customer see what router (network) they're connected to now, and to show them other router names around the area, in case it's not the one they wanted to be on (assuming they know :-)
I know they can simply look in the iDevice's settings area, but many don't know they can see this info, or what it all means?
If you can use this info, already within the iDevice, and "guide" the customer thru its options, within your App options buttons, much of this confusion will be a thing of the past.
It can be on the first page, where it now says ...
"What would you like to do?"
You can put another option button for ...
"Make sure I'm on the same Network"
There, ... you can show the Network scan info, IP# and device names attached to the customers router, if possible, ... and also use any and all of my text explanations, in the posts on this site, without required compensation to me, (and of course your own text ideas too ... :-)
Also... Mentioned by me, ... here ...
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
... And here ...
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
Using my text, from those posts, ... You can also give ideas on how to make their routers name and IP#'s unique to them so the customer will know, without question it's theirs. They can contact you with the routers brand / model# for specific instructions, if they can't find the settings.
Also, a separate help section can be added to "troubleshoot" any router issues that may block a normal connection, compiled from problem FAQ's posted on this support site, with the solutions to try ... which can be added to, and updated with each new App version update, if new issues arise.
Your App works, ... and works very well ... but a small number of people have unexpected issues, from settings that may not be standard for their routers setup, and a simple section like this may help the novice be guided through adjusting it.
OH...! ... One more thing that's been asked for, I must also agree ...
Letting BlueTooth transfer personal Videos, as well as the photos already allowed by it.
Some people may only have that option at that time they need to transfer their video.
If it's a matter of Apple limiting it, I understand, ... but if it's just because the iDevice may "choke" at a large file, or may go into "sleep mode" while a large file is being sent, should still have that option available.
You could always suppress the "sleep mode" state within your App, ... tell the customer the estimated time of completion, depending on transfer speed, and letting them also know it may have troubles with long videos.
But the option should still be there.
Like having a cable to transfer, with iTunes...
... it's just another option to use, at any given time.
(as I also recently told June when she asked "App vs iCloud" ... :-)
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
While we're on a new options kick ... :-) ... How much trouble is it to add the option of connecting directly to another device (IP to IP) over the public Internet?
(as also requested by another poster, and, may I add, a brilliant idea)
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
:-)
OK.... That's my 2 pennies worth, ... I'll shut-up now. ... :-)
I know they can simply look in the iDevice's settings area, but many don't know they can see this info, or what it all means?
If you can use this info, already within the iDevice, and "guide" the customer thru its options, within your App options buttons, much of this confusion will be a thing of the past.
It can be on the first page, where it now says ...
"What would you like to do?"
You can put another option button for ...
"Make sure I'm on the same Network"
There, ... you can show the Network scan info, IP# and device names attached to the customers router, if possible, ... and also use any and all of my text explanations, in the posts on this site, without required compensation to me, (and of course your own text ideas too ... :-)
Also... Mentioned by me, ... here ...
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
... And here ...
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
Using my text, from those posts, ... You can also give ideas on how to make their routers name and IP#'s unique to them so the customer will know, without question it's theirs. They can contact you with the routers brand / model# for specific instructions, if they can't find the settings.
Also, a separate help section can be added to "troubleshoot" any router issues that may block a normal connection, compiled from problem FAQ's posted on this support site, with the solutions to try ... which can be added to, and updated with each new App version update, if new issues arise.
Your App works, ... and works very well ... but a small number of people have unexpected issues, from settings that may not be standard for their routers setup, and a simple section like this may help the novice be guided through adjusting it.
OH...! ... One more thing that's been asked for, I must also agree ...
Letting BlueTooth transfer personal Videos, as well as the photos already allowed by it.
Some people may only have that option at that time they need to transfer their video.
If it's a matter of Apple limiting it, I understand, ... but if it's just because the iDevice may "choke" at a large file, or may go into "sleep mode" while a large file is being sent, should still have that option available.
You could always suppress the "sleep mode" state within your App, ... tell the customer the estimated time of completion, depending on transfer speed, and letting them also know it may have troubles with long videos.
But the option should still be there.
Like having a cable to transfer, with iTunes...
... it's just another option to use, at any given time.
(as I also recently told June when she asked "App vs iCloud" ... :-)
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
While we're on a new options kick ... :-) ... How much trouble is it to add the option of connecting directly to another device (IP to IP) over the public Internet?
(as also requested by another poster, and, may I add, a brilliant idea)
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
:-)
OK.... That's my 2 pennies worth, ... I'll shut-up now. ... :-)
Customer support service by UserEcho
Thanks a lot for all your feedback and your help on the forum. Sorry for not getting back earlier, I wanted to take some time to answer to your post. I totally agree with you that sometimes entering the IP address into the browser causes a lot of confusion and believe me is an issue that I've been thinking a lot on how to resolve. We have several ideas on improving this, one of them was releasing the Mac client that discovers devices automatically:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photo-...
I think we should improve on providing better help on how to make sure that both devices are on the same wifi network and how to troubleshoot when the connection can't be established. The issue is that sometimes is simply due to the configuration of the router specially when trying to connect on a Hotel/Corporate/Coffee shop network because on that situation is simply not possible to change anything.
Unfortunately it is not possible to show the name of the router that the user is connected to, that information is not available, nor it is possible to run a wifi scan to look for other routers nearby with the API's provided by Apple. And in general most users are not very technical so changing the configuration or routers maybe something too complicated.
I agree with you regarding the transfer of videos over bluetooth and I like the idea of the cable transfer but we will have to make sure that it does not confuse people given that the app is promoted as 'no cables required' :)
There are other developments that we are planning to do which I think will help a lot but I wouldn't want to discuss here for now but I hope we can announce them soon.
Thanks again for all your feedback! We are working hard to try to solve some of this issues and make the app better, faster and stronger :)
Cheers,
Enrique
Photo Transfer App
I didn't say a cable should also be used,... I was just comparing having the Bluetooth transfer option for video files as another option, 'similar' to having a cable do it ... As I mentioned to June in the other post... :-)
My quote ...
"... But the option should still be there.
Like having a cable to transfer, with iTunes...
... it's just another option to use, at any given time.
(as I also recently told June when she asked "App vs iCloud" ... :-) ...
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra... ..."
By-the-way...
Please enter these two posts (shown below) ... Another two users were having connection problems, and I think they would prefer 'official' replies, rather than mine.
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
These two posts may actually be from two people as a couple :-)
The problem is exactly identical, and the IP address they both mention is also the same.
(from Melinda, and J)
... I see you already entered the one from J, but he never replied again. :-(
Maybe Melinda will respond if an 'official' rep replies in the thread.
Melinda's post was separate from J's ...
Here... https://getsatisfaction.com/photo_tra...
...Mentioned an App called 'Fing' that does scan the connections on the router,
and I think the surrounding routers in the area ...
So maybe a similar routine can be added to your App.
BTW-the 'Fing-Network Scanner' is FREE, so you may want to check it, and see if it in fact has features that may help solve customers connection issues regarding your App.
I just downloaded and tried the Fing network scanner and it is indeed very interesting. It seems that it can scan all devices connected on the network but it can't scan other wifi networks which seems normal. This has gave me some good ideas on how to make the discovery and address typing much easier. I appreciate the feedback, we will concentrate on making this aspect of the app much easier for next version (btw, v3.3 is almost done with some nice improvements).
Thanks!
Enrique