Can someone get on it???

[dogfacedboy uk1]

Just had a thought. How cool would an Android App be for CMON ? You know focussing on the gallery aspect mainly and maybe Todays Posts from the forums along with all the Articles and turorials. A quick and simplified portal to all the best stuff on CMON without having to navigate tiny web browsers on a phone. Press a button and bang you can quickly flick through the best images of all times, press another and you have a menu listing of all the tutorials you could practically wish for at hand on your painting desk on a little phone.

Just thinking it would be cool - and err, can someone with some "mad coding skillz" get on it??? Pretty please.

Hell, I haven't even got an android phone yet. I have avoided owning a phone for years waiting for the day where they are serious multimedia devices with internet capability. Now they are pretty much where I imagined them to be years ago, it's time to invest in one. Trouble is I am a gadget freak and the mrs hates me for it lol!! Because I have not used a phone very often over the years I have to listen to "I would not use it, its a waste of money!!!" comments. Anyone have any great sweet talking excuses and sound, logical arguments for me having a phone, let me know - I am liking the look of that HTC Sensation alot , very sexy indeed!!!


dfb

 

[DannyVasquez]

I totally agree dude, I know a guy who could look into that and he is well versed with Android coding.....although, im of the Apple side...would like an app for my phone...

 

[GunjiNoKanrei]

Well, Android is definitely the right platform (and I recommend the HTC Desire HD) ... but how about a dedicated mobile version of CMON first before talking App? This would be platform independent and if done right could easily deliver the content you are talking about on a mobile device.

 

[PegaZus]

Ya know, I'd do it, or at least the iPhone side, but I'm not sure what exactly the app would do. I've often thought about trying to make just a voting app, running through the pictures and what not, but didn't really see much to interest me in doing it for free and I'm far from skilled enough to get paid to do it. OH the DILEMMA!

And like GunjiNoKanrei said, a mobile version of the site might be more useful.

 

[kathrynloch]

Well, Android is definitely the right platform (and I recommend the HTC Desire HD) ... but how about a dedicated mobile version of CMON first before talking App? This would be platform independent and if done right could easily deliver the content you are talking about on a mobile device.

QFT

With my job, I'm stuck in front of a computer all day. Unfortunately, most often that means I don't have time to check CMON or my other favorites. Even at lunch, inevitably someone comes in wanting something, so I don't get to surf. If I want to visit CMON, I have to go outside and jump on my phone. I don't have the latest and greatest phone but it's a nice little LG. The only way I can visit CMON is through Bolt and using RSS feeds.

While I'd love a mobile version of the site, I'd take just the forums for right now. A lot of times, not checking through the entire day, leads to a ton of catching up to do when I get home - especially if something gets going fast and furious.

A mobile site would be fantastic...eventually, I'll get a Droid.

 

[Legacy Account]

Registering the forum for Tapatalk would be a start. It's free and works on all the major mobile platforms...

http://www.tapatalk.com/index.php

 

[Legacy Account]

I have avoided owning a phone for years waiting for the day where they are serious multimedia devices with internet capability.

iPhone was released in 2007. They've been serious web-enabled multimedia devices for years!

I didn't use mobile phones before I got my iPhone. Safe to say that the thing has revolutionised the way I'm able to work.

 

[freakinacage]

yup x2. i was late to the iphone revolution but have still had mine for nearly two yrs now. been a life saver for gps and google when out and about on several occasions. not to mention when my comp broke. plus got a load of music on it, games, 2 seasons of the inbetweeners and 5 of peep show...

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

iPhone was released in 2007. They've been serious web-enabled multimedia devices for years!

I didn't use mobile phones before I got my iPhone. Safe to say that the thing has revolutionised the way I'm able to work.

I am a complete gadget head, the iphone was certainly very cool when it was released but its camera was rubbish. I like perfection in my gadgets, I am sure you get what I mean, which is basically "I want a device with everything on it it to a high standard!". I have probably saved myself a ton of money by not having one for all these years but I am suitably impressed with the top current crop of dual processor phones. The HTC camera is a little strange in photo comparisons it seems a little lacking, but I will always have a proper camera anyway so thats not a biggie for me. Opportunist photography a phone can do and by all accounts its HD recording quality is excellent which balances that out. I think Autodesk has a great art app on it for some sketching although capacitive screens stylus suck a bit. All in all, I haven't been impressed at all up until this year and I think the apps offer a great deal of functionality. Sorry I am so behind, I will try and convince the wife and catch up with modern society as soon as possible!!

dfb

 

[LordWehrmacht]

Great idea!

Registering the forum for Tapatalk would be a start. It's free and works on all the major mobile platforms...

http://www.tapatalk.com/index.php

What say you Chern? Is there hope for this? It would make me far more likely to blow some time at work surfing CMON, which is all we really want!

 

[10 ball]

yup x2. i was late to the iphone revolution but have still had mine for nearly two yrs now. been a life saver for gps and google when out and about on several occasions. not to mention when my comp broke. plus got a load of music on it, games, 2 seasons of the inbetweeners and 5 of peep show...

Yep x3, I only got an iPhone this year, wow its like star trek.

 

[RuneBrush]

Much prefer my Motorola Milestone (aka Droid) to an iPhone. Though I've never owned an iPhone, a lot of friends have them and when I go away for a weekend, the ability to take out my run down battery and pop in a new one is invaluable - especially when two spares with external charger only cost me £10

 

[Legacy Account]

I like perfection in my gadgets, I am sure you get what I mean, which is basically "I want a device with everything on it it to a high standard!".

Phones are always going to be compromised by their ergonomics, but I've found the iPhone 4 to be a great all rounder. Camera is excellent quality for what it is. I've blown photos from it up to 13x13" and they look great. Geotagged images are pretty useful too. All processed in-phone....

Autodesk Sketchbook Pro is great, but I certainly wouldn't use it on my phone. Works brilliantly on iPad with one of the better (good) styluses (they do exist!). Here you go - a quick doodle:

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

Much prefer my Motorola Milestone (aka Droid) to an iPhone. Though I've never owned an iPhone, a lot of friends have them and when I go away for a weekend, the ability to take out my run down battery and pop in a new one is invaluable - especially when two spares with external charger only cost me £10

You are kidding me right? You can't remove an iphone battery????!!!!!??? Another reason to hate Apple.

I won my ipod touch 16gb in a work raffle (muwahhaha) and it is fabulous gadget, however I think Apple strikes me as a company that doesn't actually want to make an all singing all dancing product just in order to preserve its endless gravy train of product updates. Look at the ipad not having a camera, but "oh wow the ipad 2 has a camera!!" classic money grubbing insult to our intelligence that. I take it personally and won't be supporting Apple, no matter how cool their tech is, and I do think its VERY cool. Disappoints me alot.

SPacemunkie --- Awesome doodle!!!! Absolutely love it, that cartoon style always catches my eye. I have the program for my ipod touch, but I prefer Kiwipixels art app that has great blending tools which is useful to me as I suck at shading 2d in colour. Thanks for taking time to post some example photos from your phone. Especially love that first one. I dont doubt that apple have caught up with the iphone 4 and soon to be released iphone 5, but I think the HTC definately does it for me! What stylus would you recommend by the way?

dfb

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

Getting back to the main point of the thread, I think what I would personally like to see from a CMON app would be the following:-

1)All gallery aspects intact, including the ability to upload to your own gallery from memory card and a new uploads today section.
2)Homepage news section
3)Article Library - all articles available to view would be nice for those unable/unwilling to connect pc near their painting area, having the phone nearby to refer to whilst working is much handier.
4)Forum - New Posts today section incorporated
5) User favourites list if supporter member
6) Auctions - quick button to check your own auctions and set them up and look at current and ending today auctions.
7) Online user live chat

Thats just a quick off the top of my head list but I think it covers the most important stuff.


I think the main focus would be a "whats new today" kind of approach in the nice easy to access streamlined interface of an app. I have no idea how complicated it is or time consuming to do though lol!

dfb

 

[Beelzebrush]

I joined the 21st Century too and bought an Android phone (Motorola Defy (it has a decent IP rating for outdoor use)). I opted for Android mainly because the iphone doesn't support Flash (I can't understand that tbh!!). Anyway, it does what I want it to do and overall a great bit of kit... I just tend to browse CMON as normal... works fine.

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

Ahh, got my HTC Sensation today, been playing around with and not doing alot of painting at all. My 2nd mobile phone ever. I had one donkeys years ago when they were literally just phone and text and had a couple of crappy pink hand me downs from the mrs which I hid in my deepest pockets with great embarrasment. I must say I am very impressed, although I installed an app to keep an eye on my data usage and google earth eats data for breakfast. I have 500mb and everyone is saying how they barely use it all. Hmmm, this is on O2 and has free BT openzone wifi with it, should help a little I guess. Not too impressed with the gaming side of things although I have a nintendo 3ds for that really, most touchscreen games are rubbish if they rely on d-pad/joystick controls. something like Diablo and those type of games would work beautifully on phones. The itunes store is better for sure, but its lack of flash is a big downer. I am sure android store will pick up though.

Anyone written that app yet? Comon chop, chop lol!!!!

dfb

 

[AllTerrainMonkey]

I'm confused here; what are you looking for an app to do that a mobile version of the site wouldn't be able to do? With a few CSS3 media queries and an hour or two the site designers could whip up a pretty decent mobile version of the site.

 

[Chern Ann]

I suppose an app has a more controlled environment, and get add additional functionality like easy image uploads from your smartphone, which have cameras that are fairly decent. Vbulletin and Magento have iPhone apps already, so it may be worth while looking at combining the two and adding functionality for the galleries.

Offline browsing may also be possible of favorites and some such.

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

So something like this would be straightforward to do with little effort would it Chern? (excuse my ignorance - I know nothing about programming/web development etc)

An App would be nicer for the simplicity of a one touch button dedicated to the site to save loading a browser as well. And it will have the shiny cmon logo to! Offline browsing of favourites would be VERY cool to. Although I dread to think how much memory I'd lose to that. But I would love that feature, great for showing your mates some of the best work on this site. The ability to save your own gallery or the gallery of a favourite contributor to the sd card might be good to. And while we are on the subject how much space would a CMON product catalogue take up on a SD card? I enjoy browsing through my paper Forgeworld catalogue from time to time whilst waiting for paint to dry. If I could download a simplified catalogue of the CMON range it would be great for browsing through offline whilst bored, photos, manufacturer and product details with an add to a wishlist feature would be nice to.




A mobile version of the site might be easier to do, but the popularity of Apps on phones is also a major convienience and the way forward. If I want to use CMON in a browser, I would just as soon as use the full featured version. With an App I get a good deal of the most useful functions, easily accessible and if the app does not do it I can use the main site.

dfb