Android issues / feature requests

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Android issues / feature requests

New postby EndingPop on Thu Jun 02, 2011 7:45 pm

Hey hey, I'm on Android now. No more BB OS 5 killing my podcast buzz. So now that I've been using PT on Android for a week or two, here are my impressions / issues encountered / feature requests.

1. I watch a fair number of video podcasts, several from the TWiT network. Once issue I have is that I'm constantly moving to a different point in the podcast because I accidentally touch the screen and then the progress bar at a random spot. I'm not sure what the fix is, but it'd be nice to find a way to prevent that from happening accidentally. This phone is all screen, so it's hard to hold it without touching the screen sometimes.
2. If I start a video podcast while holding the phone in portrait mode, the video starts off odd. It seems like it is cropped and/or stretched oddly. I can fix the video by rotating.
3. I'm not sure I really want to watch a podcast in portrait form. Maybe just restrict it so it's always in landscape, and it would only switch when you've flipped 180 degrees around, instead of every 90. The TWiT app does this. I know this may not be best for all phones, so maybe this should be an option somewhere.
4. It'd be nice to be able to lock the screen orientation. The Kindle app does this right, with a little lock on the bottom right that you can toggle to keep it stuck in one orientation.
5. There's no need for the popup stating that there are no items playing. If nothing's displayed, I think that's enough.
6. On video playing, tap the screen. Click the pause button. The button doesn't change to the play icon unless you tap to disappear it and tap to bring it back. This doesn't seem to happen quite all the time, but most of the time.
7. Is there some reason why the video popup controls don't have both the fastforward/rewind "a little" and "a lot"? There's room for the buttons on my screen, maybe not on phones with smaller screens.
8. I'm disappointed that I can't let a video podcast go in the background while using the phone for other things. I enjoyed being able to check email, browse, use HoneyDew, etc. while listening to the audio portion of a video podcast on Blackberry. I thought I saw somewhere that you took this out for a stability issue? I'm hoping it can be put back in.
9. I've seen issues where it thinks a phone call is in progress for some time after it's completed, which prevents it from continuing to download. Does the OS prevent PT from downloading over WiFi while a call is in progress?
10. It'd be nice if car mode turned on when the OS is in car mode, automagically.
11. I'd prefer it if I could turn off showing video in car mode, but I assume that has to have #8 fixed to work.

So I hear there's a tiny human stealing all your time away from PT development, congrats!. Does she code yet?
Motorola Droid X2 running Android 2.2.2 on Verizon

PodTrapper v3.0.20
HoneyDew v2.0.6
EndingPop
 
Posts: 47
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Location: Okemos, MI

Re: Android issues / feature requests

New postby marwatk on Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:04 pm

EndingPop wrote:1. I watch a fair number of video podcasts, several from the TWiT network. Once issue I have is that I'm constantly moving to a different point in the podcast because I accidentally touch the screen and then the progress bar at a random spot. I'm not sure what the fix is, but it'd be nice to find a way to prevent that from happening accidentally. This phone is all screen, so it's hard to hold it without touching the screen sometimes.


Hmm, not sure what a good solution would be there, but I'm definitely open to suggestions...

EndingPop wrote:2. If I start a video podcast while holding the phone in portrait mode, the video starts off odd. It seems like it is cropped and/or stretched oddly. I can fix the video by rotating.


This should be fixed in .20, let me know if not.

EndingPop wrote:3. I'm not sure I really want to watch a podcast in portrait form. Maybe just restrict it so it's always in landscape, and it would only switch when you've flipped 180 degrees around, instead of every 90. The TWiT app does this. I know this may not be best for all phones, so maybe this should be an option somewhere.


I can look into that, for sure.

EndingPop wrote:4. It'd be nice to be able to lock the screen orientation. The Kindle app does this right, with a little lock on the bottom right that you can toggle to keep it stuck in one orientation.


Also this.

EndingPop wrote:5. There's no need for the popup stating that there are no items playing. If nothing's displayed, I think that's enough.


Where are you seeing that?

EndingPop wrote:6. On video playing, tap the screen. Click the pause button. The button doesn't change to the play icon unless you tap to disappear it and tap to bring it back. This doesn't seem to happen quite all the time, but most of the time.


Hmm, that's actually an OS widget, but I'll see what I can do...

EndingPop wrote:7. Is there some reason why the video popup controls don't have both the fastforward/rewind "a little" and "a lot"? There's room for the buttons on my screen, maybe not on phones with smaller screens.


I'm lazy and used the built in media controller widget :)

EndingPop wrote:8. I'm disappointed that I can't let a video podcast go in the background while using the phone for other things. I enjoyed being able to check email, browse, use HoneyDew, etc. while listening to the audio portion of a video podcast on Blackberry. I thought I saw somewhere that you took this out for a stability issue? I'm hoping it can be put back in.


I haven't figured out how to actually do this on android. As much as I try, once the video is playing if it closes it stops the media. It's easy if I never show the video, but that's obviously not the best solution. I've toyed with restarting it in audio mode only if you hide it, but that's going to be difficult to get right and will be buggy, so I'm waiting for baby to settle down before I attempt it :)

EndingPop wrote:9. I've seen issues where it thinks a phone call is in progress for some time after it's completed, which prevents it from continuing to download. Does the OS prevent PT from downloading over WiFi while a call is in progress?


No, it's a setting that's on by default for legacy reasons (the BB sucked at it). You can configure it on the download settings screen I believe. I could be lying. Call me out on it if I am.

EndingPop wrote:10. It'd be nice if car mode turned on when the OS is in car mode, automagically.


I think i can do that.

EndingPop wrote:11. I'd prefer it if I could turn off showing video in car mode, but I assume that has to have #8 fixed to work.


That's actually easier than #8.

No, she doesn't code yet, sadly. I'm not-so-patiently awaiting her to improve her typing speed. Her current hunt-and-peck method is simply not sufficient for serious development.

-Marcus
Versatile Monkey
For more/quicker help make sure to check out the user manuals
marwatk
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Re: Android issues / feature requests

New postby EndingPop on Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:24 pm

marwatk wrote:
EndingPop wrote:1. I watch a fair number of video podcasts, several from the TWiT network. Once issue I have is that I'm constantly moving to a different point in the podcast because I accidentally touch the screen and then the progress bar at a random spot. I'm not sure what the fix is, but it'd be nice to find a way to prevent that from happening accidentally. This phone is all screen, so it's hard to hold it without touching the screen sometimes.


Hmm, not sure what a good solution would be there, but I'm definitely open to suggestions...

Yeah, I'm not sure what a good design for fixing that would be either. I'll post if I come up with something.

marwatk wrote:
EndingPop wrote:2. If I start a video podcast while holding the phone in portrait mode, the video starts off odd. It seems like it is cropped and/or stretched oddly. I can fix the video by rotating.


This should be fixed in .20, let me know if not.

I'm on .20, and it definitely does it. It's only when I start in portrait. When I start in landscape it's fine. Like I said, rotating to landscape and back to portrait fixes it.

marwatk wrote:
EndingPop wrote:5. There's no need for the popup stating that there are no items playing. If nothing's displayed, I think that's enough.


Where are you seeing that?

When I click on "Now Playing". You could put a message on the screen saying nothing is there, much like it says "No downloads in queue", though that's displayed on all the screens.

marwatk wrote:
EndingPop wrote:8. I'm disappointed that I can't let a video podcast go in the background while using the phone for other things. I enjoyed being able to check email, browse, use HoneyDew, etc. while listening to the audio portion of a video podcast on Blackberry. I thought I saw somewhere that you took this out for a stability issue? I'm hoping it can be put back in.


I haven't figured out how to actually do this on android. As much as I try, once the video is playing if it closes it stops the media. It's easy if I never show the video, but that's obviously not the best solution. I've toyed with restarting it in audio mode only if you hide it, but that's going to be difficult to get right and will be buggy, so I'm waiting for baby to settle down before I attempt it :)


I'm looking forward to that. Hopefully "waiting for baby to settle down" doesn't mean waiting for her to get married. That'd be a bit of a wait.

marwatk wrote:
EndingPop wrote:9. I've seen issues where it thinks a phone call is in progress for some time after it's completed, which prevents it from continuing to download. Does the OS prevent PT from downloading over WiFi while a call is in progress?


No, it's a setting that's on by default for legacy reasons (the BB sucked at it). You can configure it on the download settings screen I believe. I could be lying. Call me out on it if I am.


HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE YOUR PANTS ON FIRE, MARCUS?!! At least, I didn't see any relevant setting.

Thanks for the updates on the others!
Motorola Droid X2 running Android 2.2.2 on Verizon

PodTrapper v3.0.20
HoneyDew v2.0.6
EndingPop
 
Posts: 47
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 3:36 pm
Location: Okemos, MI

Re: Android issues / feature requests

New postby EndingPop on Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:30 pm

Oh, and one more thing. I think I saw someone else on the forums mention this, but I couldn't find the thread. How do you force a backup of the settings on the Android version, since there doesn't seem to be an exit. Any steps that should be taken to ensure a stable upgrade?
Motorola Droid X2 running Android 2.2.2 on Verizon

PodTrapper v3.0.20
HoneyDew v2.0.6
EndingPop
 
Posts: 47
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 3:36 pm
Location: Okemos, MI

need bigger font in podtrapper cant see choices when on fir

New postby arme on Thu May 24, 2012 6:21 pm

Sorry I'm jumping in here. I can't figure out how to start a new topic. Is there a way to make font bigger for android podtrapper. Can't see without classes and I only have script for 1.50magnification
arme
 
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Re: Android issues / feature requests

New postby LarryM04 on Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:16 am

I've already emailed Marcus about this, but thought I'd put it here too so other Razr owners can see it.

It is crazy, but the Razr puts its internal memory at /mnt/sdcard, and the real SD card at /mnt/sdcard-ext. I could steer the "Storage" setting of PodTrapper to use /mnt/sdcard-ext, but I can't seem to get the "Browse other files..." to go there (so Podtrapper can find my audio books). "Browser other files" always seems to start at what it calls "sdcard", which is, understandably, /mnt/sdcard.

Hopefully this is an easy tweek.



thanks! Larry
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Re: Android issues / feature requests

New postby LarryM04 on Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:20 am

EndingPop wrote:Oh, and one more thing. I think I saw someone else on the forums mention this, but I couldn't find the thread. How do you force a backup of the settings on the Android version, since there doesn't seem to be an exit. Any steps that should be taken to ensure a stable upgrade?


Also, going from "General Settings" to "Export Feeds", then choosing Gmail, always gets a pop up: "Sorry! The application Gmail (process com.google.android.gm) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.
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