This is a great idea. I think any app developer would be in the same situation esp. with android supporting so many devices across different versions of the OS.
The comments section in the android market does not give developers to communicate back to the user as to get which device it failed on , which screen and which device hardware etc., I think the app users have privacy concerns when sending emails so they just leave comments, which is understandable, so google groups is a great idea, people can log in anonymously leave comments, issues or enhancement requests for the app. I would sign up too! "Nutricheck Beta 1.0.2" On Jan 19, 10:26 pm, Zann <[email protected]> wrote: > the idea of getting an official beta user group is great. > > it can even be done in a manner akin to the ADC 1/2 method of pushing > new apps to the user group. > or it can be done in a aTrackdog manner with push notifications to the > user group when a new app is up for beta testing. > > all the users have to do is to install the log collector and > proactively contact the devs when something comes up. > > i would sign up! :D > > On Jan 20, 1:13 am, "Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru)" > > > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > I think there is a fairly easily implemented solution to the problem > > of device and OS diversification. I've been using this myself for > > months and it works very well. > > > For "Radar Now!" I've established a "beta" test community of users who > > have volunteered to try out new versions of the app and even new apps > > that haven't been released to the market. It's been an invaluable tool > > to diagnose and correct problems before they become a string of one > > star "FC, sucks! uninstall" comments in the market. > > > The way I established this community was to add a line at the bottom > > of the help text that comes up the first time a user runs the app: > > > "Beta Testers Needed!" > > > Approximately one out of 1000 active users has joined the beta > > community, around 80 at this moment. They have every possible > > combination of device and OS there is, including cyanogen. Users who > > have a problem will report it back via e-mail and if the problem can't > > be solved by their description, they use SendLog to send me the log of > > their session. > > > I post the beta on the Radarnow.net website, which has logging > > switched on to help debugging. > > > Official Android Beta User Community > > > What would be a really great addition to the Android developer > > community would be the establishment of an official beta user > > community. This could take the form of a Google Group, one for each > > app, with the app itself in the files section. I'm sure there would be > > thousands of users who would volunteer to test cutting edge apps and > > help find problems before they become a catastrophe in the market. > > > A little help from Google will be required to accomplish this, Google > > would have to: > > > 1. Endorse the idea > > 2. Add some sort of language to the market asking people to volunteer > > 3. Add a check box to the developer console to opt in for a particular > > app > > 4. Add some code to the market so when an app becomes part of this > > program, the group is created > > > There may be some other considerations for Google but I think the > > minor work involved would greatly ease the minds and hearts of > > developers around the world without the pocketbook to go out and buy > > 20+ devices and sign up for the services they require. > > > -John Coryat > > > "Radar Now!" > > > "What Zip Code?" > > > -also posted in the Android Developers -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en.
