Automatic refresh is a premium feature. Lame, I know, but it is one that drives the users to go premium. There's a refresh button that a user can use to update the imagery, but they have to: a) know what refresh means b) recognize the button. That's already a stretch for a lot of them.
When the app rolls into the background, it doesn't consume any additional resources, except if it's a premium user and then it constantly will suck up bandwidth for both that user and our server. Perhaps we should detect this and quietly end it. That might be the best answer. The point of this thread though is the lack of basic educational material for the new Android user. Is there an app (yet?) that can give the user a rundown of the basic operating concepts? I remember back when I first used Windows (3.1), that basic training aid was the Solitaire program. It did everything that Windows could do in an entertaining fashion. I think I learned more about Windows using that gem than anything else. -John Coryat On Saturday, March 2, 2013 10:27:12 AM UTC-6, Nathan wrote: > > I do think there is a significant number that doesn't know. > Also, on many systems, using the Home Screen button *does* end programs. I > say that because of the advanced setting "Task Management = Aggressive". > Some phones ship with it on in their crusade for battery life. > > I do not claim to know if that is ten percent, more, or less, but even 10% > for you is a lot, and it is taking up some of your time. > > But the bigger question is > Who is going to associate "It doesn't refresh for 8 hours" with "Oh, that > must be because eight hours ago I distinctly remember leaving the app via > the home screen button instead of the back button. " > Absolutely nobody, unless (not until) they read some documentation or > contact you. > I believe that is true even if the end user who knows all the intricacies > of the buttons and voluntarily choose to switch from your app, intending to > switch back, but didn't switch back for eight hours. > Not everyone will bother reading documentation or contacting you before > they give up. > > So if updating imagery is something you only initiate on onCreate, is > there a way you could do it (perhaps conditionally) in onResume? > > As far as ending the app, that is a different story. If your app should be > and is using resources when in the background, the users should learn to > use to the back button. If it is not, users need to learn to chill out. > Even when using the back button, not all apps are freed from memory right > away by Android, and the user's favorite task killer will tell them it is > still running and that that such a thing is very, very, very bad, and the > user may call you a liar if you try to tell them otherwise. > > But as far as updating the imagery, you could probably put that to rest. > The cost/benefit is up to you. > > Nathan > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
