PUBLIC Beta 3 of SkySafari for Android

[btschumy]

Folks-

As you probably know, Saturday brings the last total lunar eclipse until April, 2014. It also brings something else: our first public beta of SkySafari for Android. That’s right! We’re letting the “cat” out of the bag. Details here:

http://www.southernstars.com/eclipse/details.html

The SkySafari Android beta download page is now public:

http://www.southernstars.com/products/skysafari_android/beta.html

Clear skies everyone, and enjoy. Feel free to spread the word.

Bill

[Omaroo]

That's fantastic news for Android users Bill. They've been missing the action for so long now, so this will be the first properly serious planetarium available on that platform - and the best app to boot. Well done :thumbsup:

[btschumy]

The Beta 3 had some problems with downloading the additional data files. Part of the problem was that our server was totally overloaded.

We have released Beta 4 with a new, more robust data download. We have also moved the files to Amazon's S3 servers so we should have much greeter bandwidth. If you want to help us test the new download process, delete the old app before installing this new beta.

http://www.southernstars.com/products/skysafari_android/beta.html

[Marke]

New server and B4 was much quicker to d/l thanks for your efforts.

Mark

[netwolf]

Wow this is cool, HP touchpad running CM7 dualboot with WebOS, and now I am running the Safari beta on it. Sweet. Only downside is i guess no GPS in the touchpad. And the update seems to fail, working on it. got it downloaded but now looping on install.

Would Safari support an external bluetooth GPS? Any plans to support WebOS? I still like the WebOS interface more than Android. But android is better on App availability.

Thank you for this beta.

[btschumy]

We have had a couple of reports of the data update hanging. Are you stuck at the "Installing Files" with it saying 100% done? Have you filed a bug report?

External GPS would only be supported if the Android OS makes it accessible in similar fashion to the built-in GPS. I doubt it.

No, we have no plans for a WebOS version. It takes us around 4-5 months of solid effort to port to a new platform. I don't think WebOS would be popular enough to recoup that effort.

[netwolf]

Bill,

Yes it is hanging at 100% install, I will raise a Bug report once I get home and confirm this. Last I saw it this morning it was still sitting on 100% install. Even if you exit and restart the app it runs the install again and then stops at 100%. I am experementing with GPS via my android phone but that does not seem to work at present. Will need to dig out my old Bluetooth GPS dongle, if only i could recall where i put it.

Regards
Fahim

[Jackson42South]

Downloaded the demo on my Acer Iconia A500 tablet last night, and I am very impressed with it. Looks great and no issues so far.
I am also pleased to find an Android planetarium that has comets.

[netwolf]

Bill, I have send in my feedback, both my HTC HD2 (running CM7) and Touchpad CM7alpha3 are having the same problem hang after 100% install. You can get in and use it if you ignore the download. Will try on the Samsung Galaxy Tab later today.

Regards
Fahim

[netwolf]

Bill,

The advice you gave worked, reinstaled and let download take place while it stayed in the foreground. Took some timebut installed corectly now. Also the wifi gps is working, not perfect but close enough.

Regards
Fahim

[michaellxv]

Just opened my birthday present and now have SkySafari on it. Very happy :D .Downloaded and installed with no problems.

One thing I couldn't see how to do is load in my custom observing lists. Has this been implemented?

[Omaroo]

Michael - I don't use Android devices so I can't say directly, but in reference, the iOS version doesn't import lists as such. It does however let you create them and then exercise the option to export/mail two files (a .csv and a native ".skyist" SkySafari file) to other devices and, primarily, your desktop SkySafari installation if you were to have a Mac. I gather that this is the same on the current Android version.

As the Mac desktop version accommodates importation of custom lists, maybe it's on the horizon for the mobile versions as well....

[mithrandir]

In case you have not run into it, you can only put one .skylist in an email to be sent to an iPhone. You can attach other lists but only the first will import. I asked why and this is apparently an iOS limitation. I don't have any other iOS devices so can't say if i applies to them too.

Maybe Android will accept more than one.

[michaellxv]

Further testing reveals that the button is there to email an observing list but it says 'not implemented', so I guess it is not going to import one either yet.

I'll just have to be patient.

[Omaroo]

That feature is available on iOS devices, but not Android as noted by you. Import is not a feature on either, and I probably wouldn't assume to presume that it will be.

[btschumy]

Importing Observing List is certainly implemented on iOS (just tap an observing list in an email message or on a web site). We ran into a couple of snags on Android at the last minute that cause us to defer it there. It will get re-added as soon as we can work around what looks like an Android bug.

[Omaroo]

Thanks Bill - will give it a go. It didn't seem to work (by association) for me before... :shrug: