HOS Android App now available!

If you searched the Android Marketplace for the long-awaited Hearts of Space app in the last few days, you were probably surprised to find it there! 

We put it up last week without announcing it because a last minute issue came up in testing, and we were concerned it might cause problems for our Android users.

A few of our testers told us that it was taking an unusually long time to do the initial installation of the app — up to four and half minutes. In no case did the app fail to install, and it loaded fast and worked perfectly after it finished. It just took too long to get going.

Since then, around 75 people have downloaded the app and no one has reported the problem. Either they are very patient people, or what we were seeing was a "device-specific" problem. In any case, our programmer is working on a revised version of the app with a different initial setup sequence, which should end the problem for good. He's promised it in two weeks.

So Go Forth and Download, dear spacefans. The HOS Android app awaits you. See our Android special plan page for details.

ONE MORE ISSUE WE'VE HEARD ABOUT

For one early user the app failed to download completely after he bought it. This problem has nothing to do with the HoS Android app, but rather with the Android Marketplace app delivery method.

The Android mobile platform is still fairly new so issues like this apparently aren't that unusual. Many people have the same problem on a number of different Android devices including several reports on various HTC models.

Google recommends several methods to solve this problem, quote:

"You may occasionally see downloads get caught up on your phones. However, this is often a temporary connectivity matter.
Some troubleshooting tips include :

1) activating Google Talk
2) performing a soft reset or
3) using the "Force Stop" option to stop the download and then resume it again."

Here's one user report:

"I had the same problem even after I did a hard reset. I then went and activated Google Talk and ... Viola!
Not only did the download function start working, it allowed me to go back and re-download all my purchases!"

To activate Google Talk, you must have a Google account.

=    Open the browser on your Android phone and go to http://www.google.com
=    Sign In to your Google account
=    Tap on My Account
=    Then tap on Mobile - this opens a page with lots of Google mobile apps including Google Talk
=    Tap on the Google Talk icon -t he Google Talk page will load.
=    Tap on the "Launch Now" button - it may ask you to Sign In again (security)
=    Once you've activated Google Talk, go back to the Market.
=    Search for the Hearts of Space app - it should start downloading and installing.

If you have any other problems no matter how small, just email [email protected]. We love to help folk use our apps!

:: SH

Comments

[Pamela Fontenot]

Is the app available for the iPhone?

[Andre Loureiro]

Hi Steve and Lauren,

I have already downloaded and installed the app in my Android and i-Touch too - haven't experienced any issues so far.

But I have a questions thou: how can I acess my FAVORITE show list archive, is it possible to do that in mobile devices?

Thanks!

Andre
Los Angeles CA

[drSpace]

Hi Andre  Thanks for picking up the app. 

Version 1 of our mobile apps do not support favorites yet. 

We're working on version 2, which will support personal playlists and multiple full-time channels. It's easy to make a playlist out of favorites, which will address your issue! 

:: SH

[Spacefan Michael]

Initially I had a problem when the app was loaded onto my Android Phone (LG Optimus V) that I could not then logon to HOS.com. I even uninstalled the app from my phone - still could not get onto HOS.com. So, I sent an email with this info and VOILA! - The HOS team got me working both on the phone and at HOS.com.

Best 99 cents I ever spent.

Thanks so much

Spacefan Michael

[Don Treadaway]

If someone is a current subscriber to the AAA ALL ARCHIVE ACCESS level must they also subscribe to the Android mobile plan to use the Android app?

[drSpace]

Don, all our AAA class subscribers have full rights to use all features of our Android and iPhone apps. Just sign in the first time you use the app and everything will work. 
Enjoy! :: SH

[Don Treadaway]

Thank you for the clarification, and for the years (or should I say decades) of excellent music and introspection.

[north face outlet]

A few of our testers told us that it was taking an unusually long time to do the initial installation of the app — up to four and half minutes.