ALMOST SPRING UPDATES

iPhone: new main screen

IPHONE VERSION 2

Several weeks ago we launched Version 2 of
the HoS service and added some powerful new
features. The main innovation was expanding
from the single full-time "Radio Channel" to eight full-time channels.

We also rebuilt our main menu bar for easier
operation, added additional features to the
MY PLAYLISTS section,  and rewrote parts of
our custom Flash web player for smoother
and more reliable operation. A full rundown
of all the new stuff is in What's New in V2?

Until March 1st those features were only available
on the web site. Now we've added those new
features and more to our iPHONE app, and the
update is available free in the App Store if you've
already bought the app for 99¢. If you haven't
tried the iPhone app yet, now's the perfect time
to cough up the big bucks and give it whirl ;-)

Our new iPhone app gives you on-the-go access to all 8 full-time channels — the eclectic All Archive Mix channel, plus seven genre-focused channels:  Electronic Space, Ambient/Downtempo, Contemporary Instrumental, Orchestral/Chamber/Choral, Classic HoS Mix, World Fusion Mix, and Celtic Space.

In addition, personal playlists you create on the web site can now be played in the iPhone app.

Not only that, we've added on-demand access to programs within channels and playlists, so you can select any individual program in any of the full-time channel playlists or your personal playlists and go from there.

To answer the obvious followup question: no, you still cannot create personal playlists in the iPhone app. We had to defer that feature to Version 3. Nor can you navigate directly to any program in the archive like you can on the web site — that's also coming in Version 3. But anything you add to one of your MY PLAYLISTS is now available in the app.

So if you are determined and take the time to put all 973 programs into playlists (they're limited to 100 items each and you can make up to 100 playlists), then you can have mobile access to the entire archive now. Sweet!

Caveat user: if you make large playlists (more than 25 items) they will be very slow to load, and you will have to be very, very patient. We are testing a new back end architecture for the service that will speed things up, but for now you've been advised.

To answer the next followup question, we will be releasing a parallel update to our ANDROID app as soon as possible. We love our Android users as much as they love Hearts of Space, but for some reason there are a lot fewer of you, so our iPhone users get priority.

UPDATE, JUNE 9, 2012: Since the paragraph above was written last March, it has unfortunately become more difficult to justify the expense of releasing native Android applications. Some of the reasons are technical — Android devices are far less standardized than Apple's iOS devices, and a program that runs fine on one phone or tablet may not work in part or at all on others.

Furthermore, it is now clear that despite the large numbers of Android phones out there, only 1/5 as many people actually use the HOS Android app compared to Apple devices. Since the cost of developing it is the same as an Apple app, investing in the Android platform for a company our size no longer makes financial sense.

To solve the problem of offering mobile service to Android users (as well as other platforms like Windows Phone and RIM/Blackberry), we are now discussing developing a mobile version of our web site that will allow subscribers to run the service in the web browser of their mobile phone. There are compatibility problems using this approach as well, so we can't promise 100% support for every combination of phone/tablet and operating system like we can on Apple mobile devices. Nor can we give you a solid date for release beyond saying 'as soon as possible.' 

:: SH

Our thanks to stalwart programmer PAUL YAGO for some serious midnight oil burning and even a last minute fix while on vacation! The man is driven to get it right and we love that.

MORE FLASH GOODNESS

Our second announcement is that we've launched an update to our custom Flash web player.  First, the little green triangle "play" icons next to programs were too subtle for some users. They have grown up and now tell you unambiguously what they do:

You can also see which program is playing in any playlist and pause the active stream:

Clicking the CHANNELS or MY PLAYLISTS tab itself will refresh the list of channels or playlists.  Clicking the PLAY icon next to a channel or personal playlist will start it playing it from the top; to see the contents of any channel or playlist, click the name.

Within any full-time channel or personal playlist we've taken a feature from the iPhone app and now allow you on-demand access to each of the programs. So in addition to being able to switch channels, if you don't care for the show that's playing in a channel you can play any other, and the playlist will continue from there.

Last but not least, we rewrote some of the hidden plumbing in the Flash player for faster operation, and also fixed several obscure bugs that no one but our ace Flash programmer ALEX BURROWS understands for sure. Nevertheless, they are gone.

Enjoy the new software, and let us know about anything you don't understand or would like to see improved in the comments or by emailing [email protected].

 

Comments

[Josh]

My most-used app just got better!
Thank you for adding the ability to listen to my personal playlists!
The sleep timer is also great!
Safe journeys...

[J.T.]

My android using feelings aren't hurt. Given that your FLASH-based traditional site navigates and streams flawlessly in my Android 2.3 browser, we can let the iPhone owners go first ;-)

[Stephen Hill]

Thanks, J.T. That's very reassuring, and a good reminder for Android tablet owners! :: SH

[Michele]

Even more reasons to love HOS!

[Pat Clark]

As a longtime listener I waiting or HOS to
be available on my IPAD.

[Stephen Hill]

Pat, the current version of our iOS app is formatted for the iPhone screen size, but runs just fine on the iPad, and looks reasonable in the "2x" display mode. Just search for "Hearts of Space" in the App Store.

The next version of the app will be formatted for the iPhone *and* the iPad, and will offer the same features as our full web application.

[Lionel Williams]

My android app crashes 20 minutes into listening on the HOS weekly program and its keeps bringing up "HOS is having trouble establishing a connection".

[DT]

I agree it's not so practical for android updates, even though I am an android user. I tried on my ver.2.2.3 Froyo based phone, and it's a no go. Adobe has discontinued Flash support. As a very long term Apple supporter in the pro media realm - I truly do not support iPhones, or iPads for a number of reasons. So I'm out on this one for now.

But I'd love to see a mobile website option that maybe doesn't require Flash!

[Rebecca]

As an Android user, just wanted to say thanks for trying and not forgetting us! The current Android app works just fine in my opinion, and although I miss having easy access to playlists and favorites, as J.T. said above HoS streams perfectly well on my phone's browser, and I'm content to navigate to the website if the current week's show or archive options in the app don't catch my fancy. Thanks for continuing to be the best show on the radio and web!

[Stephen Hill]

Thanks for the spacious understanding, Rebecca. We just found out that the newest Firefox mobile browser for Android supports Flash and therefore allows full access to our web application! Download the free app from Google Play, sign in and give it a try. On an Android tablet it's just like having a full-featured app:-)

[Ron Z]

Been a HOS listener for over 12 years.
I have a Internet connected DVD player ( Sony). Easy to get "channels" like Pandora, Netflix and dozens of other media sources. Since this is the only direct internet path to my best stereo equipment it would be great to be able to stream HOS. The Sony DVD player has a simple "browser" but I cannot stream HOS from it.

I have no idea what " operating system" or firmware Sony uses in their internet ready DVD players

Is there something I can do to get HOS to stream through my internet DVD player ?

[Stephen Hill]

Ron, we'd like nothing better than for HoS to be available on all digital home entertainment devices, but realistically there are limits on what we can do. Companies like Pandora and Netflix are thousands of times bigger than HoS and have large teams of people working on connecting their services to various hardware manufacturers. We have one part-time programmer and expansion projects have to compete for funding with maintenance and upgrades to our existing services.

We approach this problem and make choices based on input from our subscribers, as well as the cost and difficulty of the project. So we will be announcing HoS on the SONOS platform in September. We expect to integrate with the Roku and Logitech systems after that.

At the same time we are researching more "global" solutions that will connect smart phones and tablets to TVs and home stereos. We can't promise support for individual devices like your Sony DVD, but one of these broader solutions should work for you with the addition of some affordable new connection hardware.

For more information on connecting your computer to your home entertainment systems please see our PDF on the subject:

http://www.hos.com/StreamToYourStereo.pdf

[Jerry]

Do you have even a rough/broad idea when you might be integrated into Logitech and Roku?

[Stephen Hill]

Jerry, all I can tell you is that both those devices are high on our development roadmap. It should be comforting that we've completed work on the SONOS integration this month as announced and the service on Sonos players is currently being tested by users.

Our next project is Version 3 of the iPhone app, which will offer full archive access and as many of the features of our web application as we can accomplish.

[Andrew Carney]

Stephen, I've been using the iPhone APP since day 1 and completely love it, in fact it probably accounts for 90% of my HOS listening even when I'm at home! I fall asleep every night to your programs and really enjoy the service. I'm looking forward to being able to view the archive on the phone so I can expand the shows I listen to beyond what gets rotated into the app (which btw, does it seem the same shows always pop up in the app?). I figure feature requests are the last thing you need but being able to add programs to a playlist may act as a stop gap to being able to display or play the entire archive in one list/screen, at least it would for me.

Also, again, I completely understand your small development team (person) but is there any chance it'll go universal for iPad/iPhone? It looks decent on the new iPad and pretty good on the iPhone 5 but even if just the UI buttons and such were updated for higher res it would make a huge difference!

Also, maybe not a perfect solution to everyone, but with AirPlay you may be able to enjoy HOS on a home media system using the iPhone/iPad as a bridge between the service and device.

Thanks again for the wonderful music, I honestly can't picture going a day without it!

[Steve John]

It's quite an experience to think back to the times when I heard these shows originally on Public Radio. I had thought that I would never hear some of these programs ever again. After your program was dropped by KRCC here in Colorado Springs, I had to go to the parking lot of the local public library in the north end of town, which was situated such that the KRCC signal was blocked by a large hill.