[fred]

mrc242, on 2012-May-31, 12:35, said:

Robots that are in this software are not very intelligent, in fact, they've made some really dumb plays. This doesn't seem like GIB; is there any chance this will be improved in the future? Or is this an artifact of my ancient phone?

The mobile robots are a version of GIB that is not as "smart" as the version that you may be familiar with (because we don't give these particular GIBs very much time to "think" for economic reasons).

I can imagine various scenarios that result in higher quality robot play in the mobile app in the future, but probably not in the immediate future.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[jmc]

I have used the software on both an HTC Droid Thunderbolt and my Asus Transformer prime. So far so good. It runs WAY better than the flash version ever did. I would really like to be able to use it in both portrait and landscape mode on the tablet though. I am going to try and get in some hands tonight and then I'll post a bit more.

TY BBO!!

[jmc]

The new BBO App runs great on my Asus Transformer Prime Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sand which tablet. When I tried to use the flash based BBO it was barely usable. The new app is smooth and fast. I really am looking forward to being able to log into my account and kibitz or play with my friends while sitting on the couch.

I was disappointed that the software won’t let me use it in landscape or portrait. Right now it only has the one vertical orientation. Check out the Bridge Baron app for android or ios to see an app with good portrait and landscape options. I also thought the interface was a bit confusing at times. It took me a minute to realize I could hold down a button to get an explanation and then slide my finger off without activating the button. Some of the buttons, like the score sheet and configuration cog, don’t “feel” like they do anything when clicked because the state of the button doesn’t change or “pop” to make it look pressed.

After pushing the score sheet button, it took me a minute to realize I needed to click the back button to go back I kept trying click the little vertical triangle in the upper right corner to “close” the score pad. This button doesn’t do anything when looking at the score pad. The back button feels really far away from where the action is. Would it be possible to make it so I could swipe left from the main screen to go to scores and played boards and then swipe right to go back again. Perhaps an additional right swipe could move me from the main screen to a settings screen or a friends list. Swipes are great on touchscreens. Maybe you could find a use for swipe up and swipe down as well.

Are the little card symbols going to be pressable? Is the chat button? I love the user interface directions that show blue when its that directions turn to act. I’m not a huge fan of the wooden table motif, but I think it all comes together well. I’d prefer to see IMPS or MPS scored on the last board instead of the running total. Perhaps that could be an option. I’m not sure what you have planned for the more button and the triangle upper right button on the table, but do you need both? If that title bar is going to be up there all the time, I’d like it to display the time. Some sorting options in the tables to kibitz area would be nice.

I think some thought to the implementation for phones vs. tablets might be in order. Tablet resolutions are getting higher and higher. You might be able to show more data than you can on a phone. BBO flash displays fine on my tablet.

I hope some of this was helpful. This is a great first release! Thanks BBO for all the hard work. I can’t wait to play some tourneys on my tablet!

jmc

[sream]

Air? FFS the reason people couldn't use on mobile browser was because of flash. Anyway hopefully the other app comes out of beta soon.

[1stpanda]

I have tried several times to play with the bots on my Droid Global (3G) with no success at all. The software hangs up in the middle of the hand, and I am unable to play a card. the small size of the cards makes for frequent misplays when the wrong card gets played. Once it even got hung up in the bidding - it wouldn't let me pass although it would have let me bid something.

[shengabus]

I have android phone and an ipad 2.

Interface. No problems with the ipad. Cards seem big enough to click easily.
Menu options easy to access.
I particularly like the recall hands feature.

For the watch bridge option. Perhaps have a find person option. I imagine when we get to log in as regular users ourfriends will show up anyways.

Presumably live play is in the works. Hopefully this will include bidding table option.

Also, as other people have suggested, perhaps have an option when u leave the app for the app to remain connected to the web (maybe with options for maximum timeout). I noticed that my game has reset while writing this forum response. Much more important for phone app.

I always tell "rushers" on bbo thatbridge is not a fast game. But the app bridge is really fast (and thus the robots play and defend a very poor level).

I do think the gibs should attempt to know really basic bridge.
I opened 1d followed by a spade overcall by LH gib.
My gib partner chose to bid 2c with x kq987 qx qxxxx.

I guess people would be willing to pay for a "quality" gib for those who do not want to be on 3g connection while mobile.

[mrdct]

I'm using an iPad and have a few suggestions:

- when declaring and using pictures of cards I'd prefer or at least like to have the option of dummy being orientated normally in columns with trumps on the left;
- when watching vugraph it would be good if the other room's result (if available) could be displayed;
- when watching vugraph and checking the results it would be nice if you could bring up the entire scoresheet (hiding the hand record of the previous board). There seems to be a down button to do it but it's greyed out.

My life has just got a whole lot better - thanks to Fred and the team at BBO!

[barmar]

Since the GIBs are the same as in the web version (they're like the $1/week basic robots), you should post bidding errors like that in the GIB forum.

[8po]

it's pretty easy to log on bbo web version and play/watch bridge games with android tablets and ipad(puffin browser), ain't bbo's apps for android and ios supposed to be at least the same with what we already have if not better - considering the time and money spent? I tried your apps on both android and ios devices and felt ridiculous. Sorry to say that the apps are disappointing.

[mrdct]

mink, on 2012-May-31, 03:32, said:

When my robot partner was declarer, they played so fast that it was impossible for me to follow. Maybe a "next trick" button would help in this case.

I also find this a bit unnatural and would prefer a system inserted pause of half a second or so when the robot has an insta-play as it often looks like 4 cards being played simultaneously which makes it a bit hard to follow what's going on.

[brettlea]

Can't wait to try this on my iPad when I get home.

Brett Wunderlich

[zenko]

fred, on 2012-May-30, 07:53, said:

The first version of the BBO mobile app is now available.

Click here for more information

If you have any comments or questions, please either use this thread or e-mail support@bridgebase.com.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

E-W cards should be turned 90 degrees to make them much easier to read
SA
SK
SQ

etc.

I understand that creates screen real estate issue but there is no real reason why the W's bottom card and E's top card should have "full" display (at least while all 13 cards are in play), if you give them as much space as to the rest of the hand I think it is doable.

[snoopy369]

zenko, on 2012-June-04, 14:14, said:

E-W cards should be turned 90 degrees to make them much easier to read
SA
SK
SQ

etc.

I understand that creates screen real estate issue but there is no real reason why the W's bottom card and E's top card should have "full" display (at least while all 13 cards are in play), if you give them as much space as to the rest of the hand I think it is doable.

At least on iOS there are two options - horizontal or vertical display.

[indymj]

bbo, please estimate time frame for fully functioning bbo on ipad and adroid?
indymj

[snoopy369]

I like the iOS app so far (on a one gen old iPod Touch on iOS 5.1). My suggestions:
* For Vugraph, the voice commentary doesn't continue when the iPod goes to sleep (which it will do frequently). I don't know if this is a limitation of iOS (cutting the feed off), but when I'm listening to a baseball game stream it doesn't cut off when the iPod goes to sleep. This is a problem because you usually don't interact with the iPod/phone/pad when you're listening to a Vugraph, so it's very likely to go to sleep unless you're watching it simultaneously (which I sometimes won't, if I'm working).
* I also had a problem for a while that the chat didn't scroll forward as new chats came in. I suspect what happened was I scrolled back some, and while I thought I'd scrolled back to the current chat was just off of it. I'd suggest making the check for scroll/not scroll slightly loose - if you're just one line back you probably don't mind if it scrolls forward, after all, it's much more likely that you just missed the front by one.

[fred]

indymj, on 2012-June-05, 13:47, said:

bbo, please estimate time frame for fully functioning bbo on ipad and adroid?
indymj

Sorry but "full functionality" is a too much for me to offer an intelligent estimate.

I am comfortable guessing that it will be a matter of small number of months before people can log in with their normal user IDs, access friends lists, chat, play with other people in at least some contexts, and likely do other significant things.

Like all bridge players, I sometimes misguess - please do not take the above as a promise.

We have not decided what exactly the next release will consist of so it is hard for me to guess with a great deal of accuracy as to when that release will be. I can promise you that we see this as a very high priority project.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[ulven]

Found this:
http://bridge.aucy.com/

A BBO client for Android in beta.
Haven't had time to test really yet, just installed and logged on.

[barmar]

snoopy369, on 2012-June-05, 13:44, said:

At least on iOS there are two options - horizontal or vertical display.

That option only applies to picture mode, not hand diagrams.

But hand diagrams are practically always displayed with the suits horizontal, I think it would be confusing to rotate them.

[IrishToby]

At least for me (a new bridge novice), a real need to have an option to be able to tap to have the hand move on at completion. All goes to fast for me to absorb!

Looks great on the iPad.

[fred]

IrishToby, on 2012-June-08, 00:22, said:

At least for me (a new bridge novice), a real need to have an option to be able to tap to have the hand move on at completion. All goes to fast for me to absorb!

Looks great on the iPad.

Thanks - I am glad you like the app.

There is a button in the top right of the table that looks like a down arrow. If you click it a menu will appear that includes "redeal". Is that what you mean by "have the hand move on at completion?". If no, please clarify.

A lot of people have mentioned that the robots play too quickly as declarer, but I know there are others who like this. I may include an option in a future version.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com