Testing, Testing, 1.2.3
We are looking for beta testers of a new version of Second Shootr. We are looking for technologically-proficient iPhone and iPod Touch users who are willing to donate their time to helping Second Shootr grow. Both windows and Apple users are wanted.
Testers will be required to have at least one non-jailbroken device and will be required to put Second Shootr through it's paces for a few hours over 3 days or so. They will then be required to articulate any errors in the form of an email to us so that we can fix them. We work fast, so we'd need our beta testers to be fairly snappy at responses.
Ideally, beta testers would be professional photographers who have real client data to put into the app, they should be UK-based, or willing to work to the UK timezone. Testers will be required to sign an NDA ensuring that information about Second Shootr isn't passed on to anyone else.
The beta phase is currently scheduled to begin around the end of September 2010, so you'd need to be available around then.
In return, we'll give our testers a free copy of Second Shootr, a chance to get first glimpse of what we're working on, and a few other goodies that we can't mention right now because we don't want to give the game away.
If you're interested in helping us out, please get in touch and let us know your device(s) UDID number and your device type (eg iPhone 3GS, 32GB, iOS4.0.2) - we'll let you know if we'd like to use you 
If this isn't your thing, Second Shootr's coming... just sit tight for now.
We’re making progress…
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we're planning some very big stuff for later on this year. Today is the first day I've been able to give some hints as to what we're working on. This morning, I updated our feedback website to show the world what we're planning.
We have no release dates yet, but rest assured we're working as hard as we can to get this out to you folks. At the same time, we want it to be right, so we're going to take as much time as we need over this.
For those who need a little bit of visual proof, below is a screenshot of the development so far. Bear in mind that it's a work in progress, so the finished result is likely to look very different, but it might give you an idea of what's to come!
As I've said all along, once this is ready, the email newsletter subscribers will be the first to know. If you want to be one of those people, head to our main site and scroll to the bottom to sign up for our email newsletter.
Second Shootr 1.1.1 – Available Now
Apple has approved Second Shootr 1.1.1 - it is available in the app store now. It is a free update for existing users.
What's new in this release?
- iOS4 Compatibility Changes
- Multitasking support for iOS4
- Bug Fixes
As always, please ensure you have a suitable backup (or even better, backups) of your data before upgrading.
Second Shootr & iOS4
If you're lucky enough to have been granted access to iOS4 and you're a Second Shootr user, you'll probably notice that Second Shootr doesn't work on it (it crashes, a lot). We are aware of the problem and we're aiming to get a fix released before iOS4 goes public on June 24th. Unfortunately, as you've probably realised by now, we are heavily reliant on Apple releasing the fix in time.
The fix should also work with iOS4's new multitasking feature, allowing you to easily and seamlessly flick from Second Shootr to other applications.
If you rely on Second Shootr for your business, do not install iOS4 until after the Second Shootr update (1.1.1) appears. Please be aware that Second Shootr may not work on the iPhone 4 (we've not got one to test with yet).
Update 21/06/2010
I mistakenly labelled the new release as 1.2. It will be 1.1.1.
Update 18/08/2010
We forgot to mention that Second Shootr 1.1.1 works fine on the iPhone 4 with no reported issues.
(Another) Second Shootr Giveaway
Version 1.1 of Second Shootr is out now. To celebrate, we're gonna give you another chance at a win.
The Giveaway: A UK iTunes gift card worth £15.
How to enter:
1. Follow Second Shootr on Twitter. (If you don't have a Twitter account, its free and simple to set one up).
2. Tweet this exact phrase:
Calling all #photogs. @SecondShootr 1.1 is out now. http://www.secondshootr.com/ #SecondShootr #comp
3. We'll track everyone who tweeted the message from this moment. After 7pm (GMT) on Friday 5th March 2010 rocks up, we'll put all the people who tweeted the message into a spreadsheet.
4. Using random.org we'll pick the winning row number and we'll send them a Direct Message (DM) to let them know they've won.
The small print:
The offer is open to anyone in the world, but the iTunes gift card is only valid to people using the UK iTunes store. If the winner is overseas, they will receive the card number in a DM, if you're a UK resident, we can post you the card, or just send you the code... its up to you.
If the winner doesn't respond to the DM within 7 days, another random name will be drawn using random.org. This will continue until a winner is found.
If you're not following Second Shootr, or you don't tweet the phrase as above within the allotted times, you can't win.
There is no alternative prize.
Second Shootr 1.1 Tips and Tricks
Note: Oh boy. I thought I had at least a week in which to write the post below! Apple approved Second Shootr within 4 hours! I apologise in advance if there are mistakes or I lead you down the wrong path somewhere. Please note any issues with the text below in the comments and I'll do my best to sort out the mess! - 17/02/2010 Tim
So.... version 1.1 is here as promised. If you haven't already got it, it's a free upgrade for existing 1.0 users, or the price of a pad and paper if you haven't already made the jump. You can download/upgrade here. [link opens the App Store]
This blog post should help walk you through all the new features contained within version 1.1
Startup Options
You'll notice something new about Second Shootr from the moment it starts loading up. Right at the very bottom of the screen, there's a little tab called 'Startup Options'. Tap this, and you can change the Second Shootr theme before it's loaded (which means you don't have to restart the application unnecessarily).
We've also given you the option of resetting your Second Shootr database. Only use this if you're sure you want to delete all your clients from the Second Shootr database, there's no undo option. You can still delete any individual item within Second Shootr by swiping your finger from left to right across it, and then tapping the delete button.
Settings
Once Second Shootr's loaded up, head to the settings tab. You'll notice we've added a couple of extra preferences.
Drop completed items
Turning this option on will send completed items to the very bottom of a list. For example, if you have a shot list of 20 items, and you mark the top one as complete, it'll drop to the bottom. Its still there in the list, but its out of your way.
Email Settings
We've given you the option to change your email subject and signature to suit your business needs. This means that emails sent from Second Shootr can be branded to your business.
Default Client Data
You'll notice that if you tap the Default Client Data button in Settings, you're asked to choose between 'Wedding' and 'Other'. This means you can have one set of default data for wedding photography, and a completely different set for any other type of shooting you do. For example, you might also work in the Food photography arena. Just configure the 'Other' option to suit you food photography requirements and away you go!
Client List
Heading back to the Second Shootr tab at the bottom left of the screen, you'll notice a couple of extra buttons above your client names. These are the sorting options. We've got them on every single list within Second Shootr. They allow you to sort your data by Name, Date and Manually.
To choose how you want to sort your clients, tap the button in the middle of the screen. If you want to manually sort your clients, tap the sort button in the top right and drag your clients around as you see fit. When done, just tap 'Done'.
You'll also notice that your clients are sorted into 'wedding' and 'other' categories (with appropriate icons). Second Shootr sorts automatically for you, so you don't need to do anything here.
Create a new client
When you create a new client, you are asked if they are a 'Wedding' or 'Other' client. You can fill out your initial client data as normal. When it comes to choosing the date, you are now also given the option to select the time of the event. This allows you to have more than one photographic event per day.
Once you've created your new clients, you'll notice that the title bar on the main menu displays the event date and time now.
Duplicating a client
On the main menu, you'll notice a new icon in the very bottom right hand corner. Tapping this gives you an option to duplicate your clients. Think of this as a way of adding a third 'Default Client Data' option. Perhaps you also very occasionally shoot christenings? Just use this option to copy an existing christening client, and change the data as you see fit.
Adding client info using the address book
Over in the client info module, we've added a new icon next to the plus button. Hit this magnifying glass and you can select your client's details from your device's in-built address book.
Improved Google Maps
Create a new address and tap it to bring up the google maps module. The first thing you'll notice is that Google maps (probably) didn't have a hissy fit when it tried to find your address. I've explained the technology behind our improvements in an earlier post, so I won't repeat myself here.
You'll also notice a new icon in the top right of Google maps. Tap this and you can view your location relative to the entered address. You can also view the map in the standard, satellite and hybrid map views.
No more accidental calls
If you create a new phone number and tap it, you'll be shown a popup asking if you're sure you want to call that number. This should hopefully prevent those accidental phone calls to your clients.
Improved Photos Module
Now you can see at a glance which photos you've completed and which are left to take on the day. As soon as you mark a photograph as complete, it will pop into the 'completed' tab at the bottom of the screen.
Improved Kit List Module
Did you make a mistake when entering an item of kit? Well now we've enabled editing in the kit list module.
Improved To Do module
Now you can see at a glance which tasks you've completed and which are outstanding. As soon as you mark an item as complete, it'll pop into the 'completed' tab at the bottom of the screen.
So that about sums up how to navigate your way around the changes in Second Shootr 1.1. It may only be 0.1 higher in terms of version number, but we've packed a whole lot of extra features into this release! If you've got any further queries about this new release, please get in touch. If you have any feature requests, please nominate and vote for them here.
Lastly, we want to know what you think about Second Shootr 1.1. Please spend a few minutes rating and reviewing the application in iTunes. The more copies of Second Shootr we sell, the more we are able to add in to future releases. Remember, Second Shootr is designed and created by a small photography business, not a giant software house. So we need as much help as possible from the photographic community to make Second Shootr a success. Thanks for your help.
Second Shootr 1.1 – Submitted to Apple
We are very pleased to announce that we have sent Second Shootr 1.1 to Apple for approval. Whilst nobody is ever sure how long Apple will take to approve their app (or even whether they approve it at all!), Apple are proudly boasting that 98% of app updates are being approved within 7 days.
If you've already got a copy of Second Shootr 1.0, and you haven't already done so, now is the time to prepare yourself. Whilst we've spend months testing 1.1, something COULD go wrong and you should be prepared.
We always advise that you have a backup of your data just in case bad things happen... plug your device into iTunes and it'll take a snapshot of the data on it. If something goes wrong, you can use the in-built 'restore' facility to restore your phone back to its previous state. Personally, we collect the information from our clients onto paper forms before entering it in to Second Shootr, so we have a paper backup too.
What's the deal with the picture to the left?
We've really beefed up Second Shootr's database in 1.1. When you first upgrade from 1.0, Second Shootr takes your existing data and slots it neatly into our 1.1 database. Just sit back and let Second Shootr do its thing. It'll only happen once; every time you load up Second Shootr after that, you'll be plain sailing.
If you have any queries about the update, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
Oh yeah... we might just be doing another giveaway when 1.1 comes out, so you might want to stay glued to this blog, or our twitter and facebook streams.
Support
Good software support is crucial for professional-grade applications. We pride ourselves here on giving fast, personalised, helpful answers whenever we get a support request.
I'm sure everyone out there has experienced other apps out where you'll send off a support request and not hear anything back for weeks (if at all). Its really frustrating.
I just wanted to give you a few stats on how our support stacks up:
- Around 23% of our users have contacted us with a support request at one point or another in time.
- The majority of support tickets are feature requests, or the occasional need for help getting something to work with their business needs. There have been very, very few bugs raised (less than 1%).
- 100% of our support tickets have been responded to within 24 hours.
- In fact.... 89% of our support tickets have been responded to with just TWO hours.
- 92% of non-feature requests have been resolved within 24 hours (the rest need a version update)
If you're after a professional-grade iPhone application where you can be sure that you'll get a helpful response if you have a question... look no further than Second Shootr!
Whilst I've got you here... version 1.1's coming along nicely... not long to go now!
Google Maps
We've had a few queries surrounding the address lookup within Second Shootr, so I thought I'd take a moment to explain how it currently works and what we're doing in the future.
The agreement between Google and Apple isn't particularly useful to us developers. Google allows developers to display the maps, but to only perform address searches using latitude and longitude. Google won't allow developers to find an address on a map by entering an address (as you do in Second Shootr).
To get around this, we use a third party company to convert an address into a latitude and longitude so that Google can display a map with a pin on it in the correct place. Unfortunately, its hard to find a third party company who's good for worldwide addresses. This meant that our UK and USA users in particular weren't getting good results when using Second Shootr's lookup feature.
In version 1.1 of Second Shootr, we will be ditching our current third party and we'll instead be using an address lookup service that's running on our own websevers. This gives us greater control over how addresses are looked up and should result in much less errors and a more accurate Second Shootr!
We're still testing 1.1 at the moment, but evidence seems to lean towards this service being much more reliable, and faster too.
Long story short:
Map lookups won't suck in 1.1. Yay!
Come on! Its 2010. Where’s 1.1?
OK... so 1.1 should be out by now. But it isn't. We dropped the ball, sorry. We had one too many sherrys over Christmas and it got the better of us.
By way of apology, we've spent a tonne of extra cash and we're going to pack 1.1 with a few extra features.
So now, Second Shootr 1.1 will contain the following features:
- The ability for all pro photographers to use Second Shootr (not just limited to Wedding Photographers)
- Two sets of default client data.
- The ability to pull clients from your address book.
- The ability to re-order lists (order alphabetically/by date or time/manual ordering).
- The ability to edit the kit list.
- Vastly improved Google maps functionality (I'll explain more in a future blog post).
- The ability to send completed photographs to the bottom of the list.
- A 'time' option so that you can do more than one photographic job per day.
Plus a whole other bunch of bug fixes, including, but not limited to:
- Prompting the user before making a phone call. (No more accidental calls to clients).
- Speeding up the data input process by not asking you to choose the data type for default data.
As before, version 1.1 will be a free update to existing Second Shootr users. I'm not going to be silly and commit to another unachieveable date, but we're aiming for around February 2010.