When are you coming out with an Android version?

I intentionally designed geom-e-tree so that it would have the same User Interface whether on phone or pad, so I wouldn't need two apps, or have to do ear spins inside the app depending on what kind of device I'm running on, and so on.  Very little of my coding has to do with those differences.  Geom-e-Tree is a "Universal" app -- runs on ipad and iphone, etc.. and it will run on future iPads, etc.

I get asked this a lot,  immediately from Android users - "When are you coming out with an Android version?"

Unfortunately, the two platforms are programmed in different languages and have different runtime systems.  The problem for me would be spending the time to learn the Android environment.  I am not already proficient in the Java programming language, although I do drink a lot of coffee.  Here is an article from yesterday that just happens to be about going from Apple to Android..

An iOS Developer Takes on Android

http://nfarina.com/post/8239634061/ios-to-android

Not that it wouldn't be a good thing to learn.  But at 61.9 years, I have less time to spend learning yet another new thing.  It would take so long I'd starve before getting any return on it.   I about went insane learning Apple's Objective-C!   Continuing, supposedly, once I knew both systems, somehow I'd manage to spend time on Android and and work on my next iOS version for the iPad!?  ... And to maintain Geom-e-Tree on both platforms?  Maybe if there were two or three of me.  Not an inherently bad idea, just not practical.

Oh, hey, then there is the HP TouchPad (WebOS)... that would be a good idea.  I'll have time to get to that before Microsoft comes out with their tablet, the "Zing!"  and then I can take on the Blackberry PlayBook, which uses the cleverly named Blackberry Tablet OS, whatever that is.

I'm not even making $$ in Apple's app store with Tree yet, if ever.   I have given away a fair number of Twee, the kids' version.  Even though I'm willing to give away an infinite number of Twee's,  fewer than 20,000 have picked it up.  More on the marketing of Tree in a future post.

On Android, I don't think millions of people would pick up Tree or Twee on Android anymore than on Apple -- even if the apps were Free in the Android marketplace.  Perhaps if the apps were free, there would be lots of copies... but then that wouldn't help me out!   I don't want ads in any app of mine.   Also, it seems like 99% of Android users want apps for free - that's what that's about.  You can find any number of articles that show how there are very few non-free android apps that move a lot of units.  For example, the "Alchemy" app on Android has 6-10 million Lite version (free) out there, but the Premium version ($3.95, no ads) has sold only 5-10,000 copies.  That's not enough to live on.  The guy over-priced it.  I don't know what kind of revenue they get from ads.  People have to click through them in order for the developer to get a micro-payment.  I can't imagine that amounting to much.  I'd hate to be dependent on that.

ALCHEMY REF. https://market.android.com/search?q=alchemy&so=1&c=apps

As much I would like to support the quasi-open source android platform, I've become skeptical because I have to make money to pay bills.  If I make money from Apple, I might feel more generous.   But why should proceeds from an Apple app subsidize an Android version?  Well perhaps to bootstrap it into its own product lifecycle, perhaps re-pay for itself.  I can't pay ~$5-8,000 to someone to port Geom-e-Tree to Android.  No investor would drop money on Geom-e-Tree-to-Android, IMHO, don't want that anyhow.  You: Got Cash?

Tablets

While there are a lot of Android devices out there (all kinds of hardware and variations)  there are relatively few Android Tablets in people's hands at this time.  Don't let the "sales" figures in news articles fool you.  There's a lot of product sitting on the shelf.  Samsung or one of the makers just went silent about their sales. Once they get shelves filled, orders drop off.  Manufacturers want in on the iPad rush of course, but Apple is way ahead.

Also, Geom-e-Tree was mainly intended for the iPad's large display.  I figured if a person also had one of the smaller display devices, Tree would work on it as well, but I didn't intend Tree to be iPhone-size only.

Here's another one for you,  Apples vs oranges.

http://www.tipb.com/2011/08/02/difference-apple-ipad-2-samsung-galaxy-tab-101-tablet-commercials

To be brief,  I should learn Java and how to port Geom-e-Tree to Android.  May I live long enough to do that!  To be honest, I already have the domain name registered for the Android app.  Right now, I'm focusing on iOS, and marketing.  In the meantime, maybe the Android Tablet base (and market) will be worth it.

John Miller

iOS Developer

Stop! Bored after Five Minutes!

First, thanks to all who posted five-star reviews of Geom-e-Tree!

To the negative reviewers who got bored after 3-5 minutes:

You say you got bored after 3 minutes, but something tells me that you didn't even experience the App.  Each of the six trees provided in the arboretum can produce many many tree patterns -- ones that you would not even expect to have come from a tree.  I suggest that you look at  the "Explore" page  (www.geom-e-tree.com/explore.html) and examine the variety of patterns that can be produced.  Hints along the right side tell you how you can obtain the pattern. These are just a sample!  I hope you try again and get your $2 worth!

The six "Reference Trees" represent all binary, ternary, quaternary, quinternary, ... trees.  They all conform to the definition of a tree (see Graph Theory).  Perhaps in a later update we will introduce other Tree-like forms.  Geom-e-Tree 1.o has the classic geometric tree shapes -- kind of like the platonic solids in solid geometry.

You cannot exhaust all the possibilities in 5 minutes.  There are basically an infinite number of patterns.  Please see the FAQ.  Other "visualizing" toys do produce dazzling effects, based on particle physics for example.  Geom-e-Tree's patterns are fractal line drawings that you can explore and manipulate.  I'm pretty sure this is a first-of-a-kind app in that respect.  Please take a another look.  Make suggestions for improving our App Description if you think it is misleading, etc.  Thanks!

To ALL - I played with the app for months while developing it -- and I am still discovering new trees.  These reviewers must not have taken time to look at the web site, otherwise they would have noticed the screen shots and all the patterns shown on the Explore page.  By the way, Geom-e-Twee has a similar gallery, under "puzzles".

Seek out "Geom-e-Tree in Action" on YouTube for a demo to get yourself started.

Ethics Corner: None of the 5-star reviews were solicited, nor were they from "fake" accounts to my knowledge.   I would never approve such unethical behavior, nor do I need fake reviews.  I wish people could just honestly review the app and leave out such speculation.

Snarky Remark: Is there little wonder that political systems are dysfunctional when people would rather just mouth off than write to the support address given for the App (at least give that a shot first), or maybe consider that they missed something about the app?  "RTFM?"

Corrective Action: I added the YouTube link to the AppStore description.  Previously it was only on the web sites.  Hopefully prospective buyers can go there to check it out first.  We can only guess that the unhappy guys didn't get that they can pinch and spread the tree, etc.

Feel free to follow up here (moderated) or via our Geom-e-Tree support address.

Taking the First Step...

Welcome to my Wandering in the Forest blog, which will supplement the websites for my two apps, Geom-e-Tree and Geom-e-Twee, as well as other Apps that may come along.

FIRST OFF..  If you have an idea for how color might be used in either of these apps, please send them to colors@geom-e-tree.com or colors@geom-e-twee.com.  I have some ideas, but I am curious what others think -- do you have an interesting idea, or just some gratuitous use of color that won't add any value to the experience, just color.  Color needs to be related to geometry.  Tree might use color one way, while Twee another.  I'll throw out some of my ideas in a future posting here.

Possible Future Topics

I may go deeper into some of the concepts brought up in the FAQ.

I may explain why I chose the gestures to change the angle and common ratio... and perhaps post some videos of the app that will demonstrate why those design choices make most sense.

I may explain some of the constraints that are on the program (that is, why the tree turns red sometimes).

I may pose more questions or thoughts about the deeper structure of these trees, and the forest of trees.

I may also discuss decisions that go into making an Android and Mac OSX version of Geom-e-Tree.

I may also publish a bit of a road map of future versions of Geom-e-Tree - that is if other developers allow me to develop these apps instead of copying the idea and putting their own versions into the store.  What do you think of that?  You can write to me - john  at geom-e-tree dot com.

To be honest, the first thing I'm going to do is take a break from the months it took to create these apps, the web sites, video, help pages, and so on.  After that break, one of the first things will be to have the help and App store info translated by Oregon Translation into five additional languages.  Then when we have an App update ready, it will be more international.

Comments are enabled, but will be moderated.  Feel free to share your constructive criticism or ideas!  Thanks.  JM