A quick update now that the app has been in the market for roughly a week. We now have over 100 members using the app and we're showing well over 10,000+ requests a day from the app. Android fragmentation has been a hot topic, so I figured I'd include our android versions:

Once we have a little more data (somewhere between 500-1000 downloads), I'll blog about these numbers in more detail. Thanks again for the feedback, keep it coming. I'd expect an iOS release some time next month. Click here to visit the app in the market.

--jeremy

Having purchased an Android device recently that app is a real just-in-time gift I'll try it, for sure

The link has been updated - thanks for the heads up.

--jeremy

Hmmmm... I tried installing the LQ app, using my Gmail account as the android market requires that. Unfortunately I get the annoying message that there's no mobile device associated with my Gmail account. Gee, ya'think it should? It prevents me from getting the app, as my Android device is a tablet PC, not a computer that happens to have a phone build in... :-\ Can I circumvent this obstacle or do you really insist and require me to buy an Android phone? I certainly hope not!

Because of the framework we use, the app currently has 6 features that are used for market filtering. It's possible the device you have is missing one or more of those features (although if that's the case, you shouldn't see the app in the market to my understanding). If there's sufficient demand, we can look into offering the apk ad hoc as a download from the LQ site, although we'd have no way to guarantee that the app would actually work on all devices.

--jeremy

Well, as long as having an Android phone is apparently obligatory you'll have the whole tablet-PC market out of reach. My Android version is: 2.2.1 on firmware version 2.3.26 (Archos 10.1 tablet) if that's any help... Note that Archos have their own Applib repository, effectively in competition with the Google/Android Market I s'pose...

Why does the app need access to my location data? :}



Cheers,
Tink

That is an excellent question. These permissions seem a little odd for such a simplistic application. Location? Phone state? SD contents? Imaging? I don't see how this needs anything other than an Internet connection.

Though perhaps there is coming functionality that justifies these added permissions? I suppose that would address my other issue with the app, why everyone has a blank image next to their name and apparently no way to supply an image for yourself. Which is ironic actually, since I do have an image attached to my LQ account currently.

I see that the odd black bars have been removed with this update, which is a welcome change. Though it looks that all of the other issues I mentioned earlier with the application remain for the time being.

Hi Jeremy - any way to utilise this on Maemo?

A couple comments:

* The permissions are also tied to the framework. It needs to access to SD and camera, for example, because the framework supports the ability to upload pictures.

* The blank pictures are the result of LQ not supporting avatar's.

* We have no plans for a Maemo or MeeGo app at this time.

--jeremy

Bought a SUPERPAD from a friend and havent been too thrilled with it...
But now maybe that will change. Will download this app tonite and let you know!

Can't use it at all. Have to have a google account to get it. Not going to happen.

I am kind of bummed.

You purchased an android device and are totally against a google account? Seems like an odd decision.

You can't even use the Marketplace without a Google account...

In actuality my wife bought us each a phone. They are very nice devices and seem to work well.

I do, however, definitely have a problem with the information gathering that has always been a hallmark of googles operation. Yes I know this is common all over the internet world we live in.

To require folks to have a Google account to download a free app is really an outrage to me. We paid for the phone, it is not Googles nor are we peons of googles because we bought a device using their OS.

I notice that a number of apps for this phone are offered on the website of the creator of said apps directly. This seems to indicate, at least to me, that I am not the only person in the world that feels this way.

As for the decision to have a cell phone at all, I am not real hot on the idea. We live in SE Montana. Get 12 miles from town and the thing is worthless. I am a ranch hand normally and so have little use for something that has no way of working. Right now, however, we are living in town, across the street from my Dreaded Mother in Law who has had one surgery for bowel cancer and due for surgery next week for a tumor in one of her lungs. She is currently somewhat mobile and there is some need for her to be able to contact one of us if she is in need of assistance.

We do not allow MS products in our house. A Linux based device seemed the obvious choice out of, to me, the set of bad options.

This app along with easytether (needed to usb tether a Verison Android phone) are the only ones that have any appeal to me at all.