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TestFlightApp.com goes away February 26, 2015 – use new iOS 8 Test Flight App
The website we have utilized for beta testing of apps, TestFlightApp.com, shuts down on February 26th, 2015. All app testing will be moved to the iOS8 TestFlight app and managed through Apple’s iTunes Connect. As a developer, and a user there are many more PROs to this than CONs. The new TestFlight app for iOS8 radically simplifies the process of beta testing apps. In the old TestFlight.com, a developer had to: invite users to TestFlight get the user to register a device on TestFlight take the UUID of the device and register it on developer.apple.com put the device ID into a provisioning profile use that profile to build re-upload the build (or the new provisioning profile if that was all that changed) to TestFlightApp.com distribute the build to designated TestFlightApp users There were several places where that process could get stuck and could indeed go wrong. With the new TestFlight iOS8 app, the steps are much simpler: developer submits app (there are several steps involved here for developers, but they are basically the same as submitting an app to the app store. After Archiving, you “Submit” the app to a version on iTunes Connect that is marked “Prepare for Submission” check the box for “TestFlightBetaTesting” select “External Testers” (this will not be visible until the app goes through Beta App Review) invite the test user via email (does not even have to be their iTunes email, as Apple will do the mapping) the users will be asked to download the TestFlight app (if they have not already done so) the app will then be available for install from the TestFlight app apps installed via TestFlight app will have orange dots beside them users will be notified when new versions are available The device ID mapping is done by Apple. No changes in the provisioning profile are needed. What else is different? Here are the cons: No Android. Obviously, since Apple acquired them, support for this has been dropped. It was an advantage to have all testers and testing in one web site. Beta builds only available for 30 days. After that time, the developer must submit another build. No TestFlight SDK. The developer could including TestFlight’s SDK and get more data on what parts of the app the users was testing. Read more…
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An admirable enhanced eBook: Simple Qigong for Health
At JoSara, we obviously are fans of enhanced eBooks, with three currently available and more on the way. We appreciate the medium. Below is a review original published on one of our author’s blog of a recent admirable effort in this area. As a developer of enhanced eBooks, I notice it is easy to use too much media (an overabundance of non-germane videos, audio or pictures), or to not put it in the right places. The enhanced eBook medium should live up to its name: enhance the book and the reading/learning experience, not take it over. The material in this book (Simple Qigong Exercises for Health: The Eight Pieces of Brocade) has been around for quite some time. Dr. Yang’s first edition was in 1988, his second in 1997. The enhanced version (available for iBooks, meaning it runs on iPads, iPhones and Macs) extends that material with the right amount of video and audio examples. The contents of this version are the same as the recent 3rd edition printing, and follow Dr. Yang’s norms for structuring his books: Chapter 1 provides a general introduction to history, Qi and Qigong, the history of the Eight Pieces of Brocade, and information on Qigong Theory and Training. Chapter 2 goes deeper into training theory. Chapter 3 and 4 are the walkthroughs and descriptions of the Sitting and Standing versions of the Eight Pieces of Brocade. In all chapters, as he does in his other books, Dr. Yang presents the original Chinese descriptions, and offers translations for better understanding. Some of the Qigong information in the first chapters of this book are similar to his other qigong books, but repetition helps with memory. “Remember that the most important thing in the training is not the forms themselves, but rather the theory and principle of each form, which constitute the root. Once you understand these, you will be able to use your wisdom mind (yi, ?) to lead the qi to circulate and bring you to health. Therefore, when you practice you should try to understand the poetry or the “secret words.” They have been passed down for hundreds of years and are the root of the practice. Because of cultural and language differences, it is very difficult to translate into English all of the meaning of the Chinese. Read more…
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The Battle of San Jacinto Now Available as Enhanced eBook App for iPad and iPhone
Maps, Panoramic photos and more tell a unique version of the story of “one of the most decisive battles of the world” April 8, 2013 (Texas): In partnership with the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), the longest continually running historical organization in Texas, JoSara MeDia is pleased to announce the availability of San Jacinto, an enhanced eBook for Apple’s iPad, iPhone and iPod devices. “Drawing on the wealth of historical content that TSHA possesses, and adding in up-to-date multimedia such as maps, panoramic pictures and hi-definition photos, we’ve created an app describing the battle of San Jacinto that is entertaining and educational,” said Larry Ketchersid of JoSara MeDia. The battle of San Jacinto has been called “one of the decisive battles of the world.” The San Jacinto app covers those events by including rich digital content from several perspectives: – The Battle of San Jacinto by James W. Pohl, originally published in 1989, provided here in an enhanced edition with links, color photos and more. – Panoramic views from points on the battlefield, which can be rotated and zoomed to get a feel for what Sam Houston, Santa Anna and the rest of the combatants saw. – The article “Mapping San Jacinto” from TSHA’s Southwestern Historical Quarterly by Jeffrey D. Dunn, which uses historical maps “as tools in helping to delineate the boundaries of the battleground and identify significant landscape features deemed important in influencing the outcome of the battle.” “Each of the different parts of this enhanced eBook link to the Handbook of Texas Online, the most comprehensive and authoritative state history encyclopedia in the country,” said Kent Calder, Executive Director of TSHA. “Along with the book and article, links to the Handbook provide the reader with opportunities to explore particular areas of interest.” “This app builds on the digital projects foundation TSHA put in place with the Handbook of Texas Online, as well as on its scholarly publishing efforts over the last century,” said Steve Cook, board member of TSHA. “This app continues the evolution of making in-depth historical content available in new ways.” The San Jacinto app is available on the Apple App store, and will be available in the future for Android platforms. Read more…
Books, eBooks, apps, audiobooks and whatever else we can get our hands in
