Groups support in the iPhone app!

Posted by Ettore Pasquini on February 28, 2011
By popular request... we added support for groups inside our iPhone app! It's available since version 1.2.

You can see your groups and your friends' groups by going to your profile page. From there it's pretty self-explanatory. Each group will display the description, some details and statistics, and of course the discussions boards, with all the topics grouped by folder. There's also an "Unread Topics" folder which groups (you guessed it) all the unread discussions in that group.

The topic page shows all the related comments as well as the ability to add new comments.

You can also create a new topic by tapping on the white "+" button on the top right of the folder page, and copy the topic URL in case you need to reference it. (E.g. in an email or any other document.)

We hope you enjoy this new widely requested feature... Let us know what you think!

My Groups page in the Goodreads iPhone app Page of a group in the Goodreads iPhone app


List of all the topics for a given board Topic page in the Goodreads iPhone app



UPDATE: to users on older devices with iOS 3, please update to version 1.2.1 to fix the crash issues that affected the 1.2 release.

Comments Showing 1-50 of 57 (57 new)


message 1: by Lisa (new)

Lisa Vegan Thank you! I'm thrilled and I'm now likely to use the app on a regular basis vs. rarely.


message 2: by Katharine (new)

Katharine Sounds lovely. What would also be lovely is a statement from an official Goodreads source regarding an Android app. Many users politely inquired in the comments on your 1/24/2011 blog post (regarding the barcode scanner for the iPhone app), yet I have seen no response. As Android has overtaken the iPhone in market share, it seems reasonable to hope that such is in development, yet I've heard nothing confirming or denying that.

Could we please get some sort of response on this? Even a "I'm so sorry, I'm not authorized to comment on that yet, but watch this space for updates" would be nice, just so that we know we're being heard.

Many thanks!


message 3: by Kelsey (new)

Kelsey Macke Katharine wrote: "Sounds lovely. What would also be lovely is a statement from an official Goodreads source regarding an Android app. Many users politely inquired in the comments on your 1/24/2011 blog post (regardi..."


Seconded! Any information would be appreciated!


message 4: by Ettore (new)

Ettore Pasquini Katherine, Kelsey: I believe I answered in the past in some discussion on the website, but maybe it got buried in the comments, so here's an official statement:

We are about to start working on Android. I can't assure any ETA, but it is definitely a top priority.


message 5: by Doug (new)

Doug Wells Hi - I haven't used the scan feature yet. If I accidentally scan a book that I already have in my list, is it smart enough to realize that? Or, do I end up with duplicates?

Thanks!


message 6: by Willa (new)

Willa Since the last update (February 22?), I haven't been able to open the iPhone app. It opens briefly, then immediately crashes. I've tried resetting my phone, but it doesn't help. Do you have any advice on that, or know when a fix might be coming? I have an iPhone 3 right now, I don't know if that's the problem or not. I loved the app a lot before this ... Thanks!


message 7: by Ettore (new)

Ettore Pasquini @Doug: if you scan a book that's already on your scanned book list, it will not be added twice. Same thing if you add it to your shelves after scanning.

@Willa: I have received similar reports from a few users on iOS 3. I assume that's also your case. Upgrading to iOS 4 would fix it, but the upcoming 1.2.1 release (currently on review at Apple) will fix this problem.


message 8: by Willa (new)

Willa Great! Thank you. I'm in that difficult place where I need to decide whether to upgrade to iPhone 4 or wait for 5. I've tried to upgrade the current phone to iOS 4, but it didn't work. I'll look forward to the update. Thanks!


message 9: by Katharine (new)

Katharine Ettore wrote: "Katharine, Kelsey: I believe I answered in the past in some discussion on the website, but maybe it got buried in the comments, so here's an official statement:
We are about to start working on Android. I can't assure any ETA, but it is definitely a top priority. "


That's excellent! Many sincere thanks, Ettore!


message 10: by Angela (new)

Angela Cheney Hooray that you are about to start working on an Android app! I can't wait!


message 11: by Becca (new)

Becca I'm so lost w/ out my Goodreads app I'll be glad when it's fixed!!


message 12: by Ettore (new)

Ettore Pasquini Rebecca, version 1.2.1 is finally out at the App Store. It took a little while longer than expected (probably because of the iPad 2 launch) but it's there. It will fix the crash issues on iOS 3, as long as adding ability to create topics and more barcode scan features (clear list, add all to read / to-read shelves).

Here it is:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goodre...


message 13: by The UHQ Nasanta (new)

The UHQ Nasanta I'm so glad to see that group support is on the app. It's been such a pain to access them by hunting for a link to a group update on my update feeds. Thanks.


message 14: by D.G. (new)

D.G. Oh Gosh, finally! Thanks so much for this. Can't wait to try this out. :)


message 15: by Dapplenose (new)

Dapplenose Yes! I deleted the app because I was looking for a way to keep up with groups, and not it's there! I'm still hoping for a mobile version of the group updates page.


message 16: by Beth (new)

Beth Knight This is great!


message 17: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca this is great, but one thing: could you put the page numbers in it? because in lots of my groups, there are TONS of posts, and i have to keep clicking the "show more posts" button to get to the newest. Or maybe you could put a "jump to end" button?


message 18: by Sassafrass (new)

Sassafrass finally! I will like use it more now.


message 19: by Colleen (new)

Colleen I'll be excited when there's an android app. Otherwise, boo that.


message 20: by Huda (new)

Huda waiting for a blackberry App.............


message 21: by Chee Keong (new)

Chee Keong waiting for Android App too.


⚔️Kelanth⚔️ Awesome!


message 23: by ♥Xeni♥ (new)

♥Xeni♥ Thank you so very much!


message 24: by Michelle (new)

Michelle also do you think you guys can add the book challenge count to the app?? just a suggestion


message 25: by Chantelle (new)

Chantelle Thank you so much!


message 26: by Craig (new)

Craig a.k.a Meatstack Katharine wrote: "Sounds lovely. What would also be lovely is a statement from an official Goodreads source regarding an Android app. Many users politely inquired in the comments on your 1/24/2011 blog post (regardi..."

I second this.


message 27: by rivka (new)

rivka See message #4.


message 28: by Heather (new)

Heather I'm waiting (not-so-patiently) for a BlackBerry app ...


message 29: by Shelleyrae (new)

Shelleyrae at Book'd Out The update isn't helping me - I'm using IOS4 on iPod touch and the app closes when I try to view groups from the Recent Updates. I've rebooted but still no joy


message 30: by Ettore (new)

Ettore Pasquini @Shelleyrae, please send me your crash logs. Follow this instructions:

http://www.goodreads.com/help/show/12...


message 31: by Shelleyrae (new)

Shelleyrae at Book'd Out @Ettore
Done!

BTW for me the location was slightly different

Windows Vista:
C:\Users\[USER NAME]\AppData\Roaming\Apple computer\Logs\CrashReporter\MobileDevice\

And you have to type the address into the windows explorer bar as AppData is a hidden system folder


message 32: by Rosemary (new)

Rosemary I second the problem re: unable to jump to new posts, or even scroll effectively without constantly hitting "see more." Many threads I like to keep up with have hundreds of posts, so as nice as the feature could be, it's very limited right now.

I also wish that groups were an easy tab on the bottom rather than the circuitous route now, but that's secondary.

Thanks!

Rosemary, typing on her iPhone via the website, not the app.


message 33: by Huda (new)

Huda Heather wrote: "I'm waiting (not-so-patiently) for a BlackBerry app ..."

any news?? for BB


message 34: by Michelle (new)

Michelle awesome! can we update the the app to include information on your yearly book total goaL?


message 35: by Michael (new)

Michael Economy Huda wrote: "Heather wrote: "I'm waiting (not-so-patiently) for a BlackBerry app ..."

any news?? for BB"



We're not planning any BB apps in the near future. Maybe eventually.


message 36: by Amy (new)

Amy A Blackberry app would be greatly appreciated....


message 37: by The UHQ Nasanta (new)

The UHQ Nasanta Having attempted to use the newly updated app, I second/third/fourth/nth the request for better navigation of group threads and a more visible group tab on the bottom (really had to search for it). I also noticed that sometimes the add book/author covers show up, and other times it does not. The spoiler HTML did not work.


message 38: by Ettore (last edited Mar 09, 2011 10:32AM) (new)

Ettore Pasquini @niquae: agreed on better placement of group "home". We have a few different ideas on future placement, but that was the easiest to implement at the moment. But yes, we are aware of the issue.
Not sure what you mean about the book/author cover showing up.
Spoilers: you're right again! They currently don't work in the app, but I have a ticket for it, honestly not super high priority right now, but it will be probably fixed if not in the next release, in the one after the next one.


message 39: by Brian (new)

Brian Looking forward to the Android app. :)


message 40: by Rodney (new)

Rodney Still waiting for an Android app.


message 41: by Michael (new)

Michael Economy We've only build working on it for a week!

We're not ready!


message 42: by Daphne (new)

Daphne It's great to have access to Groups through the iphone app. Would it be possible to also view the group's upcoming events and current polls? These are the 2 main functionality we use in our group, in addition to the bookshelf so it would make a big difference to us.


message 43: by Veronica (new)

Veronica Sicoe I really love this app, thanks very much!!

Groups >>> desperately needs a way to navigate directly to the newest posts!
It's driving me crazy to reach the last page of an enormous thread of thousands of posts, just to see what the group is discussing!!!

Please please PLEASE give us a hotfix for this!
:)


message 44: by Ettore (new)

Ettore Pasquini Xariexis, totally agree. We'll be fixing that, I've just been super busy with other projects. Don't despair! =)


message 45: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer Any chance of getting an iPad native version of the app? Love the barcode scanning, btw.


message 46: by Ettore (new)

Ettore Pasquini Jennifer, a custom iPad app is on our plans, but I don't know any timeframe for when that's going to happen.


message 47: by Jessica (new)

Jessica It would also be great to see more than just the current book for the group - ie read shelves and waiting to read. We use the waiting to read to sugest new books for our club and would be nice for that shelf to be visible by app


message 48: by Pertti (new)

Pertti Pitsinki I have a convenient suggestion (in my opinion):

In the iPhone app (and other platforms as well), it would be especially handy to be able to scan directly to groups - in this way, companies, schools etc. could easily make their own group, and track the books on their shelves, and who are reading them.

At the moment it takes a long path to get the scans to shelves: scan the books, add to to-read shelve, go online and open to-read shelve, open another browser for groups, type and search book at a time to add it to the group.

This would give goodreads an edge over the other online libraries - at least I did not find any similar services on the other services.


message 49: by Ettore (last edited Sep 16, 2011 11:00AM) (new)

Ettore Pasquini Pertti wrote: "In the iPhone app (and other platforms as well), it would be especially handy to be able to scan directly to groups..."

That's a interesting idea Pertti -- just so I fully understand, do you mean to have an option (either in the Scanned Books page or on the Book page) to add that book to a group reading list? This would only be possible for the group admins though, right?


message 50: by rivka (new)

rivka Ettore, group mods have a setting to either allow all members to add books to group shelves, or to limit it to the mods. Many groups allow any user to shelve books on the group shelves.


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