Any Android users want to try a lighting diagram app?

Downloading now ... look forward to trying it. Might want to add a QR code and post to Android forums if you haven't already. I'll tweet about it too. Don't give up too soon; Scott Bourne just tweeted today about abandoning his iPhone for a Droid due to AT&T's dismal service, maybe others will follow.

Been waiting for an app like this, thanks!

Thanks fullcity. Hope you enjoy it. The app shows up in some of the 3rd party android market search sites and I haven't mentioned it on android forums.

kenyee wrote in post #10289605
To date, only 200 people have installed the Lite version and zero have paid for it, so even ad revenue is pretty much worthless...which makes me wonder if developing any more photography apps for Android is worthwhile

I think more and more developers are finding out that it's simply not worth while to write mobile phone applications. Seems that most users feel like these apps should be free, and thus don't want to shell out a couple of bucks, despite the fact it may have taken someone MONTHS of time to write & test the application.

I've looked into this, and for the most part, no one is going to make a living off this. At most, someone might hope to make some extra money on the side, but very few will be put in a position where they can make it their full time job.

I don't think most people understand how much work goes into writing an application. Look at photographers. We charge $1000-2500 for ALL day coverage of a wedding and we gripe and **** at how much we worked for that ONE day. Tack on post processing and you may have a week's worth of work for your $1000-2500 (and we often feel underpaid at that). Now go to developement, a developer may work on an app 1-3 months, and then charge $0.99 for it. And if he's lucky he might get a couple hundred bucks in sale, but more realistically many people won't even buy it (they want it for free). How many photographers agree to work 3 months on a project, and then turn around and sell the prints for 99 cents each? None.

I think you are right. Look at the metrics of the Apple app store like 90%+ of the sales are in the .99 - 2.99 range.( excluding the free stuff) People will spend a buck on just about anything. But the higher the price the tighter they get. And when it is software, as opposed to hardware they can hold in there hand, it gets tight real fast. It is a perfect example of how you can make more money from a lower price than a "fair" one. People will spend a buck just to check it out. But when it cuts into their Starbucks money they start to think, then pass on the purchase.

Mark1 wrote in post #10295866
People will spend a buck just to check it out. But when it cuts into their Starbucks money they start to think, then pass on the purchase.

Even worse on Android because the market has a 24hr refund policy, so they can get a refund on that buck. I read another article recently that said that all iPhone apps are gravitating towards Jobs' vision of 99cent apps.
I agree w/ BigBlueDodge...the investment in time vs. return doesn't seem worth it unless you're on the iphone marketplace where a 99 cent iFart app does decently enough because the large user base of kids buy it.

The studiobuddy app probably took a few weeks of time programming/learning Android and about a week to do the 52 graphics you stick on the page. Two sales so far and 50cents in admob revenue, so $12.50. I thought $6 was fair given the extremely vertical market and smaller user base than iPhone, but a few folks who were testing it on the strobist forum and loved the Lite version balked when they saw the cost.
Oh well...at least we can say Android has a much better app for this than the iPhone

I was thinking of a model/location release app next, but to do it properly requires setting up code/storage on a web server, etc. which would mean a cost of at least $10 and an annual subscription (there are three apps in the iPhone world ranging from $4-10).
Or maybe just a free porn app w/ only ad revenue ...

I agree your $5.99 is fair. However your competiton is free. So when you compair an "OK" app that gets the job done with one that may be better but is $5.99... it is a hard road to travel.

A lot of people have an iPod touch so even if the other apps are not on android it is still compitition. I am one that carries both the iPod touch and an andriod phone almost everyday. Your comp also includes the web apps.. just remember where stuff was then create the diagram later from a set up shot on the web beats even $.99

What if you add more to it. Say a DOF calc, and an ND filter calc. Make it more of a all inclusive app. I have not found a DOF or ND app on android yet.

How long has it been in the market? It may be that people just dont know it is there. I didnt, till I saw this thread, and I go through the market all the time.

Actually there is a nice free DOF calculator called Depth of Field calculator, I use it all the time.

So I've been playing with it and have to say it's pretty nice. I don't have any experience with strobox so take this FWIW. Some things that I would like to see:

1) The ability to long press an item and bring up a submenu (delete, move to back, rotate, change, etc), this would reduce the need for accessing the hard buttons which would be much more user friendly.

2) The ability to long press an unused area to add a new item.

3) The ability to add lighting information to a light/modifier item (e.g., free form text, "30% power" or "f/8")

Overall a very handy app to have. Don't know how much I'll use it because I'm usually in a frenzy moving things around and probably wouldn't have time but that's me.

fullcity wrote in post #10304896
1) The ability to long press an item and bring up a submenu (delete, move to back, rotate, change, etc), this would reduce the need for accessing the hard buttons which would be much more user friendly.
2) The ability to long press an unused area to add a new item.
3) The ability to add lighting information to a light/modifier item (e.g., free form text, "30% power" or "f/8")

Thanks for the feedback fullcity.
FYI, 1 and 3 are there, and 2 is a good idea. Long press does work, but for some reason, it's a bit more fiddly on a Droid. You have to hold your finger still when you long press. It's less fiddly on my Cliq (i.e., easier to hold my finger still).
For 3, bring up the long press menu or choose Edit Info from the normal menu when an object is selected. You can add power ratios, and free form text. You can see these in the sample screens. AFAIK, this feature is not on strobox or lightingdiagrams.com.

I use the free DOF calculator app as well...I like it quite a bit since it has a visualization mode.

yep, Mark1, I know what you mean about free apps (I knew about strobox and lightingdiagrams). Free and nonfree seem to coexist in iphone land (non free apps have more features than the free ones). No big deal at this point...I like the app and that's a big plus compared to the free ones to me

I actually have an HTC Hero. I tried and tried after reading your post but no go, long press didn't do anything. Oh well, glad you thought of it at least

fullcity wrote in post #10305047
I actually have an HTC Hero. I tried and tried after reading your post but no go, long press didn't do anything. Oh well, glad you thought of it at least

Agh...still trying to buy an HTC Eris (same as Hero I think) off craigslist. Drives me nuts how much different Android hardware there is...
Thanks for reporting it...

kenyee wrote in post #10306954
Agh...still trying to buy an HTC Eris (same as Hero I think) off craigslist. Drives me nuts how much different Android hardware there is...
Thanks for reporting it...

In case it matters, I'm running 2.1.

fullcity: I think I fixed this in the next version.
The longpress didn't show up if you had selected the item. If you longpress an unselected item, it did show up. Next version also has the ability to lock an item so you don't move it inadvertently...

kenyee wrote in post #10309380
fullcity: I think I fixed this in the next version.
The longpress didn't show up if you had selected the item. If you longpress an unselected item, it did show up. Next version also has the ability to lock an item so you don't move it inadvertently...

Sounds good, looking forward to trying it! I did just try long-pressing an unselected item, still didn't do anything

seanzky wrote in post #10285641
I use an Android phone... but I run out of battery before I get to do anything on it.

I got an incredible a few weeks ago, and initially the battery life sucked. After a break in period, it seems, it's doing a lot better. I usually go to sleep after a full day of use with about 50% battery life remaining, and I consider myself a moderate to heavy user on some days.