Android app still won't work
bababardwan
October 30, 2011 at 02:06 AM posted in General Discussionok, well I gave up trying to get the android app to work. However I note that it was updated October 24...6 days ago and that that was meant to sort out the bugs. But I deleted the old app that I had downloaded and wouldn't work and started from scratch. Went to android market place. There were only 2 apps under ChinesePod there...a ChinesePod app and a Shanghainese app. I successfully downloaded and installed the app, but then when I went to open it, it gave me the option of signing up or signing in. I chose the latter and after entering user name and password was confronted with the same thing as the last version....a blank white screen. Tried this several times and the same thing again. After several failed attempts went back and tried the signing up option but then nothing happens and it doesn't work either. I have followed the directions on this page:
http://chinesepod.com/mobile/android
and also checked on my computer the android marketplace here:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.chinesepod&feature=search_result
which shows the app I'm trying to get working. I presume this is the only one? It was only updated 6 days ago. My android version is 2.2.2 so I don't spot a problem there.
Can anyone advise me what I have to do to get this app working? Have I missed something? Any help much appreciated.
jcheinbockel
November 02, 2011 at 02:43 AM
Hi! It seems there was a mix-up in the system. We've straightened everything out. If you log out and log back in, you should have your normal access again.
Sorry for the inconvenience!
hanjiexi
November 02, 2011 at 02:42 AM
Nevermind, this appears to be a problem with my particular account and not the Android app so I submitted a support ticket.
bababardwan
October 30, 2011 at 02:47 AM
The wierd thing is this CPod page:
http://chinesepod.com/mobile/android
says the latest version is "Version 2.1.3 (the latest version)"
and that it was updated 10th October, whereas the only thing to come up under Android marketplace [other than Shanghainese] when I search on my computer is this CPod app for android:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.chinesepod&feature=search_result
which says it was updated on 24th October and that the current version varies with device. This page displays exactly what I saw on my android device when I downloaded it. Checking, I have version 40. I can't see anywhere that specifically says it is the "subscriber edition". So what gives? Is there more than one CPod app for android [other than Shanghainese]? If I don't have subscriber edition, what is this CPod app that was only updated 6 days ago and doesn't work? And if so, why doesn't the subscriber edition show up in Australia? Sorry if I've missed some announcement that explains this but to me it's entirely unclear what's going on. Can anyone please explain or point me in the right direction?
bababardwan
November 03, 2011 at 02:13 PM
Bingo!
Just double checked and still couldn't get the android app to work after signing in..went to the white screen of death again, but followed your suggestion and downloaded the dolphin browser which was quick and easy to download and install. Tried the app again and as you said it asked which browser. Chose dolphin and bingo, it worked straight away like a charm this time. Alleluia ! So it was the browser that came with the Android phone which was at fault. Thanks again for your help. Hopefully this will help others also. Cheers :)
bababardwan
November 02, 2011 at 11:02 AM
hey this is weird. I sent an email to the address you gave but received a reply from a different email address:
support@cpod.zendesk.com
..with a ticket number. I'm happy to wait in line, but I'm wondering if it's on auto divert or something? ...and whether it's thus reached the right department.
bababardwan
November 02, 2011 at 10:09 AM
"the problem we had with logging a week ago"
..ah, but I had trouble only 3 days ago. I guess it must be the browser as you've suggested. I'll give it a try when I can. thanks mate :)
RomanT
November 02, 2011 at 09:58 AM
You are right about "Android mobile page". That is what I wanted to say.
When I say "now", I meant the problem we had with logging a week ago, which was caused because of invalid SSL certificate. Now everything is fine. We fixed it remotely.
You can send me an email to android@chinesepod.com
bababardwan
November 02, 2011 at 09:41 AM
Thanks RomanT, very helpful. That makes sense about no longer being called "subscriber edition" anymore, and yeah, that must have changed in only the last 2 days because it was there 3 days ago on this page:
http://chinesepod.com/mobile/android
which is what I presume you mean by "Android mobile page", right?
"doesn't have issues with logging in and redirection now"
..when you say "now", when did that change? I was still having problems 3 days ago. Anyhow, thanks very much for your suggestion about Dolphin Browser.
Finally, I just tried to PM you but you have your PM settings set to receive no emails. Is there some link you can send me so I can PM you for now?
RomanT
November 02, 2011 at 09:11 AM
Hi Bababardwan,
Android mobile page was updated couple days ago. Nothing mentions "subscriber edition" anymore. "Subscriber edition" was an old name of ChinesePod app, at the time, when the only way to access lessons was to be a subscriber. Now users without subscription also can use ChinesePod Android app, if they, for example, purchased Courses from The Store.
Are 40 and 2.1.4 the same?
Yes, they are the same.. Version 2.1.4 has version Code 40. So they are the same versions.
About browsers.
From our experience, default Android (Google) browser doesn't have issues with logging in and redirection now. But you may try Dolphin Browser, for example. It is available at Android Market for free. Just install it. When next time you sign in in ChinesePod app, it should ask which browser to use for logging in. Choose Dolphin Browser. Please try it and let us know if it works.
bababardwan
November 02, 2011 at 06:03 AM
hi jcheinbockel,
thanks for your reply. Ok, no confusion now about 2.1.3 not being the latest version [2.1,4 has been released since]. But I'd still like you to clarify some of the other points I've raised above if you don't mind. Apart from the Shanghainese app, is this the only other android CPod app out there?:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.chinesepod&feature=search_result
...I'm guessing it is, but I can't see it calling itself the "subscriber edition" anywhere and would appreciate it if you could clear up this confusion and confirm. It also says that the version varies with the device, and my version says version 40 so I'm not sure where the 2.1.4 comes into it. Are 40 and 2.1.4 the same?
"which browser do you use on your Android?"
..now this looks like a good question that could be getting me somewhere. The browser seems to just call itself browser. And when I try to click on it for details it just calls itself browser version 8. As above, my android version is 2.2.2
"It's possible that some third-party browsers do not support the redirect code that switches between the app and the browser"
..ok, if this does end up being the case, do you have a suggestion to fix the problem? I just checked and I can't uninstall this browser. Should I try and download another browser? ..or should I try and tweak some setting?
jcheinbockel
October 31, 2011 at 03:30 AM
Hi Bababardwan,
Version 2.1.4, released on the 24th, is the newest version. It looks like we forgot to update the Android page when we released it. We're sorry for the confusion.
As for the problems with the app, which browser do you use on your Android? It's possible that some third-party browsers do not support the redirect code that switches between the app and the browser.
hanjiexi
November 01, 2011 at 10:10 PMThe new Android app is causing me a different problem. All of a sudden when I enter a lesson on my phone, a small blue box pops up saying "Lesson access type has been changed," which greys out and disables all of the lesson functions except reading the introduction text and deleting the lesson off my phone. So I'm not able to listen to any lessons on my phone anymore.