X3Photo Gallery Forums

Yes, I also "disagree" to Apple's strategy to leave out flash from a device that is clearly capable of running flash, at the same time they are calling it "the ultimate browsing device". Of course, an iPad is still on the top of my list ...

We already have a pending iPhone-optimized version of imagevue to be launched with next minor release, where the gallery layout is optimized for viewing from an iphone. I am sure we will also have an iPad-optimized version available when the iPad makes its entry into the market. The gallery will just detect non-flash, and go to the optimized iPad html gallery page ...

Although these solutions are "optimized", we do have future ideas about making more "dedicated" solutions for iPad and iPhone. Instead of just an optimized experience, we might be creating an interface that is dedicated to the iPad screen and method of interactivity. Of course, all this without using the Shockwave Flash ...

Come on guys, forget about it, flash will be there only when some hardware flash acceleration will be done, but Adobe is too busy to do anything, they just want apple to let them add some proprietary piece of code without opening the sources.

First they could try with making 64-bit plugin for Snow Leopard. Jobs is right that Adobe is lazy, they still use Carbon, their stuff is buggy. Flash player on mac is obviously flawed and now you want what? Let some 3rd party company to run their stuff on iPad and be included in Firmware? Run that inside mobile Safari? Apple controls all the code, they don't want some shady stuff in their OS. What about updates? Adobe fixing new bug every week it seems, and some are quite critical.

And Adobe, if they are serious, could at least make Flash Player App for Iphone/Ipad so people can see their skills in coding for memory/cpu/resources-limited environment. Check html5 beta of youtube on mac - how easier it's on the cpu. Iphone plays youtube video because of h.264 hardware support, not because of Adobe code.

Sorry if my reply did sound harsh, unfortunately we're not gonna have Flash on iPad, so it's little bit pointless to argue about how it could be the other way around.

So far we don't have the device itself to see what's possible but we're already rebuilding the foundation for Imagevue and I hope it will be usable on iPad too.

westausgang.de wrote:So now that the device is out, we all would be dying to know what you are currently working on.
Would you give some more information, please...

This issue is a bit delicate possibly because of some peoples expectations, but also a very interesting topic ...

# PHASE NOW!
Currently, with the latest release of Imagevue, if you go to the gallery from an iphone, the visitor will see the html gallery adapted to fit nicely on an iphone. We have achieved this by creating an iphone.css stylesheet specifically for iphone. Check it yourself from an iphone:
https://www.photo.gallery/soda

# PHASE 2
For next release (the big one we are currently working on), we will release an optimized CSS stylesheet for the iPad (as we have already done for the iphone). This will allow Imagevue html gallery to function neatly and user-friendly on an iPad. Of course, iPad does not support FLASH so displaying the native imagevue flash application is simply not an option(not for us, or not for any competing software).

# PHASE 3
After the initial fixes above, we are certainly looking forwards to make the "ultimate" iPad gallery experience. However, I am a little uncertain about peoples expectations in this arena. Lets look at the iPhone first:

The iPhone is a small device with a small screen. Additionally, its mouse-less touch-screen interface requires a different experience than viewing from normal browsers on normal computers. The ultimate gallery on the iPhone, is basically something similar the native PHOTOS application on the iPhone ... There is no room for swish-swoosh and fanciness on the limited screen size and unique style of interactivity. I think the best experience a visitor can wish for, is to actually be able to browse through the gallery/pages with no clumsiness. If anyone disagrees with my opinion, I would like to hear their suggestions!

The iPad has a bigger screen than the iPhone, although it inherits the same unique style of interactivity. There is room for some "special touch" for a gallery on the iPad(unlike iphone), but it is still limited in terms of design and esthetics. In my mind, we will aim to build a gallery that is functional to navigate and smooth to use on iPad, but it may lack the personal touch and flair of the imagevue SWF gallery ... I guess what Im trying to say, is that its unrealistic to expect anything revolutionary, but instead maybe aim for something that works very smooth on an iPad(perhaps something similar to the native iPad PHOTOS app?). This is the essence of the iPad in the first place.

Maybe it would have similar visual identity as the native PHOTOS application on the iPad?

There will of course be the need to add some advanced javascript/css3/html behavior. For instance maybe a scrollable menu on the left(similar to native iPad)? Maybe image information/description layer pops up when placing finger on image? Basic crossfades between images? In the end of the day, the iPad screen and interface is just better suited for something purely functional, without too many "artifacts" that interfere with the user experience. Something that can be navigated with a single finger, and that puts the content in focus.

We'd love to hear peoples opinion on this!

iPhone and iPad APP
Many users will soon be wondering if we are going to make an APP for iPhone and iPad soon. First, let's just take this into perspective: No visitors to your gallery will want to download an application before checking your gallery. They will want to simply target your gallery through their browsers, and then preferably have an optimized experience. So therefore an Imageuve APP for the Imagevue frontend? No, it has no function.

Imagevue ADMIN APP?
Ok, now we're talking. There may be a growing need for gallery owners to be able to manage their gallery from an iPhone or iPad. Although the new admin should work very well from iPad, the problem would be that you cant upload photos from the iPad/iPhone through a normal browser page. This would therefore be a reason to create an application, perhaps dedicated to uploading photos to your imagevue gallery from iPhone or iPad.

That was a long post! Anyway, would be happy to hear your feedback or suggestions! The reason I am a bit skeptical to some "expectation", is because I spoke to a photographer face2face the other day - He was wondering if we could make "kickass" Imagevue for iPad ... In my opinion, Apple already made the best interface for this ...

Thats great idea. Admin app for the imagevue would make the gallery even more greater, and I'm sure that more people would buy your product - especially the iPhone & iPad users.

Great idea!

I think a poll would be first step... you may be working hard to implement stuff that only 0.0002% of people will actually try, and then discard ?? according to latest reports, the iPad will be something of a flop becuase of it's price and system. I for one wouldn't actually want to browse a photo gallery on iPhone or iPad... my notebook is as small as I like to go, and there will be many like me.... ha haaaa, who am I ???

If I see more efforts being spent to support the IPad than adding new features Imagevue, I will then look to other software and you lost a customer. I have been waiting for better use of a horizontal menu in Imagevue for almost a year?

On the other hand you "might" gain new customers with you efforts for the IPad.

But I think it might be hard to please both camps, some that are interested in see taking advantage of the IPad and those that do not care.

Bill

wcbert wrote:If I see more efforts being spent to support the IPad than adding new features Imagevue, I will then look to other software and you lost a customer. I have been waiting for better use of a horizontal menu in Imagevue for almost a year?

Well, one of the points of my post was to perhaps play down the expectations in regards to what kinda frontend to expect for the iPad. Some people think that because the iPad is a groundbreaking display-device, the content for the iPad should be groundbreaking also, although I think in many ways content is being simplified on this device.

wcbert wrote:To put it in a nutshell, rather that designing imagevue to fit just a couple of specific devices it should universally and overall perform well on ANY device.

Of course, but there you have multiple platforms:
1. Desktops and laptops that support the core imagevue with FLASH frontend
2. Devices like iPad with decent screen-size, but with no SWF support.
3. Small devices that cant possibly handle the same experience as an iPad.

Personally, I look forward to getting an iPad, but I think its hyped up. If its a success, it will still be years before it even covers 1% of the visitors to your website. We are already seeing sales drop because of the iPad - People are thinking "hmm this is cool, but does it support iPad? No of course not, because its FLASH. I better consider something else then ..." ... Although of course Imagevue already supports iPad pretty nicely through the html version.

mjau-mjau wrote: Personally, I look forward to getting an iPad, but I think its hyped up.

I do not belive it is hyped up. The hype is coming from the Apples user that will wait on line all night to be the first one to buy one. I think it is a game changer how information is delivered to people and I like to seeing things like this. 2010 is the year of the tablet.

Personally I waiting for the HP Slate to come out which I paper seems to be the tablet that works for me. It also supports Flash!

Bill

wcbert wrote:

mjau-mjau wrote: Personally, I look forward to getting an iPad, but I think its hyped up.

I do not belive it is hyped up. The hype is coming from the Apples user that will wait on line all night to be the first one to buy one. I think it is a game changer how information is delivered to people and I like to seeing things like this. 2010 is the year of the tablet.

Personally I waiting for the HP Slate to come out which I paper seems to be the tablet that works for me. It also supports Flash!

I also think it will be a "game-changer" as you put it, but what I meant, was that some people seem to think it will single-handed change the internet immediately after release. They are talking as if iPad will be a major player in terms of the visitors to a website, while we are realistically speaking about <1% after perhaps 1 year. Also the reason I mention it is hyped up, is because of its lack of flash, some people seem to think there is an existing technology better than flash ready to take over. Well this is false, and it will take quite a long time to knock flash out of the market because there are no existing technologies practically up to the challenge.

Slate vs iPad? Sorry, I believe Apple building a dedicated OS for this touchpads will make the Slate inferior when running some native desktop OS(Win7).

Hey, Im ranting away here but thats just because I am as excited as you guys about the new pad/tablets emerging!