Charity Apps "ChApps"

Would not normally be so  blatent about promoting an app here (lol) but all the proceeds for his one are going to charity so please help keep this thread alive by posting your own comments both about the app and the concept of 'Ch Apps' in general.

http://windowsphone.com/s?appid=798a731f-c0f0-4c2a-b8b1-c1590a0d66ac

Tag line for the app:

"Don't use this App because all the proceeds go to charity, use it because its the best news app on the marketplace!"

Thanks,

Ian

If you like the app and happen to know someone who works in publishing I would be grateful if you would ask them to give this app a mention.

I get Application not found. We can't find that application in this Marketplace.

Is this a regional thing?

@Michael Butler:It only got through ingestion last night so maybe there are some lags in replicating, please try again later and let me know the outcome if you would be so kind.

Doesn't really follow WP7 UI guidelines. Barely looks like a WP7 app.

Excample, Tesco app:
http://ribot.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Panorama_sample.png

Example AP app:
http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/apnewsreaderpanorama.jpg

Example Foursquare app:
http://blogs.msdn.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-75-00/7026.Official-foursquare-2.0-pano.jpg

@Harlequin:I'm really chuffed with the UI but always happy to take on constructive criticism.

Thanks for the examples, might do something similar for this one.

Just put together the obligatory youtube video:

Expression Screen Capture / Windows Live Movie Maker are  great little Apps for something simple like this. 

It almost looks like whoever put it together knew what they were doing  LOL.

It now apears to have replicated everywhere - if anyone is having trouble downloading would they kindly let me know.

@Ian2: Can't find it in marketplace with search, but it installs fine through email,..

@Maddus Mattus:Is it OK now?  A few people have reported issues with finding it in the marketplace but I figure it should all be good by now?

Ian

Didn't want to sound like a pain, but consistency is important in WP7 apps.

The design guide from Microsoft is quite extensive, albeit out of date. Hope they put out a new one in the new year.
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=183218

1 day ago, Harlequin wrote

Doesn't really follow WP7 UI guidelines. Barely looks like a WP7 app.

Excample, Tesco app:
http://ribot.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Panorama_sample.png

Example AP app:
http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/apnewsreaderpanorama.jpg

Example Foursquare app:
http://blogs.msdn.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-75-00/7026.Official-foursquare-2.0-pano.jpg

What specific guideline isn't he following? His app uses a Panorama, ListBoxes, standard rectangular buttons, and the ToggleSwitch from the WP Silverlight Toolkit. The only thing that might be considered different is the cascaded images inside the ListBoxItems.

1 hour ago, cbae wrote

*snip*

What specific guideline isn't he following? His app uses a Panorama, ListBoxes, standard rectangular buttons, and the ToggleSwitch from the WP Silverlight Toolkit. The only thing that might be considered different is the cascaded images inside the ListBoxItems.

I'm on the fence about the cascaded images, but putting a white border around the images is definitely not Metro.

49 minutes ago, kettch wrote

*snip*

I'm on the fence about the cascaded images, but putting a white border around the images is definitely not Metro.

It appears that the border is to give the effect of a physical photo. Granted real printed photos have been borderless for quite some time now, but people still understand the metaphor:

7 hours ago, kettch wrote

*snip*

I'm on the fence about the cascaded images, but putting a white border around the images is definitely not Metro.

I played with lots of different backgrounds (before settling on pretty much nothing) and found that in general the borders around the pictures were "nicer*" than without.

Yes the App only loosely follows the Metro guidelines  - they are just guidelines after all. 

The feedback I got that hit the nail on the head for me was the inconsitency within the panormaic interface:

1. Headers are not implemented consistently across all the panorama items.

2. The 'fast & fluid' aspect is compromised by throwing up a message box before going into 'Apps'.

* OK so if I was a designer I might say 'more astetically pleasing' but I'm not a designer, just a propeller head slightly out of my comfort zone ...

I will be addressing all the feedback I have had in version 1.1 - it is very much appreciated. 

Thank you & keep going, the more critical the better at this early stage!

Is nobody gonna say it?

@Ian2: It's listed now

3 days ago, cbae wrote

*snip*

It appears that the border is to give the effect of a physical photo. Granted real printed photos have been borderless for quite some time now, but people still understand the metaphor:

 

That's one of the principles of Metro...not imitating physical objects. Make things genuinely digital.

Well, the border is just a simple framing mechanism for the photos  I just thought the overall effect was better with, rather than without.

Listed but seems to have missed out on any  benefits of apearing in the 'new' section as there were so many new apps apearing just prior to XMAS.

Generating some interest from a few reviews but personally I want everyone with a Windows Phone to download and use it! (no harm in being an optimist)

http://windowsphone.com/s?appid=798a731f-c0f0-4c2a-b8b1-c1590a0d66ac