The new applications aTrackDog is designed to help users make sure that their applications are up to date. This application in theory would be a perfect solution to a flawed update system on Android. aTrackDog works by sending information about your currently installed apps over to the a0soft.com servers then checks all available applications for updates and notifies you if there are any.
aTrackDog though has a “MAJOR” design flaw, if a beta tester is also an aTrackDog users then all users of aTrackDog will get a notification that there is an update when in reality the application is up to date. The guys over at Big In Japan learned this first hand when they received plenty of email stating that users could not download the newest version of ShopSavvy.
“Starting on Friday we began getting emails from aTrackDog users who complained that they could not download the latest release of our software. Our current version is 3.0.0, but aTrackDog showed that our most recent version was 3.0.5 (an internal alpha version). We DO have a public beta running at 3.0.4, but the most recent public/stable release (i.e. the one in the Market) is 3.0.0. aTrackDog is listing 3.0.5 as our latest release so each aTrackDog user receives an alert that they need to update their version of ShopSavvy. Our users are becoming more and more frustrated as their emails reveal.”
aTrackDog’s only suggestion to developers at Big In Japan was to suggest users to select ‘Not Track this version’ in the aTrackDog settings. aTrackDog needs to really step it up a notch here because developers should not have disclaimers and notes for each conflicting application that is later released. Developers do not have any control over what their beta testers use on their phones. Rylan went on to say in an email to aTrackDog developers:
“I think your method of version tracking is very clever. You managed to let your users’ phones do the difficult data-collection for you. Unfortunately your strategy is not 100%, it’s not sustainable. When there are 10,000 applications in the Market and half of them are releasing private versions how will you handle the flood of support emails and admin emails coming your way? I recommend that you change your model such that it includes some sort of review process first. When a new version is submitted to your database, before you notify the world, you should go verify its existence first. This would include either finding it in the Market or updating the URL for manual download.”
Big In Japan believes the real purpose of this application is for gaining data market intelligence. With this application they are able to see how many people are using which applications. Data such as this is “VERY valuable” and should compensate those giving the data in some way rather than give false information to users about current versions. Big In Japan, as do I suggest that you uninstall this application as it isn’t useful and will likely cause confusion.
[Via BigInJapan]
but still, a global way to check for updates is needed. i cba to open each application and issue their own updatecheck lol. and i don't just want to know whether there is a new version if i'm using the app. i want to know even if i don't use an app (maybe because that version sucked).
furthermore, the updatecheck wouldn't be unified. so each app behaves probably a bit different. it's like windows all over again
why isn't there an app from google?
well hopefully Google can create an official way for Android Users to view the updates to the apps.
I still recommend it. Hopefully its updated to avoid such ridecule.
well hopefully Google can create an official way for Android Users to view the updates to the apps.
They are also going to have to factor in the differences in devices and add categories for that, give devs the ability to notate "device intended for", etc.
(think about it.. they're adding x86 "support?" - That alone will create a major need for change.
Personal opinion:: don't focus on making it sexy google. Give us expandable trees that are fast, visual, and anyone can understand. Allow ACTUAL links to devs website. Ugly, text based links for "similar apps", "apps from same dev", etc.
I personally found it more useful than OI Update.
For the most part I don't care if they are collecting data on installed apps, however, if that is the case, it should be stated explicitly either prior to download, during install, or prior to running for the first time.
However, I'm not upset enough about this to go back to using OI Update. If something better comes along, I'll happily switch....that's the whole point of the market.
True.
P.S. Cute name. But Totally unoriginal and inaccurate.Not even my man of 13 years is my master. "No one is master until you play the slave".
there is no evidence here that aTrackDog is malicious in any way. so far it has worked well for me. if it gets to the point that it is becoming a headache for me, I'll uninstall it.
there is no evidence here that aTrackDog is malicious in any way. so far it has worked well for me. if it gets to the point that it is becoming a headache for me, I'll uninstall it.
I agree. Too many peeps are either haterz ( as evidenced by the posts in the apps market) or they are just uninformed, or just possibly paranoid. There are many who won't even pay their bills on line! Sheesh!
On a side note, this app compares what you have to what everyone else has so it will not have the latest in its database. Another user with aTrackDog must download the latest version before you can see it. And of course the known issues with private, internal, alpha, versions...
So, it is a keeping in my book for now.
Come on google step up!. atrackdog is still SUPER nice.
The same can be done for Market, if Google sees fit to do so. aTrackDog is pretty good, but it needs to be done in such a way that it only offers the option to look up only Market and not 3rd party repositories, which could lead to rapid malware dissemination.
If they collect data, I could careless.. What the hell do I care if they track my stuff or if Google does? They are both making money off me. I just want an easy way to update my programs and it's working for me.
I havent used this program because im not lazy, so unless its checking apps that are not available on the market i dont see why this wouldnt work.
That said, if there is a problem with this or if the data is being used for ill purposes, I would hope Google would come out with something soon. I'd actually love to have a "My Android" page on my iGoogle site showing what apps I'm using, with the ability to update from that page. I'd also like to see the removal be as simple as the iPhone/Touch.
As for the developers, if they do not want their general users to know about the versions under developing or testing, they should protect that piece of information from spreading. Thus, aTrackDog has provided a way for developers to keep the information of their developing/testing versions from being delivered to general users. (http://atrackdog.a0soft.com/faq.php#PW)
We'd like to reiterate that aTrackDog will not collect any user's private data, nor will we apply the application version information on any purpose maliciously. The only objective of aTrackDog is to cut down users' time wasting on mundane tasks, thereby increasing their productivity.
We apologize if it may have caused any nuisances to some developers. Meanwhile, we will continue to seek better solutions.
As time goes on, we will announce new functionality for aTrackDog progressively. Please stay tuned!
Sam Lu - aTrackDog Developer
Thanks for taking the time out to clarify any false information about your App.
Is the method they use deceiving? Really Shawn, was this the right word to use? Did they actually mislead someone here? No, I don't think they did. I agree with their response in that just because its a beta version doesn't mean it's not an update. Deceit implies some sort of malice, which I seriously doubt there is any here.
This method is going to become great down the road when people start paying for apps and waiting for fixes in the next release. Letting people know that there is a beta available will allow them to contact their devs through whatever means to obtain it.
Where's your fair reporting with both parties? Where's your neutral stance and contacting all parties before publishing this article? Do you not concern yourself with being taken to task for slandering the name of a developer based on your thoughts? You have called a developer deceptive, which unless you can prove in a court of law will get you in hot water.
aTrackDog is a fine application and a good example of a developer bringing a tool to the market that the G1 sorely needs. Articles such as this one will be the death of such good developers and the ultimate failure of the platform if people such as yourself continue on this path of shooting your mouth off with no actual knowledge.
And talk about the pot calling the kettle black...BIG IN JAPAN is a major data collector as well they profit from information collection on a much larger and more proffitable scale than the developers of AtrackDog...this is a bull**** post and the poster is obviously biased in everywhich way.
BOTTOM LINE: NO DEVELOPER SHOULD BE HARRASED IF USERS DON'T UNDERSTAND WAYS IN WHICH THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION OR USAGE DATA MIGHT BE USED BY SAID DEVELOPER. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS SO OBVIOUS AS IT IS ON THE ANDROID PLATFORM.