Amazon Killing Mobile Apps That Use Its Data

[sjk]

Hmm, this app still allows Amazon data to be exported to it:

Movie Collector iPhone & iPod touch app: Clz Movies

[jicho]

Hi Conor,

Maybe a strange question... But why don't to release an App that only shows data that isn't retrieved from Amazon? You have the info when data is retrieved form Amazon, so you can filter it

In that way users who do not use the AWS from Amazon as a resource can keep using the App

The reason of this question? I for example can't find any of my books at Amazon Most of my books are found a bol.com. In that way a lot of people are happy (I think)

Greetings,

Eric

[Conor]

We are working on an similar idea to that, with a partial sync for the Amazon data so that users know what items they have and are not mysteriously missing information as this would confuse the majority of users that don't know about the whole sync issue. Especially with all this pressure from our competitors.

[jicho]

We are working on an similar idea to that, with a partial sync for the Amazon data so that users know what items they have and are not mysteriously missing information as this would confuse the majority of users that don't know about the whole sync issue. Especially with all this pressure from our competitors.

Sounds like a nice solution, good luck implementing it!

[thajeztah]

with a partial sync for the Amazon data

Just curious; Will it treat 'non-Amazon' records differently than 'Amazon' records? i.e. Will it fully sync non-Amazon records and partially sync Amazon records?

[bradandbree]

Hi Conor,
This is really more of a request/suggestion than a question. Within reasonable expectations, can you keep testing the "old" app for backwards compatibility? I've make a back-up copy of the app in case Amazon (through Apple) causes PocketPedia to mysteriously disappear from my iPhone like Amazon did with the Orwell books on the Kindle, and they're going to have to pry my existing, functional copy of PocketPedia out of my cold dead hand. I'd like to think that it will continue to work as it currently does, even as the Pedias are updated.

Thanks for anything you are able to accomplish with this mess.
-Brad

[ltcarter47]

Hi Conor,
This is really more of a request/suggestion than a question. Within reasonable expectations, can you keep testing the "old" app for backwards compatibility? I've make a back-up copy of the app in case Amazon (through Apple) causes PocketPedia to mysteriously disappear from my iPhone like Amazon did with the Orwell books on the Kindle, and they're going to have to pry my existing, functional copy of PocketPedia out of my cold dead hand. I'd like to think that it will continue to work as it currently does, even as the Pedias are updated.

Thanks for anything you are able to accomplish with this mess.
-Brad

2nd that!

[Conor]

The old app will continue to work. The new version will be better than the old version so you will be able to upgrade or use them both as will have to call it Pocketpedia2 or similar to differentiate it from our old version to avoid confusion for non-pedia users of the original Pocketpedia. The new version will not require permission from the system if the firewall is activated like the current version does, so it might need to be activated if you plan on using only the old version. But this is a change that has already been done in a transparent way. Users who have synced the old version in the past the sync is activated automatically for them. New users would need to select Pocketpedia under the help menu to show a check mark next to it to activate the sync, something to keep in mind if you change to a new computer.

@thajeztah
Non-Amazon records would not need to have any restriction and would be fully synced.

[bradandbree]

That's really good news. Thanks, Conor.

[llaack]

Yeah, as someone late to the party who never downloaded the original and doesn't have a jailbroken phone, one word: hurry!

[sjk]

one word: hurry!

Four words: please don't rush it.

[thajeztah]

Non-Amazon records would not need to have any restriction and would be fully synced.

Great! Thanks for that. I hope the new app arrives soon, but still keep hoping Amazon will change its mind

[Igtenio]

Hello, long-time reader, first-time poster.

I ended up getting so disgusted with Amazon after this whole fiasco that, after sending a complaint and seeing others do so, and nothing being gone, I've begun loudly boycotting them. Not only am I not buying things from them, I've taken to sending a message every time I buy something elsewhere, listing what I bought, the total I haven't spent since I began doing this, and explaining why I am. Probably going straight to the trash bin, but it makes me feel better.

I don't know if this could be done, but would it be possible for the new Pocketpedia to import the existing list from current Pocketpedia installations? Not only am I ignorant of the technical aspects of the iPhone/iTouch, such as whether or not permissions would allow it or not, but whether the ToS issues with Amazon would prevent the list from being imported.

If it could be done, both from a legal and technical standpoint, however, I think it'd be a feature worth considering; I have a feeling that a lot of us are going to be going from Pocketpedia to Pocketpedia 2.0, and it'd be nice if we could bring our list along for the ride.

[Conor]

Thank you for the vocal support. If you are a Pedia user syncing your information won't be a problem. Even if you are not a Pedia user and have access to a Mac you can use the demo version of any of our programs to move data between both version of Pocketpedia. The new version is going to be geared towards our users as Pocketpedia without the Amazon search will not be able to stand alone, the data will need to be synced. This is why it's important we have a new version that is distinct as a lot of users where using Pocketpedia this way without a Mac or the Pedias. This lone use of Pocketpedia might be possible again in the long run, as we are looking at other databases that might provide the search for Pocketpedia.

[thajeztah]

Is the new version of PocketPedia already being developed? Just curious if a release date is scheduled yet