iPad or Android

Marco Rocci · Post by **Marco Rocci** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:19 am

Hi, I'm new here, but not to scoring,

The new season is approaching and I've decided I need some sw to help me out on the scorekeeping (mostly little league, but non only). I had a look at some reviews and decided to try iScore out. I don't have any iOS device, but since some of my friends have iPhones, iPods and/or iPads, I was given an iPad for a few days. I bought iScore and scored a few games with it. Nice. I have some questions (that I'll place elsewhere on this forum), but I'm sure it can do most anything of what I need.

Now... my real problem is that I must choose a device to buy to run it on. I don't need or want an iPhone. I could afford an iPod, but from the reviews I read, I have a feeling that this app really works best on a bigger screen. That leaves me with a choice of iPad or some Android tablet device.

I'm not actually keen on iOS. But I don't know anyone that has an android tablet to try out. Maybe someone here can help me on this one. What I'd like to ask is:

1) Is iScore for Android like the iPad version? Does it spread out and use big screens if the device has one? Or is it more similar to the iPhone/iPod version? I see there is only one iScore version for Android, but I know Android comes on devices with different screen sizes and resolutions.

2) Any advice on affordable Android tablets iScore would work well on? I'd just use it for scorekeeping, and I just really need wi-fi to connect it to the cloud when I get home.

3) I suppose I'll have to buy a second iScore app if I want it on Android, right?

TIA and regards,
Marco Rocci

Post by **mprusak** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:32 am

I know nothing about the Android version, but I did read this article about a cheap alternative for an Android Tablet. Have no idea how or if it would work with iScore.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... le_related

Post by **FTMSupport** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:54 am

The requirements for iScore on an Android device are Android OS v2.1, and it must be runing the Android Marketplace.

We do not know whether it works well or not on rooted devices, and really can not offer much support when people have chosen to do that. The OS version that comes installed on devices has been tested by the manufacturers, and meets Google's minimum requirements for the OS version. If people are trying to run a version of Android that is not supported by the hardware manufacturer, there is no way we can know if it will work or not. It is like people trying to run a new version of Windows OS on a 10 year old computer --- it will work... kind of. But ultimately you will run into troubles.

As to the question about Android Tablets...

The Android version of iscore runs well on the Samsung Galaxy and the Motorola Xoom, but is more similar to the iPhone interface than the iPad interface. We will be making modifications to the Android version to make it take advantage of larger screen devices much like the iPad version of iScore does. It will be the same version of the software, just updated, not a separate purchase. These kinds of changes are high on our priority list.

Marco Rocci · Post by **Marco Rocci** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:07 am

I don't think I'd buy the nook without guarantees it'd work, but the Nookcolor article is still very interesting. Very good color screen, with high resolution, wi-fi only, not a real fast cpu (but I suppose iScore shouldn't be cpu intensive), Android 2.1 and MarketPlace (with the rooting). Don't know if it would be available in Italy, where I live.

Let's hope some of these tablets without all the optional gadgets I really don't need do come to the market soon. $500 for scoring is a bit over what I wanted to spend. I may find something used on eBay though.

Any due dates for big screen support on the Android version? I suppose that wouldn't be for this season though, right?

Thanks for the quick responses.

Post by **FTMSupport** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:45 am

We don't generally give dates for when features will be available as our feeling is being date driven actually hurts the quality of the product as you try and hit the deadline instead of shipping when the functionality is ready. Not to mention if you miss the date, people start asking incessantly where it is and that does not help get things done any faster.

That being said, we are hoping to have more large screen support during this season. We may roll out large screen specific features piecemeal as they become available. There are already some very subtle differences in smaller vs larger screens in the Android version now, but nothing as extensive as the iPad version.

metsfan · Post by **metsfan** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:48 am

I was at at my son's tournament this past Sunday. Our first game started at 9am and he had three games that ended at 4:30. The iPad had 26% charge remaining with enough juice for the championship game had we made it. My andriod phone barely makes it through a double header. Not sure how well the andriod tablets will fare with battery life.

Post by **danmcc** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:18 am

Check out eBay for a used first generation IPad, I recently purchased one there at what I thought was a fair discount to a new one. With the second generation release I am sure prices have dropped even more.

Post by **OhioTex** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:24 am

Great point!

metsfan wrote:I was at at my son's tournament this past Sunday. Our first game started at 9am and he had three games that ended at 4:30. The iPad had 26% charge remaining with enough juice for the championship game had we made it. My andriod phone barely makes it through a double header. Not sure how well the andriod tablets will fare with battery life.

pnstalum · Post by **pnstalum** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:53 am

I have a Motorola Xoom and can say iScore runs great on it (although large screen support would be icing on the cake

) and the batterly life is excellent. I can easily get through most of a weekend with moderate to heavy use without charging. I believe it is rated at 8+ hours of constant movie watching - and can believe this claim based on what I have seen so far.

Having said that, I think the 7" screen size would be the sweet spot for scoring baseball games. Big enough to use effectively and small enough to handle easily. In that case your looking at Samsung Galexy Tab / or a rooted Nook right now for Android. I can run iScore on my rooted Evo 4g with no problems, so I don't think rooting would be an issue. Plus the Android development community is pretty outstanding when it come to rooting and custom roms.

I also have friends that score baseball games with ipads and I would give the edge to the Xoom for ease of handling, mainly due to the 16:9 aspect of the screen. It's a bit narrower in portrait mode than the ipad, giving at least the perception of being easier to handle. Not too big of a difference though.

I'm pretty much sold on Android now... but your mileage may vary

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