Bloo - The Facebook Android App [Archive]

View Full Version : Bloo - The Facebook Android App

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 02:27 PM

http://profile.ak.facebook.com/object3/1425/30/n78356046679_1269.jpg
Bloo - The first native Android Facebook App.

Update:
Current Version on Market: 1.1
- Fix notifications
- Fix wall posting issues

Features:
- Real snapshot of the Feed
- View your wall, your friends wall and info
- Post to your wall or friends wall
- Contact merge to call your contacts
- View albums and upload photos
- Notifications (birthdays, events, comments)
- Events and event direction

Information how to obtain Bloo:
- Via Android Market on your Android phone (Search Bloo or Facebook)
- Online Link (view info / comments only no download)
http://www.cyrket.com/package/android.bloo

Bloo Online:
- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78356046679
- http://fbandroid.wordpress.com/

They say pictures say 1,000 words so lets get it started.

Interface:
Very Sleek and simplistic UI (User Interface) for Bloo, Facebook color-scheme,

Home page

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2546/3684338853_9eb80edb77.jpg

Menu Option for Home page

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/3685150106_3e77528a85.jpg

Status Update:
Updating your status never been easier, just click status on the homepage and you can edit your status simple and easy.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/3685150252_b89897a7eb.jpg

Preferences:
Currently Bloo's preferences lacks from what users what in a facebook app, but the developer will be adding more features, so far it only supports Startup options for feed and show notifications for post / comments on your wall.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3599/3684338933_18f0910fe3.jpg

Notifications:
Probably one of the most important feature this app has and needs, So far the notifactions have been working for me on Post on my wall / Post on my status and photo comments, Still needs notifications for poke and other features. *these are push notifications also*

- Notifications for pending event invitations
- Notifications for todays birthdays
- Notifications for latest comments to your posts

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2500/3684338969_7a03e2ca5a.jpg

The Feed:
As everyone knows the feed is a list of recent activity / post all your friends including yourself have updated on facebook. Very clean look with options just as if you were on your desktop. *NOTE* the feed is "CACHE" so you only need to load it once and check back and the pictures / text will load quickly.

- View Status updates, wall-to-wall posts, photo posts and YouTube posts
- Post to the Stream new status updates, links and new photos
- Post comments, remove your own comments or remove your own posts
- Like or Unlike posts

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/3685139976_6fd8cc7f50.jpg

Menu Button for refreshing The Feed

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3577/3685150346_8f5f5de5ee.jpg

Post Action when long pressed on a person's activity.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3582/3684339219_c48d383c84.jpg

Comment their status / update

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/3685137062_4b7d501b3a.jpg?v=0

Green post highlighted are stuff you can edit / delete

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3685150530_1dd6691a25.jpg

*Continue to Next Post*

Profile / Friends:

- View your own or your friends profile wall
- View your own or your friends profile basic info (Fields are yet to be determined)
- Post to your own or your friends wall
- Auto complete search box to quickly locate a friend
- Merge a friend with your phones contact. You will be asked to choose an existing or new contact to match and decide which fields to sync

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2641/3685150624_f5c5fd932a.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2503/3684339477_12f401b55e.jpg?v=0

Friends list / Search

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3684339659_68757289c7.jpg?v=0

Our wonderful admin :]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2610/3685150948_a6b96f0553.jpg?v=0

Merge your facebook friend into your contacts

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3685152002_abb6dc40d9.jpg?v=0

Photo Albums / Uploading Photos:

- View your own albums ( w/ paging)
- View your own photos inside albums (w/ paging)
- View your own or a friends photo tags, jump into their profiles by clicking on the tags
- Save your own or a friends photo to your SDCard
- Tag your own photos only. Facebook policy does not allow to tag ANY photo, so only yours.
- Upload a photo from your Gallery straight to an album

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2153/3685151044_ea6c0ed2fc.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/3684339995_a1d91b02a6.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/3685151326_437db72c11.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3685151516_ca496f4f2b.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3593/3684340403_de1ab25a7d.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3607/3685151616_93249ddf6e.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3582/3685151698_9f1dae9caf.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2441/3685151740_84389435e6.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3685151770_caec4dca2e.jpg?v=0

But my upload failed / upload is still buggy

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2624/3684340673_75becb5871.jpg?v=0

Events:
- View your own events
- Get directions to events
- Synchronize your calendar with an event — This is the only feature I am still thinking about as it makes the app REQUIRE you to have the CALENDAR app installed. Right now it is included, as I have found out that the Calendar

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2539/3685144546_1d09f9889e.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2638/3685151944_577c08ec22.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3663/3685139756_f80a579f7b.jpg?v=0

Conclusion of Review:

As we conclude another amazing application for the Android Platform by an amazing developer named - Dimitris Couchell.

Overrall this is a near perfect Facebook app. Has everything a hardcore facebook user would want for an mobile application. With constant updates from the developer this app will be at top performance. As new facebook applications are on the verge of being release, we'll have to sit back and keep an eye out on what the other apps have to offer.

Features that Bloo Lack / Con:
- Notifications are a bit slow
- No interval to check for notifcations / custom sound
- No Inbox (due to Facebook API)
- No Chat (due to Facebook API)
- Need option to poke friends in their profile and poke others back
- Video option upload (Babbler has this option)
- more to post later.
- Few request time errors

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2426/3685151880_c2576032f2.jpg?v=0

That's a wrap guys, hope you guys enjoy the sea of photos from this app, its amazing. Hope you guys can get a chance to try this applications before judging it.

Post your review, comments, feedback, concerns in this thread

Open Discussion:]]

- Johnny

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 02:27 PM

enjoy everyone =D

LazyGenius

07-03-2009, 02:30 PM

damn... if i knew you doing the review already i would have said something so i could show up in your newfeed... then when you did the screenshot i would've been like, "hey theres me!"

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 02:45 PM

LOL @ Lazy, my bad but i did post in the other bloo thread, on my facebook and on my twitter that i was doing the review already ahah

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 02:46 PM

hope everyone can see the photos fine, their linked to my flickr account

and hope susan is alright if i used her photo and full name on facebook XD

guitarfreak846

07-03-2009, 02:53 PM

Nice review! I'm gonna get it ;)

Sheraz150

07-03-2009, 02:53 PM

Damn Johnny your a beast! Lol, awesome review man..well done.

LazyGenius

07-03-2009, 03:01 PM

konzern

07-03-2009, 03:09 PM

lmao thats a long az review!! too bad i think facebook is lame

konzern

07-03-2009, 03:09 PM

GREAT JOB by the way

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 03:10 PM

thats the biggest review i have ever seen! nice job!

with other facebook apps coming out though i think we are going to see people taking sides like they did when the home replacement apps came out. remember how some ppl swore ahome was the best and others swore open home was better?(open home is better by the way:))

well yea same thing here. some people are going to swear bloo is the best and others babbler. but its nice to have options.(also nice that me and johnny are on the same side lol:))

ahaha i remember those threads about ahome is better but dxtop is better cause it has 4 screens ahha

but yeah i agree more facebook apps gonna come out so well see how they stack up against each other

but for now Bloo > all.

mmace

07-03-2009, 03:10 PM

v1.2 coming soon with photo uploading, I think this review will need updating constantly if he carries on updating the software like he's done since its release a couple of hours ago!!

Casey Rain

07-03-2009, 03:10 PM

LazyGenius

07-03-2009, 03:17 PM

but for now Bloo > all.
haha if anyone says otherwise... i got your back.:D

thelazzyone

07-03-2009, 03:27 PM

Great Review! I love the Bloo app so far..

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 03:28 PM

v1.2 coming soon with photo uploading, I think this review will need updating constantly if he carries on updating the software like he's done since its release a couple of hours ago!!

yeah ill update with new release notes and any other new features i will have screenshots of it.

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 03:29 PM

Great review, Johnny. I merged your posts, btw.

And I'll just throw my 2 cents in here - Bloo is an incredible app, and by far the best Facebook solution we've seen so far on the Android platform. For anyone thinking about getting it - I heavily recommend that you do!

Thanks, i separated them because i thought there was a 10 image limit in each post :/
is there or is there not lol

PDXMatt

07-03-2009, 03:32 PM

I don't know which I like better, Babbler or Bloo.

ehh what the hell. I will keep both!

Casey Rain

07-03-2009, 03:33 PM

Thanks, i separated them because i thought there was a 10 image limit in each post :/
is there or is there not lol

Yeah there is. But once they're posted, moderators can merge them without it being a problem. I learned that from running my own vBulletin, lol.

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 03:36 PM

Yeah there is. But once they're posted, moderators can merge them without it being a problem. I learned that from running my own vBulletin, lol.

lol nice k thanks :)

mmace

07-03-2009, 03:54 PM

I don't know which I like better, Babbler or Bloo.

ehh what the hell. I will keep both!thats what I'm doing, but if Demitris keeps updating like he is doing then there will be a "winner" in Bloo

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 03:59 PM

from what i heard

babbler is composed of various developers

while Bloo is only created by one - Demitris

PDXMatt

07-03-2009, 04:16 PM

I can't figure out how to view all comments in the main feed

hotweiss

07-03-2009, 04:20 PM

Nice review. Bloo also needs the ability to swipe through the photos big time. In addition, your friends list should be scrollable... Just my 0.02.

ps-more items in the news feed would be nice...

Legendary1982

07-03-2009, 04:35 PM

im riding with Bloo...

SilleeString

07-03-2009, 04:43 PM

Ahh, I see v1.2 will have the photo upload, which makes sense since I was wondering why mine weren't working. :)

kaysesoze

07-03-2009, 06:14 PM

great review...

*susan*

07-03-2009, 08:18 PM

Nice job, Johnny. I am just now getting around to downloading it. I can't wait to play with it.

Tyler

07-03-2009, 08:59 PM

Haven't downloaded it yet, but it looks fantastic! Will have to get this... thanks for the review!

thelazzyone

07-03-2009, 09:35 PM

Has anyone noticed that on the feeds (personal wall or news feed) that if facebook has shrunk the number of comments and it makes you click on a link to see more that Bloo only shows the comments that are visible?

JohnnyLicious

07-03-2009, 09:38 PM

1.2 will be uploaded tonight that will fix

- Upload photos
- other small bugs.

JohnnyLicious

07-04-2009, 02:33 PM

Upcoming Changes for Bloo 1.2.1 (this is a live list as I am working on)

- No longer caption required for photo uploading
- View your friends albums and photos
- Create albums
- More profile information when viewing a profile
- Depending on your connection speed the feed will or will not load the profile pictures (these are the ones that take most of your time and this will speed up your feeds)

AndroidJR

07-04-2009, 03:06 PM

Keeps getting better. Nice update.

DaYuMu6ft7

07-04-2009, 03:12 PM

Nice! Johnny!!!

It only took me 2 days to read the full review, Lolll

:p

JohnnyLicious

07-04-2009, 03:28 PM

Nice! Johnny!!!

It only took me 2 days to read the full review, Lolll

:p

ahhaha seriously right i know its long ahhh :)

kizer

07-05-2009, 01:14 PM

Unless I'm wrong. 3 updates over a 3 day period. Yeah sure its annoying to click the update button for the entire 20 seconds it takes to update, but hey I'm sure I'll get that 20seconds of my life back with the cool updates he keeps making. ;)

This guy will do well with his app if he sticks to making it better and better.

goalweiser

07-07-2009, 10:46 PM

JohnnyLicious

07-07-2009, 11:16 PM

I only have one question. I read that you can Merge a friend with your contact list.

Is this like "linking one of your contacts to their Facebook profile in the numerous Hero roms?" I really enjoyed downloading contact photos and seeing their current status on my phone. That is seriously a hot feature for the Hero phones?

I'm wondering if there is any application that currently offers that. I just switched back to 1.51 ADP. The Hero roms were just too unstable to bare.

Actually, for Bloo linking merging your contact friends only syncs their name with facebook aka Bloo so when you visit profile on Bloo and already merged them you can press menu and you can eitehr call or text them

Pictures and other info will be added later when you sync/merge them

its gonna be just like the feature that they have in Hero =D

so be on the look out and Babbler does NOT have this so this could be a dealbreaker? who knows.

well see what they bring to the table ahh :0

goalweiser

07-07-2009, 11:25 PM

JohnnyLicious

07-07-2009, 11:52 PM

Thanks for the update Johnny. That's cool. I'll definitely be downloading Bloo.

I've heard about it on numerous website and after reading all the reviews, I think Bloo seems to appeal to me more right now.

I'll try Babbler too, but that link and merging your contacts is a deciding factor for me.

Your welcome, and yeah bloo is very nice, but don't count out Babbler its pretty neat also i highly suggest you check out both and wait for more updates from both of them to make your choice =D

they both great its hard to decide :/

JohnnyLicious

08-19-2009, 09:10 AM

Bloo 1.3.2 will be released soon!

Here’s a list of new stuff in 1.3.2:

Inbox support: Read only until Facebook allows you to compose messages.
Full notifications: This includes likes, comments, wall posts to your own but also any other post you have subscribed into. They are completely synced with Facebook so if you read them in Bloo they are marked as read on Facebook as well. Ability to JUMP to a users profile from notifications is now added.
Search everything: This exists in your friends list but you can now filter/search your events or notifications! Ability to search the inbox is of course included. The power of truly native apps compated to web based versions.
Home screen: Becomes more “alive” and shows you how many friends have birthdays (you will need to load your friends list first only once though), this is the first step to make the home screen much more informative, more to come on this.
Much faster initial loading (splash screen)
New wall post screen that matches new comment screen, more space to type
Events are now cached and you dont have to reload them unless you explicitly use MENU -> REFRESH, the same applies to your friends list
Feed loading even more optimized to make it even faster
Fixed a bug that shows Bloo posts as link posts (hopefully this is gone)
Crash control, even if Bloo crashes on you (hopefully not) it should take you back to the Home screen and restart

Kienz

08-19-2009, 09:24 AM

Excellent work, Mr. Johnny. (as it seems that Google and FB aren't going to make nice any time soon)

GadgetGeek

08-19-2009, 09:41 AM

Awesome review! This has got to be the best review on this app that I've seen so far. Yesterday, I listened to the AndroidGuys (#12) podcast and they had the dev on the telephone talking about this app with it's pros and cons and you nailed every one of them. Although I prefer Babbler, I used this app for a few hours and it's deff. a good find.

JohnnyLicious

08-19-2009, 10:10 AM

yeah i need to update my review there's been TONS of new updates
and its real nice now i love it!