- Thursday, August 26th, 2010
- Written By Luke Gilkerson
- Categories: Covenant Eyes Mobile, Covenant Eyes Software Updates Back to Blog Home
Updates to Our iPhone App
We’ve been able to fix some of the quirky things about our browser for the iPhone® and iPod touch®. Aside from some stability fixes and a few visual elements, the two major changes are:
- The Keyboard – Remember the little keyboard that wouldn’t go away? We made it go away. Now you won’t have it crowding your screen.
- Google Search – Before if you used the Google search bar, it would just take you to Google’s homepage. Now, it actually runs the searches you ask for (imagine that).
In the near future we plan to make a few more updates, including a fresh look for the iPhone 4 and a larger app for the iPad.
We really appreciate all the comments we’ve received from our app users about ways to improve our services.
For more information about our browser, read our app user guide.
Wow! What a pleasant surprise this morning. Thank you to the developers for working on these bugs for the iPhone app.
Can you make one or do you have one for Droids now? Hubby has covenant eyes software on computer but phone has no restrictions.
@Bonnie – Alas, we have nothing for the Android yet. We do have a Droid app being planned by our development team and we will post updates as specifics become available.
Luke, will CE have the ability to develop an app for Win 7 Mobile prior to its release?
@Scott – Covenant Eyes is very committed to providing accountability solutions for mobile devices. Our Windows Mobile solution as currently implemented will no longer work on Windows Mobile 7 phones, due to changes to the architecture by Microsoft. Our current priorities are on other mobile platforms as market share has significantly deteriorated away from Windows Mobile to other platforms. If market demands indicate we need to develop for this platform, we will make that decision at a future date.
Just got the update, Not having to click within the address bar and back into the body of the web page to hide the keyboard is very nice, although it’ll take me a little while to get out of the habit! :) Many thanks for your time, energy, and efforts to resolve these issues.
I have two other issues to report for consideration for the next round of updates. I am using an 32 GB iPhone 3Gs running iOS 4.0.2 and using Covenant Eyes v1.2.0:
1. Occasionally (mostly on 3G/EDGE), when opening Covenant Eyes with my user credentials saved, I will get the message ‘Invalid Username or Password’. Additionally, as I no longer see a Sign In button in this version, I cannot attempt to sign again. As the app appears to have iOS4 multitasking, simply exiting the app and relaunching it will not attempt to re-authenticate.
Workaround:
Completely close the application using the Task Manager (double-click the Home button, hold down the app, and click the X in the upper left corner) and restart the application.
2. When using the application in landscape mode, you will be unable to select the links or folder at the bottom of your list if the number of links exceeds the width of the iPhone. While you can scroll to the bottom of the list, the list will scroll back up when the screen is released. My main Bookmarks screen has 7 folders and 5 links (12 items).
Workaround:
Use the application in portrait mode when selecting a bookmark.
Thank you again for the update, and for the level of involvement you have with your customers!
All the best!
Chris
Wondering if you have looked at the new Amazon Kindle 3 and whether it’s web browser can be restricted or monitored?
@Peter – So far no work has been done on that. We will keep you posted.
Thanks, Luke. This helps me decide which phone to get very soon.
When do you guys expect to release software for iPad?
@Chris – Yes. The next update to our iPhone app will also make our app usable for the iPad. Currently our iPhone app is technically usable, but it is rather pixelated when viewed full-screen. Expect to see updates to our app by the end of the month or the beginning of next month.
Here’s a suggestion…any way to tap into the synced bookmarks from MobileMe? I LOVE that feature…that way my bookmarks that are on my Mac are the same across all of my devices. Didn’t know if that was released in the latest iOS API.
Also, what about a password keeper? :)
Is there a list of iPhone / iPod Touch apps which do not launch in-app browsers (i.e. so the CE app can be avoided). I would really like to know if there are such apps for Twitter, Facebook and RSS.
Some I’ve found without in-app browsers are qlock, GM28, and PocketSword.
The update crashes 100% of the time now.
I loved the update when it came through, and it worked at first MUCH better than before (kudos to your team). I am also EXTREMELY GRATEFUL that you are bringing this app up to par on the iphone!!
But after using it just a few times, I started to have the crashing problem others have been reporting. No matter what I do to try and work around it, any time I load the app and try to go to any webpage (be it via bookmark, search, typing in URL in various ways, or even going to your own help webpage link), the app just crashes. Not some of the time, 100% of the time. Always.
In software development terms, this is a blocking (severe) AND high-frequency bug. It happens always, to many users, and there is no way around it, blocking 100% use of the application. I hope your team recognizes it as such, and focuses on fixing it at a top priority.
I’m posting here as I’m not sure you’ve been made fully aware of this, given the lack of quick follow-on updates since this one with a critical bug.
iPhone 3GS 32GB, latest OS, not jailbroken (as that would defeat the purpose of the accountability).
Again, I love your work, and swear by your products. I will never give anything other than a 5-star review in the app store because no one else comes close to what you do for us (including other “safe” browsers). I just want the iphone browser to work.
Thanks,
Eric
I’m having this exact issue. Did you ever get a resolution on this?
@Me – We now have another update for our iPhone users. Read about it here: “iPhone App Updates for December 2010.”
Hello everyone. Just a quick notice: We have made some upgrades to our iPhone app today. Check out version version 1.4.6 in the app store.
I know you’ve answered similar questions through another forum. First, thank you so much for Covenant Eyes app in general. It’s excellent.
My only question is more of a confirmation inquiry. My account. partner and I have disabled our web browsers, youtube, etc, but were not sure about the Google Search APP itself. I am pretty sure we need to disable that as well, correct? From my understanding the CE app only works within itself – not for outside apps. Just double checking the Google Search APP.
Thanks.
@Josh – Glad you think it is excellent. Very encouraging.
Yes, our app only monitors itself, not other apps. Any other app you notice gives you unmonitored access to the Internet needs to be locked down for airtight acountability. Unlike the desktop versions of our program, it does not work in the background logging your Internet browsing through a variety of browsers. This is due to the limitations of Apple’s operating system. (By the way, if you ever want to share your thoughts with Apple about how you feel about these limitations, please visit their Feedback page.)
Luke,
I have heard various reports regarding the release of CE for the Kindle Fire. Do you have any official word on when this much-needed application will be available?
In an age of rapidly developing technology, there exists an overwhelming urgency for the suppliers of a great product like CE to maintain a cutting edge presence across all platforms and operating systems. In the meantime, there are those who are at risk of falling through the cracks in a system that is (however slightly) behind the times.
I sincerely hope that my tone has come across as urgent rather than condescending. My only wish is to see an acceleration of the processes already at hand, that would bring a great product like CE to an audience which is very much in need of it.
Thank you for your continued efforts,
Nathan