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Chess.com iPhone App (future!)
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thebadthief wrote:
Another option would to be to make chess.com APIs public and allow other iphone developers to make an app (or current apps compatible). Why have one app when there can be many? Perhaps users needs differ so much that it warrants a variety of development.
While I might disagree a little about the UI (e.g. I think the UI needs to "feel" like the Chess.com website, but not necessarily look like the website, so that the if the iPhone user uses the Chess.com website they don't feel lost), I am VERY INTRIGUED about opening up Chess.com via web services. This solves a lot of problems in the app/website space (might create a couple too 
) and I think it would be a revolutionary move in the chess app/site world - might even allow Chess.com to become the "governing body" of internet chess... of course that would be a different forum though 
.
The only feature that I really need in version 1 is correspondence chess with chat. As a software developer myself, I would strongly advise against trying to do too much in v1 - just get something out the door, and then you can start getting feedback from people using it.
As far as pricing goes, I would make the app free but only make it available to premium members on chess.com. This would be a great incentive for people who already like chess.com to move up to the premium level, and get a bunch of new stuff at once.
Apr 8, 2009
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#26
I had a thought today while working in google reader.
It would be cool if I could make moves on an app when offline. Offline access is especially useful for dead zones eg subway/airplane/basement or when battery life is running low. Offline access would work much like how google apps such as gmail or reader allow access to files when you offline. An iphone app could allow at least move selection to continue when offline (even though submission would not occur until the connection was re-established).
Apr 20, 2009
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#28
thebadthief wrote:
ARob wrote:
2) draw traffic to the site (so getting the UI to match the site would be key).
I don't think the app should be seen as a means to market the site directly, but rather as a means to make chess.com the premiere place to play online chess, which will drive traffic.
While by no means a fan of the current UI at chess.com, I think trying to mirror that UI on an iPhone would be a catastrophic mistake. Thinking of an iPhone in terms of emulating computer based play misses the mark. It’s different, and as such the play experience is (and should be) different. While site functinoality could be jamed into an iPhone app, it would be a mistake as it would ignore the difference between computer and mobile based play.
The focus of an iPhone app should be, at least at first, only focused on turn based play. For a quality turn based play you need:
Actual move submission Move selection via Analysis Board (AB) Game notes (+ a way to save AB to notes) Conditional movesAnother option would to be to make chess.com APIs public and allow other iphone developers to make an app (or current apps compatible). Why have one app when there can be many? Perhaps users needs differ so much that it warrants a variety of development.
I agree with ARob's last point. It could be interesting if the API was opened up so that there could be more than one interface available. There are tons of iphone developers out there some with more time on their hands than others.
Game Explorer and Book Openings please. This would be a great application to be used and learn from.
Apr 22, 2009
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#31
A $.99 iphone chess app/interface to chess.com is a no brainer. Look me up when your bank account increases.
I know iphone developers who have made $200K in a matter of months on iphone apps.
Apr 27, 2009
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#32
jonnyjupiter wrote:
I use my iphone a lot because I'm often on the move. At present I navigate using safari, but the resizing is a real pain.
I suggest the basic turn-based features optimised for the iphone screen. The rest is very secondary for me. Live chess wouldn't work well on iphone IMO. Tactics trainer would be useful, but I'm not worried about that - I can live without it until I can get back to an internet connection.
Particular work needs to go into the online chess home screen, abbrieviating game names and such so it is all easy to read and touch the correct button! I'd like well located tabs (possibly down the right hand side of the board) for the messages, notes etc. The notes and moves need to be scrollable (I use these a lot).
Easy access to the Games Explorer would be great too.
This post expresses my thoughts almost to the letter - so instead of repeating it I'll just SECOND it!
Apr 28, 2009
0
#33
I figure I may have already missed the boat, but if the iPhone app has a good interface to Online Chess, that's already a win -- that's what I'm really looking for. If it has Game Explorer & Tactics Trainer as well, that will be phenomenal!
May 2, 2009
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#35
push based notification when its that player's turn. a notifier for my (mac) desktop would be cool too. and yeah I know I can get notifications via email.
May 12, 2009
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#36
Hi, I want to make a sugestion
There is a huge lack in all iphone chess programs: there is no one that allows to review an anotated pgn game with variants and comments. I want to sugest to make an effort to get a good pgn parser. this makes posible to review chess.com computer analysis or home computer analysis.
A great option that is already implemented on chess genius could be to allow to conection to a internet url (ie a dropbox) to see pgn database.
With that two posibilities chess.com program will become a must for all chess players no mater if they play on chess.com.
Thank you for your work
May 21, 2009
0
#37
Would you be able to sign in and use chess.com under your username?
OG
May 21, 2009
0
#38
OpeningGambit wrote:
Would you be able to sign in and use chess.com under your username?
OG
of course
I'm pretty sure I would upgrade to diamond if chess mentor goes to iphone...
Also, I'd like live chess. Usually, I am connected to 3G network, so no problems with network :)
Edit: I've just seen the push notification suggestion... And I'm loving it. That would be really great!
2) draw traffic to the site (so getting the UI to match the site would be key).
I don't think the app should be seen as a means to market the site directly, but rather as a means to make chess.com the premiere place to play online chess, which will drive traffic.
While by no means a fan of the current UI at chess.com, I think trying to mirror that UI on an iPhone would be a catastrophic mistake. Thinking of an iPhone in terms of emulating computer based play misses the mark. It’s different, and as such the play experience is (and should be) different. While site functinoality could be jamed into an iPhone app, it would be a mistake as it would ignore the difference between computer and mobile based play.
The focus of an iPhone app should be, at least at first, only focused on turn based play. For a quality turn based play you need:
Another option would to be to make chess.com APIs public and allow other iphone developers to make an app (or current apps compatible). Why have one app when there can be many? Perhaps users needs differ so much that it warrants a variety of development.