Comments on: Launched this week: Official Iain Banks iPhone App

By: Darren

Darren — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:37:52 +0000

Hi Barrie - Very sorry to hear that you've been having trouble there. I've checked with m'colleagues who worked on the App and they say there hasn't been an update to the app for a while though, so they've suggested uninstalling then reinstalling to make sure you've got the latest version (sorry, I'm iAgnostic myself so I can't double-check from here). Or failing that, feel free to drop another comment in with as much detail as you can give us and I'll see if I can get someone to re-diagnose the problem, see if there's a solution.

By: Barrie

Barrie — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 03:14:17 +0000

I can't update the earlier version of the Iain Banks app for iPhone.
The iTunes page shows 'Downloaded' in the download tab.
What's up Little Brown, can't get it right?

By: rune

rune — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:02:07 +0000

It's just a shame that the only format available to receive this content is the hideous, chunky and slightly hilarious iPhone.

If the app was Java, it would run on most phones and most PC's.......

Now i'm faced with downloading an iPhone emulator to access the content....

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:52:20 +0000

I'm an iPhone developer myself, and it really should not be much of an issue to make this app available on iPod touch. I've had a look at the unlocked content by now, and there is no iPhone-specific stuff. The (unnecessary) camera gimmick is the only thing keeping it from those devices. Also, I've read somewhere about Transition paperbacks that don't have the special barcode. One more reason not to rely on the camera for unlocking. Whether they will actually update the app is another question of course...

By: CitiXen

CitiXen — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:09:29 +0000

Fingers crossed then eh?! Given that apple currently have 22% of the new phone market, compared to Android's 28% and RIM's 32%, it seems short-sighted in the extreme to only release for the iPhone.. While I appreciate that this is not a move to try and get IMB readers to use the jesusPhone, it's a little galling to think that I've bought every book for years and years, usually in hardback at great expense, yet I'm not getting all that I could in the new one because of my choice of mobile phone! Not seen anything yet though - and it has been a couple of weeks since this post was last updated... Don't suppose there's any movement for those of use (ie - the VAST majority of the population) who don't buy into Apple's PR and marketing buzz? PS - LOVE the use of the phrase "iPhone-using community".. You trying to get into Private Eye? :-)

By: Neil

Neil — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 10:54:21 +0000

Good to see there's a technique available to let hardback owners in, what are the chances of the app being updated for iPod Touch? It's been set to be available to iPhone users only, but I'm sure it will work perfectly fine on the Touch for people like me who have the hardback edition, as Patrick says.

By: Darren

Darren — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:22:50 +0000

Yeah, I'm a Nokia N900 user myself, and nobody ever releases anything for Maemo... which is actually quite useful, from a distraction-minimisation point-of-view, but yes, when there's something you actually want to get hold of, it can be a royal pain. Again though, I think the point of this particular promotion was to reach out to the iPhone-using community and get more of them on-board as Banks readers, rather than anything nefarious or discriminatory. And all these comments will be passed on to the Digital team as feedback, so you never know what might come of them.

By: Chris SCott

Chris SCott — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:16:40 +0000

Another in a long line of apps released only to iPhone. Clearly because Apple's app store has a larger public presence - but it still means that Android, Symbian and Rim users are discriminated against. [sigh]

By: NoOneInParticular

NoOneInParticular — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:40:55 +0000

My comment was jocular, but the point made is that I want to read the information in the iPhone application without an iPhone. Some type of delayed content release, as you mention, would be well received.

By: Darren

Darren — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:55:42 +0000

What's that saying? "If wishes were horses then beggars would ride"? But that's probably not the point you were making ;) I think the appropriate response would have to be that the point of the promotion is to encourage more iPhone users to read Iain Banks, rather than to encourage (or force) Iain Banks readers to use iPhones... Between you and me, there's some lobbying going on behind the scenes to get the first batch of content released to the website after a suitable interval has passed. As and when that happens then obviously we'll be posting the news here first.

By: NoOneInParticular

NoOneInParticular — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:03:42 +0000

Hi,

An excellent book.

I tried to use the iPhone [jesusPhone] application but noticed that the book did not come with an iPhone for me to use the application with; Maybe it fell out.

Because I don't have a few hundred quid l to blow on an iPhone, would someone either buy me an iPhone, lend me theirs, or provide an alternative to giving Apple money.

Regarding me.

By: Mark Lord

Mark Lord — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:55:43 +0000

Interesting App - I just posted a review of it at http://bit.ly/cB3elL

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 23:18:21 +0000

@Neil -

As of this moment, the app is for iPhone only, so doesn't run on iPod touch, strangely...

If this is only because of the camera issue, then it's even stranger, as the unlock method for hardcover owners does not appear to make use of a camera anyway...

But maybe the extra content involves GPS use?

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:30:12 +0000

I hope this makes it to the US store as well. I've been buying most of my Banks books mail order from the UK, but would like to get this kind of content as well. I can't access the UK iTunes store.

By: Darren

Darren — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:57:51 +0000

@Andy - I think Surface Detail content will become available via the app in due course, yes, but we'll be able to confirm that nearer the time. @Neill - The hardback doesn't have the bar-code, but I had a word with the powers-that-be, and they told me: "Fans who already own the hardback edition of Transition can unlock this content as well, by following the simple instructions contained within the app." which I've added to the item above as well... Not sure on the iPod Touch issue. Will attempt to find out and get back to you on that one...

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:39:13 +0000

Does the hardback edition have the barcode?

How will iPod Touch users unlock the extra content?

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:44:46 +0000

Looking forward to the Android app! Hope there'll be one for Surface Detail(?)