Practical suggestions to make this app faster
Developers: read the apple human interface guidelines. Decouple the server state from the GUI. Come on guys, you should know better than to have all of your syncing happening in the foreground stalling the user interface. Users don't want to watch the progress indicator and have the app completely frozen.
You guys need to sort out the app design from a user functionality and communications point of view. Clearly a lot of effort has gone into the sparkly graphical controls, but the lack of responsiveness suggests more effort or possibly a re-approach of the underlying architecture.
This has nothing to do with my internet speed, latency or handheld device speed.
To BG who probably outsourced this app: you should have specified application responsiveness and not accepted the app as it is.
Please do something as there is a pretty common consensus looking at the other reviews.
Currently it feels like I wasted £150.
--I am an app developer.
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17 comments
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Anonymous
commented
I am an app developer and using the WAN to control the boiler when I am at home (WiFi available, Hive local) sounds daft: why not connect straight to my local device, with asynchronous update sent to the WAN server?
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Anonymous
commented
As an early adopter of hive I'd stupidly hoped things like slow log in would be quickly fixed. It's still not fit for market and urgently needs solving. please stop fobbing us off with 'its b eing looked at". If it's not resolved shortly I'll be sending it back for a total refund.
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Paul whiers
commented
Sync speed, after seeing comments on low sync speeds I have been timing mine, it only takes 5/6 secs to sync. I have tried HTC one, iphone 5, ipad and my laptop and they are all about the same 5/6 secs. I think this is good enough. Not sure what would cause some peoples sync to take 45secs.
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Anonymous
commented
Only installed today so not used it or app much yet not sure how I will manage it either online tab or phone. A lite app for up down heating control only would be ideal for my needs
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7forty7
commented
I'm a software developer too. You guys have made a really great and functional app.
Give 'em a break guys!!
A bit more speed would be good perhaps grey out the controls and colour them as they become available (as suggested by someone else) de-prioritise the temp outside perhaps.
Key thing for me is clarity on when the app is synced and ready for input.
Love the service - saves me money and more importantly being chilly! Know you'll make it better and better. Keep the UI - it's great.
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Anonymous
commented
I've noticed a consistent improvement in the last few days - rarely under 10 secs to refresh now.
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Anonymous
commented
(I made the original post)
1. Sorry for new thread, I was not aware of the existing thread.
2. Regarding the responses saying that the app should wait until there's data: sure, it's confusing to start displaying numbers if the numbers are unverified, but there are plenty more options.
How about greyed out numbers showing the last known state, or a progress wheel on top of the individual feature until it's active. Or worst case lock the interface at the splash screen until it actually works, as a quick fix.
Aside: In reality, if you read the apple HIG, a functional app like this should be using the splash screen as a skeleton view of the UI while it's loading, in the same way that Safari, mail, and most built in apps do, to create the perception of fast loading (rather than a Hive logo vanity page) but that's another debate.
Currently, you are blocked from doing anything such as moving between heating and hot water pages, or even accessing the help or other settings. Plus it does still show you (potentially) wrong numbers the whole time you are waiting, so it's worst of both worlds at present.
The red pop up messages saying 'hive needs an internet connection' when there blatantly is one, just shows they are throwing up 'catch all' errors. It probably means that they've not got a full understanding of what the app is actually doing at a given point, which further hints at a poorly engineered app under the top level shiny GUI.
No, I'm sorry but this has all the hallmarks of a development where the developers or perhaps even marketing people have ignored the 'model-view-controller' design pattern recommended by apple (which fits the mobile rapid response usecase well), and instead have started by loading up Xcode interface builder, drawing a pretty interface, then hanging all their comms code on the UI events.
For design ideas, take a look at the ebay iphone app. This too, depends a lot on server state but the UI remains responsive while waiting.
My comments are harsh but hopefully helpful to the devs and managers. I should add that I do value being able to adjust my heating while away from home a huge amount. However, I think BG could get a lot better word of mouth advertising with an improved app. Currently it's:
"Look at this! ... My boiler has an app! ... I can remotely control it! .... .... ... ... ... ...
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Just a sec...
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Yeah, it's loading
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No, my signal is fine...
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Yeah, the app's dog slow but it's still pretty cool" -
Anonymous
commented
Since latest app update it takes ages to connect to my network and thermostat. Worked really quickly when first installed.
Very frustrating very slow. -
bazza2000
commented
For any developers commenting here, would love ur input on both the hive app and give widget I've released. Comments welcome at britishgashive.freeforums.org
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Anonymous
commented
My app won't work at all. Sometimes I can't turn on or off or change any settings. Hopeless!
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Denis
commented
Old app was much better this one is to slow. A one hour boost would be great.
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Anonymous
commented
Update and sync takes too long. >45 seconds. My sky HD app syncs quicker and that is pulling lots more data. Can't understand why Hive app takes so long to sync & update. This is my only criticism of the system and it does take the shine off a great product.
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Anonymous
commented
I agree that the initial sync needs to happen much more quickly. Sometimes I'm waiting more than a minute for the system to update.
That said, I disagree that the updating should happen in the background. As someone else said, to do so would be very confusing for the user. Admittedly, most network calls should normally happen asynchronously, but in this particular instance, the UI should be blocked until the update happens.
As per the other guys, I'm also an iOS developer.
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Anonymous
commented
I completely agree. The app needs to be immediately responsive and more efficient when it comes to syncing and connecting to the Hive servers.
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Anonymous
commented
Bear in mind that the original improvement request thread on this subject is already marked as 'started' I suspect that means that improvements are in hand. Can't get too worked up about it I'm afraid - 10-20 seconds to wait is no great problem.
Not sure why the OP did not post under the original thread? I would have thought a tech expert would understand that multiple threads on the same issue are quite annoying.
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Anonymous
commented
It's not really excessive it takes a minute to gather the data .. Could be a bit faster but all in all it's a great system.
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Anonymous
commented
I'm a developer and I disagree. There's no point in the UI being usable until up-to-date data has been collected, otherwise it would be utterly confusing to the user!
They need to beef up the speed of the initial sync if anything.