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How QuizUp Mastered Android Device Fragmentation

60 points by martin_tipgain 12y ago

DigitalSea 12y ago
It would have been nice to hear how they went about solving all of the different device UI issues they ran into. Looking at the screenshot in the article, there seemed to be a lot of inconsistencies amongst devices. How did they come up with a solution to fix each issue? Did they target screen sizes and pixel densities like the app were a webpage and styled things differently depending on those factors?
- ZoFreX 12y ago
  I don't know how they did it but I know how I would do it: stop fighting Android and work with it. "Issue 1" is a classic example of someone trying to have a lot of control over their layout and ultimately creating a lot of work for themselves. Instead of trying to lay things out exactly, use the built in layout managers in Android. In this example one could use a LinearLayout to stack items one below the other, ensuring the "Connect with Facebook" button would never overlap the text above it.
  - bluesilver07 12y ago
    I think they were using libGDX* previously for the rendering - that could explain the layout-related problems. *I can't see any references to it now, but previously one of their job postings required knowledge of libGDX.
  - ChrisClark 12y ago
    Yeah, it seems like this article is a perfect example of why trying to do it your own way, instead of the Android way, is going to cause a lot of problems.
  - gagege 12y ago
    Yep, same with the keyboard problem. I've never had that problem in my apps because I always use the attribute that lets you scroll a view if the screen is too small to show it all.
- TarpitCarnivore 12y ago
  That's what I was hoping to read as well. Nothing against their work, but to me it read more like an advertisement for the service than actual look into how they solved all these problems.
jonahx 12y ago
If you're a full time android dev with experience doing testing like this, could you comment on how it compares to cross-device testing for the web, where you have to deal with desktops of various sizes, browsers of different types (IE problems, ofc), now mobile browsers, etc. It seems that Android development these days is as much of a hornet's nest as web dev, perhaps even more so?
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
cmadan 12y ago
How well do automated testing services like testmunk work with hybrid applications? Can it interact with data instead webviews (i.e. buttons, forms etc)?
martin_tipgain 12y ago
Martin here founder of testmunk. Yes, we support hybrid apps. You are able to execute common gestures such as scrolling, touching, swiping, filling forms and you can verify the results too.

It would have been nice to hear how they went about solving all of the different device UI issues they ran into. Looking at the screenshot in the article, there seemed to be a lot of inconsistencies amongst devices. How did they come up with a solution to fix each issue? Did they target screen sizes and pixel densities like the app were a webpage and styled things differently depending on those factors?

ZoFreX 12y ago
I don't know how they did it but I know how I would do it: stop fighting Android and work with it. "Issue 1" is a classic example of someone trying to have a lot of control over their layout and ultimately creating a lot of work for themselves. Instead of trying to lay things out exactly, use the built in layout managers in Android. In this example one could use a LinearLayout to stack items one below the other, ensuring the "Connect with Facebook" button would never overlap the text above it.
- bluesilver07 12y ago
  I think they were using libGDX* previously for the rendering - that could explain the layout-related problems. *I can't see any references to it now, but previously one of their job postings required knowledge of libGDX.
- ChrisClark 12y ago
  Yeah, it seems like this article is a perfect example of why trying to do it your own way, instead of the Android way, is going to cause a lot of problems.
- gagege 12y ago
  Yep, same with the keyboard problem. I've never had that problem in my apps because I always use the attribute that lets you scroll a view if the screen is too small to show it all.
TarpitCarnivore 12y ago
That's what I was hoping to read as well. Nothing against their work, but to me it read more like an advertisement for the service than actual look into how they solved all these problems.

jonahx 12y ago

If you're a full time android dev with experience doing testing like this, could you comment on how it compares to cross-device testing for the web, where you have to deal with desktops of various sizes, browsers of different types (IE problems, ofc), now mobile browsers, etc. It seems that Android development these days is as much of a hornet's nest as web dev, perhaps even more so?

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

cmadan 12y ago

How well do automated testing services like testmunk work with hybrid applications? Can it interact with data instead webviews (i.e. buttons, forms etc)?

martin_tipgain 12y ago

Martin here founder of testmunk. Yes, we support hybrid apps. You are able to execute common gestures such as scrolling, touching, swiping, filling forms and you can verify the results too.