Shoutem Phone App

[Misty Summers]

If I create an app for my ning network. Will the user have to login to open the app? If they do then if I add webpage links within the app will they be asked to login again?

[Eric Suesz]

Hey, Misty. Users will need to first download the app and then sign in to access your site with a Shoutem app. The app itself is a closed environment, so if you push people out of the app and onto their phone's web browser, they may have to sign in again. 

The Shoutem app is great, if you can afford to create a dedicated app and put it into the Apple App Store. We have a beta mobile version that is available now. I would recommend that. Free. Designed for most devices, and not just an iPhone compatible app. 

[Misty Summers]

Well what I mean is I added the web feature in the app. Then I linked them to pages within my ning network but it makes me log in again. Will it do that to my app users? We will be purchasing the app but I am waiting to ensure it has all the things we need.

Any idea if I can incorporate a language translator in the app?

[Misty Summers]

Which app service are you referring too? A ning mobile app? I am setting up the moblie access on my ning account but wanted to have a downloadable app as well. Is there a better option than shoutem?

[Sean Herman]

Right now, Mobile Ning is only available for mobile devices on the web. It is not offered as an actual app to be purchased from the app store - android or iOS. I have requested this several times, without much feedback to the idea.

[Sean Herman]

I haven't heard of it before, but this looks like it could be pretty nice. How much does it cost to create an app with Shoutem? And does it cost money to put it into the iOS App Store?

[Sean Herman]

Is Shoutem only or iphone apps?

[Misty Summers]

Shoutem is for IPhone and Android

[Misty Summers]

Creation is free but to publish and maintain it there is a monthly fee. Here is a link to their pricing page: https://www.shoutem.com/pricing

[Eric Suesz]

Yes, it will do that. As noted, if you push people out of the app and onto their phone's web browser, they may have to sign in again. If your members download your iPhone app and sign in and start using it and then go to their browser -- for whatever reason -- the app will not talk to the browser and make sure that person is automatically signed in when using the browser.

I don't think you'll be able to include a language translator, but you can ask Shoutem if they have any suggestions about automatic language translation. 

[Misty Summers]

It is not pushing people out of the app and into their browser.

When building an app you have several options. You can add news, photos, about, profile...etc. One of the options is to add Web. I have a homework page that does not have an RSS feed to it. Just content on a page within ning. I also want to link them to the chat room in ning. So I was just selecting Web within the the app and adding the page url. When my users click on this within the app I dont want them to have to login twice.

It is asking me to login to each page. So my question is: Is this something that will also happen on the live app or is it happening because it is still in testing mode.

[Phil McCluskey]

Hi Misty,

This will happen on the live app. The shoutem app is loading up a page from the network in a webview, and the app can't give its authentication token to the webview, so the user is asked to sign in again.

Thanks,
Phil

[Misty Summers]

Thank you! Good to know! I found a solution by adding a private blog feed within my ning site and then using that rss feed for the articles on the mobile app. Thx again ;0)