Late last month we published updates to the Singletracks mobile apps–iPhone and Android–and we think these are the best versions yet! A lot of the changes were made after using the apps extensively on the road this summer and we think you’ll dig the improvements.
Persistent Logins
Sign into your account in the app once… and you never need to login again. It’s always ready.
Enhanced “Nearby Trails” Function
One of our favorite features in the Singletracks app is the ability to view a list of nearby mountain bike trails no matter where we are. But on the road we also wanted to know which trails were close to our destination and along the way. The new “nearby” feature allows you to enter a city or use your current location.
Improved Directions to Trailheads
No matter which version of the app you’re using, clicking “Get Directions” on any trail page will open the primary mapping app on your phone, showing a route from your current location to the trailhead. We found this to be super helpful on the road since our mapping app allows us to change our starting location and even see traffic along the way!
More Check-in Info
The updated app shows you a list of other singletracks members who have checked in at the trail recently.
iPad Support + Uploading Camera Roll Photos
With the latest update, both the free and paid Singletracks iOS apps are available for iPhone and iPad. iOS users can also upload trail and shop photos from the device library in addition to the built-in camera. Photo uploads are also faster on both iOS and Android.
Topo Maps (iOS only)
The paid version of the iOS app (on sale for $1.99 through the end of August; $3.99 after that) now includes singletracks topo maps. Our GPS traces are overlaid on an OpenCycle topo map and you can choose to “follow” the trail by tracking your position relative to the map. This is our first stab at including trail navigation so don’t get your hopes up–but still, we think it’s a great start! Greg, Corey, and I would have found this feature particularly helpful on our ride at Buffalo Creek earlier this summer.
More Great Stuff
New ability to comment on articles. Forgot my password form. Links to sub-trails. Improved speed & stability. Tablet support for Android.
Review Our Apps!
For those who have already downloaded one of our apps, thank you! As mountain bikers, we work hard to build stuff we think is useful and we’re constantly working to improve the experience. If you use one of our apps and enjoy it, please take a couple minutes to review the app in the App Store or on Google Play.
If you have tried one of our apps and had a problem, please email us and let us know! This is particularly directed to folks who use Android devices. We now have a couple Androids for testing but based on the review feedback we’re seeing, the app works better on some phones than others. Here’s an example of a negative Android review from “Bradley”:
Horrible App I use the website daily, so I thought the app would be nice to have. Wrong. Nothing is accurate, except the trail names. Can’t ever login. Don’t waste your time.
So Bradley (and anyone else experiencing issues with the app): please give us a way to contact you so we can improve the app! Based on this review we have no idea what the issue is (Bradley might just need a password reset). Or maybe there are specific trails that aren’t displaying properly (the ones we checked look accurate).
We’re really stoked about using smartphones on the trail to get information but also to share photos, videos, and maps in the future. Download the latest Singletracks apps today!
I’ve been loving the new updates! While some of them sound small (like opening directions in Google Maps, access to sub-trails, and photo uploads from camera roll) I have already noticed a serious increase in the way I use the mobile app and the amount of time I spend using it!
Great job!
I have a Motorola Milestone X(Android) phone. The only issue I’ve encountered so far is that when your going in to read the daily blog, not all of the pictures ever load up so that you can see them. Today I was looking at the local trails blog that was posted and until I looked on the full website, I could only view maybe two or three pics through the app. A feature I would like to see on the app would be able to browse through more blog areas instead of only being able to see the daily ones.
Thanks Tstrahan87, that’s an issue we’re aware of. We’ll definitely try to fix that and look for a way to browse older blog content.
I show that although the lite version was updated in the Play store on Jul 25th, the paid app shows an update stamp of Dec 11, 2011. Will the paid version see an update in the Play store soon?
Hi Schwim, we pulled the paid app just a few days after it was released so we’re not actively developing it right now. Once we get the bugs worked out of the free version then we’ll see about releasing a paid version with maps and no ads (like the iPhone app).
I am on a Motorola RAZR and am having the same issues that Tstrahan87 with photos not loading on the blog. So far that is the only thing I see. I will dig deeper tomorrow when I have more time. Big kudos on keeping me logged in though. That helps a ton.
Interesting that you published this article today, as I have experimenting with the new app since I moved to Denver in July. Overall it has some great improvements, but my one issue (and it’s a big one) is that I used to be able to go straight to the navigation from the ‘get directions’ page (on my Evo 3D)…but now it goes to a google maps site that will not let me use navigation. I drove around for over an hour today looking for a trail that is 15 min from my house because it kept giving me generic directions from where the app/phone thought I was, but many of the trail directions say things like ‘turn right on unknown road’. The navigation would simply say ‘turn right here’ and take me straight to the TH…now I drive in circles trying to figure out if I am on the right road or not. Any suggestions?
@delphinide: I *think* it’s possible to set a default mapping app on Android so that the directions link opens that app every time. I know the first time I ran the app it asked if I wanted to use the built in Google Maps app or Google Navigation. It sounds like your phone (or the app?) might be configured to open the link in a web browser which clearly isn’t ideal.
I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet, but I’m so ready. I’ll down load latter. Some of these upgrades I noticed(like access to pictures on phone) a need for some I never knew I needed. The only big problem I’ve had with old version is it not functioning in areas with pore band width, and still hoping for the track following on Android some day.
I tried to install this on my non-GPS android tablet in order to cruise the blog and forums, but it seems to require a GPS in order to function, rather than dropping to a WIFI positioning mode.
Of course I can just bring up the site in the tablet’s browser, but it would be nice to run it as an app.
@madd, that’s interesting… The app does require permission for ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION; wi-fi uses ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION. But these permissions are set at the app level… so to drop the permission down to use coarse location that would affect everyone and wouldn’t be as accurate, especially on the trail. Bummer.
I find it interesting that the majority of these issues are with Android devices, and that the iOS is largely bug free……… just saying! 😀 #iphoneuser
The broken blog photos affects everyone but we should be able to correct that (no app update required).
Basically our server attempts to resize the images so they download faster on a mobile phone but some of the images get broken in the process. If we can’t track down the reason, we’ll just start serving the full size images which means slower downloads… but all the images will (eventually) load.
@jeff, I use other apps that try GPS and then drop down to wifi location, seemingly with no issue.
I’d even be OK with a non-location-service mode, but again, I can just use the site in the browser.
@Greg, It works fine on android devices *with* a GPS.
@maddslacker, not just you, though…. seems like there are a lot of other android-related issues.
“Hi Schwim, we pulled the paid app just a few days after it was released so we’re not actively developing it right now. Once we get the bugs worked out of the free version then we’ll see about releasing a paid version with maps and no ads (like the iPhone app).”
I’ll be happy to pay for the app(again) once it’s available, but I won’t be using the free version as I don’t install adware on my phone. I’ll look forward to it’s return.
“I find it interesting that the majority of these issues are with Android devices, and that the iOS is largely bug free……… just saying! 😀 #iphoneuser”
Simply because the direction that the developer is pointing his efforts. #notaniSheep
Hey schwim, it’s not a conspiracy–we have no preference for iOS vs. Android (I actually like my Android tablet better than the iPad). The issue for developers is the fragmentation of Android. Since each manufacturer tweaks the OS for their hardware it’s a pain in the neck to develop stuff and know that it’ll work on every device. Now if we could get our hands on dozens of devices for testing, that would help… which is why we’re BEGGING for very specific feedback from folks who have problems.
I have a motorola milestone x and seems to me that this app has a lot of bugs. When I turn the phone to view pictures the app closes. When I hit the US trails tab the search bar opens instead of the list of states. A lot of the time when I push the back button in the app either nothing happens or the app closes. While traveling I like to look at what trails are nearby and more times than not it gives a generic list of trails that are not within 1000 miles of where I’m at when I know that I am near a trail I saw on the web site. When typing text and if I need to place the curser on a word to make a change the blue arrow is not even close to where the curser is so it is really hard to move the curser to where I need it. This happens on the web site as well as the app. I know that this problem is not my phone because every where else on the web or in my phone this feature works flawlessly.With all these issues, the app is klunky and not user friendly. If these issues could be fixed this would be my favorite app.
Thanks for the feedback Brickeater. We’ve heard similar feedback from other Motorola users, specifically with the Xoom. Since it sounds like you’re having the same issues with the mobile website it may be an HTML5/CSS issue which we can’t easily address.
On my HTC Vivid, it works much better. I do get some forced closes from time to time and like Brickeater said it will close when phone is rotated to landscape and when I push the back button. But it is much better than before. I can read the blogs and look for trails. Neither of these things worked before.
@wfool, can you confirm: does pressing the back button close the app on all pages or just from the home screen? Also, I assume you mean the physical “back” button on the phone, not the back button located at the top of the app.
The app doesn’t support landscape mode but in our tests rotating the device doesn’t crash so maybe it’s just an issue with HTC devices?
Yes, pushing the physical back button on the phone causes the app to close. I did discover the back button on in the upper left hand hand corner, but more often than not, I forget to use it. Also pushing the home button on the upper right hand corner takes you back to the home screen. (I also forget to use this button) You can’t really program out a bad memory. Anyway, it works much better than the last version, I couldn’t open anything with it and now I can. Thanks for your efforts!
Just installed the Android app on my Samsung Galaxy Proclaim. Working fine but I don’t see a navigation function on the individual trail page to get me to the actual trail map. I’m not a paying subscriber to singletracks.com, does that have anything to do with my issue, or am I just not seeing the nav function?
Thanks,
Craig Davison
Craig, we’re hoping to bring the topo map function to the Android app soon (right now it’s iOS only).
OK hope you’re able to work it in. Def enjoying all the other Android app functionality.