Groupcall Emerge iPad / iPhone / iPod Touch app for MIS access.

[vikpaw]

At #bett_show they announced a partnership with Schoolcomms to allow Emerge users to send messages via their Schoolcomms account, not just being tied in to the Groupcall messenger. I think this is a fabulous way forward.

Are there any current or prospective Emerge users out there that currently use Schoolcomms? Certainly for us, being able to send emails / texts out of the app using our account will be really useful.

[penfold_99]

£2950 + VAT site license, I heard they do not make a profit , the only reason they charge this amount is to pay for the write back rights to SIMS SQL database ( im guessing this goes to CAPITA)

 

Wow, capita's pricing must have gone through the roof as previously it only about £175 ish to write back to SIMS.net per school.

[GREED]

At #bett_show they announced a partnership with Schoolcomms to allow Emerge users to send messages via their Schoolcomms account, not just being tied in to the Groupcall messenger. I think this is a fabulous way forward.

Are there any current or prospective Emerge users out there that currently use Schoolcomms? Certainly for us, being able to send emails / texts out of the app using our account will be really useful.

 

Hold on hold on, have I missed something. I know Groupcall do a lot more than just the messaging and write-back, but does isn't this what Schoolcomms also does? Where is the benefit in having both, does one not supersede the other?

 

Apologies if I sound like a noob I want to understand this relationship better.

[glennda]

Hold on hold on, have I missed something. I know Groupcall do a lot more than just the messaging and write-back, but does isn't this what Schoolcomms also does? Where is the benefit in having both, does one not supersede the other?

 

Apologies if I sound like a noob I want to understand this relationship better.

 

Schoolcomms is for sending home messages (either txt or email) - being able to tie into there system means We would be able to txt/email a parent from the device using Schoolcomms rather then groupcall messenger.

[vikpaw]

Hold on hold on, have I missed something. I know Groupcall do a lot more than just the messaging and write-back, but does isn't this what Schoolcomms also does? Where is the benefit in having both, does one not supersede the other?

 

Apologies if I sound like a noob I want to understand this relationship better.

 

The idea is, even if you are not a customer of service A from supplier A, you can access it via supplier B as well as using their service B. Think of it as combining their resources for mutual benefit. You may not want to get rid of messaging from schoolcomms, but why do you have to use multiple apps / interfaces when you can piggy back on another. Partner's working together great isn't it. I know it's hard to get your head around.

[GREED]

The idea is, even if you are not a customer of service A from supplier A, you can access it via supplier B as well as using their service B. Think of it as combining their resources for mutual benefit. You may not want to get rid of messaging from schoolcomms, but why do you have to use multiple apps / interfaces when you can piggy back on another. Partner's working together great isn't it. I know it's hard to get your head around.

 

I get it now, I wanted to understand the main driver for this. Thanks all.

 

It is always hard for 'me' to get my head around! Lol

[zag]

Android v1.01 has been released.

 

It seems to have fixed the login problems.

[vikpaw]

Android v1.01 has been released.

 

It seems to have fixed the login problems.

 

Cool, how you finding it? Still havent' got me an Android device. Same usability as on iDevice?

Been installing and testing the Emerge HD for iPad yesterday, and it's cool.

[zag]

It works!!!

 

Awesome, this means I can roll out taking registers for staff on mobile phones over the internet. Thats pretty huge.

 

The pin code screen buttons are too small on the android version. Any chance of making it bigger?

 

Also does anyone know how to make the microsoft azure link easier to read? I can add C Names to our domain so something like http://registers.school-name.co.uk would be great.

[vikpaw]

I was thinking about this some more and I'm pretty certain adding a CNAME to point to the azure address will work. Did you get a chance to try it?

 

registers.school.sch.uk CNAME http://testdb.servicebus.windows.net/123456789xxxyyyzzz

[zag]

I was thinking about this some more and I'm pretty certain adding a CNAME to point to the azure address will work. Did you get a chance to try it?

 

registers.school.sch.uk CNAME http://testdb.servicebus.windows.net/123456789xxxyyyzzz

 

Every time I add the CNAME I get "Submitted value contains invalid characters". I'm guessing the numbers after the domain are a problem.

 

EDIT: Reading about CNAMEs on wikipedia it seems you can only use the domain name without folders.

 

I also tried a simple Http redirect but that doesnt work either.

Edited January 24, 2012 by zag

[localzuk]

You can't add a CNAME pointing at an HTTP server - DNS and HTTP are different things, so pointing DNS at a website won't work.

 

The only way I can think of getting your local domain to point at the azure address is via a reverse proxy. So, you set up a reverse proxy which forwards requests for http://blah.blah.com to http://blah.servicebus.windows.net/blah, then point that subdomain at the IP of the reverse proxy.

 

However, this means that all traffic is traversing your reverse proxy rather than just being redirected.

[vikpaw]

ah, i knew there was a catch, so the best you can do is make the domain part userfriendly, and add the numbers after. there doesn't seem much point as you'll most likely want to set up the device yourself in person, wont you? Or do you want to get them to email you the udid and set them up remotely?

 

otherwise, there will be a method coming, that we discussed at BETT, whereby the initial url will initiate a sync that pulls down a config file with multiple lists that can be populated on the server, so you only enter them once. post initial sync the user can just pick from a drop down. but you would have to create a local server to do the initial sync with.

[zag]

I'll keep the URL I guess. To be fair the android program shortens it to just the numbers after initial login. Its just a pain to type in the first time.

 

The android version does keep crashing though if you leave it open for any amount of time :/

[vikpaw]

Just found a few minor bugs in ipad version, e.g. filter present at registration, but i think my server needs the config files updating so will arrange that before logging anything.

[zag]

Are any people getting this then? Has anyone logged this problem yet?

 

[vikpaw]

Are any people getting this then? Has anyone logged this problem yet?

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12832[/ATTACH]

Nope. Is that Android or iPad? If it's iPad, use the screenshot function

[zag]

Its the iPad version.

 

Groupcall support just rang me and said it was a known problem. They are fixing it right now and the new version is in testing. They advise going back to the iphone version in the short term.

[vikpaw]

What? I've just installed 3 test copies of it. Not had that issue yet though, fortunately.

[beast_gts]

Hi All

 

What Android devices are you using with it? I've got it on my Sony Ericsson X10 Pro phone but looking for recommendations for tablets.

 

Thanks

[SteveB]

Hi All

 

What Android devices are you using with it? I've got it on my Sony Ericsson X10 Pro phone but looking for recommendations for tablets.

 

Thanks

 

As LEA support, the main advice I have given schools it to steer away from the cheap generic Chinese tablets (typically 7-10") that are everywhere.

 

If you do go for a cheap tablet, such as an Archos or Advent, make sure it is a capacitive screen. Resitive screens are a bit of a faff. The only comparable tablet to an Ipad out there are the moment, that I have played with, is the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The new Asus Prime looks nice and the Sony tablet is well built.

[vikpaw]

I agree with @SteveB - cheap wont be cheerful. I would love to get the new Transformer Prime, but it's a little dear and doesn't have 3G which is not a showstopper but can come in handy. I think i'm going to get a Galaxy Tab for testing.

[zag]

Hi All

 

What Android devices are you using with it? I've got it on my Sony Ericsson X10 Pro phone but looking for recommendations for tablets.

 

Thanks

 

We have a motorola xoom on test but to be honest its not a patch on the ipad 2. The ipad is in a different league of user friendliness.

[vikpaw]

We have a motorola xoom on test but to be honest its not a patch on the ipad 2. The ipad is in a different league of user friendliness.

Can't wait for iPad 3 in March then

[zag]

Whatever I do, I just cant get the Windows Azure link to stay stable.

 

I keep having to restart the service every couple of days.

 

Is anyone else seeing this? It basically makes the system unusable for people over the internet :/