Question on Nook using the Google Play store

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

A few months ago, I came across this blog post talking about how Nook now would use the Google Play store: http://www.coronalabs.com/blog/2013/05/07/update-on-nook-and-google-play/

I took the steps necessary in this blog post to make it so nook users could not download my corona created app until I build a new version in the future.

I am now about to release a new version of my app and am wondering the follwing.

  1. Will In App Purchases work just fine on a Nook device? (this is key in my app)

  2. In my code, I often ask Corona what OS the app is running on, Android or iPhone OS.  Will this return as “Android” even though the app is running on the Nook? 

(I assume so but want to make sure, otherwise my app will break hard)

Thanks in advance.

#2

>> Will In App Purchases work just fine on a Nook device?

If your app was purchased via Google Play, then yes, Google’s in-app purchase system will work on Nook.  It will also support Google’s push notification system.  Make sure to target the “Google Play” store when you build your APK.  This enables your app and Corona to take advantage of Google Play’s features.

>> In my code, I often ask Corona what OS the app is running on, Android or iPhone OS.  Will this return as “Android” even though the app is running on the Nook?

The system.getInfo(“platformName”) function will return “Android”.  In fact, all Corona built APKs will return “Android”.

If you need to identify that you are running on a Nook device, then you can do so by calling the system.getInfo(“model”) function.  It will return the following for each Nook device…

  • Nook Color:  “BNRV200” or “NOOKcolor”
  • Nook Tablet:  “BNTV250” or “BNTV250A”
  • Nook HD:  “BNTV400”
  • Nook HD+:  “BNTV600”
#3

@Joshua,

Great thanks for the response, just want to be sure that all will be well on a Nook and that no special changes need to occur.

#4

Happy to help.

Also note that Google Play is only available on Nook HD and Nook HD+.  It is not available on Nook Color and Nook Tablet, which last I heard, outnumber the Nook HD/HD+ devices.  I’m not sure if that’s still true or not, but if so, it may still be worth it for you to distribute your app via the Nook app store as well.  If you do, then your only in-app purchase system option is Fortumo, which has official native support on Nook devices.

   http://docs.coronalabs.com/daily/plugin/fortumo/index.html

   https://nookdeveloper.barnesandnoble.com/faq

   http://fortumo.com/nook

#5

@joshua,

Thanks for that information and the links, I will for sure be looking into this.

Is Fortumo a blanket solution?  Meaning if I impliment Fortumo, would it replace all of the normal IAP proceedures that I have done for Android and IOS?  Or would Fortumo only be for Nook built apps?

#6

Fortumo is only supported on Android, not iOS.  You can use it on all app stores that you target provided that it’s not against that store’s guidelines.  For example, you can use Fortumo on a Google Play distributed app, but I don’t think Google Play will “feature” your app if you do because Google would prefer that you use their in-app purchase system instead.  I’m not a Fortumo expert, so I don’t know much more than that… other than it is officially supported on Nook.

#7

Great thanks Joshua!

#8

>> Will In App Purchases work just fine on a Nook device?

If your app was purchased via Google Play, then yes, Google’s in-app purchase system will work on Nook.  It will also support Google’s push notification system.  Make sure to target the “Google Play” store when you build your APK.  This enables your app and Corona to take advantage of Google Play’s features.

>> In my code, I often ask Corona what OS the app is running on, Android or iPhone OS.  Will this return as “Android” even though the app is running on the Nook?

The system.getInfo(“platformName”) function will return “Android”.  In fact, all Corona built APKs will return “Android”.

If you need to identify that you are running on a Nook device, then you can do so by calling the system.getInfo(“model”) function.  It will return the following for each Nook device…

  • Nook Color:  “BNRV200” or “NOOKcolor”
  • Nook Tablet:  “BNTV250” or “BNTV250A”
  • Nook HD:  “BNTV400”
  • Nook HD+:  “BNTV600”
#9

@Joshua,

Great thanks for the response, just want to be sure that all will be well on a Nook and that no special changes need to occur.

#10

Happy to help.

Also note that Google Play is only available on Nook HD and Nook HD+.  It is not available on Nook Color and Nook Tablet, which last I heard, outnumber the Nook HD/HD+ devices.  I’m not sure if that’s still true or not, but if so, it may still be worth it for you to distribute your app via the Nook app store as well.  If you do, then your only in-app purchase system option is Fortumo, which has official native support on Nook devices.

   http://docs.coronalabs.com/daily/plugin/fortumo/index.html

   https://nookdeveloper.barnesandnoble.com/faq

   http://fortumo.com/nook

#11

@joshua,

Thanks for that information and the links, I will for sure be looking into this.

Is Fortumo a blanket solution?  Meaning if I impliment Fortumo, would it replace all of the normal IAP proceedures that I have done for Android and IOS?  Or would Fortumo only be for Nook built apps?

#12

Fortumo is only supported on Android, not iOS.  You can use it on all app stores that you target provided that it’s not against that store’s guidelines.  For example, you can use Fortumo on a Google Play distributed app, but I don’t think Google Play will “feature” your app if you do because Google would prefer that you use their in-app purchase system instead.  I’m not a Fortumo expert, so I don’t know much more than that… other than it is officially supported on Nook.

#13

Great thanks Joshua!