What HW to buy for testing your app

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

Hi dear forum members,

This is my first post here and I hope to become an active member. Currently I have some doubts about Corona but first I would like to ask you, according to your previous experience, what HW you recommend to buy for testing an app. I am considering Corona to develop an ebook for children, this will part of my master degree and it will be a non- profit project. My first purchase will be a Corona license, of course, but I do not know what HW to buy because there are infinitive options. The app is targeted to Android and IOS, smartphones and tablets. Currently I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 and S3 and I am planning to buy iPhones and iPads, and Android tablets.

From your point of view what devices could be a significant sample of all devices out there? For instance, should I buy all iPad and iPhone models? Should I but 7", 10", etc tablets models? I will appreciate your comments.

Regards

Orlando [import]uid: 114910 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 335929[/import]

#2

I have one device for every “screen-type” (more on that later), and one device for the minimum OS version I support and one device with the max OS version supported.

For Android it becomes difficult as there are literally thousands of devices on the market, but I’ve settled for one phone and one tablet. The phone is a Galaxy S running Froyo (Android 2.2) which is the minimum Android version Corona supports. The other is a Google Nexus 7 now running the latest version of JellyBean (Android 4.2). The reason I chose a Google tablet was that I wanted a device that runs “pure” Android that can easily be updated whenever Google releases a new version. Other manufacturers usually fork the Android branch and make their own modifications to the OS.

For iOS I have one device per screen resolution and max/min OS I support:
iPod Touch 3rd gen, 320x480 screen running iOS 5.1.1.
iPod Touch 4th gen, 640x960 retina screen running iOS 6.1
iPod Touch 5th gen, 640x1136 retina screen running iOS 6.1
iPad 1 1024x768, running iOS 5.1.1
iPad 2 1024x768, running iOS 6.1
iPad 3 2048x1536 retina screen running iOS 6.1

( I actually have more devices than this… I’m a bit of a gadget freak :slight_smile: however the above are what I consider my core development devices )

Even though Corona supports iOS 4.3 I’ve stopped supporting it. My analytics show that 96% of my users are on iOS5+. [import]uid: 70847 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142824[/import]

#3

I wouldn’t rush out and buy all of this HW at once (unless you have a large budget).

You can certainly get started with the Android devices you already have. Then maybe add an iOS device.

Many of us get by with just a few devices. You can seek out beta testers for devices and versions of OS that you don’t have. [import]uid: 67839 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142843[/import]

#4

I would just buy 1 tablet of each generation. If you want to publish on Amazon, I would buy the Kindle Fire HD, and the first gen on eBay for 100 bucks. Same for Nook if you want to publish that.

I don’t think screen resolutions are that important, you can see that on the simulator. But there are some differences for each generation.

[import]uid: 50459 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142872[/import]

#5

Thanks for your answers. It seems it is a tough decision how to invest your limited budget for a non-profitable project. What do you think, in case my money won’t be enough to buy all generation of iPads, to buy only the first generation? In the case of Android tablet I will follow swipeware advice and I will buy a Google Nexus 7. So my HW for testing could be,

Android Phones: Samsung Galaxy S2 and S3
IOS Phones: 3G
Android tablet: Google Nexus 7
IOS tablet: Generation 1

Will be this a representative sample? Currently I am not considering Kindle nor Nook, for a budgetary reason.

Thanks again for your advices

Orlando
[import]uid: 114910 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142873[/import]

#6

If this is the only project you’re going to be doing with Corona, then I think that @elbowroomapps recommendation is more appropriate. You don’t have to go full out with an arsenal of devices for just one project.
I think that the devices you already have should be enough to get you started.
You can get other devices further along down the road when you feel the need for further testing. [import]uid: 70847 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142877[/import]

#7

I will follow your advice. I will start with few devices and when the app is stable, I will buy the rest of the HW.

Thanks [import]uid: 114910 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142945[/import]

#8

I don’t think the iPhone 3 and and iPad 1 can be upgraded to iOS6. That’s Apple’s first step in drooping support for a device. At some point they’re going to release a new version of iOS which requires a new version of Xcode, that doesn’t support these devices.

I would go for the iPhone4 and iPad2 to ensure you get more testing time out of the device. [import]uid: 67839 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142948[/import]

#9

Good point elbowroomapps. I have a related question: How do you do when you release an app (game, ebook,…) you mention the app was tested on specific devices or you just mention the OS you used for testing it?

Thanks for taking time to answer

[import]uid: 114910 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142951[/import]

#10

When you build with CoronaSDK it will automatically set the minimum OS that the app will run on.

I sometimes see performance differences when testing on a newer device vs. on old device. Other than that, I find that the apps run the same on all devices, so no need to mention what devices it was tested on.

[import]uid: 67839 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142966[/import]

#11

I have one device for every “screen-type” (more on that later), and one device for the minimum OS version I support and one device with the max OS version supported.

For Android it becomes difficult as there are literally thousands of devices on the market, but I’ve settled for one phone and one tablet. The phone is a Galaxy S running Froyo (Android 2.2) which is the minimum Android version Corona supports. The other is a Google Nexus 7 now running the latest version of JellyBean (Android 4.2). The reason I chose a Google tablet was that I wanted a device that runs “pure” Android that can easily be updated whenever Google releases a new version. Other manufacturers usually fork the Android branch and make their own modifications to the OS.

For iOS I have one device per screen resolution and max/min OS I support:
iPod Touch 3rd gen, 320x480 screen running iOS 5.1.1.
iPod Touch 4th gen, 640x960 retina screen running iOS 6.1
iPod Touch 5th gen, 640x1136 retina screen running iOS 6.1
iPad 1 1024x768, running iOS 5.1.1
iPad 2 1024x768, running iOS 6.1
iPad 3 2048x1536 retina screen running iOS 6.1

( I actually have more devices than this… I’m a bit of a gadget freak :slight_smile: however the above are what I consider my core development devices )

Even though Corona supports iOS 4.3 I’ve stopped supporting it. My analytics show that 96% of my users are on iOS5+. [import]uid: 70847 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142824[/import]

#12

I wouldn’t rush out and buy all of this HW at once (unless you have a large budget).

You can certainly get started with the Android devices you already have. Then maybe add an iOS device.

Many of us get by with just a few devices. You can seek out beta testers for devices and versions of OS that you don’t have. [import]uid: 67839 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142843[/import]

#13

I would just buy 1 tablet of each generation. If you want to publish on Amazon, I would buy the Kindle Fire HD, and the first gen on eBay for 100 bucks. Same for Nook if you want to publish that.

I don’t think screen resolutions are that important, you can see that on the simulator. But there are some differences for each generation.

[import]uid: 50459 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142872[/import]

#14

Thanks for your answers. It seems it is a tough decision how to invest your limited budget for a non-profitable project. What do you think, in case my money won’t be enough to buy all generation of iPads, to buy only the first generation? In the case of Android tablet I will follow swipeware advice and I will buy a Google Nexus 7. So my HW for testing could be,

Android Phones: Samsung Galaxy S2 and S3
IOS Phones: 3G
Android tablet: Google Nexus 7
IOS tablet: Generation 1

Will be this a representative sample? Currently I am not considering Kindle nor Nook, for a budgetary reason.

Thanks again for your advices

Orlando
[import]uid: 114910 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142873[/import]

#15

If this is the only project you’re going to be doing with Corona, then I think that @elbowroomapps recommendation is more appropriate. You don’t have to go full out with an arsenal of devices for just one project.
I think that the devices you already have should be enough to get you started.
You can get other devices further along down the road when you feel the need for further testing. [import]uid: 70847 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142877[/import]

#16

I will follow your advice. I will start with few devices and when the app is stable, I will buy the rest of the HW.

Thanks [import]uid: 114910 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142945[/import]

#17

I don’t think the iPhone 3 and and iPad 1 can be upgraded to iOS6. That’s Apple’s first step in drooping support for a device. At some point they’re going to release a new version of iOS which requires a new version of Xcode, that doesn’t support these devices.

I would go for the iPhone4 and iPad2 to ensure you get more testing time out of the device. [import]uid: 67839 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142948[/import]

#18

Good point elbowroomapps. I have a related question: How do you do when you release an app (game, ebook,…) you mention the app was tested on specific devices or you just mention the OS you used for testing it?

Thanks for taking time to answer

[import]uid: 114910 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142951[/import]

#19

When you build with CoronaSDK it will automatically set the minimum OS that the app will run on.

I sometimes see performance differences when testing on a newer device vs. on old device. Other than that, I find that the apps run the same on all devices, so no need to mention what devices it was tested on.

[import]uid: 67839 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142966[/import]

#20

I have one device for every “screen-type” (more on that later), and one device for the minimum OS version I support and one device with the max OS version supported.

For Android it becomes difficult as there are literally thousands of devices on the market, but I’ve settled for one phone and one tablet. The phone is a Galaxy S running Froyo (Android 2.2) which is the minimum Android version Corona supports. The other is a Google Nexus 7 now running the latest version of JellyBean (Android 4.2). The reason I chose a Google tablet was that I wanted a device that runs “pure” Android that can easily be updated whenever Google releases a new version. Other manufacturers usually fork the Android branch and make their own modifications to the OS.

For iOS I have one device per screen resolution and max/min OS I support:
iPod Touch 3rd gen, 320x480 screen running iOS 5.1.1.
iPod Touch 4th gen, 640x960 retina screen running iOS 6.1
iPod Touch 5th gen, 640x1136 retina screen running iOS 6.1
iPad 1 1024x768, running iOS 5.1.1
iPad 2 1024x768, running iOS 6.1
iPad 3 2048x1536 retina screen running iOS 6.1

( I actually have more devices than this… I’m a bit of a gadget freak :slight_smile: however the above are what I consider my core development devices )

Even though Corona supports iOS 4.3 I’ve stopped supporting it. My analytics show that 96% of my users are on iOS5+. [import]uid: 70847 topic_id: 35929 reply_id: 142824[/import]