Dec
5
2009
UberTwitter Beta 6 – ‘The Aftermath’
For those of you not in the know UberTwitter has been the dominate Twitter client for the BlackBerry platform due in large to it’s nice UI and super low price of FREE. While some users have opted to pay for TweetGenius or were lucky enough to have an invite for SocialScope the power of UberTwitter was clearly demonstrated a few weeks ago when RIM backtracked their policy to allow a Twitter client into the AppStore. While no reason was given then, I speculate it’s entirely due to rumored RIM app for Twitter in the making.
All of that being said UberTwitter once again demonstrated, in not such a good light, why it’s the number one Twitter app.
UberTwitter released a beta version to their beta-tester-list, as I’m on the list I present the following email for you…
Hello,
We are ready to begin another test cycle in preparation for the next release of UberTwitter. We have builds for BlackBerry OS versions 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 and 5.0.
This version includes the beginnings of many new features:
Re-worked GUI and logo – not all screens have been updated yet, but most have
We’ve added list support almost everywhere
The ‘Uber Bar’ – The title bar at the top can take focus, where you can switch between tabs, and actually add your own tabs. Right now you can add lists to the bar, in the next pre-release you’ll be able to add ’saved searches’. You get to it by using the track-ball, or on a touch device, a double-tap on the timeline will open it, or if click on the title bar.
Added icons in timeline to denote tweets that are geotagged and users that are verified.
Support the new geotagging capability – more changes to come here, will offer the option to use twitter geotagging, myloc.me or both
Fixed ‘everyone near you’
There are still numerous issues that you have reported that need to be resolved including:
On storm it doesn’t always re-paint when it switches to portrait/landscape
load more doesn’t work correctly
double notifications of new tweets/replies/DMs
Below is the link to the download, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not share this link.
So as you can see they CLEARLY asked that the download link doesn’t get passed out. That’s where this story takes off…
One individual decided that he would follow in the steps he’s laid out before against TweetGenius. He quickly dropped the link into a broadcast message on BlackBerry Messenger. This basically spread like wild-fire since when most lay people get their hands onto something they shouldn’t they must tell all. This lead to a ton of users using an un-finished application that the developer doesn’t want to get negative mind-share. In an act of desperation UberTwitter was forced to shut down their own download to try and stop thing cold. World save…right?
No, turns out this troll also pulled down the file himself and decided to host it. This again quickly caught on for the vast masses clamoring for the latest and greatest version of UberTwitter. Just one catch….it wasn’t compatible with more then one device. You see there are many flavors of BlackBerry all needing their own install file. So now you have people installing onto their 9700 an 8300 version. Guess what, doesn’t work. So now you have Twitter going off about how their UberTwitter is broken.
Now UberTwitter is forced to make a really hard choice. Do you come in and ’save the day’ with an unfinished app to save the mind-share on your brand, or do you let the masses drown and feel cheated? Paul at UberTwitter decided to release an update; “Rouge Beta 6.”
What follows is the email that followed this ‘Rouge’ release.
Hi All,
Due to the problems caused by the rogue version of the first pre-release getting out there, we have decided to openly post that version for download on our web site. We decided to do this because in many cases people were downloading the wrong BlackBerry OS builds for their devices, causing all sorts of problems. Any of you that are with the press, feel free to post screen-shots, etc. Please do note that this is not the final version, and UI, color, functionality will change as we move to the final Beta-6 release.
We have registered each of you as a beta tester via your twitter screen names. All future pre-releases will only work for these screen names, so no future worries about the version getting out there in the wild.
Thanks for your patience, and keep sending feedback!
-Paul
So you see, this is what happens when you don’t follow the rules.
I would like to point out that the person who seems to be at the center of the release is a known associate of another Twitter client, and in this authors opinion, this was a blatant attempt to muddy the name and gain market share for themselves.
For those of you not in the know UberTwitter has been the dominate Twitter client for the BlackBerry platform due in large to it’s nice UI and super low price of FREE. While some users have opted to pay for TweetGenius or were lucky enough to have an invite for SocialScope the power of UberTwitter was clearly demonstrated a few weeks ago when RIM backtracked their policy to allow a Twitter client into the AppStore. While no reason was given then, I speculate it’s entirely due to rumored RIM app for Twitter in the making.
All of that being said UberTwitter once again demonstrated, in not such a good light, why it’s the number one Twitter app.
UberTwitter released a beta version to their beta-tester-list, as I’m on the list I present the following email for you… Continue reading
