App: Italian Menu Decoder

[PokeyMindy]

Dana, I heard from one of the techie guys as well, James. he cannot duplicate the problem either on his IPhone 5s. I just find it "odd" that the app doesn't work on either my IPadMini OR my IPhone 5c. (I very recently bought my IPhone so the app never worked on it where it worked on my IPad Mini when I first bought it). I'd think it would work on at least one of the devices; it's like the app I bought became a "lemon" LOL.

I haven't tried Steve's suggestion…yet. I think I'll wait to hear back from my buddy James at Sutro….

 

[PokeyMindy]

I'm ecstatic to report that the Italian Menu Decoder app now works on both my IPadMini (7.1.1) and my IPhone 5c. I cannot say enough about my contact, James Squires, he has been emailing me with different ways to fix it, etc. Finally Sutro Media "resubmitted" the app, and voila! all is well.
Now I'm hungry reading about all of the food choices!!

Thank you Dana too for your input to Sutro Media. Teamwork!!

Mindy

 

[Dana]

That's excellent news, phew! So relieved the glitch has been sorted.

The only bad thing is that every time Sutro submits a new version to Apple, we lose all the reviews that give the app the stars in the iTunes store (you need at least five reviews for the stars to show up, in the US and UK stores especially). Good news is if you've done already done a review, it's easy to repost the same one—it should just re-appear after you push the review button and put in your password...it's all a big pain in the you know what. Android is much nicer in that respect!

 

[Pauline]

On my iPad I go to the App Store, select Purchased on the menu at the bottom, and select the Italian Menu Decoder. A window opens and it shows no reviews for Current Version, but when I click All Versions I see the old reviews. I click Current Version again, then Write a Review, and just like Dana said, the content of my original review is in the input box and I submit it.

That is one messed up way of doing things Mr. iTunes!

Happy to hear it is working on your iPad Mindy!

 

[Roz]

The latest version is working great for me, too, on my iPad Mini. But I have a question. When I open the app, I see a screen asking me to upgrade for offline maps and photos, full content search, no ads, and a few other things, including a well-fed author . But when I click on Upgrade, it goes to a screen that says "Waiting for price" and just stays there. The Apple iTunes store does not seem to offer any upgraded version.

Dana, do you know if there actually is an upgrade available? If so, do you know how to get it?

Also, when we were recently in Italy, the menu decoder was very useful. I did run across one term in a gelateria in Siena that I couldn't find in the app. It was a flavor called nero modicano. If I had remembered about Pauline's visit to Modica, I might have been able to figure out that it meant dark chocolate from Modica in Sicily. I could see just by looking at it of course that it was a dark chocolate (and it was delicious!), but I didn't make the connection to Modica until later. Anyway, there's a suggestion for something that might be added.

 

[Dana]

Hi Roz,

Glad the app was useful, and thanks for the tip about nero modicano. Interesting how quickly adjectives become 'nouns' in Italian. Two years ago it was always cioccolato modicano.

That note about the upgrade is bizarre—it's the first I've heard of it! Aren't all the photos and maps already offline (if they aren't, just tap that little gear shaped thing in the upper right hand corner). Are there any ads? I hope not!!! I just downloaded the latest version on our elderly ipad and didn't even get a note, but maybe it's because Apple figures if we're too poor to buy the latest gadget, we're too cheap to get the upgrade. Anyway will ask the ever helpful James Squires at Sutro.

 

[Roz]

Dana, the upgrade notice appears only on my iPad Mini (sys 7.1). It doesn't come up on my iPhone 4, running iOS6. I made some screen prints to show you. These are all from the iPad. Note that it does have an ad at the bottom, and the gear icon is replaced by Upgrade (which does nothing). On the iPhone, I don't get any of this.

 

[Dana]

Dana, the upgrade notice appears only on my iPad Mini (sys 7.1). It doesn't come up on my iPhone 4, running iOS6. I made some screen prints to show you. These are all from the iPad. Note that it does have an ad at the bottom, and the gear icon is replaced by Upgrade (which does nothing). On the iPhone, I don't get any of this.

Aaargh! Thanks for the screen shots, Roz, but ooo, don't like the looks of those at all. Nothing like that came up on our ipad so it must be something that sneaked in with the new version on iOS7.1 (I know some app authors were flirting with the idea of doing something like that, but we certainly weren't). I will get back to you when I find what's occurring.

 

[Dana]

Aha, Roz—just heard from James who can't for the life of him understand why you're getting those screens. He suggests deleting the app and reinstalling it, and if that doesn't work, to get in touch with Sutro.

 

[Jill B]

Can anyone verify if this app will work offline? I do not wish to turn on cellular data on our upcoming trip due to the expense, and I doubt I will find WiFi readily available everywhere (esp in the Maremma).

 

[Dana]

Hi Jill,
Yes, it will: working offline is one of its main selling points! Once you download it, click the little gear gizmo in the upper right hand corner and it will download all the maps, too (there are only a few of those anyway, mostly linked to Italian food festivals).

 

[Jill B]

Hello Dana,
Thank you for the fast reply! I've downloaded it and spent the past several hours learning. It's an incredible tool!
Also, just want to thank you for your comprehensive Pelopponese guidebook. My husband, then 7 month old son, and I spent five weeks exploring the region in 2011 and we used your guidebook extensively. It was a magical trip. Your inclusion of "nook and cranny" archaeological sights made our trip so interesting.
Best regards,
The Brieschs

 

[Dana]

Hello the Brieschs,

Thanks so much for your kind words about the app! Michael and I are still finding a few words we missed, but thank goodness they are easy to add.

The Peloponnese was fun to write; it really helped having a co-author like Linda Theodorou, who has lived there for over 40 years and spent all her spare time looking up every pace mentioned in antiquity—and it sounds as if you were our ideal readers. The obscure archaeological are indeed the magical ones, but I am most impressed that you did them with a 7 month old baby!

Have fun in the Maremma—it's gorgeous. And don't miss the Giardino dei Tarocchi; your son will love it! all best, Dana

 

[Roz]

Dana, this is crazy. I tried what James suggests -- deleting and reinstalling the app. I even did a complete full restart of my iPad before reinstalling. Now the app has reverted to its pre-update behavior. As soon as I start it, it goes to the welcome screen, then quits immediately.

How can I get in touch with James about this?

 

[Dana]

Roz, Aaaargh, how frustrating! Contact James at james@sutromedia.com.