Go & iPad... Actorios' review

[lobotommy]

Ok guys, back to the point
Tengen for iPad - it's a nice app but... 1) No archive option, 2) it crash in offline mode if you pass and the other player make a move instead of passing, 3) not too good way of rewinding of actual game.

Could you please guys check if you have also this crash issue (in the offline, "hot seat" mode)?

[Edit @ 5.X.2010]
iOS Go software updates

iPad
Tengen - no more crashes, you can save/record games now. Worth it's price now. Great IGS client but still if you sent a match request you can't do anytjing else (?), just wait or cancel it. Not big deal but why match request is not backgrounded like in Tetsuki IGS client?

iPad/iPhone
Boardz - Chat available!, at last , this is so simple but great feature that should be always there. I was not aware how much it is important till I get this update. I'm Tommyray there - so feel free to send me a match requests.

Thanks

[Shikatsu]

So how is the screen size for playing?
I'm considering to import one. But we don't have ipads in my country yet so i don't have to way to check it out. And I kinda want rumoured the 7" too, but maybe it wouldn't be the same experience as it's quite a bit smaller.

[imabuddha]

So how is the screen size for playing?

It is excellent. Any smaller & you'd need to zoom or magnify to place stones on a full size board.

It's also large enough for comfortably reading Go pdfs (like Kiseido's Go World Archive) without zooming.

[Shikatsu]

So how is the screen size for playing?

It is excellent. Any smaller & you'd need to zoom or magnify to place stones on a full size board.

It's also large enough for comfortably reading Go pdfs (like Kiseido's Go World Archive) without zooming.

Sounds really good. I think i will pick up a 10" when ipad 2 comes around. I'm also excited about an iPad version of Tetsuki. The UI in Tetsuki is simply breathtaking.

[hyperpape]

So how is the screen size for playing?
I'm considering to import one. But we don't have ipads in my country yet so i don't have to way to check it out. And I kinda want rumoured the 7" too, but maybe it wouldn't be the same experience as it's quite a bit smaller.

I doubt there will be a 7" inch iPad. If you want a (very long) discussion of why not, you can check out The Talk Show by John Gruber and Dan Benjamin--one episode is titled "7 inches" and they spend a lot of time on why Apple is unlikely to announce such a product. The capsule version is that it's not really Apple's style to have multiple form factors like that, and more importantly, all current iPad apps are developed for the 9.7" screen, and you just can't scale down touch-screen apps. So redesigning things would be a nightmare.

[gromit]

It's also large enough for comfortably reading Go pdfs (like Kiseido's Go World Archive) without zooming.

How do you get pdfs on to the iPad? Some people seem to find this difficult, and (not having an iPad) I don't really understand the workarounds that I've seen proposed. I'll probably get one if it would be easy to copy pdfs and sgfs across from my Mac.

[imabuddha]

How do you get pdfs on to the iPad? Some people seem to find this difficult, and (not having an iPad) I don't really understand the workarounds that I've seen proposed. I'll probably get one if it would be easy to copy pdfs and sgfs across from my Mac.

I generally do it through iTunes app file sharing (http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4094) which allows you to drag files to/from an app on your iPad when it's connected to your computer.

While Apple's free iBooks app can handle pdf files I prefer to use GoodReader. This app also allows loading pdfs (and many other file types) from a website, URL, Dropbox, Google docs, ftp, etc. (http://www.goodiware.com/gr-man.html) There are many other pdf apps available too.

For sgf files I use SmartGo Kifu, which is awesome! It can open sgf files from a website, email, and of course you can use iTunes app file sharing with it.

[kirkmc]

I'll second GoodReader - best 99 cents I've spent for the iPad.

While iBooks handles PDFs - and is quite practical, since you can store PDFs in your iTunes library - GoodReader has a lot of useful features, the best of which is the ability to crop PDFs for display, so you get the most possible content without margins on the screen. It's great for reading Go World.

Re SmartGo Kifu, there's not much point having an iPad (for go) without that app. If you're interested in go, it's essential. I would like to see Dropbox support for adding SGF files, though...

[Actorios]

My applications used for Go Study and practice:

Dropbox
What is it used for? Transfer file from and to computer without connecting the iPad. Can also be used to share among users. Compatible with Smartgo Pro and Tengen Go.
How could it be improved? Pretty solid application. Not much to say, really.

Smartgo Kifu
What is it used for? It's a must have. The problems are very nice. The pro game database is excellent and very complete. You can import/export SGF, add comments, review annoted games in an easy way, play on the device together with someone (recording the moves) and play against the computer (I put it last because I never do).
How could it be improved? It is wonderful but there is still room for improvement: I wish you could create set-up in a similar way as Drago does (place stones by color to create sitution without alternating colors)), I wish you could add problems, I wish you could manage directories of your file to ease cluster and review. I wish you could set a timer for face to face games. I hope some of those wishes come true as the software develops.

My Library
What is it used for? List all my go books in a database with covers (I love the feature when you can browse your library through covers), authors, barcode numbers, publisher, etc. Good to go for a purchase and not forget which collection you want to complete (if like me you buy books faster than you read them). You can also follow what you did read and comment them.
How could it be improved? Change the logo on the first page (so blurry), export covers would be nice, shared database with comments from other people, more go books in the barcode ref. database.

WebOffline
What is it used for? My iPad is wifi only. This allows me to record some websites to be reviewed at a later stage.There is a kind way of doing by browsing the site and recording and a more brutal way of recording pages at a certain depth (don't try this on sensei's library => your IP would get blocked).
How could it be improved? It's fairly good. Nothing blatlant.

BlogPress
What is it used for? To feed a blog (by Blogger). It's really not as nice as doing it online which I believe you could partially do through a normal browser but it's quicker.
How could it be improved? Implement all features available on site (especially related to the images), add a preview function because WYS is not always WYG.

Max Journal
What is it used for? Follow up my progress on the game on a day by day basis. Make notes following my go lessons. Includes images.
How could it be improved? Improving the export to PDF (use the fancy fonts that are available)

Good Reader
What is it used for? read and organize PDF. Can be used to bookmark, make notes, etc.
How could it be improved? Color notes, read all PDF (example: the Cho Chikun L&D serie is not readable...)

Crop Suey HD
What is it used for? crop images to add to the blog, journal, mind map or library.
How could it be improved? It does what it's supposed to do. It's not very expensive and is very straightforward. Still, I believe you can find free equivalent. This one is just fast which is nice.

Popplet
What is it used for? A mind mapping tool. I like to record go principles, books read, comments in a graphic way. I think it's easy to review and it looks so good. Try the lite version as you may not share my enthousiasm if it's not your taste.
How could it be improved? A few more features, ability to export file into a modifiable format on PC. Still I love the easy and graphic way of creating / move things. I'm a bit unsure about the best way to use it for go study but still love it.

Igowin HD
What is it used for? Play against the computer in 9x9 and see your rank improve (or stagnate - I can't believe that this program is so accurate in assessing your level)
How could it be improved? integrated go courses to win in 9x9...

Tengen Go
What is it used for? Play online on IGS. As KGS is sadly not available, that you're only way to play online real time. It works nicely but it crashes from time to time if you try to do fancy things. Lately, it has became able to record games and export SGF : this is nice!
How could it be improved? Correct the bugs ! At least, it's a beta version : there is good chances that it will get better as times goes by

Boardz
What is it used for? Play online in turn by turn.
How could it be improved? It is nicely programmed. It involves more games. As far as go is involved, it's very nice (especially now that a chat has been created). Still, I don't play it so often.

BG Timer
What is it used for? Time games. It includes bio-yomi and canadian bio-yomi.
How could it be improved? Well, i think this kind of feature is nice on a cell phone but an iPad for this purpose looks a bit heavy and not that much practical. I guess that if you don't have alternative, it does the trick.


Must have application
Recommended
Nice to have
Could do without
Not recommended


What about you? What applications would you recommend for extended go study / practice?

[imabuddha]

Re SmartGo Kifu, there's not much point having an iPad (for go) without that app. If you're interested in go, it's essential. I would like to see Dropbox support for adding SGF files, though...

Dropbox support built in would be sweet. Of course it is possible to use the Dropbox app to open sgf files in SmartGo Kifu so it can already be done.

[imabuddha]

Smartgo Kifu

[snip]

How could it be improved? It is wonderful but there is still room for improvement: I wish you could create set-up in a similar way as Drago does (place stones by color to create sitution without alternating colors)), I wish you could add problems, I wish you could manage directories of your file to ease cluster and review. I wish you could set a timer for face to face games. I hope some of those wishes come true as the software develops.

I'm sure at least one of your wishes will come true soon.

[lobotommy]

Smartgo Kifu
Every update of this app is just amazing - the book-like diagrams are just great when you are looking at commented games, this is the feature which is updated all the time, and it's just being better and better. Because of this I have almost forgotten about my desktop and all my go activity is through iPad now.
You can zoom in /out diagrams, there are clear and visible options on how scroll through a game in diagrams and there are a lot of other goodies. Essential app.

TengenGo
Good but still has a bugs - new update come out some time ago but there are still following bugs:
1) Diacritic signs/characters form non english language are crashing the app (try use this : ąęółćń)
2) Sometimes stones are not removed correctly while observing games.
3) Chat outside of game - great but need to be some kind of list of messages, if you touch the screen outside chat box it will disappear and you just can't simply go back to chat with the same person
4) Still the game requests are so annoying - they just block all other functions of this app. You can do game request only or something else, but not both thing at the same time, this process should be backgrounded.
5) buggy & strange behavior of app if 'observe' command is used via terminal. This is very nice that 'Terminal" is available but here is example of issues :
1. You are listed as a player in the observed game. You can try to pass, to resign or even undo , but you can't leave observed game.
2. Stones are not displayed correctly - only the most current are visible since you observe this particular game.
3. If you try to enter 'observe' command for more than one game then you will get strange mix of these games. If you change orientation you will get game information from the other game.
4. If you have any adjourned game then after "observe" command you will get a mix of these two games: yours and the one you wanted to observe. Stones are taken form your adjourned game and the new moves will show on the board as they are played on the observed game.
5. If there is some special tournament these games are not vissible on the main room and you can't observe such games in a normal way. But if you know the number of this game you can open it via terminal. But - again - all issues listed above are still there.
And the biggest issue - developer of this app doesn't like to answer e-mails with list of bugs...

Tetsuki for iPad - still is beta and WIP but it's a great app, with no problems like these listed above. For iPad version look at the fanpage on facebook - you need to provide your IMEI to the developer of this app to install beta version.
1) Diacritic signs/characters - work great, and don't crash app
2) no problem with removing of stones in observed games
3) game requests are backgrounded,
It's the best looking IGS client on mobiles/tablets and has best functionality of all other apps. Developer of Tetsuki is an open person and he is always available through e-mail, facebook etc. He listens to user's complaints and still improving this app.
The only one minus is that you can't open special games in tetsuki, but I think it will be implemented in the final release.

[Actorios]

Thanks for the info, tommyray !
I'm looking forward to the release of Tetsuki for iPad.

I must say that since Smartgo Kifu includes tools to add stones / symbols / letters, I've come to use the iPad as a reading tool. Those days, I'm re-reading Attack & Defense and I try to reproduce all diagrams on the iPad to check variations and make sure to understand the diagram. It takes time but it's working great.

[martyd9906]

I would offer that the iPad is a great device for my purposes. While is it not the ideal solution, it does offer much in terms of the game. I have heard rumors that they are coming out with a seven inch model in the future. I wonder how this might change the way that you guys view its use.

[lobotommy]

Just FYI - there is Oro Baduk client on iPhone. But it's Korean only at this moment ...