The smartchessapp is ok. Not good but ok.

My problem is that as a subscriber of chesspublishing I still have to pay for something at smartchess that I already paid for here.

My solution is, download the monthly pgn at chesspublishing and open it with the everymanchessviewer.
The everymanchess pgnviewer is also ok. Not good, but ok. But that way you don't have to pay twice.

I'm becoming impatient with the level of self-promotion in this thread, and with its seemingly everlasting presence at the top of this part of the forum. Doesn't this app have a list server or a forum of its own, where many of these issues would be better addressed? I don't think that Tony's forum is really the right place for an extended advertisement of some random chess app.

Dink Heckler wrote on 10/17/11 at 11:09:06:


Hi Dink,
You can skip the Variation page if you do not wish to see the line played through. 

SmartChess! is capable of simply listing the variations as links to hidden pages instead of the linear approach. You skip pages by not tapping the link.

This is how we originally converted the books but we received too many suggestions that requiring users to return to the mainline every time a variation is chosen is too distracting.

In fact, you will see this implementation in the last chapter of Common Sense.

We can try rolling out the Opening Updates this way (or give the option) and see how this will be received by users. Personally, I prefer the linear approach especially when the first action in a nested line is to choose another line from among many.

The PC has its benefits but the iPad and similar tablets appeal to others as well.

By the way, a free sample of Chess Evolution - September 2011 is available for download in the Bookstore.

Check it out!

Regards,
Andres

Ok, I have looked again at this and as each variation is simply shown as a fresh page it is just a case of simply hitting the right arrow key for each move and then viewing the next page that appears. 
Personally I much prefer the Everyman app method where I can click on the moves themselves in any given order and the diagram will change accordingly to the position I have clicked on, but perhaps others will prefer the more linear approach of Smartchess. 

To me it is not as flexible but in the lesson format of a book like the  tactics one I think it works a little better then it would in, say, an opening book or any other book where you may wish to follow a main line first and foremost, skipping sidelines and variations until you are ready to revisit them later. 

Again, personal preference may be the key here. 

Anyway, I hope the app does well and I expect it will find more fervent supporters than me as it develops and fulfils its potential.

slates wrote on 10/13/11 at 21:22:18:


Hi Slates,
The Setting Up Tactical Combinations free lesson  shows you how it handles variations or nested lines. You just did not notice it because you did not have to choose the lines. It showed it to you. Or maybe you did not read the entire lesson at all.

You have to follow the lesson to see it.

Anyway, Tal-Botvinnik 1960 has just been approved and is now available for download in the Bookstore.

Dvoretsky's Analytical Manual - Chapter 1 also has tons of variations.

That is the uniqueness of the SmartChess! presentation scheme not available in other Apps. Variations including nested lines inside variations and evencited games are presented to you in the SmartChess! edition of the book in the least intrusive or annoying way. 

It doesn't annoy you with a pop-up window asking you to choose which line you want to follow as with Everyman's viewer or Chessbase. In the end you get a choppy reading experience. It's like listening to someone who starts a new sentence without completing the previous one. It is hard to follow and the thought becomes incoherent.

Regards,
Andres

Thanks Andres.

I will reserve judgement until i have bought a full book or a Chesspub update.  
It would be nice to see how the app handles variations but i dont want to spend money right now until there us something i really want to buy
I just spent £14 on Sadler's QGD book in the Everyman app and I have plenty of real books on my shelf, so I will wait for now, but of course I do wish you luck with this app, I think it has a lot of potential.
I think I will use it for Chesspub updates as I am no longer a subscriber there, but still interested in getting occasional updates, so this could be a good area to sell a lot of product for you, if it is well publicised and can cover a large range of updates. 
Hopefully this will be good for you and for Tony and Chesspub.

slates wrote on 10/13/11 at 20:32:27:


HI Slates,
I am talking about books bought by people who bought the App. The App is different than the books sold inside the App.

There are more than 11 titles. I think 13 or 14. Tal-Botvinnik 1960 will be up for sale in two or three days. Some were able to download Tal-Botvnnik 1960 because of an oversight on our part.

All the titles that you see now with prices used to be Free. We are required to test the books in two environments. For us to be able to test the download process, we have to do in such a way that we do not have to pay Apple. So we set the price to free. Then, after testing, we set the price to not free.

Okay. Now, I understand your flip board question. Yes, we will enable flip board in the Book view as option. But writers and books usually write with White at the bottom of the board. So, it is something that you can expect to see later.

Your bookstore is not limited. The only difference with yours and the those who got he App on the first day of launch is Tal-Botvinnik 1960. But there are 13 on yours and 14 on theirs. Just give it some time and you will see more titles. That is our idea is to sell lots of titles.

And I am not taking your issues as negative criticisms. I just want you to understand the dynamics. 

The app and the books are what Apple calls non-consumables. The price you for pay for it now is the only price you will ever pay for the App in its lifetime. The point is, if there is something in it already that you find useful now, there is no point in waiting as a consumer.

I am glad you find some good in it.

Once again, even those who got the books for free actually paid for the App for $4.99. Some have bought it at the sale price of $.99. And it is on sale for $2.99 for the entire October. We might also just give it away. Wish us luck. The idea is to bring chess knowledge to chess fans everywhere at an affordable price despite of its added value.

One question remains: Do you find reading a SmartChess! book much better experience? Does it promote better understanding of content? I am talking particularly about the reading experience. Now, that is the kind of issue I care about.

Andres