Hating the new
26 June 2012
Wow.
I'm not really accustomed to being attacked like this by a group of people -- usually it happens face to face, one person at a time. But now, after the 2.0 update to MLB Scoreboard, there's been a flood of vitriol aimed squarely at me and my (rudimentary) design sensibilities.
I thought the old design was getting old and crufty, and was kind of ugly. So I tried to fancy it up a bit. And I thought that was mostly successful, and I like the app more now.
And then ... the users got their hands on it.
Mike (Galaxy Nexus):
Backward step Big step backward. Settings menu disappeared. Slide out menu flat against background with no transparency: visually confusing. Push button menus. Aging icons. White background saps battery on AMOLED devices; no way to switch.
Ed (Galaxy SII):
"Improvement????" Now you get the scores on half of a screen? So pathetic I wish I could give zero stars. Actively looking for an alternative!
Tom (Galaxy Nexus):
Update This app sucks now!!!! Wtf!!! Half screen scores and now the team selection only shows home and away. Get with it. Rate 1 star. Don't download til its fixed. Lame.
Christine (Droid 4):
Update is terrible! This new update is aweful! Terrible! Put it back they way it was!!!
Mike (Galaxy S):
Alrite New update is bad but it doesnt freeze anymore put back scores the way they were please and will rate 5 stars
John (Acer Picasso):
Love the data provided but not the new layout I have to agree with the rest of the reviewers who want you to switch it back. the new layout isn't too bad on my tablet but terrible on my phone .
John (Galaxy Tab 10.1):
Update Latest update not as good as prior. Please revert.
B (Asus Transformer Pad TF300T):
Latest update seems to have removed the menu button which means I can't access current standings. Please restore that functionality.*
* I'm sorry to say, I'm not 100% sure I know what B is talking about here. The menu button still works on my phone ... maybe it doesn't on a tablet? Can anyone verify that for me?
Vicki (Galaxy S):
Bring back the old version I can barely read the scores with it being condensed to one side. I don't see the point as the other half of the screen is blank. Please return the format to the full screen.
Christian (Galaxy Nexus):
If it aint broke... The new interface is AWFUL. This software was amazing until the publisher decided to give it a new interface. Three stars at best now...please give us back the old interface!!
Manuel (LGE Optimus One):
Please change to other version The previous version was better and I liked the black background much better. Please change to previous version.
Eddy (Galaxy S):
Update Sucks Don't like the version since latest update half screen scores are just plain stupid.
Anthony (Droid RAZR):
New update sucks This was a nice clean app before the update. Now it is a visual mess. Please revert back to the old style.
At least it wasn't all bad.
Sam (EVO Shift 4G):
Love it
That's ... pretty much the only positive feedback I've gotten.
This is what the old menu looked like:
And here's what it looks like now, in version 2.1:
Did I say 2.1? Yup. That's just been released.
I want to find some balance between being responsive to feedback and sticking to my own sensibilities. I know that people respond angrily to change, even if the change is better -- but also that if everyone thinks something is bad, they just might be right.
I feel that this tweak, just extending the schedule so it covers the whole screen (on a phone, anyway), will be enough to staunch some of the flow of bad reviews. I'm sure there will be more things I need to change, to keep my 53,240 users as happy with MLB Scoreboard as I am.
If you want to see what everyone is so mad about, go download MLB Scoreboard 2.1 now!