The Actifit Series: The Android V 0.3.4 Release [Episode 9]

Repository

https://github.com/mcfarhat/actifit/

A. Introduction

This post talks about the version of the Actifit app for the Android operating system, the Actifit V 0.3.4. The app version was released about two weeks ago but due to the time taken to test it out and other constraints, this post is just being made. Thus, this post will cover changes made in this version of the app, what it aims to achieve, and my opinion about the upgrade.
At the end of the post, we will see if the changes made or the features addedmakes the app better, or worse than it was before. Let’s get the ball rolling. However, before we do that, what really is Actifit?

B. Actifit: What it really is!

I like to do this a lot, but the truth is, where I fail to, some users, especially new ones who stumble on my post may not understand all the gibberish I have written. So let’s look at what Actifit is and why anybody should give a darn about the app/project.

Actifit, from my own point of view, is a project built on the Steem blockchain. This project has been created with the vision of gently pushing us to begin living a fit and healthy life on a daily basis. We all know how stressful our physical jobs are and how monotonous they can be. Some people work all day seated in front of a computer, never getting up till close of work. Same person jumps into his car and drives off. No stroll, no walk, nothing.

That kind of sedentary lifestyle is an unhealthy and dangerous one that needs to be curbed before it becomes too late. This is what Actifit aims to achieve – incentivize and reward its users for keeping fit and healthy. These rewards come in the form of Steem or SBD (from the upvote made by the official Actifit account on the post) and AFIT tokens. To ensure that things move on smoothly with the project, constant changes and updates are a necessity. With that in mind, the Actifit V 0.3.4 was birthed.

C. The Actifit Android V 0.3.4 Release

The first arm of the Actifit app released was the Android version before the iOS version was recently created. Ever since the release of the Android version, several updates to the app have followed suit. Always, the update to be released was intended to either fix an issue or issues, or bring in certain new feature to users. In this post, I will shed more light on the Android V 0.3.4 which is the most recent version of the app. I intend to cover all features and changes this release is bringing to the table.

I. Better Specified Error Messages

How do you feel when you get an error message like “Oops, something occurred” or “An error just occurred” while trying to use an app or visit a web page? Frustrated, unsure of what step to take next and sometimes livid right? That’s how I usually felt when I try to make a post via the Actifit app and ended up receiving an unclear error message. Before this new version, the error message read as follow – A problem occurred while posting to the Steem blockchain.

Such an error message does not give me or any other user an insight into what we may be doing wrong so as to retrace our steps. This is why this Android V 0.3.4 is a great update. Now, the error messages shown are much more delineated according to the kind of action you try to perform via the app. If you don’t get to the minimum required steps before you try to post, it shows you an error message saying “you are yet to reach the minimum 1000 activity count.”

If you try to view the leader-board list for the day and you run into an error, you get a pop-up error message which says “an error occurred while trying to fetch the leader-board list. Try again later”. Where you use an incorrect username or input a wrong posting key, you also get an error message specific to that.

With the new HF 20 update of the Steem blockchain, there is now a cap on the number of comments or posts a user can make depending on his or her Resource Credits. Actifit has also added errors regarding to inability to post in relation to inability to post for lack of RCs in this new update. So if you do not have enough RCs, and you try to make a post via the Actifit app, you would be unable to. Not just that, you ‘d also get an error message telling you that your RC is low and that’s the reason you are unable to make a post.

II. UTF8 & SA Language Support

This is one of the most important feature added to this version of the android app. Why I say this is because there was an issue some time ago when some Chinese users found it difficult to write a complete sentence that would reach the minimum word count. To combat this issue and provide a lasting solution, Actifit has now included support for the UTF8 and South Asian (SA) languages in this version of the Actifit app.

Before now, Actifit in its fight against abuse of the system through various ways such as spammy content, copied posts one word report cards & others, set a minimum word count limit. Every user posting a report card through the app is expected to have first written no less than 30 words before they can successfully post to the blockchain. However, with the aim of finding lasting solution to issues with other languages, this rule had to be abolished. Going forward, posts made via the Actifit app are expected to have a minimum of 100-character count. Now, it becomes easier to harmonize posting of report cards that at least reach the minimum limit.

III. “Steemit” to “Steem” word modification

A lot of users, myself not excluded, usually confuse the terms Steemit and Steem in regards to where their posts go to. From a blockchain perspective, our posts and actions occur on thee Steem blockchain while all these actions can be seen via the Steemit platform. In essence, Steemit is just a platform that mirrors some of what we do on the Steem blockchain.

In order to reflect this understanding and harmonize references within the Actifit app, modifications relating to these had to be made. For example, within the Actifit app, there was the link which read “Post to Steemit. Now with this modification, it has been changed to read “Post to Steem”.

IV. Leaderboard Listing modified

In the Actifit app, there is a list of people with the highest activity count every day. I believe the aim of this was to inform users, as well as motivate them further. Sometimes, when you see that someone had reached and even surpassed a target you set for yourself, then you are motivated to put in more effort. When I first started out on Actifit, I found it hard to reach the 10k activity step count. However, after seeing other reach that count and even surpass, I doubled my hustle. At a point, I became the top scorer with more than 25,000 activity count.

Now, several users are reaching that 25k count and even more. In recent times, I have seen users with a score above 40 and even 50k step count. Before now, this exalted leaderboard showed the five top actifitters every day. However, that has been changed with this update. However, that has now been changed in this update. This app will now show the 10 top actifitters on a daily basis.

V. New Activity types added

There are so many kinds of activities one can engage in every day to keep healthy and fit. Little exercises such as walking and running are good ways of working your way up the ladder to a healthy life. In previous updates, activity types such as aerobics, boxing, dancing, moving around the office, tread mill, shopping, house chores and several others were added to the Actifit app.

There are some other popular activities such as these that are popular but were not added as of then. Gardening is one of them. Even aged people spend time mowing the garden. While at it, they can have their phone on them, recording their activity count. Hiking is another popular activity not in the previous update. People engaging in this long vigorous walking activity in the countryside or mountainous areas can have their phone on them with their Actifit app open. Rollerblading is a third popular activity absent on the Actifit app. Strap those roller blades to your feet, open your Actifit app on your phone and move around.

All three of these exercises that were absent in previous versions of the Actifit app have now been added to this current version. So if you are a hiker, gardener or you enjoy the rollerblading sport, endeavor to take your phone along when engaging in your favorite activity.

VI. Security Enhancements

Actifit is particular about security and smooth running of its various platforms/apps. In lieu of this, additional security measures have been implemented in this Android V 0.3.4. These measures aim to ensure better authentication of communication between the Actifit app and the API that handles the creation of daily report cards.

D. My Opinion About The Actifit Android V 0.3.4

The Actifit team is a wonderful and proactive one, always seeking to make their project a better one, and easy to use for users. When the Actifit journey started out, it was only a simple app that recorded activity count and with a button to “Post to Steemit”. However, the updates have been constant and exceptional, touching critically important and making fundamental changes to the usage and outlook of the app.

The Android V 0.3.4 of the Actifit app has toed the same path with the other updates, bringing better functionality, and additional security to users of the app. The UTF8 and SA language support is one that would better enliven the experience for users of the app. It will also go a long way fight abuse, and harmonize posts from the Actifit app across the Steem blockchain. Hopefully, future releases will bring more functionalities, and probably a much more beautiful design to the outlook of the app.

See you next time.

I remain your favorite dApps presenter,
_{@curtwriter
Chat with us on discord | Visit our website
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Resources

A. https://steemit.com/actifit/@actifit/actifit-daily-47-102k-thank-you-to-delegators-sponsored-competition-rewarded-top-actifitters
B. Other pictures were screenshots from my device.

Series Backlinks

• Project Promotion: All You Need to Know About Actifit, The New Fitness App on The Blockchain!!
• The Actifit Series - Actifit Development Updates V0.1 - V0.3 [Episode 2]
• The Actifit Series - Actifit Development Update V.0.3.1 And other Updates [Episode 3]
• The Actifit Series - Decommissioned Versions and Other Updates [Episode 4]
• The Actifit Website Explained (Episode 5)
• Actifit iOS version & other Developmental Updates (Episode 6)
• The Actifit Series: iOS App, New iOS version 0.3.3 and other updates (Episode 7)
• The Actifit Series - Aftermath of the HF20, Impact on Actifit and other updates (Episode 8)