fruux blog

We are a bit late, with our promised client update.
Hopefully the following screenshots help bridging the gap until the actual release (it’s imminent! No, not that Duke Nukem Forever kind of imminent!).

This is our new main screen:

The following image shows the new account sheet. The next version wont require any email-begging in order to join our beta. Just download the fruux client, create your account, click the email verification link and you are ready to go sync.

If you are interested in speeding up development, feel free to donate and suggest your top priority feature!
There are still some free slots on our supporters page.

Well - not exactly free beer. We just wanted to catch your interest. And obviously it worked.

Here is a brief summary of the topics we are currently working on.

basic features:

• signup and modify your account via client application
• deploying additional sync servers (we thought about using google app engine, but currently gae is no final product and has no ssl support. anyway we have a working beta of the fruux server running on gae. if google starts production mode and adds ssl support: we are already prepared)
• addressbook group syncing
• webapplication (manage your contacts on the go)
• social features (described here)

maybe basic, maybe pro features:

• ical syncing
• preferences syncing
• safari bookmark syncing

pro features:

• external sync plugins
  • google contacts plugin (sync your contacts with your gmail / google apps contacts)
  • google calendar plugin (sync your ical calendars with your google calendar

Although all of the above is work in progress, you wont see everything right in the next release!

We’d rather like to hear what features you would like to see in the next version of fruux! What features are most important to you? Are there any additional features you’d like to see in the next version of fruux?

We are looking forward for your comments, your posting on our fruux @ facebook page and/or your emails.

UPDATE:

Maybe we should postpone our google contacts plugin? Apple added iPhone <-> Addressbook.app <-> google contact syncing with 10.5.3 (via: Google Mac Blog).

We finally decided about our WWDC attendance (and got our flight booking confirmation).

Also attending WWDC ‘08?
Feel free to get in touch (comments, emails, fruux @ facebook, …).

Some hints, if you’re attending WWDC for the first time:

• Download and install the BART Widget (b.t.w. ADA 2007 winner)
• Want to use public transit-busses? You need coinage! There is no change!
• You’ll probably need a travel transformer if you’re not from the US
• Have a look at the WWDC Hints over at MacGuys.Com
• Andy had a nice idea: print out the icon of your project on a little 2 inch square and stick it into your WWDC badge
• More hints? -> comment!

Looking forward to meeting several nice people (unfortunately not all of them) again!

With the help of your nice feedback, we worked on a bugfix release during the last days.

Changelog:

• (FIX) No more iSync error messages at the console, when syncing cell phones
• (FIX) No more birthday conflicts, when using the reset function
• (FEATURE) Added german localization

If you are are current fruux betatester, you’ll get an email including the download location of the updated client. If you are interested in betatesting fruux, follow these steps.

Just in case there is an updated version of your new favorite application, here are the necessary steps.

1)

• Doubleclick the new fruux Preference Pane

2)

• Click “Replace”

3)

• Click “Synchronize Now” in the fruux Preference Pane
• Click “Allow” in order to grant the updated fruux application to the account information you previously stored in your keychain (This step is very important! Since fruux is not “codesigned” yet, you have to manually grant the keychain access after an update).