New RateBeer app: feedback

I downloaded the app, went on to regular ratebeer to look at my last rating (Schlafly Baltic Porter), and when I tapped on the link, it opens up the app with a different beer (Denver Chphouse Pale Ale) that I’ve never rated. Hmmm?

An interesting app. It’s a good start. A few hiccups but I would like to see these fixed:

1) Both tablet and smartphone works only in portrait viewing mode. I would like to see it able to work in both portrait and landscape orientations.

2) The search results returns beer listing not alphabetical order but rather based on when the beer was added to the database. The earliest entries are listed first. I would like to see the beers listed in alphabetical order.

3) A lot of wasted desktop space showing the product image that is above the beer name and green dot with white dash in the center.

4) App does not show if the beer is retired or an alias of another beer. Also, retired beers are not displayed in the search results.

5) Splash screen for tablet version is way too big. It shows like, 90% ratebeer logo and background image. The bottom section shows very little of the beer scripting and reviews.

I logged in on the app, and that account is not connected to my original account. I can rate beers I already have rated, and then I can’t delete the new rating, since I can’t reach this new account from desktop. There are now three users named rlgk when I search for my name, but I can only open one of them.
My test rating on Westy 12 is visible as well as my previous one and I can’t delete the testversion since I don’t find a way to delete ratings in the app.

Originally posted by MarcoDL
The fact that rating is not possible on the RATEbeer app is absolutely ridiculous. That’s the main function of this entire community.

Originally posted by rlgk
I logged in on the app, and that account is not connected to my original account. I can rate beers I already have rated, and then I can’t delete the new rating, since I can’t reach this new account from desktop. There are now three users named rlgk when I search for my name, but I can only open one of them.
My test rating on Westy 12 is visible as well as my previous one and I can’t delete the testversion since I don’t find a way to delete ratings in the app.

I agree there are UI flaws (search, lack of any lists, places, profile picture taking a lot of space) which have already been pointed out. At this point I don’t find the app usable, even for checking out beers in the store since it uses style rating which is of no use to me at all. Yes it’s nice to have, but not something I’d use to check the beer quality.

However all of these can be polished. But when we’re talking about new rating system - that’s a completely different animal. The change was needed, no doubt about that. Yes, RB is still a relevant beer library, best one there is out there. But the system, UI is slowly becoming obsolete losing the race with other app and sheer number of beers out there. There are 3ooo users with 500+ rates, out of which 1/4 to 1/3 is inactive. Lets be honest this site is kept alive by couple of thousand users, several hundred doing a tremendous amount of work and I highly doubt it’s suddenly going to flourish in future if nothing changes.

That being said I disagree with rating being dumbed down to a single number. Not sure how is this going to play out and what’s the big plan or goal. However I have a feeling RB is hopping on a train trying to compete with Untappd but in the process throwing away data which gives RB edge over other apps instead of making it easier to enter that data. I may be wrong, maybe the plan is different and we don’t see the whole picture. If it’s about simplifying things as much as possible please keep in mind that RB way of rating has also educational purpose and learns newbies to think about whatever beer is in front of them. Untappd doesn’t work that way and it would be shame if RB lost this on it’s way to get fresh blood.

Looks like I’ll never use this app again. No break down ratings (attributes), no app for me.

Thanks for the answer. I did not use FB at all, but logged on with username and password on both.

Originally posted by joet

Originally posted by rlgk
I logged in on the app, and that account is not connected to my original account. I can rate beers I already have rated, and then I can’t delete the new rating, since I can’t reach this new account from desktop. There are now three users named rlgk when I search for my name, but I can only open one of them.
My test rating on Westy 12 is visible as well as my previous one and I can’t delete the testversion since I don’t find a way to delete ratings in the app.

We are on this. For now try to use the method (Facebook or not) you used to originally. We will be working on your accounts.

Originally posted by rlgk
I logged in on the app, and that account is not connected to my original account. I can rate beers I already have rated, and then I can’t delete the new rating, since I can’t reach this new account from desktop. There are now three users named rlgk when I search for my name, but I can only open one of them.
My test rating on Westy 12 is visible as well as my previous one and I can’t delete the testversion since I don’t find a way to delete ratings in the app.

Who created the first Ratebeer app? Maybe just have him do this one as well? Seems like his was better and I believe he did it for free.