This week, we spent some time starting up work on a major update to our mobile app. As we mentioned last week, we’ll need to replace some of the core code that drives audio to listeners through the app due to an incompatibility with our new Icecast-based infrastructure. At this point, we’ve worked beyond proof-of-concept and have begun reconstructing the app around the new internal audio class. A new release is still likely several weeks or more away, but we’ll keep you posted.
One important note with this update is that the app’s minimum OS version will be pushed from 5.0 (Lollipop) to 8.0 (Oreo). Our available stats tell us our listeners are generally more tech savvy than the average Android user, and the vast majority of existing listeners should be able to make this leap along with us. The change is being made to reduce some of the inherent code complexity that comes with supporting older devices and operating systems which should also help to make the app more stable across more devices.
Station-side, we spent about a day this week cataloging some of our physical backlog of music. Some new circle entrants to the station we’ve cataloged so far include:
- 5150
- At The Mercy of Sounds
- ForestPireo (FP Records)
- Iemitsu
- Kissing the Mirror
- Komeiji Records
- Tones
- XL Project
We’re also filling in some of the gaps in our library with music from Hatsunetsumiko’s, White Elephant, and others. This project is ongoing, and we’ll probably have more to report next week.
On the topic of infrastructure, we’re still working through some of the software elements of Phase 1. We experienced a novel issue within the last 48 hours that would have been difficult to solve post-collocation which did end up causing a bit of station downtime yesterday morning. In summary, we’re turning some dials and knobs to get the settings just right before we send our hardware out to its final destination for Phase 2 (learn more about the phases in GR Live #106, available now on your favorite podcast platform).
Finally, a reminder that we’ve got T-shirts available for pre-order right now! They’ll be up until August 1st, after which we may have limited stock available. If you want to guarantee a shirt in your size, grab one (or both) before the pre-order ends at the end of this month.
That’s all for this week, come back next week and see where we’re at with things, and thanks for listening!
[Knowledge #23]