HiveSnaps: I could use some Android Beta Testers
Well, I actually have something to show. As you guys know, if you've been following this little blog of mine, I've been spending countless hours working on this. I happen to think this is going to help me with user retention, and thus that has been my driving force.
However, I've reached the point in time on a project where I could use a little help. I'm packing quite a bit of features on this for a simple app, but the truth is that although I'm stripping it from noise, there are things that I can't leave out, not even for this beta testing version.
So, let's make this sound official!!!
📱 What is HiveSnaps?
HiveSnaps is a modern, mobile-first social media application built specifically for the Hive blockchain. It provides an intuitive, Twitter-like experience for creating, sharing, and engaging with content on Hive, designed from the ground up for mobile users.
✨ Current Features (Already Implemented)
🔐 Authentication & Security
- Secure Hive Login - Full integration with Hive accounts using posting keys
- Secure Storage - Private keys stored safely using Expo SecureStore
- Multi-node Support - Connects to multiple Hive API nodes for reliability
📝 Content Creation & Sharing
- Create Posts ("Snaps") - Write and publish posts directly to the Hive blockchain
- Image Support - Upload and share images with Cloudinary integration (subject to change, thanks @mengao for the tip)
- Camera Integration - Take photos directly from the app or choose from gallery
- Markdown Support - Rich text formatting with full markdown rendering
- Tag System - Automatic tagging with 'hivesnaps' for content discovery
📺 Rich Media Experience
Video Embedding - Supports YouTube, 3speak, and IPFS videos
Inline Video Players - Watch videos without leaving the app
Full-Screen Image Viewer - Tap to view images in full screen
Smart Media Detection - Automatically detects and embeds media from URLs
💬 Social Interaction
- Threaded Comments - Full reply system with nested conversations
Upvoting System - Vote on posts and comments with adjustable weight (1-100%) - Real-time Updates - Live vote counts and engagement metrics
User Avatars - Profile pictures loaded from Hive accounts
Engagement Metrics - Vote counts, reply counts, and payout information
🔔 Notification System
- Real-time Notifications - Get notified about votes, replies, and mentions
- Notification Badge - Visual indicator on the main navigation
- Notification History - View all past notifications in dedicated screen
- Smart Navigation - Tap notifications to jump directly to relevant content
🎨 User Experience
- Dark/Light Mode - Automatic theme switching based on device preferences
- Responsive Design - Optimized for both Android and iOS
- Pull-to-Refresh - Swipe down to refresh content
- Smooth Animations - Professional UI transitions and loading states
- Keyboard Handling - Smart keyboard avoidance for better typing experience
📱 Mobile-First Design
- SafeArea Support - Proper handling of device notches and navigation bars
- Touch-Optimized - Large touch targets and gesture-friendly interface
- Platform-Specific - Native Android and iOS behaviors
- Performance Optimized - Efficient rendering and memory management
🚀 Near-Future Features (Coming Soon TM)
📊 Enhanced Discovery
- Algorithm-based content discovery (need ideas here)
- Tag Exploration - Browse posts by specific tags
- User Search - Find and follow other Hive users
👥 Social Features
- User Profiles - Dedicated profile pages with post history
- Following System - Follow your favorite authors
- Direct Messages - Private messaging between users (memo based?)
💰 Hive Economics
- Wallet Integration - View HBD, HIVE, and HP balances (claims rewards? maybe nothing more)
- Reward Tracking - Track your earnings and payouts
- Token Information - Real-time price feeds and market data (not decided yet)
🛠️ Technical Stuffseseseses
- Modern Tech Stack
- React Native with Expo for cross-platform development
- TypeScript for type safety and better development experience
- Expo Camera and Media Library for camera functionality
- dhive library for Hive blockchain integration
- EAS Build for professional app distribution
Development Practices
- Version Control - Full Git integration with GitHub
- Modular Architecture - Clean, maintainable code structure
- Error Handling - Robust error management and user feedback
- Security First - Secure key storage and API practices
📲 Beta Testing Available
We're currently in beta testing phase! The app is available as an APK for Android users who want to try it out. We're gathering feedback to improve the user experience before the official launch.
📱 How to Test HiveSnaps Beta (Android)
Step 1: Download the APK
Click this link on your Android device: Download HiveSnaps Beta APK
The APK file will download to your device (usually in the Downloads folder)
Step 2: Enable Unknown Sources (Required for APK Installation)
Since this app isn't on the Google Play Store yet, you'll need to allow your phone to install apps from unknown sources:
For Android 8.0+ (Most Recent Devices):
Go to Settings → Apps & notifications → Special app access → Install unknown apps
Select your browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.)
Toggle "Allow from this source" to ON
Alternative Method:
When you try to install the APK, Android will prompt you
- Tap "Settings" in the popup
- Enable "Allow from this source"
- Go back and try installing again
For Older Android Versions:
- Go to Settings → Security
- Enable "Unknown sources" or "Install from unknown sources"
Step 3: Install HiveSnaps
- Open your file manager or Downloads app
- Find the HiveSnaps APK file you downloaded
- Tap on it to install
- If prompted, confirm you want to install the app
- Wait for installation to complete
Step 4: Launch and Test
- Find HiveSnaps in your app drawer
- Open the app
- Log in with your Hive account credentials (posting key only)
- Start exploring and testing!
🔒 Security Note
This APK is safe to install - it's built using Expo's official build service. However, as with any beta software:
- Only install if you trust the developer
- The app is in testing phase, so expect some bugs
- Your Hive keys are stored securely on your device
📋 What to Test
Help me improve HiveSnaps by testing these features:
- Login/Authentication - Can you log in with your Hive account?
- Creating Posts - Try posting text and images
- Viewing Content - Browse the feed and read posts
- Commenting - Reply to posts and comments
- Voting - Upvote posts and comments
- Media Playback - Test video and image viewing
- Notifications - Check if you receive notifications for interactions
- Dark/Light Mode - Switch themes in your device settings
🐛 Found a Bug?
If you encounter any issues:
- Take a screenshot if possible
- Note what you were doing when the bug occurred
- Reply to this post with the details
- Include your device model and Android version
📱 Device Requirements
- Android 5.0+ (API level 21+)
- Internet connection required (one would think so, right?)
- Camera permission for photo posting (optional)
- Storage permission for image uploads (optional)
🆘 Troubleshooting
Can't download the APK?
- Make sure you have a stable internet connection
- Try using a different browser
- Clear your browser cache and try again
Installation failed?
- Make sure you enabled "Unknown sources"
- Check if you have enough storage space
- Try restarting your phone and installing again
App crashes on startup?
- Make sure your Android version is 5.0 or higher
- Try clearing the app data and restarting
- Let me know your device model for compatibility checking
- 🎯 Your Feedback Matters!
This is a beta version, which means:
- Some features might not work perfectly
- Your feedback helps shape the final app
- You're getting early access to cool new Hive App!!!!!
Thank you for helping test HiveSnaps! Your feedback is invaluable for making this the best Hive mobile experience possible. 🚀
Afterword
If you follow this blog then you might know, but in case you don't. I will be releasing all the code to this app too. As a matter of fact it already is public. So you might be wondering why? Well, because I feel like I need it.
I want to be able to give someone a simple app, and allow them to be a hivean. They don't have to be bloggers, they don't have to be amazing writers, they just have to be.
You see, since I got a lot of gray in my beard, I do happen to find Hiving on a computer a lot more comfortable. But, this is not the case for the majority of people. Where I live, everyone has a cell phone, very few people have a computer. I think that explains it all...
And, with this giant post and announcement, I think I will call it a day.
Much love
MenO
I like to be present at this kind of test so you can be sure that I will help you to test them.
Regards
there is no link (i assume the QR code is also getting me there?)
i will be clicking it after the weekend if the country does not go in flames or something :)
the QR code will set you free...
but dood, you just made me realize. Are you seriously in peril?
in 12 hours there will be another big protest in the capitol. after 7 months of non stop protests that were mostly peaceful (but really mostly peaceful, like no window broken, and few small scuffles with police). so there is a chance nothing will happen, but i can't even estimate how many people will go. last big one was like 600k in 6 million country.
and even the "government" is not sure, as they canceled all the public transportation to the capitol.
i would assume nothing really bad will happen because he does need the EU money that will stop, but there are a lot of stupid people out there, so who knows.
i am in the countryside and hour and a half drive from it. last time it took me almost 3 hours to get there because of all the cars going. not sure will i go, will see after a good sleep :)
I too have a lot of gray in my beard and am most comfortable using my PC. That being said I will try it out my Samsung phone this weekend and see how it goes. Good work trying to move us all forward. :)
Looking forward to your input
Got the app loaded no problem to my Samsung S20 FE.
Was able to add a snap.
When I looked at My Snaps only the one I just added was visible none of my old ones.
Voted a snap and it didn't show up on app but was there on my PC. Also could use seeing the amount of my vote not just the percentage.
Notifications didn't seem right. They were jumbled up.
Could add a comment to my snap but could not get a reply window to open on someone else's snap.
That's all for now. :)
This is really interesting!
Do you also have a 'normal' link.
As an android user, I'm on my phone, so can't scan the QR.
Have to wait until I power up the laptop later today or tomorrow.
Nice and clean.
Easy to download, install, log in, create post, include an image.
Forgot to add tags.
Trying to open conversation/vote a bit erratic, it seems I have to hold rather than tap, and takes time to find the exact spot to hold.
I'm guessing that we can't access an account's profile yet?
hrmm it could be the upvote arrow is too tiny... maybe not making it bigger, but making the action area bigger could be the solush
I'm working on the profiles today... I've not decided on how to do it. But, i'm thinking I might integrate some basic wallet info with profiles, and reward claims. I need more coffee.... that's all
i) okay 🙂
ii) no worries, I was just checking 😎.
Overall, it is nice and easy to use x
when you say the tags part.. you mean it doesn't respond to #tags
I need to pick someone's brain on how to do that... but it does seem important. Need me a real dev to talk to .
apologies - I meant I forgot to add tags to the post. I'll remember next time.
I may dabble with this using an old phone in the next couple days.
thanks bro
Let me know when you need iOS beta testers. Still travelling, but I’ll be available soon :)
I will have something for IOS very soon. Need my brother's help with that, and he's traveling as well. I've been interrupting his Machu Pichu adventure a little too much.
There are so many words in this blog! Stuffses, as you say. I really hope you get the testers you are looking for, I know how important they can be - so I reblogged ya!
Boom.
!PAKX
!PIMP
!PIZZA
thank you my brother
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@ecoinstant(1/20) tipped @meno
Come get MOONed!
Did anyone say tester needed? Well, you asked for help, here I am!!
Downloaded and installed smoothly
Homepage. Might need to zoom out a bit
Takes quite a while to load after any activity
You have to reload to see comments. Also, you can't enter a specific snap just be clicking on the body. You have to click reply first before it takes you into the snap. Upvote works.
Here's an example of a post I came about. This is just the beginning. I have to scroll over and over and over and over again to get to the end, and that's without trying to interact with it. The formatting needs work too.
Made a post, took a while, but it worked well. My time isn't synced well tho. I'm using GMT+1, so it should've said 13:40:36
These are the few things I've noticed so far. Overall, it works greatly!
My Device is Redmi 13C. Android 13
awesome feedback!!! thank you very much!
This is notifications. Comprises both snaps and normal posts, and as you can see, it's not arranged orderly, plus, it only shows hours and days, not minute and seconds. I think it should only contain reblogs, upvotes and comments relating to snaps only.
We need a keep me logged in button or stuff like that, with maybe fingerprint or password authentication AFTER our first login, as you currently have to login with posting key each time you exit the app. On the flip side, because the app is so light, you can keep it minimized for a long time without it closing and logging you out, maybe even on older phones with weak RAMs too.
Replying to comments works well.
I have a google 9 pro xl and when I get home tonight will give this a go, it should work on tablet too? If so I will test it on my honor android tablet as I microblog elsewhere more on tablet than phone.
Been watching your progress in snaps and this looks fluffing awesome.
it would be interesting to find out how it looks on a tablet... I've not even tested it... if you try it, let me know.
First pass was pretty good. I shall have a proper test tomorrow
Congrats meno! I don't have an android device sadly, but I'll check it out once it's available on iOS.
thank you so much brother... hopefully this week. I'll get my brother to help me with this step
https://x.com/lee19389/status/1939107824258425007
#hive #posh
Is it not available on iOS currently ?
I would have love to test it
this week for sure. My brother is the iOS expert (@joseamenac) - As soon as he's back from vaca, I'm asking for his help.
Ok
I’ll be looking forward
I’ll follow him now and give you a follow