Forumrunner integration and Mobile Suite

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  • moonfox
    Member
    • Mar 2011
    • 59
    • 3.8.x

    Forumrunner integration and Mobile Suite

    Can someone explain this to me please I haven't yet seen a decent explanation or thread. If there is one please point me to it as I am confused.

    I have the current version of the mobile suite. Is forumrunner replacing it?
  • ENF
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2002
    • 2677
    • 3.8.11

    #2
    The vBulletin Mobile suite is good for one vBulletin forum only.

    The ForumRunner product in basic form is a singe app that can access any forum that has ForumRunner enabled, whether it's vBulletin or not.

    According to vBulletin Management personnel, both applications will remain as active products.

    In Our Case as an example:

    We elected to not use the vBulletin Mobile Suite because it didn't seem cost effective for us to provide a single mobile app that was tied to one forum only. In lieu of the vBulletin Mobile Suite, we elected to enable both Tapatalk and ForumRunner applications which has brought us a number of new users since our forums are listed in their respective directories. Additionally, end users pay one low price to receive one application that can access a multiple range of forums. There are also free, read-only versions in some cases.

    We also find that using ForumRunner and Tapatalk is less of a strain since we don't have to support the application directly and don't have to worry about publishing the app on our own. Later down the road, we may consider branded versions, but not at this time.
    To be updated...

    Comment

    • th3gr3aton3
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2009
      • 141

      #3
      My thought..

      Forum Runner was purchased by Internet Brands, which owns Vbulletin. It would make sense for Internet Brands to continue to make money off of Forum Runner, which integrates with other forum software. It would also make sense for Internet Brands to use Forum Runner to enhance the mobile app. My hope that the two apps have a baby.

      Comment

      • vivoperdio
        Member
        • May 2009
        • 91
        • 3.8.x

        #4
        I'd also prefer Forum Runner than vBulletin Mobile Suite, because Forum Runner is proven to be more stable, besides the vBulletin Mobile Suite still unstable and very buggy

        Comment

        • shri
          Senior Member
          • Apr 2000
          • 478
          • 3.6.x

          #5
          The million dollar question is when can some of us who have multiple forums, get a while labeled multi-forum mobile app.

          Comment

          • moonfox
            Member
            • Mar 2011
            • 59
            • 3.8.x

            #6
            Well I have one forum and bought the mobile suite when it first came out and have been humiliated by it ever since. The latest version I am trying to get someone to submit for me but he is having a problem with xcode or something. What a pain in the ass apple is. Android of course went up without a hitch in 2 minutes. But I have an Iphone so I don't even know if this latest version is any good.

            So I was thinking about switching to forum runner anyhow. So my question is should I ditch VB mobile suite and go with the forum runner integration option.

            I would hope that someone can give us some insight.

            Comment

            • ENF
              Senior Member
              • Apr 2002
              • 2677
              • 3.8.11

              #7
              Originally posted by moonfox
              So I was thinking about switching to forum runner anyhow. So my question is should I ditch VB mobile suite and go with the forum runner integration option.

              I would hope that someone can give us some insight.
              Bottom line, ForumRunner being enabled won't degrade your site in any way. It gives people options and if you like the application, I guess they'll offer a customized/branding version. For the very immediate future, you can at least enable the ForumRunner piece and try it out. If you don't like it, disable it and no hard done and no lost investment. (maybe a $1 or $2 to buy the ForumRunner app for your phone if you don't have it already)

              Personally, I cannot see the value in investing in a custom app just for one of our forums. Tapatalk and ForumRunner serve us just fine at this stage.
              To be updated...

              Comment

              • moonfox
                Member
                • Mar 2011
                • 59
                • 3.8.x

                #8
                Forumrunner integration and Mobile Suite

                So will users have to buy the forum runner app? I was thinking it would be free to them. My app has to be free.

                Comment

                • ZeroHour
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2007
                  • 167

                  #9
                  Originally posted by moonfox
                  So will users have to buy the forum runner app? I was thinking it would be free to them. My app has to be free.
                  For that you have to buy a branded forumrunner app which allows you effectively a free version for the end user (you pay instead basically)

                  Comment

                  • SteveLV702
                    Senior Member
                    • Aug 2009
                    • 1466

                    #10
                    Originally posted by ZeroHour
                    For that you have to buy a branded forumrunner app which allows you effectively a free version for the end user (you pay instead basically)

                    at $600/yr and if you choose not to renew its removed from the app store (as not under your own developer account) and anyone who has downloaded it will be sad to find out that no longer function.....
                    ------------------------------------------
                    Steve
                    DM Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                    CN Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                    TheFaFClan Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                    Audi Spirit Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)

                    Comment

                    • Wayne Luke
                      vBulletin Technical Support Lead
                      • Aug 2000
                      • 73981

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Allen Lin
                      I should clarify. I was referring to the default mobile apps. By default, the vBulletin Mobile Suite provides branding and customization. By default, Forum Runner does not, although a branded version is available. However, it probably makes more sense to break it into tiers.

                      Tier 1 - The default Forum Runner iOS and Android mobile apps give users access to all forums listed in the Forum Runner directory. So, if a user has two forums that they like to visit, they access them using the same generic app. Installing the Forum Runner plugin and getting your forum listed in the directory is FREE for any forum owner. The app costs $2 for each user to download. This makes Forum Runner a good entry point into mobile for most forum owners, but transfers the cost to the forum user.

                      Tier 2 - For $200 USD, the vBulletin Mobile Suite offers forum owners customized and branded mobile apps for their forums. Instead of accessing your forum from a directory of forums in a generic app, users use a dedicated mobile app made with vBulletin in mind. Both branded iOS and Android mobile apps are covered by the vBulletin Mobile Suite license. You get one of each. You can make the apps available to your users for free, or sell them as an additional revenue stream. Any money generated from the sales goes straight to you, minus Apple or Google's cut.

                      [Tier 3 -] Forum Runner offers a similar branded option for $599. The additional cost covers app management and updating. Instead of needing to submit new versions of your Branded Forum Runner apps to iTunes or Google Play yourself, we do it for you. As with the vBulletin Mobile Suite, you can make the apps available to your users for free, or sell them as an additional revenue stream.

                      Finally, support for competing forum products will not be removed. Forum Runner is considered a product of Internet Brand's Mobile division, not the vBulletin division. IB intends to support and grow Forum Runner functionality for a number of forum scripts, not just vBulletin.

                      Hope this helps.
                      Translations provided by Google.

                      Wayne Luke
                      The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
                      vBulletin 5 API

                      Comment

                      • SteveLV702
                        Senior Member
                        • Aug 2009
                        • 1466

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Wayne Luke
                        Hope this helps.

                        well question for you about the Tier 3 where you submit app for users how you guys get around Apple's Rule/Policy of rejecting similar apps (what they call Spamming the store) ???
                        ------------------------------------------
                        Steve
                        DM Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                        CN Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                        TheFaFClan Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                        Audi Spirit Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)

                        Comment

                        • Zachery
                          Former vBulletin Support
                          • Jul 2002
                          • 59097

                          #13
                          Originally posted by SteveLV702
                          well question for you about the Tier 3 where you submit app for users how you guys get around Apple's Rule/Policy of rejecting similar apps (what they call Spamming the store) ???
                          They do it under the customers own accounts, it sounds like. You're paying for them to manage your account as well.

                          Comment

                          • SteveLV702
                            Senior Member
                            • Aug 2009
                            • 1466

                            #14
                            no I am not paying them anything I just have the Mobile Suite for all my licenses and submitted 9 apps that got approved and when submitted my 10th it was denied.......
                            ------------------------------------------
                            Steve
                            DM Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                            CN Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                            TheFaFClan Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)
                            Audi Spirit Mobile Lite (iTunes)(Android)(Blackberry)

                            Comment

                            • Zachery
                              Former vBulletin Support
                              • Jul 2002
                              • 59097

                              #15
                              As far as I can tell, forumrunner manages your apple and google develioper accounts for you. They don't submit it to their own account, they submit it to your account.

                              Comment

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