Major Additions - Announcing Forum Runner - vBulletin Android/iPhone/iPad App

Introducing Forum Runner for the iPhone/iPad/Android vBulletin!

Security Update - Version 1.7.5, Please Update Your Installation

http://www.forumrunner.com

What is Forum Runner?

Forum Runner is a vBulletin mod that allows your users to browse your forum using a native Android/iPhone/iPad client. This means faster access for those users since it only downloads the actual forum information rather than all the extraneous images that slow down the mobile connection.

Forum Runner now supports the iPad natively! Download the Forum Runner app once and support both iPhone and iPad versions in one universal app!

iOS 4 multitasking on the iPhone is fully supported by Forum Runner.

Forum Runner is FREE for forum owners to install, and takes less than 5 minutes. The client for the iPhone/iPad/Android costs 1.99$ which is LESS THAN THE COMPETITORS, and has more features. Please see the list below for full information on Forum Runner's features.

Forum Runner inherits all the security built into vBulletin, so users running Forum Runner will only be able to see the same forums and threads as they could using a regular browser.

Forum Runner Feature List

• Native Android/iPad/iPhone support
• iOS 4 multitasking support
• Browse your favorite forums in an easy-to-use-interface with multiple notification types (private message, subscription, etc)
• Fully customizable home screen with your favorite forums
• FREE PUSH NOTIFICATION SUPPORT : Get private message and subscribed thread updates from your favorite forums in the background!
• Poll updates (private messages/subscriptions) from favorites on home screen - shows you a summary of which forums you have new messages or subscriptions on!
• Graphical display of polls - view results and vote on polls
• Moderation tools for your moderators/admins (close/open thread, stick/unstick thread, move thread, delete posts, etc)
• Image attachment thumbnail and full size viewing from threads
• View a thread's image attachments in one convenient screen (much like the native iPhone "Photo" app)
• Save thread images to your iPhone/iPod touch library
• Fully searchable forums!
• Multi-quote support
• View embedded links without leaving the app, including YouTube videos
• Supports portrait AND landscape mode
• Full posting options (quote posts, start new thread, etc)
• Attach unlimited photos from your library (or take a photo from the camera and attach it)
• Full support for private messages and private message folders
• Full support for thread subscriptions - track your favorite threads and be updated via push when they have new posts!

Forum Runner currently supports vBulletin 3.6.x, 3.7.x, 3.8.x and 4.0.x. We are adding support for other mobile phones as well as forum software.

There is a Free version available in the iTunes App Store and Google Market as well which allows your users to try out Forum Runner before making a decision to buy it. It has all the features of the full version except that it does not have the ability to post threads and a few other differences which are outlined on http://www.forumrunner.com.

Some screen shots of Forum Runner running on various devices:

iPhone: Home Screen with customizable icons and notifications:



Push notification updates while outside the app:



Image attachment browser from a thread:



Fully searchable forums:



Full forum browsing:





How do I get the Forum Runner vBulletin Add-On?

You can download the latest version from vBulletin.org below. However if you download this version, you still need to register your forum on our directory list so it shows up in the iPhone/Android client. Please note that if you download the addon from vBulletin.org, you will need to download the unique sitekey.php file from http://www.forumrunner.com after you register your forum.

To register your forum, simply head over to http://www.forumrunner.com/?p=register. Full instructions to register your forum in the Forum Runner database are there. Once you register your forum, you can download the sitekey there. Simply place this file in the "forumrunner" directory that is created when you unarchive the add-on.

Also, there is a support forum located at: http://www.forumrunner.com/forum Please post up your ideas or any issues you have with the App there.

How can I get the Forum Runner iPhone Client?
Either search "Forum Runner" in the App Store on your iPhone, or click one of the links below:

Get Forum Runner Full Version from App Store

How can I get the Forum Runner Android Client?

Either search "Forum Runner" in the Google Market on your Android device, or click one of the links below:

Get Forum Runner Full Version from Google Market

[B][COLOR=Red][SIZE=3]BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE RIGHT VERSION FOR YOUR FORUM!
BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE RIGHT VERSION FOR YOUR FORUM!

This is the vBulletin 3.8.x thread. For other versions, look below.

Forum Runner for vBulletin 3.6.x
Forum Runner for vBulletin 3.7.x
Forum Runner for vBulletin 4.x

[ssslippy]

You should really note in all your threads that push notifications are not free and because of this u lose the one useful feature of an app over a skin. Paying a subscription for push notifications ruined this app.

[ClemsonJeeper]

Good call. I went ahead and updated the posts. Thanks for the feedback.

[bada_bing]

Wow this look pretty nice and a + for having options like search and push notifications over the competition being TapaTalk. The only difference is this, members have to pay to receive push notices with will be the kill of this app especially when rumors are that competitors like Tapatalk will offer this for no additional charge, yes your app is cheaper at an up-front cost to the users BUT long term which is more important from a cost of ownership prospective is more expensive to own this app due to charging from additional functionality.

[ClemsonJeeper]

Good to know. Right now push is free (unlimited) since the push service is still in beta. We need to see what kind of strain the push service puts on the servers once a good many larger forums get online and that will likely affect the decision to charge when we come out of beta on the push servers.

But right now, when you sign up for push notifications it is unlimited.

[scottct1]

(UPDATE: Ignore the comments to stay away in the message below... The author of this program is AMAZING and QUICKLY fixed all issue with this mod! This is an amazing application and the iPhone Client seems better then Tapatalk with its ability to search and edit messages...)

Stay away from this one for awhile...

Unlike Tapatalk this one puts additional queries on your server and has uncached templates. (Not good if your a big board like mine)

It also adds a nag to your site so everytime someone connects with an iPhone to your site they get a popup telling them to check out this forum runner program.

I have disabled this one for now, in the hopes these issues can be addressed and fixed.

For now we will keep Tapatalk as our main iPhone client.

[ClemsonJeeper]

Originally Posted by scottct1

Stay away from this one for awhile...

Unlike Tapatalk this one puts additional queries on your server and has uncached templates. (Not good if your a big board like mine)

It also adds a nag to your site so everytime someone connects with an iPhone to your site they get a popup telling them to check out this forum runner program.

I have disabled this one for now, in the hopes these issues can be addressed and fixed.

For now we will keep Tapatalk as our main iPhone client.

You have a PM! Thank you for the feedback. Hopefully we can address these issues with you!

[MichaelDance]

I like the idea, but the charge i dowt anyone who pay it to view forums though. I'll install but i dowt ill use it, i might test it for a week and see how many people use it and if not many cause of the prices, i think ill disable it.

[ClemsonJeeper]

Update 1.2.6 contains fixes for forums running VBSEO, as well as some other smaller fixes. See the CHANGELOG file for details!

[scottct1]

ClemsonJeeper worked with me last night to fix a number of issues.

He got the caching and query issue taken care of now which is excellent progress!

Some things are not working still on my site and this is because of vbseo, but ClemsonJeeper is working hard trying to fix the issues. He had mad a lot of progress since yesterday.

If you don't have vbseo then go for it, the program is a nice program, however if you have vbseo hold off a day or two more until he has it fully working.