- 15
May
Survey results & roadmap for Shop’NCook Mobile Kitchen app
Thanks to all who took the survey on the new mobile cooking app for Shop’NCook.
I would like to summarize here the survey results, let you know of the current state of the app and discuss of my plans for the future.
Survey results
The survey asked a simple question:
What are the two most important things a mobile companion app for Shop’NCook software should be able to do?
The features the most often mentioned were:
- the possibility to access your own recipes and the shopping list from the software,
- make shopping lists from recipes within the app itself,
- synchronization with the software, especially both way synchronization, that is modifications on the software are communicated to the app and vice versa,
- access meal plans from the software and plan meals directly in the app,
- possibility the add and edit recipes in the app
- cost recipes.
The scenarios most often mentioned were:
- check your recipes while shopping to use the ingredients you find in the shop and check the ingredients you have to purchase,
- plan meals away from home,
- use the app while cooking to check the recipes and take notes.
Current state of the app and development roadmap
Let me tell you what the app is about – and what it is not:
I have designed the app to be a mobile companion of Shop’NCook software. It is not meant to replace the software, but rather to complement it where mobile devices are more appropriate than computers.
As typical users have not just one, but several mobile devices, it should also synchronize the data between all the devices, so that you can access the same recipes and shopping lists between your computers, tablets and phones. As mobile wireless coverage is not accessible everywhere, it should however still work when internet is not available.
Shop’NCook Mobile Kitchen app runs also on all the mobile platforms to serve the largest number of users – Android, iOS (iPhone or iPad), Windows RT, Symbian and Blackberry.
Since the app relies on the synchronization, it can only be used by users of the editions of Shop’NCook that support the synchronization, that is Shop’NCook Pro and Shop’NCook Menu.
I have considered the following use cases, where a mobile device can advantageously replace a computer:
- use the app to go shopping,
- make a shopping list from your recipes while shopping,
- add a picture of the finished meal to your recipe,
- add a recipe from a book or newspaper by taking a picture of it.
The app already includes most of the main features mentioned by the survey participants, that is both way synchronization of recipes and shopping list, adding recipes to the shopping list and adding new recipes to the app. I will spend the next few days adding a few of the features suggested in the survey.
Unfortunately, the app cannot allow to plan meals and access meal plans from the software for the time being, – a much requested feature – because meal plans are not included in the synchronization yet. I will add meal planning to the app as soon as I have updated the software to include it in the synchronization.
I plan to add some other features in future releases, like recipe costing (for users of Shop’NCook Pro only) and nutritional analysis.
Call for beta testers
In the coming days, I will contact the users of Shop’NCook Pro and Shop’NCook Menu who applied for the beta testing in the survey. If you want to participate but haven’t applied yet, please leave a comment below indicating on which platforms you can test the app and which version of Shop’NCook you are using.
If you do not own Shop’NCook software, or are using a version of Shop’NCook that does not support synchronization, you can still participate in the beta testing by doing a free trial of Shop’NCook Pro or Shop’NCook Menu software.
Willing to test using iPhone 5, iPad 2 (wi-fi only), Netbook running Windows 7 Ultimate and laptop running Windows 7 Professional. I have the Menu software installed on both the Netbook and laptop and share (or attempt to share) the same database locally.
More than happy to be part of the pilot (can’t remember if I applied before or not). Love the software!!!
Marian
I am using the latest version of shop’n cook.
Android (Samsung Galaxy); Shop n Cook menu
i would like to participate in the beta testing for my ipad 2. i have the Shop N Cook Menu 4 software. thank you
I have shop n cook pro on my Apple desk top and use iPhone and iPad.
Jane
I would be interested in beta testing on my iPad mini v.6.1.3. My current version of Shop ‘n Cook Menu is 4.0. Thanks!
I have Shop ‘n Cook Menu is 4.0 and am using it on a PC with windows 8. I would like to use the App/beta testing on an iphone 4 and/or ipad 2 using iOS 6.1.3.
I have Shop n Cook Menu, and happy to test on iPad 2
I have a Samsung Galaxy II running Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread and a Nexus 7 with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. I would be happy to test on either, but I am intending to use my tablet in the kitchen when the Android version comes out.
We have a license for Shop ‘n Cook Menu.
Thanks!
I would be interested in beta testing. I have Shop N’ Cook Menu, and a Windows 7 laptop and an iPhone 4. Thanks!
I’d love to beta test! I’m currently using Shop n cook menu (version 4.0) on my macbook pro and ishop n cook on my iphone 4S
i forgot to say that we also have a Kindle Fire, iPad 3, and android tablet I am willing to try to test out the syncing function. Since these devices belong to my kids, i can not extensively test it, but i am at least willing to download the app onto each device and try to sync it with my account.
While I’ve been using Shop’N Cook for a few years on my computer, I was unable to use the app successfully on my iPad. I had to remove the downloaded app even from my iPhone, it was useless waste of time, because upon start-up it would freeze and not let me access any recipe or shopping list.
I have Shop n cook pro. iOS 6, ipad 2 and Mac mini OSX mountain lion. Would like to beta test as the iOS version on snc right now does not work well for me yet
Thanks
I would be interested in beta testing on my iPad 2 and my iPhone5. My current version of Shop ‘n Cook Menu is 4.0. Thanks!
Hi,
I love your software! I am probably too busy for the beta testing. However, my suggestion is the ability to import in recipes from the internet. Pinterest is nice, but I have to copy, paste and edit to your software.
Thanks!
Michelle
Thank you for the suggestion!
[…] last touches to Shop’NCook Mobile Kitchen app. It should be available in a few days and will let you access your cookbooks, recipes and shopping list from anywhere from your smart phone or tablet, both on iOS (that is iPhone and iPad) and Android […]