Untappd comes to Windows Phone 8, forgoes Metro

Untappd comes to Windows Phone 8, forgoes Metro

The social beer tracking service Untappd is finally available on Windows Phone 8 as a "native" app. The popular check-in platform has long been available on iOS and Android, and it was one of the few must-have titles available on BlackBerry 10 at launch. Finally those whose loyalties lie in Redmond can take advantage of all that Untappd has to offer, and remove the bookmark to the spartan mobile site from their home screen. While the free download is definitely a vast upgrade over using the browser, there is room for improvement on this 1.0 release. Most notably is its non-native appearance and lack of live tile support. In fact, we're pretty sure the Windows Phone version is simply a port of the Android app. Still, if you enjoy a fine craft brew and like sharing that experience with friends, this should be an indispensable part of your arsenal. Plus, if you look hard enough, you might just find an Engadget editor or two frequenting the virtual stools at the Untappd pub.

Update: It's been brought to our attention that Untappd was built using the cross-platform development tool PhoneGap. That means that the various versions of the app share much of the same code (primarily HTML5 and JavaScript) which would explain the similarities in appearance.

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Source: Untappd

Arduino Kegerator hack checks in your homebrews on Untappd

Arduino Kegerator hack checks in your homebrews on Untappd

Quite possibly the two greatest things in the world -- beer and Arduino -- have been married once again in a hack does them both justice. Accomplished maker and alcohol enthusiast Jeff Karpinski turned a spare Uno and an Ethernet shield into a gadget that automatically checks him in on Untappd. The build is connected to his kegerator through a hall-effect flow sensor that sits in his tap lines. Every time he pulls himself a pint of homebrew, the Aruino makes an API call to the so-called Foursquare for beer nerds, and updates his profile. Obviously, publishing to the site every time the keg is tapped could get messy, so there's an automatic five minute time out to avoid getting repeat hits just for topping off. There's also a button that manually engages the five minute lock out, allowing Jeff to pour his buddies a cold one without claiming the drink for himself on Untappd. And updating is a snap thanks to the simple web server that's integrated. Changing what beer is on tap in the API call is as simple as opening a web browser. Interested in upgrading your own kegerator? Check out the source link for complete instructions and a parts list.

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Arduino Kegerator hack checks in your homebrews on Untappd originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Hack a Day  |  sourceJeff Karpinski  | Email this | Comments

Foursquare Connected App platform lets other apps interact with check ins

Foursquare Connected App platform lets other apps interact with check ins

It turns out Foursquare's massive 5.0 revamp was just the start of the changes, as the location sharing app unveiled a new twist with the launch its Connected Apps platform. Available as a developer preview, it lets the makers of apps like Untappd, Instagram or The Weather Channel connect directly with the Foursquare app. Many apps were already connected via the API, and once users upgrade to the latest version on Android or iOS their checkins pull information from those apps into Foursquare itself. That means they get things like the weather forecast on their first check in of the day from The Weather Channel, see what songs their friends have shared at a particular location via Soundtracking or beer recommendations from Untappd. Developers can get all the info on how it works at the overview, the rest of us can see the list of enabled apps on the official blog post.

Foursquare Connected App platform lets other apps interact with check ins originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 04:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink About Foursquare  |  sourceFoursquare Blog, Developer Overview  | Email this | Comments