Introducing the Official TMC Native iOS and Android Apps

We are pleased to announce the availability of our official native iOS and Android apps.

(Above is a showcase of some requested features, easy to access on any of our feeds!)

You can download the app by tapping/clicking on the icon of your device's app store below:




The app is free to download, though you can support the site and remove ads by becoming a Supporting Member by upgrading your account in the app (or on the website).

We have worked hard on the app, so please do be kind to us if you decide to leave us a review. Please do keep in mind that we will be continuing to improve the performance and functionality of the app with future updates.

Some may prefer using our web app/website, and that is perfectly fine. The app provides most major functions of the website, but not all, as many power users may prefer to continue using the website through their browser, especially via the Progressive Web App (PWA) which is available for Android users. However, we hope that those who do appreciate native apps will like it.

I will be adding a section to our Website Tutorial page shortly to cover app-related functions.

Please note: The app has actually been available for download for some time now, however, we had some improvements that we wanted to make before making an official announcement.

 

[TireOfWaiting]

The issue with signatures are simply that we don't currently have them showing in portrait mode on mobile devices, so one has to switch to landscape. We could turn it on for mobile in portrait, but my concern is that while it is useful for some users, for may it would just take up too much space on limited mobile screen space. I will discuss this internally as I do understand this preference.

What if you made it a user preference so that those who want it can enable it?

 

[danny]

What if you made it a user preference so that those who want it can enable it?

So it already is an option, all we would have to do is turn it on for mobile (portrait). The problem with this is that most users (who are casual users) would then be seeing signatures on mobile. If we can be convinced that most members (even the more casual ones) would like it, then I have no issue enabling it.

 

[TireOfWaiting]

So it already is an option, all we would have to do is turn it on for mobile (portrait). The problem with this is that most users (who are casual users) would then be seeing signatures on mobile. If we can be convinced that most members (even the more casual ones) would like it, then I have no issue enabling it.

Could you turn it on for mobile but have it default to off so that other users can have it as an option?

 

[bradtem]

I am not sure why you are disappointed. Just don't use it. It is not like we are forcing anyone to use it. Some people prefer the app, and others (maybe most) prefer the web. That is the beauty of offering options.

I appreciate why it's not obvious that some would be disappointed since we will, indeed, just not be using the app. We're not so much lamenting TMC as the broad trend for so many companies and sites to create custom apps when that's not something that scales. The disappointment is in seeing another notch in that direction. In particular because I am sure most of the sites earnestly feel they are trying to serve users better by doing this. It's your money, of course, but as a user, I would rather the programming effort that goes into an app go into the web version, including the mobile web version.

In general, apps make sense when:

• There is something vitally important that HTML5 can't do which needs custom code.
• It is important to users (not the site) to be able to run things in the background, enough to put up with the battery eating cost of that
• In particular, you need the functionality offline.

I think it would be good if message board sites and stores and airlines were to somehow get together and produce one app for all message boards, and I could just select that one in that app and get the non-HTML5 features that way.

I am in no way accusing the TMC crew of this, but a lot of apps seem to just exist to give more power to send notifications.
It got so bad in the early days that Randall Monroe made fun of it:

App

xkcd.com

 

[tmoz]

I am not sure why you are disappointed. Just don't use it. It is not like we are forcing anyone to use it. Some people prefer the app, and others (maybe most) prefer the web. That is the beauty of offering options.


What makes you think we would ever have it not work in chrome? As I have mentioned, the website is our core product and is always the priority.


The issue with signatures are simply that we don't currently have them showing in portrait mode on mobile devices, so one has to switch to landscape. We could turn it on for mobile in portrait, but my concern is that while it is useful for some users, for may it would just take up too much space on limited mobile screen space. I will discuss this internally as I do understand this preference.

Sometimes I lose functionality accessing a website via phone.

 

[jaaberle]

Is there a setting so that the IOS app shows the signatures of the posters?

 

[danny]

Could you turn it on for mobile but have it default to off so that other users can have it as an option?

We could but I don't currently have a way for it to distinguish between mobile and desktop, so all desktop signatures would be off by default as well, so every user would have to manually turn it on in their settings.

I appreciate why it's not obvious that some would be disappointed since we will, indeed, just not be using the app. We're not so much lamenting TMC as the broad trend for so many companies and sites to create custom apps when that's not something that scales. The disappointment is in seeing another notch in that direction. In particular because I am sure most of the sites earnestly feel they are trying to serve users better by doing this. It's your money, of course, but as a user, I would rather the programming effort that goes into an app go into the web version, including the mobile web version.

In general, apps make sense when:

• There is something vitally important that HTML5 can't do which needs custom code.
• It is important to users (not the site) to be able to run things in the background, enough to put up with the battery eating cost of that
• In particular, you need the functionality offline.

I think it would be good if message board sites and stores and airlines were to somehow get together and produce one app for all message boards, and I could just select that one in that app and get the non-HTML5 features that way.

I am in no way accusing the TMC crew of this, but a lot of apps seem to just exist to give more power to send notifications.
It got so bad in the early days that Randall Monroe made fun of it:

App

xkcd.com

We did not custom develop this app ourselves. It was done by a 3rd party who is doing it at scale, though we did help them in testing for bugs and issues. So it is a relatively minor cost for us compared to what we would have had to invest were we to develop it all on our own. The web version is always going to be our priority. All your points are valid, but the fact is that some users simply prefer apps. Some people barely even use mobile browsers. We want to make sure TMC has exposure in the app stores and to those kinds of users. And on top of that, some users have told us that they much prefer the app.

Sometimes I lose functionality accessing a website via phone.

You lose functionality? What functions in particular are you losing, and what does that have to do with the native app? The native app in no way affects the website/web-version.

 

[KL0809]

Many thanks, Danny. As you wrote in one of your replies, some don’t like mobile browsers. I’m one of them and am delighted to have a native app now to access TMC. I decided to support this project and will give you some feedback about it as well, if I encounter something that hasn’t been addressed yet. Keep up the good work!

 

[tmoz]

We could but I don't currently have a way for it to distinguish between mobile and desktop, so all desktop signatures would be off by default as well, so every user would have to manually turn it on in their settings.


We did not custom develop this app ourselves. It was done by a 3rd party who is doing it at scale, though we did help them in testing for bugs and issues. So it is a relatively minor cost for us. The web version is always going to be our priority. All your points are valid, but the fact is that some users simply prefer apps. Some people barely even use mobile browsers. We want to make sure TMC has exposure in the app stores and to those kinds of users. And on top of that, some users have told us that they much prefer the app.


You lose functionality? What functions in particular are you losing, and what does that have to do with the native app? The native app in no way affects the website/web-version.

I like to use Chrome while on my phone to visit certain sites. While on my phone using Chrome, the menu items are not always identical to the menu items that I have when on a pc using chrome. I don't use the FB phone app, nor the LinkedIn phone app, etc, etc. And certain sites have a poor GUI while on a phone, so for those sites, I just wait until I'm at home to use Chrome on a PC. That is all I'm saying.

 

[mda]

@danny on the masters iOS, the app will only let me select 1 forum to include in a feed filter. It would be great if we could select more than one to include, like we can in the web. Thanks.

 

[kbeckley]

I downloaded the app with excitement and will mention 2 items that I have not figured out.

1. When visiting TMC via a browser whenever I visit the thread that I go to a lot it takes me to the first unread message. Wildly hand feature. The app does not appear to do this. I always go to the most recent (latest) message which makes it near unusable for me. Perhaps there is some app permission I am missing which does not this to be saved of the app..

2. There is an option in the app (but not on the web?) to bookmark a thread. Amazing. But I cannot find where to access bookmarks once you have set one. Future feature?

Thanks for building the app.

 

[MP3Mike]

2. There is an option in the app (but not on the web?) to bookmark a thread. Amazing. But I cannot find where to access bookmarks once you have set one. Future feature?

Bookmarks exist on the web too:

To access your bookmarks on the web you click your username in the upper right and then click the bookmark icon:

Or going to this link: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/account/bookmarks

 

[kbeckley]

Bookmarks exist on the web too:

View attachment 832750

To access your bookmarks on the web you click your username in the upper right and then click the bookmark icon:

View attachment 832752

Or going to this link: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/account/bookmarks

Thanks!! I figured there was some spot. Only issue now is that takes me to he first message in the thread not my the oldest unread message. I would only be bookmarking threads I intend to return to therefore would want to see the oldest unread message.

 

[MP3Mike]

Thanks!! I figured there was some spot. Only issue now is that takes me to he first message in the thread not my the oldest unread message. I would only be bookmarking threads I intend to return to therefore would want to see the oldest unread message.

Bookmarks are to record specific posts that you want to come back to. A bookmark should always go back to the place you set it at.

 

[Pluto]

Found an ad centered on women’s chests with literally no description until you click it, not sure if this fits your advertising guidelines:

Here’s what it links to: ‎Cozy - Group chat room

 

[danny]

1. When visiting TMC via a browser whenever I visit the thread that I go to a lot it takes me to the first unread message. Wildly hand feature. The app does not appear to do this. I always go to the most recent (latest) message which makes it near unusable for me. Perhaps there is some app permission I am missing which does not this to be saved of the app..

2. There is an option in the app (but not on the web?) to bookmark a thread. Amazing. But I cannot find where to access bookmarks once you have set one. Future feature?

Thanks for the feedback and also the kind words. Let me look into this and get back to you.

Found an ad centered on women’s chests with literally no description until you click it, not sure if this fits your advertising guidelines:

View attachment 833147

Here’s what it links to: ‎Cozy - Group chat room

Thanks for pointing that out. Those kinds of ads are supposed to get filtered out, but I've gone ahead and made further adjustments. Please let me know if you see such type of ads again.

 

[Pluto]

Thanks for the feedback and also the kind words. Let me look into this and get back to you.


Thanks for pointing that out. Those kinds of ads are supposed to get filtered out, but I've gone ahead and made further adjustments. Please let me know if you see such type of ads again.

I got an ad for the same app again, this time with a focus on that 36-24-36 figure. At least the number of ladies is being reduced, but she’s hiding her face

 

[WrldDriftR]

I downloaded the app with excitement and will mention 2 items that I have not figured out.

1. When visiting TMC via a browser whenever I visit the thread that I go to a lot it takes me to the first unread message. Wildly hand feature. The app does not appear to do this. I always go to the most recent (latest) message which makes it near unusable for me. Perhaps there is some app permission I am missing which does not this to be saved of the app..

2. There is an option in the app (but not on the web?) to bookmark a thread. Amazing. But I cannot find where to access bookmarks once you have set one. Future feature?

Thanks for building the app.

I too would like the app to take me to the first unread message vs. the most recent. Will this be an option at some point?