Not A Basement Studio
our official blog
May 15, 2012 by Hieu Tran

Manga Rock 2 update 1.0.1 is now available!

Hi guys, Apple just approved the hot fix for Manga Rock 2. In this update, we fixed many bugs that caused crashes as well as adding various minor enhancement. Please find the full change log below:

NEW FEATURE
Added “Auto-detect reading direction” option in Settings:
- When “ON”, the reading direction will be set based on the source.
- Turn it “OFF”, and the reading direction is the one you choose in the viewer.

ENHANCEMENTS
- Black background behind ads in Viewer.
- Easier swipe to next/previous chapter gesture.
- Disabled “Feedback” in AppBooster, please use “Email Support” in the Settings instead.

MAJOR BUGS FIXED 
Favorite: 
- “Pull to check for new chapters” does not indicate which manga has new chapters.

Viewer: 
- Some issues in the Viewer that potentially cause crashes .

Download: 
- [iPod] In the Download Queue, tapping on “Done” after delete causes the “Pause” and “Edit” buttons to blink and disappear.

In-App Purchase:
- Wrong pop-up when tapping “Restore Purchase”.

Other:
- Resolved many bugs that cause crashes.

History
- History of recently read manga now works properly.

You can get the update right here. Stay tuned for more exiting new update and have fun reading manga!

Sincerely,
The NAB Team

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May 10, 2012 by Hieu Tran

Questions & Answers for Manga Rock 2 (part 2)

Manga Rock 2 was only launched yesterday, and we have already got overwhelming support from both old and new users: over 20,000 downloads in 24 hours! Many questions were received, so we’ll answer them all in this post. 

Why was there only 10 manga / no manga at all? And the app crashes upon launch! 

To be honest, we did not expect to receive just overwhelming number of apps downloads and usage in just 24 hours. Because of that, our server got a hiccup along the way, messing up the database of manga. This causes the app to show only 10 manga or no manga for some users. For other users, you will encounter crashes upon launch.

We have managed to resolve the server issue, everything should be working normally now. For a small number of users that got affected, please delete and re-install the app. If you have already purchased the Full Version, just tap “Restore Purchase”. We apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Why is download speed slower than usual? 

In just one day, Manga Rock 2′s server requests alone are 1.5 times more than all of the old MR apps combined! This stressed out our server, thus causing download speed to be less than optimal. Our server wizard is working around the clock to slowly and carefully increase the bandwidth, without affecting the app performance. Download speed should get better as we speak.

Why can I only download 1 chapter at a time?

In our previous post, we have already introduced the Smart Downloader in MR2. On a WiFi network, you can download 4 chapters concurrently. On a slower 3G network, the app automatically switches to 1 download at a time. Reason:

Having multiple chapters download concurrently on a 3G network actually slows your download. Beside that, having multiple connections on a 3G network drains your battery considerably faster. Finally, the more connections you have on a 3G network, the more money you will have to pay, if you don’t have an unlimited data plan. Once you get back on a WiFi network, the app automatically switches back to 4 concurrent downloads.

Where’s the read/unread indicator for chapters?

This one is a little bit tricky for some. Instead of a separate read/unread symbol, we have incorporated it into the chapter’s text color. Lighter Color is unread, and Darker Color is read.

Where’s the “New Releases” section?

In the current version, there’s no “New Releases” section. We’re going to add that in an update to MR2.

Why did you remove the Book View in the iPad version? 

We were very proud of Manga Rock Unity’s Book View. It was/still is the first of its kind for any manga reader app. As much as we love it, a lot of users have said that the Book View was not optimal for reading manga. We ourselves rarely use it to read manga on our iPad.

But that doesn’t mean it’s the end for the Book View. Our team is currently research for a way to bring back the Book View (or something better). We’ll keep you posted.

I paid for MR1, why can’t I “restore purchase” in MR2?

The “Restore Purchase” button is meant for users who have already purchased MR2 and needed to re-install the app, or install the app on a new device.

The App says there’s new chapters on my favorites but it doesn’t show which ones!

This is a confirmed bug. It supposed to show you which manga has new chapters and how many of them. The hot fix for this will be available soon.

 

 

 

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May 9, 2012 by Hieu Tran

Manga Rock 2 is on store!

We’ve been very happy to see the anticipation for Manga Rock 2. It’s great to receive so much support from everyone. Today, we’re excited to see you guys read your favorite manga using Manga Rock 2.

You can download Manga Rock 2 for free here!

Remember, we’re having a 3-day launch promo for the in-app purchase: only $0.99 instead of the usual $3.99 price tag. Get it now while offer lasts!

MR2′s Questions and Answers
See what’s new in Manga Rock 2

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May 5, 2012 by Hieu Tran

Questions & Answers for Manga Rock 2

 

We have received a lot of enthusiastic responses from you guys ever since we announced Manga Rock 2.  In today’s post, we will answer some of the most popular questions raised by you guys.

When will Manga Rock 2 be available?

The app will be on store Wednesday May 9, 2012.

Is Manga Rock 2 an update or a new app?

MR2 is going to be a completely new app. We put everything we have learnt from all the existing Manga Rock apps into making Manga Rock 2 the best manga reading experience we can.

Why is it a new app instead of an update to existing apps?

This is a very difficult decision that we have to go through for Manga Rock 2. Some of you may say that we’re greedy and want to make more money off of users who have already supported us before. Let’s clear this up:

One of the questions that we have always received was “Why are there 3 MR apps? Which one do I download?”. The problem with fragmentations makes it’s difficult for us to support and update the app in a timely manner.

Another roadblock for us when we want to update an (or all) existing Manga Rock apps into Manga Rock 2: it was written almost 2 years ago. The iOS development toolkit has changed significantly since. It’s difficult as is to introduce any new features, and it is not possible to update existing Manga Rock apps without causing you to lose all of your data. We (or you) don’t want that to happen at all.

After careful consideration, we think that having one completely new, universal MR2 app is the best solution.

What will happen to all existing MR apps?

As we mentioned above, we want to solve the problem with having too many Manga Rock apps on the App Store. We’re happy with the quality of Manga Rock 2 and we want it to be the de-facto manga app for you. For existing Manga Rock apps, here’s what we’ll do:

  • The last update for all existing Manga Rock apps will come out soon.
  • All three apps will be taken off the App Store one month after the launch of Manga Rock 2.
  • Even though you can no longer re-download existing Manga Rock apps, you will still be able to use the one you have. That means you will still receive new updates of manga and download them. We will keep our back-end servers up to support you guy for as long as anybody’s still wishing to use the first generation of Manga Rock. 

Will I lose all my downloads and favorites?

Since MR2′s going to be a new and separate app, you will retain all of your current Downloaded and Favorited manga.

Which devices do MR2 support?

  • It’s a universal app.
  • Work on the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad.
  • iOS version 4.3 and above.

What is MR2′s pricing?

  • Free to download.
  • All features are available right from the start.
  • Download one whole manga serie for free.
  • Ads-supported in viewer.
  • Remove ads & get unlimited download at $3.99 (unlock only once for both iPhone and iPad).
  • 3-day launch sales for our existing users to get the In-App Purchase at only $0.99.

We hope we have make it clearer for you guys before downloading MR2 when it launches. Find out What’s New in Manga Rock 2? Feel free to leave a comment if you have any additional questions. Otherwise, follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and update.

 

 

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April 29, 2012 by Hieu Tran

What’s new in Manga Rock 2

Are you new to Manga Rock? Did you use the first Manga Rock apps? Curious about what’s different in Manga Rock 2?  Read on.

AN ALL-NEW DESIGN

From the start, we design Manga Rock 2 as a universal app in mind. Be it the iPhone or iPad, we want Manga Rock 2 to be user-friendly, and look good. Thanks to that, the app now spots a consistent look on both devices, unlike its predecessors.

Manga Rock 2's catalog in portrait mode on iPhone

Manga Rock 2's catalog in portrait mode on iPad

 

On the iPhone, due to its limited screen size, the design lets you focus on doing one thing at a time, and do it well. The manga info view is separated from the whole catalog, and the manga description is hidden away for faster access to the manga chapters.

Manga Rock 2's manga info view on the iPhone

 

Meanwhile, you have a better and faster browsing experience on the iPad than ever before. For example, it takes only 2 taps to go from browsing to reading manga, thanks to the extra screen estate.

Manga Rock 2's catalog in landscape mode on iPad

 

Manga Rock 2 supports both portrait and landscope mode on both the iPhone and iPad. It automatically rearranges all the UI elements to fit the screen when you change the device’s orientation.

Manga Rock 2's main screen landscape mode on iPhone

 

MANGA VIEWER

Manga Rock 2's viewer with settings.

In Manga Rock 2, we decided to completely revamped the viewer so that you have the best reading experience.

One of the most exciting new features of the viewer is its ability to auto-optimize image quality based on your device. On older devices like the iPhone 3GS or iPad 2, the images will be of normal quality. On newer devices like the iPhone 4S or the new iPad, Manga Rock 2 will deliver the highest quality image available so you can take advantage of that Retina Display.

Another new feature that we think you guys, especially iPhone users, will appreciate: Lock Zoom. When enabled, it locks the zoom level so that each page of the manga will be auto-zoomed in. Very useful when you’re reading a manga that’s a little wordy.

A suite of other improvements will make reading manga a joy: Built-in brightness control. 2 reading modes. 2 reading directions.

 

THE BACK-ENDS

Manga readers are complex apps in the sense that not only we need to make the app, we also need to build the back-ends that supports the app (getting manga updates, delivering download requests etc.). Instead of re-using the one that serves the first 3 Manga Rock apps, we built a new one instead. As a result, the back-ends for Manga Rock 2 is much more stable and can deliver content faster than its sibling. Not only that, manga lists are updated more frequently. You will also see a lot less blank or black pages, as well.

Manga Rock 2's favorite screen on the iPad

 

DOWNLOADER: FASTER, SMARTER

Manga Rock 2's prioritizing downloads on the iPhone

The “Faster” part comes from a brand-new back-end. What about “Smarter”? Manga Rock 2 auto-adjusts the number of concurrent downloads based on network speed. When you’re on a fast network like Wi-Fi, you can download 4 chapters concurrently. On a slower network like 3G, the app auto-adjusts to downloading only one chapter to save bandwidth.

You can also prioritize your downloads in Manga Rock 2, using a simple drag-and-drop gesture to choose which manga or chapters to download first. You can also pause and resume download.

 

MANGA FILTERS

Manga Rock 2 is the first multi-sources universal manga reader. In this version, we include 3 of the most popular manga sources in the world: MangaFox, MangaReader, MangaEden. Together, they make Manga Rock 2 the biggest manga reader with over 10,000 manga!

Besides the popular manga that everyone’s reading, there are many “hidden gems” that got buried under the list. In order to help you discover those gems, we have rewritten our manga filter. Manga can be filtered based on its Source, Categories, Status, and can be displayed by Name, or Rank.

Manga Rock 2's manga filters on the iPad

 

So there you have it, the highlights of Manga Rock 2! The app is still being reviewed as we speak. Do follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know when it launches.

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