Bonsai Album app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

[AKNicolle]

I’m the developer of Bonsai Album, and you’re pretty much right on the money: few people bother to post a review! It also doesn’t help that the App Store had a nasty feature of hiding older reviews. I think they’ve addressed that somewhat with iOS 11, but we shall see.

I’ve been updating the app since its release in 2011, and the app works great in iOS 11. Earlier this year I released some major updates for all 3 platforms (iOS, Mac, and PC) that addressed a bunch of the most requested features over the years. Since then I’ve mostly been putting out bug fixes to keep things running nicely as operating system updates tend to keep breaking different things.

Currently planning some UI rewrites to get the iPhone X support looking a little less wonky If you’re planning to get an iPhone X, don’t be alarmed if the UI update isn’t available on day 1. I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me!

 

[Cable]

Well I thank you for it and I will be writing a review once I've used it enough to have a good grasp. I don't like fake reviews!

Since you're planning on doing some work on it, may I offer a few suggestions? These may be completely dumb as they're coming from a novice so feel free to disregard the rantings of a lunatic.

• Could there be a checkbox to autopopulate the ID if you don't have a system of your own? I just use sequential numbers instead of a meaningful ID. I know not everyone does that.
• Could there be an "estimate age" box to use instead of requiring Plant Date for calculating age? If you collect from the wild or purchase at a nursery it is rare to know the Plant Date. I've been lucky so far in that I've known the date they were planted for most of mine (since I work at a plant nursery) but even then it isn't entirely accurate. If we buy BR then it isn't born on the Plant Date.
• Could Source be a dropdown like Pot?
• Could there be an additional box for Added Cost? I like Purchase Price but I'd like to incrementally increase the cost of the plant while retaining the initial purchase price as fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide, pot, etc. are added. Yes, that all plays into Value to some degree but I'd think we'd want the Value field to be the tree's estimated sell price.
• Could it be set so the latest picture automatically becomes the list view pic? I drag each time I take one to keep them in reverse order as I document the tree's progress.

Like I said, just some things I noted while using it as someone new to the hobby.

Overall, I really like this app. As a database developer by trade I can see you really put a lot of thought and effort into it and I am quite impressed with your work.

 

[Clicio]

I’m the developer of Bonsai Album.
I’ve been updating the app since its release in 2011, and the app works great in iOS 11. Earlier this year I released some major updates for all 3 platforms (iOS, Mac, and PC) that addressed a bunch of the most requested features over the years.

Well, I am one of the happy users of Bonsai Album, @AKNicolle .
Two things bother me a lot: having to pay for the desktop app even though it's already paid for (I use the mobile app), and discovering the two apps do not sync between thenselves directly.
Other than that, I agree the ID number could be autopopulated by default; but all in all I am very satisfied with Bonsai Album.
Keep up the good work and thanks!

 

[Ingvill]

Can you sync the mobile app with the PC app by clicking on a button?
Or do the two simply not sync at all?

 

[Clicio]

Can you sync the mobile app with the PC app by clicking on a button?
Or do the two simply not sync at all?

Well, last time I've tried they didn't sinc at all.
And...
I didn't get any response from the developer @AKNicolle

 

[Ingvill]

Ah, that's a shame :-(
I been thinking of trying this app, but when they don't sync, it'll be a bit annoying....

 

[Cable]

My understanding was that they would sync but the computer app was more than I was willing to spend. I just use the iPad app and I like it quite a bit.

 

[cockroach]

I have used it for years and I have kept my old iPad 2 running solely to keep using this App.
It is great for keeping logs or work done. I even tested the export feature and it did a decent job.
I would download onto my Droid if there was a version.
Great work.