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Home»BlackBerry News»News & Rumors

Where is the TAT designed Aura weather app for the BlackBerry PlayBook?

by Bla1ze on 14 Jul 2011 01:55 AM
28
 

Back during Mobile World Congress 2011 we were treated to a few demo applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook. One of those applications was "Aura" designed by The Astonishing Tribe. Aura was designed and subsequently used to show off just how powerful the BlackBerry WebWorks platform is and how easy it was to build applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Here we are now, months after Aura was shown off and we still can't download it. Granted, RIM did state it was a "proof of concept" design but given it used to show off the power of the PlayBook and RIM's developments tools -- I really can't be alone in thinking that Aura should have been something that came pre-loaded on the BlackBerry PlayBook. Make it happen RIM, release Aura to BlackBerry App World and start showing folks what can be done with WebWorks.

(Since putting this up, it was highlighted that the source code is available here. In additon to that, our friends from BBIn have a compiled version available for download here, for folks who know how to install .bar files. Still, it should be refined and tossed into BlackBerry App World for everyone who don't want to bother with development mode on their PlayBooks.. and you know, wants to know the weather in other places aside from Barcelona, since that is all it displays.)

Filed Under: News & Rumors; Tags: BlackBerry Playbook, RIM, TAT
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28 Comments

Posted by WillyyR Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

Just shot you an email about Aura and Frontrunner not beeing released.

 
 
Posted by Zwickliffe Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

I would love to know the reasoning behind everything that has been demoed so far seeing as how pretty much all of it is non-existent. Vanished without a trace.

 
 
Posted by wfubball Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

real question guys is where is the fantasy football app?

 
 
Posted by Detective M Downs Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

That too was just another demo... Someone posted an email from the maker in the forums.

 
 
Posted by Siiid Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

TAT has some great designs, they can really pull in a ton of consumers for the playbook, imagine these apps being showcased in a TV Spot...

 
 
Posted by Zizzzzy Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 317 days ago

no kidding eh? I suspect once they are done working on all the dev tools that these guys will be able to pump out some really cool stuff.

 
 
Posted by wesker Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

I suspect it had something to do with Mike not picturing why anyone would want to check the weather on a tablet.

 
 
Posted by z_scorpio_z Friday, Jul 15, 2011 317 days ago

playbook has weather app preloaded /

This app was demo and is not actually pulling any real weather information, temperature+conditions are just hard-coded.

 
 
Posted by z_scorpio_z Friday, Jul 15, 2011 317 days ago

double post

 
 
Posted by rtk777 Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

I totally agree. RIM needs to harness the power of it's FORCE. They need to focus and unleash the true power of it's FORCE.

It's like they are holding back, for what ? What are they afraid of ? Good ol' Mike needs to take off the rose colored glasses that he has worn for soo long. Someone needs to give that brilliant mant a shot of epinepherine, get that man's heart pumping. Light a fire underneath him.

There needs to be NO RESTRAINTS when it comes to hardware and software for Blackberry's in any form. We have come to accept the fact that with more the advanced hardware that goes into these devices, the more expensive they are going to be to produce. That's an acceptable fact. That's fine, then lead the pack with the best damn hardware & software. We the consumer will be more than happy to pay the price to own such a Superb Cutting Edge Device that we know we can count on.

I think Jim( this man has the personality & the ego for it ) knows this all too well, this industry is one GIANT pissing contest, and the one that pisses the furthest wins.

Well boys, it's time to get yourselves full of piss & ginger, and bring the fight to every other manufacturer out there.

Let us have the hardware, let us have the software, let us have the apps we need to be great. Remeber, we want the RIM( Blackberry ) legacy to continue to thrive and to take back our rightful place, to sit on our throne at the top of the mountain. It's our DESTINY ! ! !

( Bla1ze, good job my man. Keep up the good work. You do a great job on the podcasts, too )

 
 
Posted by Rgainsmi Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

They are so slow! After three months we can finally delete a scrapbook on the TAT Scrapbook App! WOOWWW.....Cool guys! Good Job!

;-)

 
 
Posted by eKafara Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

It's quite strange considering on their website (which hasn't been updated in a long time) it states they are working exclusively on the Playbook. So the apps made by them should be pumping out at a quick rate. With their whole team working on it it should be faster then this. I wonder if RIM and their guys are getting in their way and slowing them down. Not that the RIM guys are bad. It just seems that TAT runs a specific way, in small teams of guys, and RIM may have messed with that.

From their "About" page:

"we’re a growing group of engineers, visual artists and interaction designers who eat, sleep, and breathe user interfaces. People that love their children, but are dying to get back to work after parental leave since no one next to them on the playground park benches cares about gestures, haptics and stereoscopic 3D.

We continue to work in close-knit multi-skilled teams, just like the old days, because we have found that this is the best way to quickly build beautiful, easy-to-use UIs based on solid technology. So far we have been involved in almost a thousand UI projects with many of the world’s leading organizations, often working behind the scenes. You’ll find our art and technology in almost half a billion devices.

In December of 2010, TAT was acquired by UIS (User Interface Sweden). UIS is a subsidiary of Research In Motion Limited. As a part of the RIM family, today we are focusing exclusively on the user interfaces and apps for BlackBerry and PlayBook"

 
 
Posted by z_scorpio_z Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

There was video on cb where they said rim had put tat to write code apis for ndk with the affects seen in the demo apps so developers can use code written by tat in their own apps instead of trying to write their own code and waste time in testing/optimizing it etc.

 
 
Posted by Siiid Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

Who knows maybe the playbook needs certain updates before TAT's applications can work perfectly... I don't know.

 
 
Posted by fnguyen Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

Who cares about this app, I am waiting for the 3D earth, the media and the contact app that TAT showed

 
 
Posted by Auli Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

I'd rather have infinity blade and fifa 11 ports rather than this aura

 
 
Posted by No BB Drone Friday, Jul 15, 2011 317 days ago

my toughts exactly , but luckely I have an ipod 4G touch. Am level 32 in infinity blade and just picked up fifa 11 for about ,80 euro cent = 99 cent in dollars, when EA had their big sale (also picked up dead space for 99 cents).

RIM will never have that kind of ecosystem, therefore I will alway need need a Idevice. Now it's my ipod tocuh ,ut I'm checkign for perhas an ipad 3 when it comes out.....

 
 
Posted by miamon Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

We have the source code of AURA WebWorks app here:

http://tinyurl.com/6gnfj8z

 
 
Posted by lnichols Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

This is just one of many apps that haven't materialized. RIM needs to get off their ass and start delivering. I'm scared that they pulled resources to the phones from the Playbook.

 
 
Posted by Marc_Paradise Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

Like most TAT designs we've seen this one is pretty, but really bad in terms of being a usable ui - slick, smooth, clever, and completely non-discoverable. I know I'm in the minority here, but I hope RIM has shackled them to a set of UX professionals who will be required to approve any app before it goes out the door.

 
 
Posted by 4abetterworld Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

I really want to see Quake running on the playbook (like they showed off a while back) - multiplayer and all!

 
 
Posted by JonManu Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

Forget the weather app, bring in that media app, it looked awesome.
I showed the video for it to my buddy with an iPad and he started drooling. Want to win the tablet war, start delivering apps that look like that and Scrapbook.

 
 
Posted by EchoTango Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

In my view, while a nice demo app, I can't see the real purpose for this app. I suspect that's why it hasn't been released......it doesn't do anything useful which means it's ideal for the Apple app store.

 
 
Posted by shredney Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 318 days ago

Personally I would rather have Blackberry Travel, Why can't I get this awesome App for my Playbook?

 
 
Posted by Erievon Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 317 days ago

This post must have got someone's attention. @BlackBerryDev just posted a link to the demo and the source code on twitter...

 
 
Posted by zegra Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 317 days ago

Yes this post got somebody's attention. The repeated question is why does it take these measures. The crackberry followers understand that RIM is going through a big change right now. Applications need to be placed in the customers hands now. Slap a big beta label on it if necessary; Disclaim the hell out of it; Put a 'time out switch' in; Something to get applications in to the customers hands now, while the process is being finished. Also do NOT make customers go through the multiple registration process of the beta zone testing. It only pisses the average consumer off.

 
 
Posted by danielcj Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 317 days ago

I'm sorry but isn't the Playbook dead in water now? Who's going to want to develop for it? Only 500K units shipped? They stopped production of the 10' version. Still no native email/calendar... I'm glad I didn't bite and bought one.

 
 
Posted by z_scorpio_z Friday, Jul 15, 2011 317 days ago

http://forums.crackberry.com/showthread.php?p=6484040

See the thread in the forum. There is bar file, but if you rename to zip and unzip it you will see that there is 4 days (current + 3 days in future) worth of weather (temperature + conditions) is hard-coded in the js file. So you can't even change the city in source code since it is not actually pulling weather data from anywhere.

Guess that explains why it was not released...