Encountr is an app that allows Gay/Bisexual men to find other users near them. This app is basically Android's version of the highly popular Grindr app for the iPhone. The app uses the GPS in the phone to find the user's location, and then shows all other users in the area. The app allows you to filter this list by proximity to you, age, the last time they were online, or by whether or not they have a picture.
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By simply clicking on a user's thumbnail, you bring up a full size picture of the person as well as a short bio and the ability to send a message.
While the program works pretty well, it is very slow on the initial load. It takes awhile for it to find your location and bring all the users near you. The developers have been looking for better servers to accommodate the load and fix this lag, with another change over just happening in early June. Hopefully this change will improve the speed.
As mentioned above, the program includes a chat feature where you can directly message other users in the program. The implementation is flawed though, as it doesn't provide notifications of new messages unless you're in the program. That means that you won't know you how new messages until you open the program. The program also doesn't allow you to open it and leave it running in the background, which limits the feasibility of the chat feature.
Being a social app, the user base has a huge impact on how useful the app is. While relatively small, the user base seems to growing and presumably will continue to grow as Android phones continue to flood the marketplace. The developers have said they are working to port this application to the iPhone as well, which would significantly increase the user base.
Overall, the program is ok but just feels unfinished. It really feels like a knock-off of the Grindr app for the iPhone; with similar design and features. To really stand out, it should take advantage of some of the best features of the Android operating system like multi-tasking and notifications. That being said, it's still the best Android app for meeting other local guys easily.
By simply clicking on a user's thumbnail, you bring up a full size picture of the person as well as a short bio and the ability to send a message.
While the program works pretty well, it is very slow on the initial load. It takes awhile for it to find your location and bring all the users near you. The developers have been looking for better servers to accommodate the load and fix this lag, with another change over just happening in early June. Hopefully this change will improve the speed.
As mentioned above, the program includes a chat feature where you can directly message other users in the program. The implementation is flawed though, as it doesn't provide notifications of new messages unless you're in the program. That means that you won't know you how new messages until you open the program. The program also doesn't allow you to open it and leave it running in the background, which limits the feasibility of the chat feature.
Being a social app, the user base has a huge impact on how useful the app is. While relatively small, the user base seems to growing and presumably will continue to grow as Android phones continue to flood the marketplace. The developers have said they are working to port this application to the iPhone as well, which would significantly increase the user base.
Overall, the program is ok but just feels unfinished. It really feels like a knock-off of the Grindr app for the iPhone; with similar design and features. To really stand out, it should take advantage of some of the best features of the Android operating system like multi-tasking and notifications. That being said, it's still the best Android app for meeting other local guys easily.
