News - June 2015 - Next Episode

Thu Jun 18, 2015 - Next Episode 3.4 for iPhone and Android now available!

This update fixes some bugs, improves overall user experience and adds new features to the Pro Upgrade.

most texts in the app are now bigger, for better readability
new Pro features: Time Spent, Sort by Recency (in Episodes) and Airing Hour (in Recent and Next lists)
the Pro upgrade popup will no longer show up on its own (free users will get small banner ads instead)

Both the iPhone and Android updates went live today, so it's possible they're not yet available to you.

Let me know if you encounter any issues or any feedback you have. If you can spare the time - please rate/review the app in the store (or update it for this version if you did before). Huge thanks!

comments [5]

Fri Jun 05, 2015 - Couple of things I needed to reverse

by santah

I feel bad for removing good features, especially when they hurt only me. But in this case I cannot afford not to :(

1) Securing the whole site with SSL - this is great for everyone, and it doesn't really impact site performance. Turns out, though, it massively affects the AdSense income (as there are less SSL compliant ads out there), and I simply can't afford to take that hit right now. I've turned off SSL for unregistered and non Premium members, but it's still there for Premium members and on the login form for everyone (so that your login data is secure).

2) Credit card option for the Premium membership had to go. Not enough people opted in to this option for maintaining it to be worth it. I'll contact every user who got Premium through that to move them to PayPal.

Let me know how you feel about these and if any functionality is broken on the site for you today!
I'm cleaning the fat here, so I can concentrate on cool new stuff, and I will - stay tuned! :) Cheers!

comments [20]

comment # 1 by Cobra1971

Hey, I can understand. Don't feel bad about having to make tough choices. If it comes to a feature or the site, the site always wins. Also, about the Credit Card processing, have you looked at a site called braintree? My understanding is the first $50,000 is fee free and then after that you only pay for actual charges. I haven't had a reason to use it but I've heard the podcast ads for it quite a bit. Just a thought to help in the future.

Good job on the site. Define try a site I hit almost every day!!

comment # 2 by santah

The credit card payment was actually powered by Braintree. The issue is the bank charges (not braintree charges) that occur when getting that money from Braintree.

Also, you have to make your own infrastructure for reminding users about their expiring credit cards and handle tens if not hundreds cases and/or exceptions.

This is fine for a business that handles tens or hundreds of transactions per day, but for a small time enterprise, like our Premium Membership - this isn't really a great option and adds a lot of overhead and worry to my already no-free-time schedule :)

comment # 3 by stressedoutmummy

i have no episodes in the drop down , i have the show name but no episode lists

comment # 4 by santah

@stressedoutmummy - which 'drop down' is that? What URL on the site is this on? Can you provide a screenshot as well?

Also, try CTRL+F5 and see if the issue is still there.

Let me know so I can investigate and fix this ASAP.

comment # 5 by Gerard

Have same problem as stressedoutmummy - in Track Episodes (http://next-episode.net/track) when I want to expand season to look at episodes left to watch, info about episodes is not showing.

comment # 6 by santah

@Gerard - does CTRL+F5 on this page fix this?

comment # 7 by riQ

I have the same issue, ctrl + f5 doesn't help.

comment # 8 by santah

What browser is this happening with?

Can someone with this issue make a screenshot for me please?

comment # 9 by santah

I was able to replicate and fix the issue.

Can you guys confirm? Ctrl F5 for good measure before retrying.

comment # 10 by tonjessv

Now it works for me.

comment # 11 by Gerard

Yes, works again. Thanks for fix, santah :)

comment # 12 by RoboticMonkey

Securing the whole site with SSL is overrated mate :D i rather see you make some money.

comment # 13 by jsj

Hi,

Same page as mentioned above; episode summary keeps comming back with an error:

[0] There was an error with the data transfer. Please try again in a few minutes.

After wich "Loading..." stays on screen and clicking on anonther episode does not work anymore. Reload gives same result.

(firefox 38.0.5)

Joe.

comment # 14 by santah

@jsj - CTRL F5 ?

comment # 15 by jsj

Nope.

comment # 16 by jsj

"Loading..." disappears, clicking an ep works again, but still getting the same error message.

J.

comment # 17 by kalembo

You guys have done an amazing job over the years! I trust your judgement on what works on your end. I've been using the site for almost 10 years (or however long it's been up) and check it multiple times every day. Keep up the good work!

comment # 18 by weareborg

thank you for the good job you are doing. Looking forward to what the new fun you do, feels good to see how the page begins and exchanged for something fantastikt one can not be without.

comment # 19 by scottslinker

PayPal is absolutely the worst payment processing system on the planet. It is so hard for the consumer to use. I have tired to make a payment using my PayPal account but honestly who buys on eBay anymore so my account expired and I do not care to go through the supreme credentialing process PayPal demands. Please do yourself a favor and find a different way to collect subscriptions. I highly recommend you build in a freemimum model to the iTune AppStore since that is how I found and use the app. I never go to the web version except to try and pay you for the great service. There is a bigger opportunity here but you have to get away from PayPal to capture it. Sorry, I really am. ~ Scott

comment # 20 by santah

@scottslinker if you're interested in the Lifetime Premium - please get in touch and we'll figure something out outside of PayPal.

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