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H.Bloom Gifts Featured On App Store For Two Weeks Straight
We’re excited to announce that the H.Bloom Gifts app has been receiving some much deserved love since its launch on April 25th. Upon launch, the app was featured in the “New & Noteworthy” section. A week later the app could be found in the “What’s Hot” section.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, H.Bloom Gifts is featured first in the “Find the Perfect Present” and the “Card & Gifts” section for Mother’s Day. If you are in New York City, Chicago, Washington D.C., Dallas, or San Francisco or would like to send a present to Mom in one of those areas, check out the H.Bloom app! For more information on this app head on over to our H.Bloom Gifts blog post.
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Designing Apps for Android
When designing for different platforms different approaches must be taken. Our Creative Director has worked with numerous clients to help them design applications for Android. Through his work with clients such as Simple and Airbnb, Adit has a tremendous amount of insight to share on best practices. If you’re interested in knowing more check out his presentation below.
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Introducing the H.Bloom Gifts App for iPhone
About the App
Ever forgotten your girl/boyfriend’s birthday? Left a Valentines Day gift until the same day? Wondered how you’re going to save yourself? Then you need the H.Bloom Gifts app. Two Toasters is happy to announce the release of an iPhone app for H.Bloom‘s new gift delivery service. The H.Bloom Gifts app makes it easy for users to order high-end gifts for delivery in select metropolitan areas. Gifts of French macaroons, candles, chocolates, flowers, and cupcakes can be ordered for delivery in New York City, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Dallas with more cities available in the future.
H.Bloom’s focus is on strong customer experience and deluxe product offerings. As the fastest growing floral company in the world, H.Bloom has been creating high end bouquets and floral arrangements for subscription customers since 2010. The H.Bloom Gifts app is an integral part of their diversification into the market of high-end gift delivery. The app is now available for download on the iTunes App Store.
Features We Love
Find Gifts for Delivery
Last minute gift giving can be stressful. Therefore, our joint goal was to create a gift ordering experience that eliminates worry and solves gift giving with immediacy. Users get a clear and clutter-free idea of the luxury gift options they can send to friends and family. From the product page, customers can zoom in on the gift image or get important information about options to make sure they are ordering the perfect gift. The calendar functionality makes it easy to see available days with delivery fees clearly displayed at the top from the get-go so users don’t have to waste precious time finding important information or making order changes.
Shop for high-end gifts.
Easily see gift information.
Zoom in to view details.
Seamless Checkout
Another area of angst for users in need of a last minute gift is the burdensome and often cluttered checkout process. The H.Bloom app is designed to make it as simple as possible for users to place an order when in a bind. The stacked 6-step checkout process makes it easy for customers to change any particular part of the order without having to drill back through the steps. In these steps, users select desired gift quantity, input the recipient’s address, enter credit card information, compose a gift message, view a breakdown of total expenses, and finalize the purchase. To make sure that no orders are placed accidentally, a pop out prompt is used to confirm purchase.
Visualize each step of the checkout.
Eliminate accidental purchases.
Add and Save Important Information
To solve the time-crunch issue, the app allows users to save multiple credit cards and recipient information for future orders. Users can manually add contact information for recipients or let H.Bloom access their iPhone contacts to auto-fill. The ability to save important information eliminates the cumbersome task of manually entering information each time a user wants to send a gift. For extra security, users can opt to require a password to confirm a purchase in the preferences section of the app.
Add and save addresses for gift purchases.
Add numerous credit cards to keep on file.
Our Design & Development Process
Streamlined Design
With a goal of offering a luxurious and enjoyable experience, we purposely kept the design sophisticated yet easy to use. Following H.Bloom’s branding, we focused on keeping the gift options screens minmal as to not clutter the user’s experience, letting the gifts speak for themselves.
Crisp high quality photos presented against simple white.
Minimalistic design with no clutter yet complete information.
Purposeful Navigation
To make it easier for users to find and order gifts, we designed a user experience that is simple and intuitive. We included a button in the top right-hand corner that displays the chosen delivery date. Pressing the button allows users to change their desired delivery date at any point in the order process. A pull down calendar appears for selecting a new date, while delivery fees automatically update on the top bar.
Easily select a delivery date with the ability to change later.
Select a delivery date using the pull down calendar.
Delivery fees automatically update upon date change.
Simplified Checkout Process
We wanted the checkout process to be as stress free as possible. Our solution was to create a custom UI around the checkout that makes the flow more condensed and concise. The checkout process is presented in 6 stacked steps, all of which are accessible from one screen. This solution makes it possible for users to make changes during checkout without having to jump between different screens.
Switch between checkout steps and make changes easily.
About H.Bloom
H.Bloom is the fastest-growing floral service in the world. H.Bloom delivers high-quality arrangements and plants, each created by an expert designer, to businesses and consumers through weekly, bi-weekly or monthly subscriptions. Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar florists, which can lose 30 to 50 percent of their inventory to spoilage, H.Bloom’s subscription model allows the company to operate with a spoilage rate of less than 2 percent, and pass along significant savings and exceptional service to its customers. Headquartered in New York, H.Bloom was founded in 2010 and currently has floral studios in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco and Dallas. Download the H.Bloom Gifts app on the iTunes App Store or visit www.hbloom.com.
About Two Toasters
Two Toasters is a critically acclaimed mobile product development firm which designs and develops iOS and Android applications for partner companies. We provide end-to-end mobile product assistance, including strategy, usability testing, design, development, and quality assurance testing.
Our clients range in size from established tech giants (Airbnb, Simple) and international brands (Zumba, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lexus) to early stage, venture-backed startups (Go Try It On, Room 77). Not only are our apps highly ranked on iTunes, one was actually featured in an Apple TV commercial (GateGuru).
We build products that are user-centric, incorporating user feedback to ensure that the apps are intuitive and useful. As a technical powerhouse in mobile, we’ve created several frameworks, such as RestKit (www.restkit.org).
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Introducing the Zumba® App for iPhone, iPad, and Android
About the App
Two Toasters and Zumba® Fitness are excited to announce the release of the Zumba app for use on Android phones, iPhone, and iPad. Working together, we designed, developed, and strategized an app that connects Zumba enthusiasts with everything they need for the Zumba Fitness program and lifestyle. The Zumba app is now available on Google Play and the App Store.
Features We Love
Find Classes
Zumba participants can easily find a class from virtually anywhere using the map functionality. Users can also filter nearby Zumba classes using information about time, date, and instructor displayed in list view and map view or search for classes by facility location and Zumba instructor name. To further drill into class information, returned results can be filtered by class type, day, time or distance. Selecting a class gives users access to more information about the instructor and the ability to add a class to their calendar or favorite a class.
iPhone Map View
Android List View
iPhone Time Filtering
Android Class Filtering
iPhone Class Information
Language Functionality
The Zumba fitness program is present in over 150 countries and at 140,000 locations globally. Therefore, it was important that we make the app available in as many languages as possible.
French on Android
German on iPhone
Spanish on iPad
Donate Calories
The Zumba app is released in time for The Great Calorie Drive, a charitable initiative from Zumba Fitness benefiting the United Nations’ World Food Programme and Feed America. From the Zumba app, users can check in to classes and donate the average amount of calories burnt in a Zumba class (750 calories) to people who suffer from hunger around the world. The Zumba app is also integrated with Facebook and Twitter, and allows users to invite friends to party themselves into shape in Zumba classes, and donate the calories they burn through The Great Calorie Drive campaign.
Check-in on iPad
Sharing on iPhone
Donate Calories from Android
*From now to June 30, 2013, Zumba Fitness, LLC will donate US$0.14 for every 750 calories (the average amount of calories burned in a Zumba class) to the World Food Programme and Feeding America® for each of the first three classes a participant checks in to using the Zumba mobile app, with a maximum donation of US$1 million.
Design and Development
iOS Apps
As a core focus of the Zumba app, the map view function for finding classes needed to be able to handle a large amount of information for numerous classes in a small area. To do so we implemented our own custom map view that groups nearby classes in a clustering pattern similar to Instagram’s map clustering.
Most clustering implementations divide the screen into a grid, and only draw one pin inside each cell. Ours clusters pins based on their proximity to each other. When pins are so close together that it would be difficult to accurately touch one, they seamlessly group into a cluster. Touching a cluster zooms in to reveal all of the points in it. This solution solves the design problem of making the map display numerous points while keeping it easy to use on a small mobile device.
Map Clustering on iPad
iPad
Inspired by Twitter’s old iPad app we opted for the use of stacked cards to make it easy to visualize other screens. Using this design users can swipe back and forth between the dashboard and other screens. Our developers and designers worked together to re-implement the concept for the Zumba iPad app. We also took advantage of the extra screen space enabling users to view both the list-view and map view on the same screen.
Stacked Pages on iPad
iPhone
For the iPhone app we designed a dashboard screen to display upon launch. Once a user drills into a page, the navigation displays as a sliding sidebar making it easy to switch between pages or go back to the navigation dashboard page. We also focused on making it easy to switch between list and map view to get a better idea of what classes are nearby.
Startup Dashboard on iPhone
Sidebar Navigation on iPhone
Android
For the Android app we used the Hoot REST client to send network requests to Zumba Fitness’ API. In doing so, we made a few adjustments to Hoot that allowed for custom headers. In addition to using the Hoot REST client, we were one of the early users of Google’s new version of Android Maps SDK. Google released a completely rewritten version of the Android Maps SDK in December of 2012. As one of the early users we were able to give feedback to help Google solve problems with the new version The navigation of the Android app is fairly similar to that of the iPhone app with sidebar navigation as well as a startup dashboard screen.
Startup Dashboard on Android
Map Clustering on Android
About Zumba® Fitness
Zumba® Fitness is a global lifestyle brand that fuses fitness, entertainment and culture into an exhilarating dance-party workout. Coined “fitness-parties,” Zumba classes blend upbeat world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography, which provide effective, total-body workouts. Founded in 2001, the company is now the largest branded fitness program in the world — reporting more than 14 million weekly class participants, in over 140,000locations, across more than 150 countries. In addition to its original Zumba® program, the company also offers a range of specialty classes, including Zumba Gold® (for active older adults), Zumba® Toning (body-sculpting class that uses maraca-like Toning Sticks), Aqua Zumba® (the ultimate “pool party” workout), Zumbatomic® (Zumbaroutines for kids), Zumba Sentao™ (chair-based Zumba class that strengthens, balances and stabilizes the core),and Zumba® in the Circuit (a 30-minute workout that combines signature Zumba® moves with circuit training at timed intervals). The Zumba® fitness lifestyle is rounded out by the company’s many consumer product offerings,including DVD sets, music collections, multi-seasonal apparel and footwear, video games, Fitness-Concert™ events and a lifestyle magazine. For more information about Zumba Fitness programs and products, or to find a live class, visit zumba.com and find them on Facebook and Twitter.
About Two Toasters
Two Toasters is a critically acclaimed mobile product development firm which designs and develops iOS and Android applications for partner companies. We provide end-to-end mobile product assistance, including strategy, usability testing, design, user experience,development, and quality assurance testing.
Our clients range in size from established tech giants (Airbnb) and national brands (Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lexus and Acura) to early stage, venture-backed startups (Yipit, Go Try It On, GateGuru). Not only are our apps highly ranked on iTunes, one was actually featured in an Apple TV commercial.
We build products that are user-centric, incorporating user feedback to ensure that the apps are intuitive and useful. As a technical powerhouse in mobile, we’ve created several frameworks, such as RestKit (www.restkit.org).
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Let’s Get Toasted! (Part 3)
“Getting to know Two Toasters, one toaster at a time!”
Joe SewellQuality Assurance Lead – Age 36
Last week I snagged some time with our Quality Assurance Lead, Joe Sewell. While Joe is still relatively new at Two Toasters, you wouldn’t be able to tell as he in engrained in every project we have here. Joe’s in charge of ensuring quality of all our deliverables, and that’s a tough job with so many products launching!
“I like that I get to be a part of all the projects. I’m involved from the beginning to the end of development and can affect change and ensure that the things that go out are as good as we can make them! Plus I’m a perfectionist.”
Thank goodness he’s great at multi-tasking and prioritizing. He’s had a lot of practice over the year at companies like 519 Games, Merscom, Oasys Mobile, and GameStop where he was a Project Manager, Localization Manager, Quality Assurance Engineer, and Producer. In these roles he had the opportunity to work on many games with some great clients like ShowTime, Starz Media, and Professional Bull Riding to mention a few.
If you haven’t put it together yet, Joe likes games! While he was a manager at GameStop for over 5 years, he was robbed on the job. Yep! Joe was handcuffed to the counter and left to sit in the empty store for hours until a customer walked in with her children to release him and call the cops. It’s hard to imagine anyone handcuffing Joe, as he’s a pretty tall dude, who in my opinion doesn’t look like he wants to be messed with. But that’s what you get when you’re a nice guy…handcuffed to a counter.
I’m not kidding about Joe being an intimidating looking guy either! Think… lumberjack. Yea, I know, lumberjacks are AWESOME. But actually that’s not too far off from the truth. Joe loves the outdoors, hiking, nature, and adventure. He’s rappelled off a 300 ft. cliff, whitewater rafted in the Upper Gauley, and loves adventure sports of all kinds. This is why if Joe wasn’t in mobile product development, he’d be a Forest Ranger. How cool is that?!
“I love helping people out, making people feel safe. And if I can enjoy a nice hike in a great locale at the same time, it would be fun and enjoyable.”
Not only does Joe enjoy being out in nature, but he also likes to travel. It’s something he’d like to do more often, with another trip to Japan in his future. He loves the culture and the history. Joe has taken Asian History classes, studies Japanese, and also martial arts. But that may be a difficult trip to take anytime soon with a new baby on the way (Due around April 27th). This will be Joe’s second child as he already has an awesome little girl. This wonderful dad will be able to sing them to sleep with his deep, yet soulful voice. When Joe told me that he was in the Men’s Varsity Glee club at NC State, I immediately made him sing for me. WOW LADIES!!!! My personal serenade blew me away. His little girls will have the best “Itsy Bitsy Spider” teacher to help them carry the tune.
Fun Facts about Joe:
- Favorite apps right now are Candy Crush, Heroes Academy, and Letterpress.
- Joe’s Dad was a chef so he was raised in a restaurant and has become quite the cook himself. His wife is always jealous that he can just throw things together.
- He’s a volleyball player, and I would NOT want to be on the other end of one of Joe’s spikes!
- Joe has as design background.
- If Joe had his own charity, it would support our education system, and systems in 3rd world countries. He believes in the “teach a man to fish” mentality.