Question on tablet apps

[MeCasa]

Hello everyone

Although I'm very computer savvy I've avoided the smartphone/tablet world because my eyes are no longer good enough to type, read or surf on a little phone. That said, I applaud the folks who love their smartphones, I'm not anti for everyone I've just made a personal choice.

On to my question, I have some large aquariums in my home and I've designed some fairly complex and manipulable LED lighting systems that features RGBW schemes that highlight different areas of the tanks in different colors for nighttime ambiance and flood the tanks in daytime to help my plants grow. As the systems have become more complex and power hungry I've outgrown any decent remote capability. The next step is using a wifi system such as http://www.ltechonline.com/english/product/LED-WiFi-Controller-104.html , this system works best using a smartphone/tablet app as shown on the page. The tablet will in essence be my remote.

Long story short, I decided to buy a small tablet and use it in conjunction with the wifi-104 controller. I chose the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 4, beautiful little machine, today I went down to buy it on sale at Best Buy and as the salesman was showing me how to add apps we went looking for the app I needed which is called wifi-104 and it was NOT available. He then tried the other available tablets and it was available, he then told me that I wouldn't have availability of that app if I bought that phone.

Doesn't seem right since this tablet is cutting edge, can anybody enlighten me as to how this works and if the man was correct

Thanks
MeCasa

 

[leeshor]

Welcome to the forum MeCassa

Unfortunately that is probably the case. There are many apps that will work on a phone that either the developer or Google has determined for whatever reason would not be compatible with a tablet. In this case maybe not any tablet. As you say, you purchased one that would be most likely to work as apposed to some other lesser tablets. With that said, it appears it WILL work with my Samsung Galaxy Tab S but not one of my other tablets.

 

[MeCasa]

Welcome to the forum MeCassa

Unfortunately that is probably the case. There are many apps that will work on a phone that either the developer or Google has determined for whatever reason would not be compatible with a tablet. In this case maybe not any tablet. As you say, you purchased one that would be most likely to work as apposed to some other lesser tablets. With that said, it appears it WILL work with my Samsung Galaxy Tab S but not one of my other tablets.

Thank you Leeshor,

When a phone/tablet first comes out does it take a period of time to 'port' 'approve' or 'ready' apps? Meaning does availability change daily ......I could wait till this app is available (chancing it never will) or do the apps pretty much stay as is meaning I should play the odds and return this tablet and buy one that works for my needs. I know yours will be a best guesstimate but I'll accept an experienced guesstimate over dumb luck any day.

Ironically, this will currently be the only purpose for this machine since I'm comfortable with my current equipment and usage patterns.

Thanks again

 

[leeshor]

Chances are that if that tablet can't use that app now that it may not in the future. If I'm correct, the Tab S is newer than your Tab 4 and it works. You could contact the company and ask them what the possibility is of your tablet getting the app. That isn't exactly a mainstream app, even if yours is a mainstream tablet.

 

[MeCasa]

Thank you