LDS Tools for Android version 1.5 is now available for beta testing. The new features to test in this beta release include the following:

Calendar integration. The LDS.org calendar is integrated into LDS Tools. The events appear in a list sorted by day, with the calendar color shown beside the event. When you click an event name, more details appear.

Photo upload. You can update your LDS.org directory photo directly from LDS Tools (rather than updating it from the directory on LDS.org). If you’re an administrator, you can also update other member photos in your ward or branch as well. To update your photo, browse to your profile and click your photo. Then click the camera icon that appears in the corner. (Once you upload the photo, note that an administrator in your ward or branch must approve the photo before it appears to others.)

New interface. The app's interface has been modernized with a new look and feel to match the latest versions of Android. For example, the app now has a navigation ribbon to navigate from one screen to another, and it uses the new Android Action Bar to access system menus and perform application actions (such as Search or Select Unit).

Improved tablet support. If you have a Galaxy Tab, Xoom, Kindle, Nexus 7, or other tablet device that runs Android, LDS Tools features a dual-pane display. For example, on the Callings screen, you can browse organizations on the left and see details on the right. The dual-pane makes the navigation experience more similar to the desktop version of the directory on LDS.org.

Geolocation. When you click an address in a directory profile, Google Maps opens with a pin showing the location of that street address. If administrators have adjusted the placement of an address on LDS.org to be different from the default location of the street address as per Google Maps, that adjusted address is used in the app. On the map, you can tap and hold the street address to get driving directions and other information.

Less internal memory usage. Version 1.5 uses a small fraction of the internal memory that the previous version used — in some cases, the internal memory usage has been cut in half or more. To reduce the strain on your device’s internal storage limit, much of the memory in 1.5 has been shifted to the SD card instead.

Bug report submission. You can submit bugs directly from the app by going to Menu > Help.

Screenshots

The following are a few screenshots from the LDS Tools Android app.

The calendar view (left) and the list of calendars (right)

The navigation ribbon (left) and the photo upload (right)

Geolocation (left) and more detailed location information (right)

Installing the beta version

You can install the beta version of LDS Tools for Android 1.5 by doing the following:

1. Enable sideloading. Android devices allow you to install applications from any source (not just the Android Market). However, you have to enable this feature. Go to Settings > Applications. Select the Install from Unknown Sources check box.
2. Download the latest release. On your mobile device, go to http://ldsmobiletester.com/android. Next to LDS Tools, tap Current Beta. (If you want to try the latest build, which may be less stable, tap Latest Build.) When you click the file, the app automatically starts loading on your Android device.
   

Keep in mind that when you load the new version, it will overwrite any existing versions of LDS Tools you have already installed.

Start proceeding through the test cases

The LDS Tools for Android team has identified a number of tasks (called “test cases”) that they want you to try out. These test cases are listed in Swarm, a new testing tool released by LDSTech. With Swarm, you mark each test case as Pass or Fail. If you mark the test case as Fail, you can type a note about why the test case failed.

Before you can access Swarm, you must be a member of the LDS Tools for Android project.

Join the LDS Tools Android Project

1. Go to https://tech.lds.org and sign in.
2. Click Projects.
3. If you haven’t completed your profile, click Profile on the submenu and complete the details. Make sure you sign the individual contributor’s license agreement.
4. Click Projects on the submenu.
5. Find the LDS Tools for Android project and click it.
6. Scroll down and click Join.

Complete test cases in Swarm

1. Either on your desktop or mobile device (Swarm displays well on nearly any device), go to https://tech.lds.org/swarm.
2. Click LDS Tools Android.
3. Proceed through the test cases. You can go in any order and complete as many test cases as your time allows.

If you have questions about LDS Tools for Android, contact Jeff Campbell, project lead for LDS Tools for Android, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .