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Holy shit y’all. Developers need to eat too. It’s totally fine to charge for an app or serve ads. LjDawson is a fantastic developer and really listens to his user base. Yes there are plenty of open source apps to use, but sometimes closed source is way more polished because the developer makes it their job to create the app. Living isn’t free. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It’s like having Reddit back, this is amazing. 🙏
For as long as I can remember Reddit and Sync have been one and the same. I never used Reddit website or app, only ever used Sync to browse Reddit hosted content. I used it a lot. I’ve missed it a lot.
Between the Lemmy platform and Sync client, to all intents and purposes what Reddit was has been fully restored/migrated.
I know it’s early days, but I did not expect to see anything like this so soon and it gives me hope that Lemmy can grow and thrive into the network of people that always made Reddit what it was. Everything that’s needed is there - early, a little rough around the edges, but there. And being improved constantly.
Hallelujah!
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Yeah, I’m liking lift off. Only thing I miss is better filtering options like keywords. But, it’s one I’m using right now to type this message.
I like connect. It’s similar to Sync.
I entirely agree. This is breaking the unspoken rules of Lemmy for me.
Can someone please explain a bit what is included as part of a “unique identifier”… does it mean the app sends Google what communities you’re visiting or content you’re consuming, so they can advertise to you personally?
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Starting with Android 12 (and maybe earlier, I think it may be a part of a Google Play update?), you can delete your advertising ID in settings - definitely worth doing!
Unique device identifier would be some information unique to your device that can identify it. A common example of such a unique Id would be your IMEI although that isn’t necessarily what they are using. Minecraft as an example creates a unique user ID based on your account that system administrators can use to keep your player records even after you change your Microsoft account name or gamer tag.
It doesn’t have to be specific data related to your activities in the app per se, but it could potentially be used in that manner depending on the app.
This is present in all apps in the playstore for serving ads. If you are running away from it you have to run from the entire internet. You want to live a life like the people in privacy sub reddit with that tin foil hat. For the developer to serve ads this is necessary.
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I think there’s some nuance there too. I’m not keen on the idea of my facebook messages, or google chats, or private emails, things like that going into other peoples hands (regardless of how much I can do to stop it), but purely ad-based stuff doesn’t bother me. I’m gonna be seeing ads for something, and whether or not they’re things google or amazon think I might want doesn’t really change the equation for me.
However, I do hold it to be true people should be in control of that if they want to. I feel like the choice is important.
Then sell all your shit and live without any device connected to the internet. If you believe a trillion dollar company can’t track what you like then I’ve got bad news for you.
Oh wait, even if you sell your shit, they just need to know who your friends are and they can create a profile of you… Woops! 🤷
What’s funny is that you’re trusting a bunch of random Lemmy hosts right now, but not companies that can be identified and that you can tell which laws apply to them.
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Lemm.ee’s host is such a nice dude, I don’t think he’d sell people out either.
Individuals can’t be corrupted in exchange for money, good to know 👍
I’m sure they would also protect your data with their life if authorities came knocking.
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Would love to see you GDPR your data from all instances 😂
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Or just block ads…
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Logcat is your friend. Someone on one of these threads mentioned they confirmed via logcat that the dev is correct.
This is all you need to see, folks.
Jesus, the absolute entitlement in this thread. Can everyone just chill until the app is out of the beta version? Some of us are fine with seeing ads until the lifetime fee is available, and some of us are fine paying a subscription until the lifetime fee is available. If you’d rather not use the app until then don’t, but trashing the dev for getting paid while he works endlessly to create the sync experience for us is so ignorant and childish.
Sync is by far the best user experience app for lemmy that’s available for Android, just as it was for reddit, and it’s worth the wait and the price until the pro version is available.
I hope the dev ignores the whiners and focuses on those of us that get it. How demotivating to see people run their mouths when they dint know what they’re talking about.
My God, I missed Sync so much. Devs , thanks.
(シ_ _)シ
It’s identical to sync for Reddit. You even added the ability to restore from backup from Reddit. You’ve done amazing work
I need an excuse to try a comment and this seems perfect. Thanks dude you’ve clearly been putting in some work. It’s like coming home.
You know, you have many fans all around the world. This must be great feeling. And your product is/was the meaning of Redd*t for a long time, now it’s will be Lemmy=Sync
Great job! 5 stars!
(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞
It was seriously like hugging an old friend when I woke up to the download this morning! So happy and warm to be back!
I was about to uninstall the other Lemmy client was never going to return Lemmy until the notification
Storing data usage, personal ads, 21.99€ just to remove ads or a subscription model.
I’m a dev myself and I get that everyone needs to be compensated, but right now I have only one thought:
“You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.”
ITT, bunch of people who have never used Sync for Reddit whining about Sync Ultra and the app having ads. 🤦🏻♂️
The ads through me for a sec, but then I realized this wasn’t the Dev or Pro version.
I’ll end up subscribing at some point, but I do wish there was a one time option like last time. Not really interested in the cloud backups and all that, just the ad free experience.Edit: Spoke too soon. Looks like there wil be a one time option at some point in addition to a version with no ads. Looking forward to it.
Just pushed beta 25 that adds a one time option.
A wise decision.
See everyone, it’s this level of responsiveness and communication that’s led many of us to want to pay for this app.
Thanks mate, your work is deeply appreciated the world over.
How does that work if I already purchased the yearly model? Can I transfer the yearly to the ad-free one time?
You know what, I had paid for the lifetime pro mode in sync for reddit, and usually prefer one-time payments to recurring subscriptions, but I chose to go with the recurring ultra subscription this time, to contribute to your regular financial stability. Your dedication is commendable. Thanks for all the work you’ve done over the years!
Awesome 👍
I used sync for reddit for a decade. No way in hell I’m paying $20 for the ad-free upgrade. Explain how lemmy which is months old and a minute fraction of the size of reddit, should cost me more to browse ad-free than reddit? It’s mind boggling that we’re in the age where asking $20 for a 3rd party social media app is being defended as reasonable.
I haven’t seen any ads yet. Where are they
It’s not about the app. It has nothing to do with the app itself to be fair. It’s the fact to have ads. Ads aren’t the spirit and the philosophy of Lemmy.
People are fine to pay for the app. Money isn’t the issue either. The dev should not assume Lemmy is a new Reddit. It’s different with different spirit and philosophy. This point has to be taken in consideration.
That’s the beauty of have a multitude of different apps. You choose the one that feels right for you. Much like how you can choose another Lemmy instance.
Yes, sure, you can choose whatever you want. It doesn’t make my opinion wrong. It’s not in the philosophy of the fediverse. People can use it with an ads tracked app of they want. I respect it.
It’s a hard no for me and I will express it. It could be a hard yes if they will be a one time payment version without free ads base one.
The dev said there already will be. I hope you’ll support a hard working, singular dev who puts a lot of work into an app and engages with its users like LJD.
an opinion cannot be wrong. but it also cannot be right. you make a fair point with what you’re saying. the dev is already planning on a single time purchase, but a sub option is definitely not “morally wrong.”
It can be morally wrong depending on the person’s visions. It’s not that this vision is wrong or right. It’s a personal one. Nobody did this vision mandatory.
I don’t think your opinion is wrong. It’s an opinion, and that’s fine.
As a developer myself, I do understand that the dev wants to be compensated for all the hours he puts in, but I am also aware that we’re all using software everyday in many different ways that are made in the free time of many people, without any compensation. Both are valid.
The Dev has just announced he’s pushed beta version 25 that adds a one time payment option.
One time payment update was just pushed out!
You can choose whatever app fits you. That is the power of choice. Some of us are really ok with non intrusive ads or paying for the app. He said that one time payment for removing ads will come soon.
Ads aren’t the spirit and the philosophy of Lemmy
Says who? I’m just curious who decides what Lemmy’s philosophy is. Does that philosophy extend across all instances or only specific ones? Or is it baked into the source code somehow?
Personally I think ads are alright. But that’s just my philosophy.
Ads or subscription.
Yeah, I’ll stick with Thunder. Having used Lemmy and Mastodon, I realised how much I hate ads.
Yup that is a real rough pill to swallow when the default is free AND no ads. If I’m going to drop money on lemmy I’d rather just donate to whoever is hosting my instance.
I hear what you (and everyone else) is saying, but the developer needs to make money somehow or they’ll have to go get a regular job, and then who will develop?
I think what I’m saying is, how else is the Dev meant to feed his face?
I miss the days when I could just drop a couple of dollars on the paid version, stops the ads and works forever, subscriptions turn me off.
He can release it as a one time payment without free version.
Look at how people are reacting to paying for a subscription. If he had no free version people would NOT try it.
And, I’m not the dev of it. He needs to convince the people. Here, he has multiple possibilities that he can explore before finding how to attract users.
I tried multiple Reddit apps before I settled on Sync. I went through a phase of trying a different one every week. They were all free versions with a paid version. I paid for the ones I liked.
That’s all I wanna do, buy it once, no subscription.
It wasn’t the case of Sync at the beginning. It was just a paid version. The free ad based version came later.
That may be so, but my point was that I would not have tried it had there been no free version.
One time purchase coming soon, its still in beta after all
Maybe, the dev should have wait until he can release it as a one time payment without free version. You want Sync, you pay. Nobody will be against it.
I have it with an adblocker. It’s neat, but nothing really special. Still has some quirks. Things load very slowly. Almost too much customizations. Lol I have been enjoying Voyager a lot. I also have 5 other apps I’m testing and it is now down between thunder and voyager.
It’s the only Lemmy app that has an actual working and usable tablet mode. Thunder’s tablet mode is… weird. Everybody else doesn’t have a tablet mode. Unfortunately, leading with a subscription model is terrible. Even if they’re already planning a one time payment option (which they should launched with), it’s already left a sour taste. I left big software that was essential for work because of the subscription model (Adobe, Autodesk) and found alternatives. Sync isn’t even essential and there are multiple alternatives. Maybe not that pretty, but they’re decent enough. I hope Boost does better.
Sync launched in beta. While it’s unfortunate that a great majority off people seeing the posts aren’t aware of that, and think it’s a full launch.
The dev opened it up as beta, so more then 100 people could help test it out.
A pero versión is coming before the full release.
There’s absolutely no reason for beta software to not be able to launch with a one time payment option. A lot of companies do this. Just look at all the early access games from steam. This is not a valid excuse in my opinion.
He has only worked on it for 6 weeks since the heat of the reddit drama, probably just figured that’s a thing he can wait a little longer for but some people were very antsy to get back on sync
He added the one time remove ads feature just now proving that he could have added this at the start just as easily. Your argument again is not a valid excuse.
I added the extra one time payment options within a few hours of the beta going live due to feedback on here.
Things loading slowly are due to the instance themselves. The app itself is lightning fast.
Not sure why it only happens on this app, though. I have other apps that load instantly
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I second this 100% the app also displays nicely on a tablet compared to others. I’m shocked to see this dev ask 100$ plus for a lifetime for an app as good as it is. I understand he needs to make money but I think he took it two digits two far. I’m glad it’s a single developper getting that money though instead of a corperation.
Contains ads
ಠ_ಠ
That was the case with the original Sync, no surprise here.
Although there was the option to purchase Pro as a one-time fee. This one unfortunately only has a subscription option (which I’m not too keen on).
Edit: ljdawson has confirmed there will be an one-time payment options for both Ultra and ad removal!
Screw subscriptions. They’re invariably a rip off and I’m not made of money.
Same… I rarely buy apps. I’m definitely not subscribing to something.
And not to an app to browse a social network, when there’s free alternatives without ads
I am in the same boat. Bought RIF years ago and there are a couple of other apps I got as a one time purchase but subscriptions mostly make me delete an app immediately. Stuff like Spotify or Netflix are exceptions of course but those apps are just the gateway to a paid service. Sync doesn’t have to pay money on an ongoing basis to Lemmy. It’s straight up a purchase to the developer for an app.
Not too concerned though, I use Voyager at the moment and it’s just such a great way to browse Lemmy, I have no problem sticking with it!
Technically, they could be fair but they’re just always extremely overpriced. If you buy an app for $5 and use it for 5 years, it comes out at 8 cents a month. You’ll never find an app subscription that costs you 8 cents a month, but that would be a fair deal.
Afaik a one-time-purchase to get rid of the ads is planned.
Do you happen to have a source? This is what I’m hoping for.
Yes, according to ljdawson on discord, lifetime ultra will be coming back. Not sure about pro though.
Yeah, I’m thinking more the ad-free pro option, rather than the Ultra. That’s all l need 🙂.
It’s on Sync’s discord
It’ll probably have a one time fee option. The dev must know that not everyone will want to pay a subscription. I paid for removing ads on Sync for Reddit and I’ll happily do it again, so hopefully there will be an option of just removing ads. I don’t use either Lemmy or Reddit enough to justify paying a subscription, even though I really respect the dev.
This is what I’m hoping for!
While I’ve never used this app, it seems like there are so many good quality free/open source Lemmy apps now that an app with ads and subscriptions doesn’t really make sense.
there will be an option to buy an ad-free version in the future (IAP).
The future is now.
I’m fine with an ad version and then an upgrade to an ad-free version.
What’s insane here is this developer making a subscription service instead of an ad-free pro version
I mean, he’s competing against TOTALLY FREE, Ad-free lemmy apps RIGHT NOW, and every 3rd-party Reddit app developer is working on a lemmy version as we speak.
This was a total clown move. I was ready to drop like $10 on a pro version right now, if it had great UI. But a subscription … For access to a FREE service? The balls on this guy.
Lemmy is not a free service. You might not be paying for it but some of us are. With subscriptions too. Subscriptions are the better funding model for continued development and operation.
Lemmy instances are not a free service. Yet don’t have ads and instead rely on donations or are self funded. And then this app comes out with a subscription model to remove ads despite instances doing the heavy lifting of this space that has been contrary to the usual monetization model?
I’m not sure this type of defense you make really applies in this situation. If it was a reddit app sure, but in the space of the fediverse it stands out as rather unusual.
I’m not defending anything. Simply pointing out that Lemmy isn’t a free service even if it looks that way for some (or many).
I’m not sure who does the heavy lifting btw. It’s not easy to decipher whether running an instance or developing the cloud components or the mobile components is easier. Also the funding is a bit wonky at the moment. The core Lemmy development is woefully underfunded compared to some of the large instances. It’s likely to get better eventually but so far I’ve noticed that core development funding barely budged for the last month or two. Instances are vitally dependent on the core project.
People are understandably reluctant to donate to the core Lemmy devs, but donating to an instance is a lot more reasonable to many folks so that’s why it’s unfolding that way.
Yes, lemmy isn’t a free service So the argument to defend lemmy and give them money makes more sense when it comes to instances than it does for an app that shows up with a subscription model to remove ads.
The subscription from sync is not one run directly by the lemmy instance that is not charging api calls, not showing ads to users, and not paywalling users yet taking on so much expense. Which is why I’m not really sure what role sync plays here from your comments, since sync app and the costs of hosting a lemmy instance seem like entirely different matters.
I have to agree with you, I feel Sync has gone against the Fediverse ethos.
😂 nailed it. There are other amazing apps that are completely free
Yup what a let down. Luckily there are also open source apps.
On sync for reddit there always was a one time purchase to remove ads. The subscription is for extra features which you honestly don’t need. I believe the one time purchase is coming back on this version as well.
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Should update that subscription page in the app with the disclaimer. ‘App is in beta and there will be a one time payment option to remove ads once it gets out of beta’. Since right now the subscription only model to remove ads is leading to bad impressions that is drawing attention away from the actual app.
Especially on Android where not a lot of people encounter subscription models, and this is the first of its kind I’ve encountered on Android.
I agree…even i was surprised that is it suddenly out…the conversations are all on discord and the dev is very active with the community…he was just planning on sending a hundred invites for internal testers then suddenly it’s out for everyone
It’s just evidence it’s a gold rush.
I wasn’t expecting an ideologically motivated project by any means, but his focus is on the diminishing parade of users he’s got from the previous app and not where he’s sending them.
I got kinda disappointed when I noticed that the author almost doesn’t visit Lemmy and everything is coordinated on Discord instead of the, you know, forum-thingy which you make an app for.
Beta update released within the last hour adds the option for lifetime ad removal.
Where?
After updating, it’s in the sidebar. $12.99 for me.
$20 for me.
Lol. I said I was ready to drop $10.
This Dev is really trying to milk this.
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We lose some we gain some.
I haven’t seen any… Yet
I’ve only noticed it on the ‘slide’ view mode so far.
I just switched and saw it immediately. What a disappointment :(
Given the dev history on the reddit app and implementation of features and changes based on users feedback, I’m willing to pay for a pro version, not so sure about the subscription model though.
https://lemmy.world/comment/1975537
Looks like the Dev is looking to add a lifetime option and an option to remove ads in the future.
I was wondering what was up with the ads consent things. The reason I switched to Sync in the first place was to get rid of ads on Reddit…
Beta update released within the last hour adds the option for lifetime ad removal.
Where? I can’t see it in the Ultra section??
Update
Found it.
£12.99
The option is available by clicking your profile icon and selecting ‘remove ads’.
£13??
Mine is $20 for the remove ads option, how does that make sense?
It increased 50% overnight.
it’s already there. ‘remove ads’ button. steep given you can get Microsoft Office for that price if you look hard enough but I will probably get it.
I am testing it out now. It seems really good.
it has ads.
and you can’t post.
but otherwise I agree.
IAP for ad removal will come soon. It’s the first open-beta, give it some time.
weird, I haven’t seen any ads yet
Interesting! Here’s what it looks like for me:
Beta 25 is available for internal testers and guess what…
What a boss!
I had the Reddit Sync Pro lifetime thing so I just kind of figured it was because of that, but I straight up haven’t seen a single ad. It’s not like I have an ad blocker on or anything. How weird!
Sync for Reddit and Sync for Lemmy are separate, so the license and all don’t transfer. You’ll see ads sooner or later if you didn’t do anything to block it.
I did post.
It’s pretty good, I’m just checking I can reply. You’re right about posting, guess I’ll have to keep Wefwef for that for now
I can’t post?
i couldn’t post.
Can reply, can’t post “coming soon”
if it’s your first time using sync…open new window is a great feature for muti tasking subbed list…look at your subscriber list, press the 3 dots and open in new window will appear, you can open a subbed community entirely in a new window
Yes it contains ads. I’d rather have a single purchase.
But, DNS adblocking does remove the ads, just leave a grey box. It’s also definitely far more polished than any of the other Lemmy apps right now.
Oh I thought it wasn’t implemented. I forgot I have dns ad blocking :) :)
But this app is worth paying for if you like it. It’s also very cheap, something like 3 dollars or less per month.
Haha yes me too. I thought “hmm guess he hasn’t quite implemented that yet” but of course I have DNS AdBlock. Nice to know that works (:
It’s $1.99/month or $16.99/yr, which is waaayyy less than $3/month. Less than half that, if paid annually.
It’s too cheap to be honest. Should be $4.99.
I personally just don’t believe in subscriptions for apps. I’d rather just pay a fair amount up front. Especially since my usage patterns aren’t consistent (I may not use something for a good while but return to it later). Perpetual licenses are why I own such a large library of paid apps and why I’m okay with paying even if I might not really maximize my use of it today. It’s also why my Steam library is filled with games I don’t play… 😅.
You also need to have the Google Play Services spyware on your phone which many of us don’t.
Beta update released within the last hour adds the option for lifetime ad removal.
Time to update!
I don’t even have any grey boxes either. Where does the ad appear in the app?
They appear like this for me
I don’t know why. I don’t have anything like that. 😅 I had been using sync pro for reddit. I have a similar look here. I am running adguard dns private dns for adblock. But it never removed the ad spaces in any app.
You don’t?
Yeah I don’t even see ad spaces. I don’t think it is because of dns adguard. It never removed ad spaces. Just the ads. But right now I am having a clean experience with no ads or stuff.
It’s good to be home :)
Long time Sync user and Ultra (lifetime).
Now I am really disappointed the lifetime membership isn’t transferable to Lemmy. Nothing. Not even a discount, a note, nothing.
Using Sync for Reddit for so long I realized I missed the layout of Sync so I’m glad to see it back for Lemmy.
Bought a month subscription since I can use my rewards to pay for it. Worth it for the no ads.
