Frequently Asked
Questions
Here's some general suggestions on solving problems with iPhone/iPod Touch applications. If you're having trouble with an application (either one of ours or someone else's), these ideas might help.
- Q: I can't get this application to run after I install it — it just crashes, hangs, or otherwise is unresponsive. Why?
A: If an application isn't running correctly after you first install it, you may have run into a not-infrequently encountered problem in which the installation and/or first run of the program has gone awry. This problem has been reported with a wide variety of applications, particularly those that are big and use a large amount of resources.
To address this problem, a complete clean reinstallation of the application is normally sufficient (detailed instructions on how to do this are given in the next Q&A, below). First, however, it is important to delete the original installation (if there is one) on the phone.
Search for the icon for the application you tried to install. If the application does not have an icon, proceed on with the installation as outlined in the next Q&A.
Press and hold your finger on the icon until the icons start shaking and display a circled “X” in the upper left corner.
Tap the “X” for the application that isn't working, and confirm you wish to delete the application.
Note: to date, we have not had reports of installation problems occuring with Neonatura software. We suspect these problems are caused by large applications that do not properly handle memory management and atomic update issues. We've tried to work especially hard on these areas in our products to avoid these sort of problems — but no software is bug-free.
- Q: What's the best way to install an application to avoid problems?
A: Normally, Neonatura products can be installed and run without any difficulties; we've worked hard to try and make installation as painless as possible for everyone. But not all apps are created equal, and ours may have problems we don't know about (yet). To maximize the chances for a successful installation of an application, we recommend the following procedure:
Make sure your device is not connected to a computer, and then turn off the iPhone or iPod Touch by holding down the power button on the top of the device until requested to confirm. Swipe to turn off power and wait for the screen to go completely black (darker than usual). Then, start the device again by pressing the power button.
Purchase/download the application from the AppStore, either using a computer and iTunes or the built-in AppStore application.
If you used iTunes, connect your device to your computer and choose Sync within iTunes. This will install the application to your device. Be sure not to disconnect the device from the computer during this process. Wait until the “Installing” progress bar over the application icon disappears before continuing to the next step.
Once the application has finished installing, do not run it!. Instead, disconnect your iPhone/iPod Touch from the computer and power down the device (just like you did in the first step).
Restart the device, and then run your new application. Once the application presents its main menu, wait a few seconds and stop the application with the stop button. For some applications this could take a while, so be patient.
The installation is complete, and the application can be used whenever you want. Enjoy!
If this procedure is not effective, you may have a more serious problem or a device incompatibility. Contact technical support provided by the application distributor for further assistance.
- Q: An application is frequently crashing on startup, or not operating properly — what can I do?
A: In many cases, applications can crash or otherwise run improperly in low-memory situations. Although the iPhone OS has a mechanism designed to cause other programs (like Safari) on the phone to release memory, providing additional space for your application, this mechanism is not always implemented correctly by app developers. (We've done our best, of course, to avoid this — but even Neonatura applications could be subject to these problems).
For this and other reasons, sometimes applications can run more smoothly and reliably if executed after a system reboot, as this maximizes available memory. If you're having problems with an application, you can try the following reboot procedure before tearing your hair out:
Make sure your device is not connected to a computer, and then request a shutdown of your iPhone or iPod Touch by holding down the power button on the top of the device until requested to confirm.
Swipe to turn off power and wait for the screen to go completely black (darker than usual).
Start the device again by pressing the power button briefly.
Try running the application again. If it now seems to be working, then the application probably has the low-memory problem.
Unfortunately, because memory management is a difficult issue, many applications don't work correctly in low-memory situations, and developers often don't work to fix these sorts of problems. If you should encounter these sorts of problems with Neonatura products, we'd like to hear from you.