a helper for angularfire making things easier.

db.factory.js

angular
.module('myApp')
.factory('$db',['$firebaseObject','$firebaseArray','$q',function($firebaseObject,$firebaseArray,$q){
	
	function $db( type, id ){
		var ref = firebase.database().ref(type).child(id);
		var obj = $firebaseObject(ref);
		return $q(function(resolve,reject){
			obj.$loaded().then(function(){
				resolve(obj);
			}).catch(reject);
		});
	}
  
	//todo maybe add a helper for firebase arrays.
	$db.array = function( typeOrRef ){
		if(typeOrRef instanceof firebase.database.Reference){
			var ref = typeOrRef;
		}else{
			var ref = firebase.database().ref(typeOrRef);
		}

		var a = $firebaseArray(ref);

		return $q(function(resolve,reject){
			a.$loaded().then(function(){
				resolve(a);
			}).catch(reject);
		});

	};

	return $db;
	
}]);

example.js

angular
.module('myApp')
.controller('BlogCtrl',function($scope,$db,$stateParams){
  
  //single post as object
  $db('blogposts',$stateParams.id).then(function(blogPost){
    $scope.blogPost = blogPost;
  }).catch(function(err){
    //do something with err
  });
  
  //array of posts
  
  $db.array('blogposts').then(function(blogPosts){
    $scope.blogPosts = blogPosts;
  });
  
  //array using custom ref or query
  $db.array( firebase.database().ref('blogposts') ).then(function(blogPosts){
    $scope.blogPosts = blogPosts;
  });
  
  
});