FAO: Londoners - Tube App?

[influenceuk]

Nice find Chas, maybe i wont need to create it then lol

Back to the tube app... Heres a screen shot to what i have so far...

Screenshot Link (Flickr)

It's only a basic thing atm, just getting the events all hooked up

[snooneko]

Sweet. I'm looking forward to this.

[ChasT]

Originally Posted by influenceuk

Nice find Chas, maybe i wont need to create it then lol

Back to the tube app... Heres a screen shot to what i have so far...

Only problem is that it will not work on the Pre, as webOS can not handle the format of the streaming feed.

Don't know if Flash will handle it, otherwise it's back to the drawing board

[Winterbay]

That is looking really good. Looks like a ncie thing to have as a tourist as well

[peabrain]

Originally Posted by ChasT

http:// iphone.tvcatchup.com is a potenially nice way of doing it, but the Pre can not handle the .M3u8 format, as far as I know

if there a video player on preware that could handle it? or something like VLC? that would be good , would solve alot of video and audio problems...

also influenceuk, keep up the good work

[nsabournemouth]

The pre is in need of some serious apps like this and Palm should of gone to the likes of TFL etc etc to get something ready for when it hit o2 stores. O2 should of got in touch with them also.

The app as shown on Palm is no good, you need to have a journey planner and here is hoping that we get it. A fair price i would would pay for an app that shows Underground map with planner and bus route would be a good couple of £'s and if you could get National Rail in on the app too then well worth the spend

[influenceuk]

My plan is to release the following...
- Lite: Just status updates - Cost: Free
- Standard: Status updates, Map, "Next Train" - Cost: TBC (maybe £0.79)
- Plus: Status updates, Map, "Next Train", Tube and National Rail Planner - Cost: TBC (maybe £1.59)

Let me know what you think about the possible pricing and versions?

I will look into the Bus planner for you nsabournemouth.

btw, i need to finish off some web development work but i will be back onto this next week

[peabrain]

Originally Posted by influenceuk

My plan is to release the following...
- Lite: Just status updates - Cost: Free
- Standard: Status updates, Map, "Next Train" - Cost: TBC (maybe £0.79)
- Plus: Status updates, Map, "Next Train", Tube and National Rail Planner - Cost: TBC (maybe £1.59)

Let me know what you think about the possible pricing and versions?

I will look into the Bus planner for you nsabournemouth.

btw, i need to finish off some web development work but i will be back onto this next week

don't forget to put some pretty icons on the app, or maybe in the eventual update.

[c_man]

Originally Posted by influenceuk

My plan is to release the following...
- Lite: Just status updates - Cost: Free
- Standard: Status updates, Map, "Next Train" - Cost: TBC (maybe £0.79)
- Plus: Status updates, Map, "Next Train", Tube and National Rail Planner - Cost: TBC (maybe £1.59)

Let me know what you think about the possible pricing and versions?

I will look into the Bus planner for you nsabournemouth.

btw, i need to finish off some web development work but i will be back onto this next week

For a relatively small target 'market' I think pricing will play a big as to the success of your app..

There are several other coders out there who are putting together a Tube App so be cautious of pricing yourself out of reach or appeal. The bonus for you at the moment is being the only one to show actual progress, so naturally you will have initial exposure.

I am also thinking Palm *must* have something in the pipeline, somewhere, somehow, considering this link on their own website:
Palm Pre Phone : Mobile Applications Palm UK

It may make sense to make it dirt cheap to early adopters [i.e. the guys on this thread] which should help with any early teething problems [call it late beta testing?] and after you're satisfied that enough initial users have it for the cut down price to form your initial use base, you can inflate the cost to the level you mention once the app has stabalised and gained popular status.

You have the chance to make THE number #1 Tube App for the Palm Pre but it's a case of how you wish to embrace the opportunity.

I am assuming the prices you have in mind are one off and allow you to gain updates indefinitely?

You should keep in mine that Tube Deluxe which is a very, polished app sells for just £0.59 and offer's substantially more than your app [though only you have a basis for 'real' comparison on that front right now]. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/06...pp_tubedeluxe/

P.S. I am merely playing devils advocate here ...and your app will be way better than any of us currently have

[snooneko]

Pricing sounds good.

Bus! Yes! Also interested in London buses too. If that's possible.

[peeg]

Happy with the prices. Would also like buses included. The number one thing though (for me anyway) is to make it as good looking as possible. Tube Deluxe for the Iphone looks so slick. Good luck with it

[craigc]

I'm currently using

TubeJP: London Tube Map & Journey Planner

It works pretty well but far from optimized for use on the pre, the drop downs take forever to get to the right place.

[nsabournemouth]

I would have 2 versions:

Lite: Status Updates and Map (free)

Plus version: Status updates, Map, Route Planner,next train , Bus info (Type in your destination and up comes bus number and what stop you catch it from) and have National Rail on it too and i think you could get away with a pound no problem. Everyone wants the Underground info and everyone will want the National Rail timetable with journey planner.

On the back of it a different app with bus timetables, where they go and numbers for all bus companies around the UK or and update for so much pence to the tube app.

Now i would be more than happy to try out any version you bring out. Also if you would want some leg work done such as getting in touch with various bus firms please let me know.

[influenceuk]

Originally Posted by spiregrain

While-you-wait for the proper tube app, you could add this to your bookmarks:

Travel Bits

It's patched together from little bits of TFL datafeeds. It's got line status, map and a journey planner. All formatted for the WebOS browser. Obviously it won't work without wireless/carrier coverage, like when you're underground for example.

I could use those quite easily to make a webos app They are just the "widgets" taken from the TfL website, which they supply to iGoogle, Yahoo and Netvibes.

I could quite easily make a web app for the tube stuff, but then that defeats the point of me learning to make webOS apps lol

[patchitover]

Even just a digital version of the regular tube map would be good for me, as long as it looks nice, can zoom and scrolls smoothly. Alos alot of these app designers have horrific icons as the icon that displays on the phone i think a nice modern looking icon is a must!

[influenceuk]

Originally Posted by patchitover

Even just a digital version of the regular tube map would be good for me, as long as it looks nice, can zoom and scrolls smoothly. Alos alot of these app designers have horrific icons as the icon that displays on the phone i think a nice modern looking icon is a must!

Agreed, the app must look good. I am working on it. But as i said previously i had to put it on hold for a bit as i need to finish off some client work.

[cecemf]

I have been very bad and just bought a Palm Pre (factory unlocked) from ebay ! £262 selled box (gift from Palm) and Touchstone with cover for £30, I'm an iPhone user from the first day and basically waiting for the next generation of iPhone but been looking very very close the Palm pre and decided to try it until the the next iphone comes out. Love the concepte of big community and fan base (liek we have on Apple Mac OSX) and looking forward to receive it and becoming a BIG PALM PRE fan ;-)

Anyway, I think that this kind of app. Tube, Bus train info are a must and also a reality augmented would be nice in the futur ;-) (I know bad habite from iPhone)
Good luck to you for the developpement of your app. and hopefully once the PDK release to everyone more and more app. will come

[cecemf]

Originally Posted by influenceuk

The iPhone tube app uses screen scraping to get the status updates, thus allows it to display quite nicely. It also uses PHP to gather the screen scrape which i am not sure we can do yet with the webOS dev kit.

Also using a London Underground map is costly as you need a license to use it. Costing over £500 it put me off finishing my Tube App. However i am in talks with TFL regarding the use of it, and how i could get away with providing a FREE app.

Just out of interest how much would people be willing to pay for the app? i know the iPhone one is around 59p.

Originally Posted by peeg

99p would be good, would stretch to a couple of quid depending on the functionality

£0,99 I think it's a good price and notification for probleme on a configure line would be fantastique I use to have iNotify on the iPhone and wwas receiving a push notification every morning for jubilee line at a certain time (before I leave home in the morning)

Originally Posted by influenceuk

Well so far i have
- Status Updates: Displaying the line status, with a message under it.
- Tube Lines: Each line showing their stations, and interchanges.

To Add:
- Tube Map
- Route finder
- Notifications of any issues, with the ability to turn in on and off.

For the route finder i was thinking of creating a national rail one, and integrate it in.

Paid Apps wont come until March in the UK, obviously i dont wanna over charge anyone, and personally i think £1.99 is quite a bit. I think the max i would charge is 99p.


Also i am thinking of making a TV App that will allow you to stream Live TV to your Pre

[Tumpin]

Originally Posted by influenceuk

My plan is to release the following...
- Lite: Just status updates - Cost: Free
- Standard: Status updates, Map, "Next Train" - Cost: TBC (maybe £0.79)
- Plus: Status updates, Map, "Next Train", Tube and National Rail Planner - Cost: TBC (maybe £1.59)

Let me know what you think about the possible pricing and versions?

I will look into the Bus planner for you nsabournemouth.

btw, i need to finish off some web development work but i will be back onto this next week

Yes please, I would buy it...

[StevenX]

I'd be interested in this if it had National Rail services as well, as I'll shortly be moving to the Sutton area. I'd definitely pay £1.59 for this functionality.