Hi folks! A few days ago @Intel_Legends & Software Legends of India announced a contest for all tech bloggers. "My India App Story" So with that in mind I thought of posting My India App story and what better time than to post it on our Independence Day. Truly a celebration of freedom for all of us, especially travel bloggers like me. Being a geek and a traveller that I am, I thought of writing a blog on one of the topics suggested on their blogs. I thought of giving an App. Idea to all the Code gurus and geeks who would certainly find it useful to create an app and sell it on Intel’s storefront – Intel AppUp Center especially for several travelers, foreign and national who go across the country every year.
I've traveled across 26 cities in India so far. And most of the times I have to rely on google maps, google, irctc app, tips from people on twitter, facebook etc. That means I have to check in / sign in or keep opening different websites at a time on my mobile or on my netbook. I always keep wondering what if? What if there was something which could help me anywhere I go on my mobile and I don't have to sign in to different websites, different accounts to remember or for that matter keep looking / hunting for information in different places on the web. What do you say? So my fellow travellers, bloggers and most importantly our 'Code Gurus' & Software Legends of India... I am proud to announce my App idea - "TravelBuddy" This one is especially for Smart phones although getting an integrated netbook version would be awesome too.
Travel Buddy is an app which will allow integration of all that is required for a traveler in one specific application. So, okay now that I've traveled so much let me list down the things that a traveler usually would required especially if he's travelling across India.
1. Magnetic Compass: - Just incase you go on a hiking trip in some mountains and end up getting lost somewhere :P 
2. Google Maps / Ovi Maps: - A very important feature especially if you are travelling alone. Now ovi maps are great especially if you rent a car, drive on your own or have a bike ride as well as it comes with a voice support guidance and will auto re-route your maps especially if you take a wrong route. Just follow it down to the tee. 
3. PhotoGuide: - Imagine if you have a photo guidebook at the touch of your finger especially with different locations just popping out and giving you tit-bits / trivia about the place. (Who would need audio guidebooks at various monuments?) You can plan out your locations accordingly, that too well in advance.
4. Travel Hub: - This one is especially for all the social media junkies. Very recently, a phone company has introduced something of this sort in one of their phones as well. But this one would be with an added feature which will just like foursquare give comments on a different place especially if anyone has been there. So this would have Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare on it. It would be integrated within this particular app itself. Whenever you check in on foursquare or you update a status on foursquare to go out on your facebook and twitter, immediately you'll get to see comments by other travellers who have been there. Not just on Foursquare but on facebook and twitter.
5. FoodBuddy:- Instead of going to Burrp.com everytime you want to check out a place to eat in a particular town / city, there should be an inbuilt feature within this app which will prompt you to check out restarurants, lodging and boarding places etc. All you need to do is click on the various venues available and there... you have information at the click of a button.
6. Ticketeer:- IRCTC already has it's a Java based app where you can do almost everything that you can do on the website, except maybe book a ticket directly. So this app should have inbuilt feature or tie up with IRCTC / Cleartrip etc to allow bookings to be done directly via the mobile phone.
7. BuddyLookUp:- This feature is super cool especially if you have all your friends across the country and friends of friends who you probably don't know. In case you need help on directions or anything for that matter this is the feature to use. As soon as you check in to a city, the app will give you suggestions of who are the friends and the second network i.e. friends of friends who live here. This way, incase you need any help, you can contact them through your friends.
8. FotoUP:- Twitpic, facebook upload through email is passe. If you are a hardcore traveller, just use this feature and upload a pic on all the platforms simultaneously with your tips for other travellers as well.
9. TravelCalculator:- A very handy tool to calculate your expenses. You can keep a track of your expenses on this, plan your budget. For foreign travellers, currency exchange rate can be available. Calculate the distance you have travelled so far. All calculations in one feature.
10. eNtertainer:- Last but not least, this is a must for all the travellers. After exhausting trips usually we leave the final day for chilling out or enjoying some places where we can have a relaxed time maybe a pub, movie hall, bowling alley or any place that will suit our entertainment needs. So this feature will have those different categories of entertainment listed and accordingly you can choose your activity and get location of the place to hang out.
So this was my entry to this contest. I hope you enjoyed reading the post. Either ways would really appreciate your comments and feedback. The more number of comments I have more will be my chances to win the contest!! :-) Either ways, would appreciate your views. Before I finish a few important things you guys should know, so here it goes especially if you are a 'Software Developer'
Check out the Intel® Atom™ Developer Program, if you are looking for an opportunity to build and monetize your applications. You can sell through Intel’s storefront – Intel AppUp Center. Intel has also set up a Million Dollar Development Fund to support developers who are looking at building innovative apps. For more details check out http://appdeveloper.intel.com/fund
Disclaimer: This blog post is an entry to Intel’s contest – My India App Story
© Copyright 2010 Srini. All rights reserved
2 comments:
Hell yeah I need this app, but it's be challenge to put all those features into just a single & simple app. But why do we have to put them all in 1 app while we can use them separately?
True... It is a challenge and that is why I've given this Idea as part of this contest, for programmers. What say? If they are together in one app, it would be very easy for the traveller thats all. Else we have to keep opening so many other things... Something like a snaptu... What say?
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