Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook • Hacker News Board

Re: Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook

#41

Post by martythemaniak » Thu, Sep 27, 2012, 9:35 PM UTC

awolf wrote: post #22

Yikes. I've been working on an iOS based competitor for the past three months. My concept is a bit different. I'm using photo data from public sharing sites and clustering geotag locations to determine scenic or popular points of interest. Users can then create custom walking tours to one or more of these locations. I've only got a few days left of development, so I'll probably get it out before Niantic/Google's iOS…

Don't get discouraged - look at it as validation of your idea. Not everything Google does turns to gold and there may be plenty of opportunity in doing something vaguely similar, but different.

So, launch, listen to your users and iterate! Good luck.

Re: Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook

#42

Post by awolf » Thu, Sep 27, 2012, 9:37 PM UTC

_djo_ wrote: post #38

awolf wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the problem is that Google Play won't let you download an app from the U.S. store based on where your current ISP is located then: 1) that's dumb* and 2) download Field Trip when you get back to the U.S. The point is developers shouldn't have to worry about people in un-supported countries downloading their apps and finding them worthless due to no content. * (it should be based on your Google Play account setting…

How about if I, as a non-American, want to buy this app to use on an upcoming US trip?

The other side of this coin, people downloading the app to use in their home countries when those countries are un-supported, is much more common. Probably two orders of magnitude more common. Sorry it sucks for you, but I'd make the exact same decision as Google here 100% of the time.

Re: Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook

#43

Post by yitchelle » Thu, Sep 27, 2012, 9:53 PM UTC

vailripper wrote: post #23

That was one of the best product videos I've seen. Engaging, with enough hints to what it does to make you want to download it.

I have to say the video left me more confuse about what it does. The name gives it very little context, and the video does not provide any additional information. A bit too abstract for me.

Re: Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook

#44

Post by diminoten » Thu, Sep 27, 2012, 10:03 PM UTC

yitchelle wrote: post #43

vailripper wrote: post #23

That was one of the best product videos I've seen. Engaging, with enough hints to what it does to make you want to download it.

I have to say the video left me more confuse about what it does. The name gives it very little context, and the video does not provide any additional information. A bit too abstract for me.

I'd have to agree with this. It's a beautiful video, but from an advertising standpoint it provides literally nothing. I know absolutely nothing more about the product than I did before I watched the video.

Re: Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook

#45

Post by hrktb » Thu, Sep 27, 2012, 10:10 PM UTC

awolf wrote: post #26

TillE wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who live in one country may travel to others. It's absurd to enforce the limitation at this level. I'm getting really sick of apps in the Android store that are restricted by country when they're not legally obligated to be that way.

If the problem is that Google Play won't let you download an app from the U.S. store based on where your current ISP is located then: 1) that's dumb* and 2) download Field Trip when you get back to the U.S. The point is developers shouldn't have to worry about people in un-supported countries downloading their apps and finding them worthless due to no content. * (it should be based on your Google Play account setting…

Except when you have a really really good reason to do so, you shouldn't limit your app download countries.

Even for apps requiring physical or legal presence in the country (specific store app, subway guide, bank etc), you still have a chance that the people using it set their Google Play account to another country or use foreign billing information. Expats and tourists are an obvious case, using the billing information of family or friends abroad is another one.

Setting multiple account in different store countries is a major PITA, and getting updates for apps downloaded on mostly unused stores is painful as well.

Re: Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook

#46

Post by waterlesscloud » Thu, Sep 27, 2012, 10:24 PM UTC

mikeevans wrote: post #14

It says it's by NianticLabs@Google. Any more information about what The Niantic Project is? Their website doesn't say much: http://www.nianticproject.com/

Origin of the name for the curious - "Niantic was a whaleship that brought fortune-seekers to Yerba Buena later renamed San Francisco during the California Gold Rush of 1849." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niantic_(whaling_vessel)

Re: Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook

#47

Post by windle » Fri, Sep 28, 2012, 5:28 AM UTC

itsouk wrote: post #35

windle wrote: post #27

Love how there was obviously no testing of the site on Firefox, as clicking the video pause or volume buttons hides the entire video. Pause/volume works fine on Chrome/Safari of course.

what os/firefox/flash version are you using?

I tried it in FF Nightly and FF release. Using the latest Flash as far as I know.

Re: Google releases 'Field Trip' app, a location-aware guidebook

#48

Post by _djo_ » Fri, Sep 28, 2012, 9:00 AM UTC

awolf wrote: post #42

_djo_ wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about if I, as a non-American, want to buy this app to use on an upcoming US trip?

The other side of this coin, people downloading the app to use in their home countries when those countries are un-supported, is much more common . Probably two orders of magnitude more common. Sorry it sucks for you, but I'd make the exact same decision as Google here 100% of the time.

Would be nice to have a third option, that incorporates the country limitations into the purchasing process and warns you when buying the app that it has no data/support/whatever for your country. At least then those of us who do travel frequently and want to be able to use these apps when we do will have that option.