My first Android app: Alert user when about to reach Railway station

[tspshikari]

Hi,
I've developed my first Android app called Destination Alarm. The app Alert user when she/he is about to reach destination Railway station.
The app doesn't uses GPS or INTERNET.

Please use and review the app and give valuable feedback to improve the app.

Playstore link:
*play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ajitabh.android.DestinationAlarm

 

[rhitwick]

Looks good, will check it out. Not much of a train traveler though.

 

[krishnandu.sarkar]

Nice..!! Usefull for people whose destination station arrival timing is at midnight or early morning.

Just a technical query, you mentioned that you are not using Internet and GPS. In that case how to do determine the distance threshold (Say 15KM) from destination station?

 

[tspshikari]

Using Google location api which determine the location through GPS/Internet/Wifi/Network. Iam using the network part.

 

[ariftwister]

Using Google location api which determine the location through GPS/Internet/Wifi/Network. Iam using the network part.

IMO, using only Network to find the location won't be accurate. Why not include combo of these to increase the accuracy??

 

[lywyre]

Using GPS would be accurate. You need not turn on GPS until 20 minutes before the scheduled time.

 

[tspshikari]

In the initial beta version, I've done that. Designed the algorithm so that for max part it uses network and for the first and last part of journey to use GPS. But it was consuming battery very much because the train mostly consume more time in the outer. From the inputs of the beta users, I went for network. Also for this application precise location is not important becuase the threshold Trigger Distance is always in the range of 15km.

 

[sling-shot]

Buddy you have done the right thing. Generally one would expect the battery power remaining to be on the lower side towards the end of a journey hence going for the low power option is sensible. But if location is already enabled will Google give a more accurate one automatically? If not may be provide it as an option for the user.

Thanks a ton. I am going to check it out now

 

[tkin]

Nice job, will try your app in future but I have one doubt. Your app uses internet. When travelling on express train 70% or more of the time I do not get internet, whatever I get near some big towns is very low quality 2g, I can barely check whatsapp let alone load apps. So how much internet bandwidth does your app consume?

BTW irctc have launched this: *www.services.irctc.co.in/betaDoc/DAlert.pdf

 

[$hadow]

App look nice. But yeah I am also curious about bandwidth consumption.

 

[tspshikari]

The app doesn't uses internet...

 

[tkin]

The app doesn't uses internet...

So if I keep internet disconnected, and start the phone and boot your app then it will work properly? Then you must be using GPS.

 

[ariftwister]

Technically, the app doesn't use internet, it uses Location API from google.

 

[sling-shot]

Location can be triangulated approximately using cell signal I think. It will be rough like within 3 km or something but would be good enough for the purpose.

 

[tkin]

Location can be triangulated approximately using cell signal I think. It will be rough like within 3 km or something but would be good enough for the purpose.

But I haven't seen this in any android app, ever. Is it even possible? Every app requires internet or GPS.