the GARAG3 » Gothere

1.3 submitted: easier access to bus stops/car parks, Sparklette reviews, and one more thing This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

junhan — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:09:00 +0000

Hope everyone is feeling alright on this Monday! If not, this news may just cheer you up – we've submitted the 1.3 update. Woohoo!

What's new:

1. Search or browse for bus stops

If you know the bus stop number, simply type in the 5-digit code to get to the bus stop's page. You can also search or browse for "bus stops" and get a list of bus stops around you.

Bus stops now get their own page, and from there you can find out the bus services there by tapping on the "buses" link.

To find out the next bus arrival times, tapping on a SBS bus service will bring you to the corresponding mobile IRIS page in the browser. Nice!

2. Search or browse for carparks and rates

When you search for buildings with carparks, we have now included a new link to view the carpark rates. This means you can now view carpark information without having to tap on the map icons!

To quickly see a list of carparks around your current location, just tap on "car parks" from the browse menu.

3. Sparklette.net food reviews

Sparklette is a food guide run by Veron, who has been a gothere.sg fan for the longest time – she embeds a gothere.sg map with her food reviews to make sure her readers know how to get there. How thoughtful!

When you're at a place that has been reviewed on Sparklette, be sure to tap on the link to read her review!

Check out some of her recent reviews: Miao Yi Vegetarian Restaurant, Spices Cafe at Concorde Hotel.

4. Street view with compass + motion panning

One more thing – Street View. We're bringing Google's Street View to the gothere.sg app. Of course, the experience won't be as smooth as the the default Maps application because we do not have direct access to the Street View raw images, but we think it's still useful to be able to see some form of street imagery from inside our app.

What's more, we've gone one step further by including compass and motion panning in Street View. Basically, this means you can pan your phone around and see the corresponding street view images that are in the direction you're facing. And if you are on iOS 4, you can even pan up and down simply by moving your phone!

That's all for 1.3, we'll keep you posted when this update is available for download. By the way, the launch discount is coming to an end soon, so please tell your friends to purchase the app if they haven't already! We are not even half done with what we wanna do with our app and there are many more exciting updates coming your way! :)

iPhone app update: 1.2 now available This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

junhan — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:36:00 +0000

As promised last week, version 1.2 of the gothere.sg app is now available for download.

1. Shortcut to home screen

Probably the most requested feature in 1.2, the home screen shortcut! We've followed Facebook's lead (albeit hidden) and added a "return to home" shortcut whenever you tap on a title on the navigation bar. This is definitely not a standard Apple UI convention, but we felt that it was a quick solution for power users who needed to jump back to the home screen frequently.

In addition, tapping on the back button now skips past the directions screens, a source of frustration for many users who just wanted to search for new directions.

2. Options for departure time, minimise ERP and avoid highways

Advanced options for the power user. By setting the departure time, the directions will take into account details such as peak hour surcharges for taxi fares, and bus/train operating hours for public transport.

3. "Search nearby" added to place page

We've also added the ability to search for things around a location. You'll be able to search, for instance, florists nearby "AMK Hub", if you're in desperate need to find some flowers.

4. Compass in map view

Similar to maps.app, you can now use the compass while in the map screen. Just tap on the current location button twice to activate the compass.

*hat tip to @mugunthkumar for reminding us about this.

5. Updated carpark rates

Yeah, like finally right? We know a few folks who were pretty annoyed with our outdated carpark rates, but we're a small team and we try our best. Do cut us some slack, okay? :P

That's all we have for now. You can help us improve by telling us how you're using the app, and what isn't working out for you. As usual, feedback via twitter or email is welcome.

Have a great weekend ahead everyone!

iPhone app update: 1.1 released, 1.2 submitted This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

junhan — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:12:00 +0000

Hi all, version 1.1 of the gothere.sg app is now in the App Store!

Here's what's new with this update:

1. Retina display graphics, high resolution maps

When we got our hands on an iPhone 4 and saw our app for the first time, we knew we had to do something about those ugly pixels. Count yourself lucky, iPhone 4 owners!

2. Taxi booking

The dial button calls the LTA Common Taxi Number (6-DIAL-CAB), but you still need to tell the operator your location and destination. The SMS button composes a message to Comfort's SMS-A-CAB service, with your current location in a postal code.

3. Real-time bus arrival information

Thanks to Deepak's SBS NextBus, we now have bus arrival information for SBS buses. Just tap on a bus stop in the map to bring up the infowindow, and then tap on the bus number to see the next bus arrival times.

What's next?

We have just submitted version 1.2 to Apple for review. Judging by our experience so far, the new update should take about 7 to 8 days to get reviewed and approved!

Version 1.2 will include:

Tap on title to return to home screen (the much requested shortcut)
Search nearby, from the place page
Departure time options
Minimise ERP and avoid highway options
Compass in map view

We hope you've found the application useful so far. We're still working hard to improve the app, so if you have any feedback or need help with troubleshooting, please don't hesitate to drop us an email.

iPhone App update: 1.1 released, 1.2 submitted This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

junhan — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:31:00 +0000

Hi all, just a quick update here. Version 1.1 of the gothere.sg app is now in the App Store. If you haven't purchased it yet, here's a quick run through what's new with this update:

1. Retina display and high resolution maps

The update that new iPhone 4 owners have been waiting for.

2. taxi booking (call or sms)

3. Real-time bus arrival information

Courtesy of Deepak.

At the same time, we've also submitted version 1.2 to Apple for review. Judging by our experience so far with the app review process, the new update should take about 7 to 8 days to get reviewed. So if everything goes according to plan, this update should be live sometime next week!

What's new in 1.2:

1. Tap on title to go back to home screen

We know this has been a long time coming.

2. Search nearby button on place pages

3. Departure time options

4. minimise ERP and avoid highway options

5. Compass mode

Has Apple approved the gothere.sg iPhone app? This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

dominic — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 04:35:00 +0000

You bet they have! It's on sale right now. Get it fast! And just so you know, we are already hard at work adding some new nifty features to it. Visit the app store and find out more about the gothere.sg iPhone app!

iPhone Sneak Peek – Searching for places This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

junhan — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:30:00 +0000

Here's another video, this time showing off how to find places with the app!

iPhone Sneak Peek This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

dominic — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:40:00 +0000

We have some great news to share! The gothere.sg iPhone app has been submitted to the iTunes App Store. And now we just gotta wait for Apple to give us their seal of approval. Our iPhone app has come a very long way. Truth be told, we have made over 5 different iPhone apps over the last year and a half. Unfortunately, we felt neither of them offer a fantastic user experience, and you know how we are all about creating a great user experience!

Well, that's all over now because we have finally designed and built an iPhone app that we love! And we really mean it! This app trumps over our mobile web version, even gothere.sg on the web, and really just about every other thing we have come up with.

What's a sneak peak without pictures right? We'll go one better and show you a short homemade video!

Here's a look at some of the features in the app.

Find public transport and driving directions anywhere in Singapore.
Ninja search engine - you can search using postal codes, building names, acronyms like "amk", and even businesses and amenities like "korean food" or "atms".
Simply start typing and we'll automagically suggest popular locations, as well as places you've recently searched for.
Compare the duration and cost between the various modes of transport, including bus, train, taxi and car. You can even choose between multiple routes for each mode of transport.
View useful details in your trip summary, such as the fare, duration, distance, ERP charges and number of transfers.
Find directions for your blur taxi driver and also see the full breakdown of the estimated fare, including peak hour surcharges and more.
Pick and choose a carpark around your destination and we'll show you the rates and guide you there.
Search or browse amenities and businesses around your location.
View more information about a place including the full address, phone number and even hungrygowhere reviews.
Explore the beautiful full screen map and tap on any bus stop or carpark to find out more about them.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. We'll be showing you more of the app in the coming days as we wait for the kind people at Apple to approve it. Stay tuned!

P.S. The app will not be free. However, we'll be sure to give you, our ardent supporters, a special early bird deal. =)

Week-long sponsorships, now on gothere.sg This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

KK — Wed, 12 May 2010 15:51:00 +0000

Have you noticed a message from our wonderful sponsors at the top of every search and directions page?

Over the past 2 years, many users have asked us about the lack of ads on gothere.sg. We do not believe in plastering our website with ads. We have a great service here with a wonderful user experience. Displaying run of-the-mill, mass produced ads will simply destroy the user experience and ruin the trust with our users. We wanted something that doesn't degrade the experience of using gothere.sg, something thoughtfully designed, something worthy of your attention. Something different.

As you probably know, gothere.sg is not a service provided by your tax dollars, nor is it a service backed by a giant company. We are a small local indie outfit. Despite our size and lack of resources, we are moving faster than any of the larger map services; we are the first to update our maps and directions with the Circle Line, we are also the first to roll out a preview of the distance-based fares so our users can prepare for the upcoming change. We believe we are providing a public service, so gothere.sg needs to be accessible to everyone. This means that charging you, our user, is a non-option. Therefore, we'll be bringing in a few sponsors each week to showcase their establishment, product, service or event. Their sponsorship will help keep us going while everyone can continue to enjoy using gothere.sg.

The message above is our way of allowing our sponsors to reach out to you, so you'd better check them out to show your appreciation! ;) We'll be hand-picking the sponsored messages to make sure that they offer something local and relevant to you. Most importantly, the messages will be well-designed and interesting. Flash and distracting animation is strictly prohibited. Seriously.

We hope you find the sponsored messages helpful and refreshing. If you have any comments on how they can be improved, please don't hesitate to email us. On the other hand, if you'd like to learn how to become a sponsor on gothere.sg, do visit our sponsors page to find out more.

Check and compare the new distance-based fares This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

Zhiyuan — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:40:00 +0000

Distance-based Fares

The Public Transport Council (PTC) recently announced that come 3 July, a new distance-based fare system will be introduced. 2 in 3 commuters are expected to see a reduction ($0.48 a week) or no change in their weekly public transport expenditure. As for the remaining third, their weekly public transport expenditure is expected to increase by $0.31.

This video from LTA explains how distance based fares will affect you:

So, are you one of the lucky few who will enjoy the savings, or at least maintain status quo? Or are you the unfortunate ones who has to pay more for public transport? Try out our implementation of the new distance-based fare system and find out!

Please be reminded that as much as we wish to provide accurate information to our users, our distances are at best an estimation. We urge you, our dear user, not to kick up a ruckus if our system shows a steep increase in your fares. =] Likewise, please do not start buying beer for your friends the moment you see the amount of savings you are going to enjoy.

Casino Royale

With the opening of Resort World Sentosa in February and the soft launch of Marina Bay Sands last week, Singapore is well on its way to becoming a city of SIN. Okay, that's not funny. =[

If you have been wanting to to make a trip to the casinos, you'll definitely be pleased to know that we have just updated our public transport network to include bus services to both casinos.

We hope these two updates will be useful to you. Please bear in mind the possible change in your public transport expenditure before you go try your luck at the casinos. Ka-Ching!

Update: New Circle Line Stations and NTU Shuttle Services This post is syndicated from Gothere Blog's blog. Gothere Blog

junhan — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:37:00 +0000

Here are 2 new updates to our maps that we'd like to share with you today.

Circle Line Phase 2: Dhoby Ghaut to Bartley

With the 11 new stations connecting Dhoby Ghaut and Bartley, the Circle Line (CCL) is starting to take shape, helping to make train commuting in Singapore faster and more convenient. Explore the 11 new CCL stations on our maps - Dhoby Ghaut, Bras Basah, Esplanade, Promenade, Nicoll Highway, Stadium, Mountbatten, Dakota, Paya Lebar, MacPherson and Tai Seng.

CNA reported that travelling between the north and eastern parts of Singapore is now much more convenient, with travel times taking up to less than half of what they used to on certain routes. It seems like a no-brainer, but we decided to do some simple comparisons anyway.

For a commuter travelling between Bishan and Paya Lebar, here's how the picture looked like before April 16.

The entire commute took 38 minutes, including approximately 8 minutes of estimated transfer and train waiting times.

Here's how the journey looks like with the new CCL stations.

Bishan and Paya Lebar are now only 6 stations apart, and the travelling time is expected to be about 20 minutes, including approximately 4 minutes of waiting time, and 0 transfers.

Now, compare this with driving from Bishan to Paya Lebar say around 8am in the morning. The CTE and PIE are bound to be congested and there's also an ERP charge of $2.00 each time you pass by the CTE after Braddell Road. If you haven't considered taking the train as your primary mode of transport to work, maybe you should now!

Campus Buzz Part 2: NTU Shuttle Services

Since our last update introducing NUS maps on gothere.sg, we've had plenty of NTU students asking if we could include maps of their school on our website. Well, we've been hard at work updating the maps around Boon Lay, and today we're happy to reveal detailed maps for NTU's Yunnan Garden campus on gothere.sg!

You will be able to search for locations like lecture theatres (e.g. NTU LT23), and also find directions via the university's campus shuttle bus service between places (e.g. NTU LT23 to NIE). We think it's pretty cool that directions on gothere.sg now make use of both campus shuttle services in NTU and NUS. :) Oh, and we're also working with the fine folks of NTU on something exciting, so do stay tuned for more news on this.

We hope you find these updates useful - happy commuting!