Dissertation – Some initial research
This document details current Android applications related to the Tyne and Wear Metro and states some initial plans for implementation of a Metro based app.
Four applications were found on Google Play, two paid, one free, one with pay to remove ads.
Tyne & Wear Metro – Adeel Ahmed – Free
This appears to be the best app. The interface is well designed and it offers more features than the other apps. It offers a timetable showing the next few trains from each platform at a chosen station, A news feed, presumably obtained from Nexus, listing any incidents which have happened and a map of the metro system (looks like google maps). It allows stations to be “favourited” for easy access to that stations timetable. According to the developer’s website, it was programmed in Java. It is the most recently updated app. It has been downloaded 1,000 to 5,000 times according to Google.
Tyne and Wear Metro Free - Visual IT Limited – Free or £1.99 paid version.
This app has clearly been churned out using a standard model for creating apps for underground railways. The company Zuti which made it has many other apps for underground systems around the world. Looking through the screenshots the app looks very clumsy and not very intuitive to use. There is too much stuff happening on the screen at once. Features offered include a map, a “minute map” showing the time taken travelling between stations, a planner to find the fastest route within the network, a way to locate the nearest station, live train times for stations and “online street map integration” (???). This app is capable of partly working offline, potentially saving battery and making it more widely usable. The free version has been downloaded 50 to 100 times and the paid version 1 to 5 times.
Tyne and Wear Metro Timetable – Trowbridge Development - £1.00
This app looks like a good way to waste £1. It simply displays a timetable for the station which you pick from a list. It doesn’t even direct you to the current time of day (unless it’s always 6am for you). The description states “37 Stations added so far, 23 to go.....” so he hasn’t even added in every station yet. It has not been updated since 6th June 2012 so the timetable is probably out of date. The only advantage is that it works offline. It has been downloaded 50 to 100 times!
Next Metro – Never Odd or Even LLP - £0.99
I would rate this as the second best app. It provides the same functions as the first app, minus the news feed. You can select stations alphabetically or by location and it provides live train times from the station. It also offers station favourites and a map, just like the first app. It has not been updated since 27 June 2011 and has been downloaded 500 to 1,000 times.
To conclude, here are some things I could potentially include in a Metro app:
• Live train times from each station
• Service updates via Metro twitter or other sources
• A map of the line
• A Journey planner
• Some methods to contact Nexus for enquiries.
I’m sure there are others I’m yet to think of.
