Web-based Exercise #3:

Location-based Services, User Intefaces, and Mobile GIS Apps.

Estimated time: 4 hours

Grading: 8 points total (ONE point for each question).

Due Day: Mar 22 at the beginning of lecture (2:00 pm). You should upload your lab answers to the Blackboard ( http://blackboard.sdsu.edu ) before the lecture. We will use the Timestamp on your documents in the Blackboard to check if your assignment is late or not.

(In your upload file, please use this title: [GEOG104-LAB-#-[Your name].doc (or txt or pdf). Please write down your answers in MS Word or WordPAD or other word processing software. Please always save a local backup copy of your own answers.)

This exercise will require smart phones to install a few example apps. If you don’t have smart phone exercises, please email your name to the TA (Melanie). Your TA will arrange a check-out of iPod Touch or iPad from the Geography Department for your exercise.

Please read the following articles (20 mins):

http://geoawesomeness.com/expected-trends-technological-advancements-location-based-services/

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5386-location-based-services.html

Q1 (one point): Please use your own words to define "Locationb-based Services" and introduce one LBS application with the related website link (with URL included in this report) (Do not use the examples provided in this exercise).

Mobile App Example #1: Waze

Waze is a traffic monitoring and navigation app using crowd-sourced information (data provided by the “crowd” – users). Take a look at the Waze info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waze

Install the “Waze” on your Smart phone (using Google Play or iTune Store) or iPad or iPod touch.

Test this “Waze” App for 15 mins.

Try the “search function” (top), or zoom in to download San Diego to see the recent traffic updates or incident reports.

Q2: Which Company acquired “Waze” in 2013? How much money did the company pay for this acquisition? (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waze). Write down the major functions provided in the Waze App. Do you like the user interface design of Waze? Why and Why not? Provide one of your favorite function in Waze and one function you don’t like. Make one screen shot of your favorite function in Waze (attached in your report).

Note: To create a screenshot on your smart phone, here are some tips:

Android Phones: https://www.greenbot.com/article/2825064/android/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-your-android-phone.html

iPhones: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT200289

Mobile App Example #2: iNaturalist

iNaturalist is a citizen science project and online social network of naturalists, citizen scientists, and biologists built on the concept of mapping and sharing observations of biodiversity across the globe. (cited from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INaturalist).

Install the “iNaturalist” on your Smart phone (using Google Play or iTune Store) or iPad or iPod touch.

Create your own iNaturalist account on the app. Explore the observations around the SDSU campus. Try to create your own observation into the iNaturalist.

Search for the project “SDSU Campus bioBlitz” at the top of the page and click to JOIN THIS PROJECT at the top right, once you are on the project page. Now, any observation you make within the project area boundary (SDSU campus) should be automatically added to the project.

Spend 20 mins to play this iNaturalist app and create one new observation at SDSU campus. When you make a new observation, take a screen shot and save it for the next question.

Q3: Which company or organization develop “iNaturalist”? Write down the major functions provided in the iNaturalist App. Do you like the user interface design? Why and Why not? Provide one of your favorite function in iNaturalist and one function you don’t like. Make one screen shot of your own observation at SDSU campus (attached the screen shot in your report).

Mobile App Example #3: Get it Done San Diego Official

Get It Done San Diego is the official app for reporting non-emergency problems to the City of San Diego. App users can report problems like potholes or graffiti and connect directly to the City’s work tracking system.

Spend 15 mins to play this app. Try the different functions provided in the App. Take a look at the Recent Report and click on the “Map view” (upper right corner in the Recent Report Page). Can you see any recent report nearby your home?

Q4: Which company or organization develop this app, “Get it Done San Diego”? Write down the major functions provided in the App. Do you like the user interface design? Why and Why not? Provide one of your favorite function in “Get it Done” and one function you don’t like. Make one screen shot of one recent Report in San Diego (attached the screen shot in your report).

Mobile App Example #4: SD Emergency

The SD Emergency App contains disaster preparedness information, interactive checklists to help you to create your emergency plan, build an emergency supplies kit, and when disaster strikes; the SD Emergency App will keep you and your family informed with emergency updates, interactive emergency maps, and shelter locations.

Install the “SD Emergency” on your Smart phone (using Google Play or iTune Store) or iPad or iPod touch. Explore the information in ReadySanDiego, Emergency, and Recovery Sections.

SD-emergency-screen

Try different functions and tasks in this app. Go to the Emergency Tab, and open the “Emergency Map”. This map may look empty now since there is no disasters in San Diego now. But take a look at the legend in the map and see how many different types of information can be integrated into this app. Write down the list of the layers.

Q5: Which organization develop this app, “SD Emergency”? Write down the major functions provided in this App. Do you like the user interface design? Why and Why not? Provide one of your favorite function in this app and one function you don’t like. Write down the list of map layers provided in the Emergency Map. Attached a screen shot of your favorite function in the App.

Mobile App Example #5: ReadySD Social

This mobile app allows you to re-send up-to-date emergency public information to your friends and contacts during crisis or disaster situations. Your participation ensures that each OES message will be delivered to our San Diego community members in a timely and efficient manner. This app is developed by the Center for Human Dynamics in the Mobile Age at San Diego State University. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ionicframework.volunteer789118

ReadySD-social

screen-readysd-social

Getting Started

1. The ReadySD Social App is available in both iOS and Android platforms.

a. For Android users, go to Google Play and search for “ReadySD Social” to install.

b. For iPhone or iPad users (iOS), go to the App Store and search for “ReadySD Social” to install.

2. Once the app is installed, you are ready to launch the ReadySD Social App! You will be welcomed by the following splash screen:

splash

3. A welcome page, which contains a Notification message, will appear and you will be given the option to opt from showing the message again (1). Click on “Start the App” (2) to begin.

notification

4. The ReadySD Social Messages screen is now visible. You can navigate through different tabs. The first tab in the bottom menu is the Retweet tab in which the twitter messages are displayed. You have three options for display: (1) within 1 hour, (2) today, or (3) all of the twitter messages.

retweet

5. The rest of the tabs in the bottom menu are as follows: Emergency Feed (1), Participants (2), Account (3), and About (4). The Emergency Feed (1) allows you to open the link and email the link to your friends. The Participants tab (2) will list all the participants in San Diego involved in the project once you receive a confirmation email approving your registration. Please feel free to navigate through the tabs (1 – 4).

The Participants List (2) will appear after registration approval

6. The next step is to “Register as Participant” (Note this step is optional. Since you will need to create a Twitter account in order to register. You can choose to register as Participant or just use this app’s limited functions without registration). This will not have impact to your grade of this exercise. If you register as participant, you can help the San Diego community to re-send emergency news to more people.

7. After clicking on the “Register as Participant” link, you will be asked to provide your information through the “San Diego OES Communication Participant Signup Form”. Follow the procedures and provide your information.

8. After submitting the participant signup form, the HDMA Center will review your registration within one or two days and will send you a confirmation email approving your registration. Once your application is reviewed you are ready to login to your account.

9. Go to the Participant or Account tab in the bottom menu and login to your Twitter account by clicking the “Twitter Login” link (1). Provide your email address and password used to login to Twitter (2-4). You will be logged in automatically next time!

10. After logging in, you can go back to the Retweet tab and start retweeting the ReadySanDiego twitter posts! You can retweet your OES messages (1), or add your personal message (2) or see your retweet! (4)

after

The ReadySD Social Messages you retweet will show up as in a new window once you click “See Retweet.”

see-retweet

Spend 20 mins to explore different functions in this App.

Q6: Which organization develop the app, “ReadySD Social”? Write down the major functions provided in this App. Do you like the user interface design? Why and Why not? Provide one of your favorite function in this app and one function you don’t like. Provide one screen shot of the emergency message example provided in this App (from the Last 50 tweets in the RETWEET tab or from the Emregency Feed tab).

Q7: Compare the five previous examples of mobile GIS apps. Which apps are examples of “Location-based Services”? Which apps are using “crowd-sourcing” framework? Which apps are creating “citizen science”? Search for one new example of location-based services and provide a brief introduction of the app and a screenshot.

Q8: Read the following two articles about the “locational privacy” issue:

· http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/opinion/01tue4.html

· https://www.fastcompany.com/3068846/how-your-location-data-identifies-you-gilad-lotan-privacy

Do you agree or disagree with the arguments in the two articles? What is your own opinion about the locational privacy? Do you have major concerns of locational privacy? Do you want to protect your own locational privacy? Or you don’t think this is a major problem for LBS?

Due Day: March 22 (Thursday) at the beginning of lecture (before 2pm).

You should upload your lab answers to the Blackboard (http://blackboard.sdsu.edu) before the lecture. We will use the Timestamp on your documents in the Blackboard to check if your assignment is late or not.

(In your upload file, please use this title: [GEOG104-LAB-2-[Your name].doc (or pdf). Please write down your answers in MS Word or other word processing software. Please always save a local backup copy of your own answers.)

Web Exercise Questions:

Q2: Which Company acquired “Waze” in 2013? How much money did the company pay for this acquisition? (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waze). Write down the major functions provided in the Waze App. Do you like the user interface design of Waze? Why and Why not? Provide one of your favorite function in Waze and one function you don’t like. Make one screen shot of your favorite function in Waze (attached in your report).

Q8: Read the following two articles about the “locational privacy” issue:

· http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/opinion/01tue4.html

· https://www.fastcompany.com/3068846/how-your-location-data-identifies-you-gilad-lotan-privacy