Veloid [en]

A new Veloid is born...

2009-09-04T04:13:00.000-07:00

I will try to update this post with screencaptures afterwards ... ;-)

YES ! I finished my new interface. Suring the past monthes, a lot of people sent me some feedback indicating that veloid is an application with an high potential but this potential can't be seen because of the interface.
I really thank all the people who make me those feedbacks.

So I decided to make a all new interface with the following guidelines :
- Respect the Android standard.
- Loose the minimum space on screen.

So I decided to remove all the information no more required and that seems obvious. For instance, you know on which network you are.

The new design is based on 4 tabs : favorites, search, map, timer (and preferences) :

The FAVORITE tab:
This tab displays a list of favorite. You can add/remove favorites by clicking on the "menu" button.
You can also "long click" a favorite in the list in order to see some more contextual actions such as :
- Rename the favorite
- View the favorite on the map (and displays nearest stations around)
- Change the color of the favorite (for a better view)
- Delete the favorite (avoid to go throught the menu)

The SEARCH tab:
The seach tab allows you to find slot(s) or bike(s) nearby.
You first choose a number and what you are looking for (bikes or slot). The map will be opened with the requested filter set.

The MAP tab:
If you directly open the map tab, you will be automatically geolocated and nearest stations will be displayed.
Click on the menu button to have more options

The TIMER tab:
This is the same timer than before.

The PREFERENCE tab:
This tab allows you to define some preferences, same preferences than before are available and now you can choose your default tab.

So, with all these improvements(??? :-) ) I hope your will more enjoy the veloid experiment.

During this update I also add the french networks :
- Velcom, Plaine Commune (a group of cities in the north of Paris)
- Velam, Amiens
- Veolcité, Mulhouse

So if you have any feedbacks, you can send them to me (contact_at_veloid.fr).

Montpellier and the en of the SFR (Vodafone) competition

2009-04-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

The last days before the end of the competition has been really subject to a lot of improvment among with :

The map is now a little bit more sexy
Velomagg, from Montpellier is now supported.
I added a compass on the map
Nextbike(Germany) team provided a translation adated to the new main screen
The main screen is now more readable

I really wish my best to Veloid for the SFR competition !!!

Das Programm für die Bike-Sharing für android

2009-03-02T06:16:00.000-08:00

Since my personnal life is changing a lot (new job, baby...), I did not communicate a lot and I apologize for that.

Here are the latest news for Veloid !

German translation for Veloid

I REALLY thanks the Nextbike team (http://nextbike.net/) which translated all the interfaces in German.

And, thanks to Nextbike, I added a new function. For each network, I can now add a dedicated button in the main interface with a specific function.

For nextbike for instance, you can open the Nextbike Mobile Web site in order to rent or return a bike.

A post on "the bike-sharing" blog

"The bike-sharing blog" posted an article about Veloid.

You can consult the article here :

http://bike-sharing.blogspot.com/2009/01/veloid-making-bike-sharing-even-better.html

This blog is really influent and read by the Bike sharing actors so I really thanks also Paul DeMayo for its post. My website has never been so visited =)

Two new cities : Zaragoza (Spain) and Milan (Italy)

The networks Bizi de Zaragoza et BikeMi de Milan can be now selected inside Veloid.

Ringtone selection

Users can now select the ringtone they want for the sound alarm.

Wana dance (ride?) Samba? Use Veloid in Rio de Janeiro

2008-12-27T13:15:00.001-08:00

Before reading this post, launch this player to be in the mood \(^o^)/

In December, Rio de Janeiro released a bike sharing system named Samba (only 5 stations but this is the beginning).

So, as you can guess if you read it there, Veloid is now handling Samba!
You can check the availability of bikes and slots of Samba bikes on your Android phone.

I hope Rio citizens and tourists will use Veloid...

Evidences (!^_^):

The network selection

With some favorites selected

The map after a search near an address

Note 1 : There is also an invisible enhancement in Veloid code. It is now easier and safer for me to register new networks =)

Note 2: I hope this network will make sexier (if possible...) the bottoms of Brazilian girls (!^_^)

New pins on the map view and a quick start guide [0.9.5]

2008-12-12T00:16:00.000-08:00

A new release of Veloid (0.9.5) has been delivered to the market !

The modifications in this version are explained below.

First a minor one: during the first launch, all the popups have the same look and feel (at first launch there is a kind of wizard). Unified pop-ups are :

Accept EULA
Select the network
Update the list of stations
Launch the Quick start guide

Yes, you well the last bullet. A quick start guide has been implemented. Actually this quick start guide opens a dedicated web page. I chosen this solution because it is easier for me to maintain and it takes less memory on devices.

Thanks to this guide, you understand better the way you can to use Veloid regarding the kind of user you are (regular user, visitor in a city...etc).

This is the first version but you can already visit the website (it is for android devices and not computers with high resolution):Veloid Quick Start Guide

And finally I implemented new a look and feel for the pins on the map. I now use a stretchable image. The result seems cleaner and more in the "theme" of Veloid.

I hope these modifications make the application better.

New icons for "express searches"

2008-11-28T15:06:00.001-08:00

Some people said that they did not understood the meaning of the buttons, in the main screen.

The issue was mainly with the express search.

So I tried to do the job by myself:

If you are an artist like I am... (!^_^) you then understand that :

The first button is dedicated to the express bikes search (I want bikes nearby !)
The second button is dedicated to the express slots search (I want slots nearby !).. and not to prevent riders from hitting a wall, a car or any orange object that can be represented by the orange part (!^_^)

Roma'n'Bike from Roma is now under Android thanks to Veloid ! Ti amo Android

2008-11-11T09:04:00.001-08:00

Even if Materazzi gave an head shot to Zidane few years ago ... I said to myself to be not rancorous...

Then I decided to include the network Roma'n'Bike (from Roma ... I hope you guess =) ).

This network is now managed under Android.

I am really in an hurry to see Android phones in Europe. I hope I will make the life of such network users better =)

Few screen shots to show you it is true =)

The main screen - Roma'n'Bike under Veloid [Android Emulator]

The map of Roma - Roma'n'Bike under Veloid [Android Emulator]

The first time on a G1 !

2008-11-03T07:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks to one of my friend I could see my Android app on a G1.

I promise you that I am very VERY VERY HAPPYto see it running on a real phone ! Actually nobody except few VERY lucky guys has an handset in France so it is hard for active developper like I am =)

It is like a child birth =)

I let you enjoy the application's screen :

don't laught ... I took the pictures with an iPhone =)

The main screen is OK

Pop up menus are shown correctly and it is really beautiful

The map is working well !

I just see some points :

A timeout too short for the map
Activities are killed if they are processing when the phone goes from landscape mode to not landscape (I don't know the word =) )
I did't think about the landscape mode when users enter data thanks to the keyboard...

So I will correct it soon !

1000 billions thanks to Mr M to show me its phone.

Veloid is now on the market :: Any feedback ?

2008-10-30T05:20:00.000-07:00

A pre-version of Veloid for Android is now available on the market.

within 2 days, 120 download with 75% of active installations.

For the current users, the application manage these intresting bike sharing networks :

USA - smartbike - Washington DC
UK - OYBike - London (the market is open from today to UK)

(other networks in europe are managed by default).

As I don't have a G1 phone (not available in France) I can't test Veloid in real life.

If you are using Veloid, maybe you can send me a short feedback (contact@veloid.fr).

I can't read the comments on the market (!).

It could help to increase the application quality.

Time is money !!

2008-10-27T00:47:00.001-07:00

The timer has been redesign

to fit the fingers of the users instead of the mouse pointer =)
to be coherent with the main look and feel (even if I am not an artist =) )

Some screen captures:

Timer settings

______________________________________________

Timer running

Bikes save the Queen ! OYBike is now available on Android phones

2008-10-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

The OYBike network is one of the few UK bike sharing network.

Thanks to Veloid you can now manage the OYBike bikes on your Android phone !!!

Look at these screen captures !

London map

One favorite displayed

Network selection

Almost, the algorithm to display filtered stations has been optimized !

I am in a hurry to see the Android market !

Enjoy my dear English friends !

PS : this post is for my friends Trevor and Alison =)

American dream !!

2008-09-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

Discover James Brown!

For a business trip I had to go to Boston. I wonder then if the bike sharing exist in the US (cities are so bbbiiggg !!)
...
and I discovered few networks.

I decided to open to one of those network and I chose ... the capital : WASHINGTON DC !!

My american friends (and Washington citizens or tourists =)), you will be the first to enjoy Veloid (... Android should be in Europe before 2020 ;-) ).

Two new french cities (Lyon and Besançon) included

2008-09-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

if you visit or live in the beautiful towns of Lyon or Besançons

Be aware that the networks

Vélo'v, à Lyon (including Villeurbanne, Caluire, Vault en velin)
Vélocité, à Besançon

are now included inside Veloid !

Enjoy !

Two more \ (!0_0)/

veloid.fr has a new design !

2008-09-10T05:06:00.001-07:00

My dear friend Flo has made the design of the Veloid website :
www.veloid.fr

The requirements were :

rules of the 3 clicks
simple
design coordinated with the application

I think the mission is accomplished. I am very proud of his work.

I still work on the web site but I know it will be soon finished !

Do not hesitate to give me your feedbacks

Veloid english blog is now open !

2008-09-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the english blog of Veloid,
the application that ease your life with city bike networks.