Posts Tagged ‘transport’

Use your mobile as your Oyster card!

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008

That is just one idea that has been floating around Mobile Industry Review for sometime; and it seems like after a trial period, people like it!

The Near Field Communications (NFC) which O2 had been trialling with Nokia has had some optimistic results. Apparently nine out of ten (90%) of the five hundred trialists said they were happy using the technology.

The Oyster Card is a hassle, and personally I hate the thing. Along with having to remember it, place it somewhere safe, but accessible is highly inconvenient.
Ewan said back in January “Integrating it into a mobile handset makes sense to me” and I have to say, I agree.

The results of this trial don’t come as much of a surprise really, when similar uses of technology have been implemented in Japan for example. I hope that this won’t be the end of the line for NFC technology; it’s taken long enough to get here, and from the results of this small, but useful trial scream that there is a strong desire, and liking towards it.

Eighty-nine percent of the trialists said they were interested in having their Oyster Card integrated into their mobile phone.

I want to know, do we ever expect a release date for this technology to be rolled out completely within London’s transport systems?

Google’s Mobile Maps: for when you’ve had one too many

Monday, June 9th, 2008

Google has announced an update to the latest version of its Mobile Maps software (2.2) with some handy new features. Now as well as the usual street directions from Google, the Mobile Map app can also provide information on public transport too, so you can find what bus or train will get you to where you need to go.

At the moment, the information is only for some 40 cities in North America but I really hope we’re going to see it coming to the London transport network some time in the very near future. And here’s why: the updated Google Mobile Maps has a feature which can tell you when the last bus or train of the day goes.

So, imagine you’re at an unfamiliar pub somewhere and you really fancy staying for just one more but you don’t know if you’ll miss the last bus home if you do. All you’ve got to do is open up Google Maps and voila: you’ll know in a couple of clicks if you can squeeze in a cheeky half and make the last bus or not.

The version with US transit info is available here.


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