Your App Idea

[steven-king]

Post an issue before class with your idea. Please follow this formate:

Problem:

Solution/Description of Idea:

Similar Apps and Why:

[hjjweiss]

Problem #1: Being at a party of social event where one person is playing music on their phone through Spotify, Sonos, iTunes, etc. and wanting a certain song played. Solution: Creating a shared queue where party attendees can submit a song to be queued on the playlist. The initial music player would be able to accept/reject that song suggestion. This app would make it so you don't have to seek out the person playing the music in order to request a song. It could be a feature of Spotify or Sonos, or maybe its own app all together. Similar Apps: I didn't see anything specifically solving this problem, but the problem had been brought up on several sites. There are options for doing a collaborative playlist where people can add songs to a playlist if they have the link to that playlist.

Problem #2: Spending a ton of time in the grocery store looking for a random, specific item. Grocery aisles have lists of what is on that aisle, but it is really broad and doesn't include where you might find an item that doesn't necessarily fit into one of those categories. Solution: An app that allows you to make your grocery list and select which grocery store you're planning on doing your shopping. Based on inventory connections with that specific grocery store, it would create an optimal mapped out plan for how to get your shopping done the quickest--including the aisle and specific location within the aisle for every item on your list. Additional features could include suggestions for wines to pair with the meal your making, or more recipe suggestions, cost estimates, coupons available. Similar Apps: There are plenty of grocery list apps out there, like Grocery IQ, that allow you to share shopping lists, barcode scan, coupons. Another is Grocery Gadget that lets you send push notifications to the shopper to request last minute grocery items.

-Hannah Weiss

[ghost]

Problem: In the US, 10% of adults are dealing with depression at any time. Depression is highly treatable but often left untreated, partially because people with depression lack the resources or energy to see a therapist.

Solution: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most effective treatment for depression. My app will facilitate self-guided CBT by walking users through the process of 1) noticing negative emotions, 2) reflecting on their causes, 3) identifying the cognitive distortions that fuel the negative emotions, and 4) combating the negative emotions with healthier, undistorted thoughts. This process will take the form of adding entries to a journal, leaving the user with a log of personal data to monitor and reflect on.

Similar Apps: There are a handful of similar apps including eCBT Calm (iOS), Cognitive Diary CBT Self-Help (Android), Cognitive Diary (CBT) (Android), and iCouch CBT (iOS). Many of them are either broken or amateurly designed, but still have high user ratings, proving that this kind of service is valuable. Since the heart of this app is in its interface and user interaction, my goal is to make my app correspond to the mental processes of the user as closely as possible.

-Kammy Liu

[steven-king]

@hjjweiss Check out http://crowdtunes.com/full.html I know the CTO if you are interestd in talking with him.

[steven-king]

@aila293 See if you identify and expert or two on campus that could help you develop this in a professional way?

[lexinamer]

Problem: As the internet to continues to proliferate the way we communicate, records of our lives are becoming increasingly scattered across a wide variety of non-connecting platforms. These platforms (Facebook, email, Instagram, iPhone, etc) are not guaranteed to exist in the future, leaving our “virtual memories” in danger. For example, when I began college, the popular platform was MySpace, which was how my freshman roommate and I messaged each other. For her wedding this past spring, I went to find our old conversations to read as a toast, but all messages prior to 2009 had been deleted by MySpace.

Solution: Create a user friendly and long-term solution for personal digital archiving. Ideally, this will somehow work tandem with the websites and social platforms people regularly use, and will allow users to quickly and easily save and store chosen information in a central place (the actual app). When visiting the actual app, the saved information (messages, photos, etc) will be organized and viewable. Additional features would be something similar to Facebook’s “look back” videos, where users would receive reminders of previously saved information, helping them rediscover forgotten moments. A huge pipe dream would then have users receive a yearly copy of the information so they could access it locally on their machines.

Similar Apps: I haven’t been able to find anything that does exactly what I propose. Shoebox (http://shoeboxapp.com/) is an app that helps catalog and rediscover photos. 1000Memories was acquired by Ancestry.com that helps turn the analogue into digital, and Mi Life Map (http://milifemap.com) helps organize and archive “memories” but required a lot of front end work to set up, constant maintenance, and has a pretty unfortunate interface. The Library of Congress has a toolbox to help archive your digital assets but it is all manual and very time consuming.

[wesleyhitson]

Problem: While I was helping friends move in the past couple of weeks, I moved a lot of furniture. That got me thinking about a way to communicate the dimensions of something via picture rather than having to describe the dimensions of something to a person who may not have seen the piece of furniture.

Solution: My original idea was to create an app that would allow one to take a picture and insert text/writing over the top, similar to Snapchat. However, Snapchats are temporary, and they limit the amount you can write. My app would allow one to insert multiple text boxes onto a picture. All of the pictures would be saved, so if you needed to know the dimensions of a couch, you could take a picture, label it, and send it to someone without worrying about it vanishing.

Alternative Solution: Yesterday's class got me thinking about a more "futuristic" solution, if you will. This app would allow the user to walk around an object and take a 360 degree picture to create a 3D image. This image can then be sent to a recipient who would take a 360 bubble image of a room. Upon receiving the image, the 3D object could be moved around the room in a virtual reality way that would allow the recipient to decide where the object will go, if it will fit in the room, if it will fit through the door, etc. This could be especially useful for people who have not moved in yet, as they could image rooms of their house and test fit furniture. This also prevents people from moving large pieces of furniture, only to realize that it won't fit through the door or won't fit in the room. It is also a lot less expensive and time consuming to move virtual furniture.

Similar Ideas: There are lots of photo storing services, but I cannot find any that allow one to draw/write on the picture. There is a service called "Adornably" that let's users place virtual furniture in their rooms, but the pieces have to come from their catalogue so it is limiting in selection. Ikea has a similar augmented reality app. My unique feature would be the ability to scan/image your own objects.

[Jkotansky]

Problem: Communicating at work in a more secure and efficient manner.

Solution/Description of Idea: My idea is to make a chat client for enterprises that not only enables faster communications between team members but also enables a secure platform in which the message is encrypted end to end, I believe this is an area in which business could expand since traditional email are slower and not as dynamic as a chat client.

Similar Apps and Why: Jostle (www.jostle.me) This app addresses many issues but where they lack is the idea of security in encryption since business value IP it is extremely important to be able to offer security through a client. Otherwise this app has very dynamic features.

[brmayes]

Problem: Ain’t nobody stomping on the Air Force One...but the president and the other SUPER important people. (Please tell me y’all got that Nelly reference) Shouldn’t we all be important enough to experience the Air Force One?

Solution/Description of Idea: Build an application that uses Leap Motion or similar technology combined with a 3D model of the Air Force One to give an interactive and informational experience.

Similar Apps and Why: I don’t know any similar apps because this isn’t necessarily something I would do in an app. I would write the code for a Mac.

Problem: It is often difficult for teams to work on a project and coordinate seamlessly.

Solution/Description of Idea: Make an app to allow a group to coordinate on assignments. The app would allow projects to be programed in with leading roles and contributor roles, allow leaders to assign tasks to others, add a schedule or list display to give viewing options, as well as a chat function to easily communicate. Notifications would be used as well as alarms, etc.

Similar Apps and Why: Podio is a similar app, and now I’m sad because it looks very useful and like what I’m described :( so nevermind but I'm going to leave this here anyways.

I CLICKED THE WRONG BUTTON WHOOPS

[bhwarren]

Problem & Why: Nutritional Deficiencies are not only a big problem for vegans/vegetarians, but also the general population in many countries, including the United States. Often times, those who have these deficiencies do no have the funds to access a nutritionist or sufficient knowledge of nutrition in general.

Solution/Description of Idea: Make an app that can recognize what foods you are eating through image recognition and/or barcode reading in addition to manual specification. Then give a complete breakdown of macro AND micro-nutrients, tracking exercise activity throughout the day.

Similar Apps: Cron-O-meter is an app which allows you to search for and track your daily food intake and exercise, but it is not free and only allows you to search for foods, not take pictures or barcodes. MyNetDiary allows barcodes and is free, but it only tracks macronutrients and doesn't allow you to take pictures of your food

[jjliao2]

Problem: Having groceries in your fridge or pantry but being unable to keep track of everything you have and letting them go bad before you can finish them.

Solution/Description of Idea: An app that keeps track of the food in your fridge or pantry and sends you reminders for expiry dates. You can register the items by having your device scan the grocery receipts to register everything on the list (which can later be edited of course) as well as their expiration dates. You can also scan the bar codes of products if available, which will automatically add the item information for you. Furthermore, you can enter the items manually (either after you bought them, or before you buy them, which will be through the "Create Shopping List" feature.)

In addition to the original functionality, it can also suggest recipe ideas from what you have left in your fridge / pantry.

Similar Apps and Why:
Fridge Pal: I saw this on the app store but it had very poor reviews, particularly on their bar code scanning feature, which doesn't seem to work most of the time, along with other issues. Some additional features in the app also costs money.

Leftovers: This app allows you to look up recipes when you input whatever leftover food you have. Unfortunately, the recipes often include ingredients you might not necessarily have and would force you to buy more.

[inkhk]

Problem

People are too addicted to their phones nowadays.

Solution/Description of Idea

My idea is to make an app that allows you to track how much time you spend on your phone each day and be more specific, how much time you spend on each app. In that case it is clear that where has your time gone. Additionaly, I want to combine the time tracking function with pomodoro timer to help people manage their time instead of wasting time on their phones.

Similar Apps and Why

There are a bunch of pomodoro apps but there is only one time tracking app as far as I know.

Moment is an iOS app that automatically tracks how much you use your iPhone and iPad each day. If you’re using your phone too much, you can set daily limits on yourself and be notified when you go over. You can even force yourself off your device when you’re over your limit.

Moment - Put down your phone and get back to your life

This app allows me to realize I spend too much time on my phone however it doesn't limit my usage. (The pro version has a function that let you set time limit each day but it is a bad idea: image when something emergent happens and you find your phone is locked). I want to build something more powerful, something that can really help you quit your phone.

[saigeso]

Problem: People spend a regular portion of every day on the toilet; this is an inevitable and unavoidable fact of life. We have to be pulled away from all of our other obligations, friends, and forms of entertainment, to answer the call of nature. And what do you do while you sit and wait? Some people twiddle their thumbs, but most, I posit, browse content on their phones. But isn't it so boring and repetitive to browse the same Facebook feed, and see the same Tumblr posts? And by the time you can find a good news article to read, nature has already done it's job. This is a problem that not only plagues the hard-working American, but also plagues the world. You deserve to see new and exciting content every time you enter the bathroom.

Solution: Wouldn't it be great if you were able to browse a personalized playlist of videos, news articles, or gifs of cats, in one single, streamlined interface? Wouldn't it be even greater if the playlist started when you sat down, and ended right when it's time to get up? Does this sound too good to be true? Should I stop asking you rhetorical questions? Well this is exactly the sort of solution that I will create with my mobile app. This app will present the user with content that they want to see, in a way that is simple, consolidated, and streamlined. You will be able to select and filter what types of content you like and don't like to see. It will also collect data on your bathroom habits over time, such as how long your trips take on average, and what times of the day you typically have to make a trip to the bathroom. This way, the app will have a playlist ready for you before you open the app, and the length and content of the playlist will exactly fit your needs.

Similar apps: The TED.com app and website uses a playlist feature called "Surprise me" that serves you TED talks depending on the type of talk you want to hear, and how much time you have available (http://www.ted.com/surpriseme). This is the same general concept that will be used in my mobile app. I have not, however, found any apps that serve the same function as the app I want to create.

[steven-king]

@nowens4795 I am glad my bathroom stats from the lecture inspired you!

[steven-king]

@wesleyhitson check out the underlieing technology behind PhotoSynth and see if they have opend sourced or licensed it. I think they call it Deep Zoom.

[nancygao]

Problem: Splitting the bill at a restaurant with a large group of people is a huge hassle. Often times, nobody is quite planning ahead for the inevitable complication of dividing the check in an equitable way when it arrives.

Solution: I want to build a native iOS app that allows a group of diners to split the check and bill it to everybody fairly. It would account for items that are shared, such as appetizers or desserts, and who partook in them. Individual items like entrees and drinks would be billed directly to whoever ordered them. Tip and taxes would be calculated based on the state's sales tax and users' preference on the tip. The app would account for who is paying with cash or credit. After the final bill is decided, the app would directly bill those who are paying via a card with a call to the Venmo or ApplePay API.

Similar apps: Splitwise is the main competitor to the app I want to build. Their UI is quite clean and intuitive, but the main feature that they lack is the ability to actually bill the diners. Their functionality is limited to emailing or texting diners what they owe. They inform the group about what is owed, but there's no way to actually facilitate the transaction.

[parth9615]

Problem: iNextBus as an app isn't that great, the user interface is terrible, the time prediction is almost always incorrect and the bus routes are confusing Solution: Build a better version of iNextBus with additional useful fuctionalties as well as a better user interaface. Add the ability to select a location and have the fastest bus route calculated for the user. Provide push notification to make sure user never misses the bus Similar Apps: iNextBus, Chapel hill transit: The main purpose of this app would be to make a better version of these apps and add additional functionality

[andyroberson]

App Idea #1 – People always say that they want to be more active or get in shape but have trouble finding the inspiration. There are already products like Cold Turkey, which block applications on their laptop in order to study, so why not make an app to block devices in order to work out? My app idea would block applications on your phone until it has sensed that you have traveled a certain amount or speed. This could be an app that goes off several times during the day, forcing users to walk for 5 minutes in order to access their phone again, or users could specify a time they want it to go off and plan their work outs around that time.

Features: Allow calls / other fitness apps (like Nike Run) / music in case someone wants to use that while they’re working out.

Problems?: For Mac users, it’d be easy to get text messages etc through their laptop so lifting the block may be less of an incentive.

Similar products: There are multiple apps that block sites or apps on your phone or laptop, and multiple fitness apps, but I haven’t been able to find a combination.

Idea #2 – Talking about VR made me excited for what it could do for language learners. It is widely accepted that people learn more in an immersion program, so what if there was a virtual reality program that could immerse users in another language?

For example, there could be a scene (like a bedroom) that teaches the user different words of objects in the scene, and helps teach pronunciation of various objects. Or there could be a classroom setting that had a fake teacher quiz users on vocab terms in the previous scene. Or even different speakers that help the users understand the language better and learn more from context clues. This whole experience could also have a video game feel to it, and teaching people languages by giving users challenges and tasks like finding an object or pronouncing something correctly.

There could also be cultural experiences that people might not be able to experience otherwise. Similar products: Rosetta Stone, Duolingo – don’t provide the same level of interactivity a VR could. There’s something called Learn Immersive and Second Life which apparently have 3D models of worlds and help people learn languages that way, but I still think a VR would help people learn languages quicker and faster.

[wgmiller]

Problem: The iPhone contacts application does not offer sorting options when searching for specific people. It only presents you with an alphabetic ordering of the contacts (with an option to search). In most cases, one simply uses the recent call log to find people who he or she has recently interacted with. What is missing is the ability to easily find new contacts that have been added. There is no way to see which contacts have been added most recently, and these contacts end up being forgotten about.

Solution/Description of Idea: The solution is an overhauled address book. The primary addition would be sorting/filtering options so that no contact entry falls through the cracks. Just as you might not remember someone's name until meeting them more than once, remembering what their contact entry is can be challenging. To better alleviate this problem, the app would prompt the user to include more details about the situation in which the contact entry was added. For example, a user could add a picture or geo-tag of where the contact was created. The more this feature is used, the more the address book begins to resemble a feed of interactions--almost a timeline of social and/or business interactions.

Similar Apps and Why: iContacts+, Drunken Contacts, and Contact Magic. These apps all include the ability to sort contacts by creation date, proving that sorting in this way is technically feasible and allowable under appstore guidelines. What they fail to do is to go beyond this feature and transform the creation of new contacts into a timeline of moments. Arranging contacts by date is a huge improvement, but to reach its full potential the app must add context to the interactions associated with adding a new contact.

[pillaim]

Problem: There are many calendar apps on the Apple Store, but there aren't any apps that use the touch screen fully. The user has to type all of the information in, even though the design most apps use is like the paper calendar.

Solution: The solution is a planner that the user can handwrite in. The app would use optical character recognition to take a screenshot of what the user has written to enable notifications and alerts. This would enable the user to optimize their usage of calendars on their iPhones and iPads.

Similar apps and why: I haven't found any calendar apps that can do this yet. Also, the idea is to make this a more intuitive and detailed planner, but I'm still trying to figure out solutions to my problems with other planners.

[nickyromero]

Problem: Waking up in the morning is not very easy for most people. Even with alarm clocks everywhere these days, it still is pretty easy to just hit that snooze button just one more time. Inevitably, people sleep through there snooze and miss whatever important thing they had set the alarm for in the first place.

Solution: The solution is an alarm clock app that only shuts the annoying noise off when the user's heartbeat reaches a certain level. This is possible with the flashlight that uses technology to determine your heartbeat by placing your finger on the lens. I think that exercise is one thing that truly wakes people up in the morning and by having the user do a few jumping jacks in the morning to make sure that s/he wakes up is a simple solution to not fall back asleep.

Similar apps and why: I have been unsuccessful when it comes to finding an app like this with alarm clock integration. I really think that this could help people who aren't morning people to wake up when they need to be up. If the user has a Fitbit, Apple Watch, or etc they could also check their pulse without using the flashlight lens as the monitor.

[steven-king]

@nickyromero If you are late for class I will know why! I like the biometrics part. Take a look at how some of the sleep apps or the heart rate monitor apps.

[lindsaycarbonell]

I have many ideasss...and I left my brainstorming sheet in the J School so let's see which ones I can remember.

IDEA 1: Problem: You've got lots of friends. They're busy people. They all have different schedules. But you want to meet up! How?!

Solution: Lunch, an app that combines the class/work schedules of your friends and let's you know when they're available based on their schedule. You can also change your status if your schedule has changed, and with one click you can send a message ("Lunch?") to the person you want to meet up with.

Similar apps: Ugh, there are already two nice implementations of this so I don't know if I'll choose this idea, even though it's been my baby for a while. 1) Free Time has a great interface and tons of social/geotagging aspects. BUT it doesn't automatically combine the schedules of your friends. 2) Down to Lunch is a simple implementation of this idea that just has a button saying "Down to Lunch" and sends a message. There definitely could be added features to this app.

IDEA 2:

Problem: You've got a lot of clothes in your closet. Some of them match, some of them don't, some of them are too old, some of them need to be replaced. What do you need to buy? What outfits are you going to wear for this week?

Solution: An app that catalogues your wardrobe and lets you swipe to choose your outfits. Let's you keep a list of clothes you need to buy/want to buy, and how often you wear certain outfits.

Similar apps: Most clothing apps come from specific clothing stores. Pinterest can help you keep track of clothes you WANT, but generally people don't completely catalogue their own closets.