Oh, sure -- this has certainly been tried before, but given that things like this need a critical mass of followers to be effective, we're particularly jazzed about Google's own initiative. Dubbed 'Open Spot,' this bloody brilliant Android (2.0 and up) application enables motorists to search for unclaimed spaces that have been reported by other Open Spot users, and once they head elsewhere, it allows them to mark their spot as open and available. Once a spot is marked, the color gradually fades from red to yellow the longer it remains unclaimed. We've given it a quick test here on our end, and while it seems snappy enough (and yes, we definitely received a Karma Point for every space we dropped), the obvious omission is the ability to add notes to each marked place. There really should be a way to denote whether a spot is metered, covered by some wacky city permit law or submerged in a foot of water -- here's hoping the next update will enable comments. Hit that source link (or just open up the App Market) to grab it for free, and jump on past the break to see how your fellow city dwellers feel about this marvelous invention.
@JL3001 I get it. But the selfishness in me says I couldnt give a monkeys about a parking space once i've left it. All I care about is getting one. But maybe for my fellow android's its worth a consideration..
@SarnGate I dunno. I don't quite think it would happen like that. But I'm in Texas where I used to big parking lots for everything. It may work out different in other parts of the country.
@SarnGate I agree. Not in the short term, but as soon as this reaches a serious level of adoption, it'll no longer be useful, as there'll be too many information-enabled users vying for the same spot.
On-the-spot bidding/market-based pricing for parking spots doesn't seem to be too far off...
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i Yes yes because in your mind that is a perfectly logical response and is completely backed up with facts. of course...
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i Your hatred of anything involving Android is pretty pathetic.. When I go to Philly or New York City, its hard to find a parking spot and I end up wasting tons of gas and time trying to find a parking spot in a place when there aren't even available. If this expands to all platforms beyond Android, this could be really useful.
@JL3001 I don't know if this will ever hit the necessary critical mass of active users. What would REALLY be cool would be location aware cars that automatically (and anonymously) report when they've left a public parking spot.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i No one has an Android phone? Is that why their Market share grows while others decrease? Didn't know thats how it worked..
1. You need EVERYONE to have an Android phone 2. You need EVERYONE with an Android phone to have this app 3. You need EVERYONE with an Android phone that has this app to use this app when they leave a parking spot
Good luck with that.
Even if the above statements are true it still doesn't make sense.
A better utility would be to have something like this for paid parking. It would show what lots are full (possibly even showing how many spaces are still available) as well as their pricing. That seems doable if you can get buy in from the big boys in the parking business. Beyond that the next step would be have some sort of sensors built into things like parking meters. That information could be relayed in real-time to a system like this.
I LOVE the idea ... there's just no way it will work in it's current incantation.
Hate to break it to you but google activates 160,000 android phones a day. How many does windows mobile avtivate? Ohhh right. I can't wait for you to admit that android is the future or simply go away.
I will give this a try. Every spot I get I will give it I will in return give away.
Instead of focusing on core revenue products like desktop search-driven advertising, google is spending time and money doing this?!? At least find some ways to monetize the growing android base to contribute to the top line. Or maybe finish much desired development and deployment of the mobile os efforts as soon as possible. Talk about corporate confusion. It's no wonder the market has ripped the stock apart from it's 52 week highs. wow, just wow
"Hey! Look at me! I'm going to be an ass because of a simple syntactical mistake by another commenter! lolol I'm so clever"
/s
Seriously. You get what he said. 160,000 Android phones are activated (by whomever) per day. Apple is LOSING marketshare compared to android. We've seen that in the latest numbers released. We don't know whether or not that will turn in relation to iOS 4/ iPhone 4, but we know what the current numbers state.
Android is the future. Crowdsourcing is the future (and present, some would say). If you don't like it, you can keep your closed phone on your closed network that tries to rob you blind. You can keep your dickish CEO. The simple fact that Android has this option, and is sponsored by Google, nonetheless, means that it has far-reaching implications to how we do things in a crowded city-scape.
Why you're so against a free app that helps people out is beyond me.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i "buy one get one free from verizon"
Hahaha. So buy one get one free on ONE phone from ONE network is making the entire increase? ROFL. I see more and more HEROS around every day. That's right! A little cruddy Hero! Sprint has finally found their calling, and that's Android.
By the same logic, all the new iPhone 4 buyers are fanboys that upgraded from the iPhone 3G or 3GS. See how I can invalidate sales as well?
Oh, I'm sorry. You're just bitter because Apple keeps raping your wallet. Somehow you think that's better than driving forth sales and mindshare with a BOGO deal.
If you think that people aren't buying Android after seeing some of the new phones out (and due to the awesome deals), then you must be living in your own little universe.
How are you a fan of Windows Phone 7 when it won't be out for months?! Are you really that naive to believe everything a company advertises? You're a fan of an idea?! Wow... good luck in life!
"im a fan of windows phone 7, which is a crowdsourcing phone that doesnt have a jerky UI like android, plus has QUALITY video games from xbox live arcade, QUALITY media player from the zune HD, QUALITY productivity with MS office."
Then I apologize. My rage was completely misguided and wrong. I simply assumed because of your user name....
Let's talk instead about the OS that hasn't come out yet! Oh....wait.... we....can't.. Because it hasn't come out yet.
We've seen press shots, we've seen controlled videos. I love the interface, and commend them for adding so many features. But to say with 100% certainty that this system (almost as closed as Apple) which hasn't even been released to the public yet is going to beat out every single phone OS on the market is pure fanboyism.
"have fun with your task managers and fugly ui. windows phone will be overtaking android easily in about 2 months after release."
Lol! We can change our UI to look however we want! We have complete control over our phone. We can root, install custom kernals, etc. The UI is far from fugly. We have task managers because we do ACTUAL multitasking, not the crippled multitasking of Microsoft and Apple. We have complete control over which applications are running.
Can I borrow your amazing time machine? Saying that Windows Phone 7 is going to be awesome is not bad. I, too, think that WP7 is going to be very interesting and looks pretty damn sweet! But what you're saying is pure fanboy drivel.
Personally, I doubt this will catch on. People are not going to sacrifice their battery life tagging open spots for others. People are mostly selfish. They're going to use it in hopes of seeing a blip, go to it and turn it off.
True, but if people willingly tweet about going to the bathroom, or the most mundane tasks of their daily routine, they'd be more than happy to donate a few seconds to run this app and mark stuff off.
I think it would be a lot better if the phone's accelerometer (and microphone) was able to detect a car engine vibration, and know that the car is parked when the movement and the GPS location stop simultaneously. Then know that the car is moving out of the spot when it detects the car engine vibration and a change in the GPS simultaneously.
Google should also embed this into Google Maps for both Android and iPhone, as they both have the hardware to support this.
The idea is making it as non-user dependant as possible.
Yes, but if it's non-user dependent, then we run into privacy issues. We need some way of making it as simple as possible, while also being consciously done by users.
I think Google has the right idea. Give it some time, see where it goes.
@JL3001 This is not "absolutely awesome IMO" but rather just a cool, gimmicky, hard to use app, that would require almost everyone in re US to have an android phone, and also jar the app, and also keep up with it, it's a cool idea but needs to work a different way and have info on what kind of space it is
@Phucpholuc Haven't you heard of Google's idea of every employee spending 20% of their time with whatever they want, this could of been one of those 20%.
@That guy 2 Kinda agree, until android hits cars, and marks it for you...not enough people are going to make spots when they leave for it to make a difference.
@ksunnyv99 should add the ability to say how many spaces they spotted before they left. would give a good estimate of total available, rather than just the one they left.
@xdreamer I'm definitely wondering what the Karma points are for, personally, I think they should reward users. That way people aren't just leeching, if you provide something like:
5 spots a month you get a 5 second head start (relative to 0 spots) 10 spots a month 10 second head start ... upto
30 spots a month 30 second head start.
Also, a logarithmic scale might be of use, but I just did something simple. You can also think of 0 spots marked as a 30 second penalty, but I think psychologically this is a better system if we use the term "reward".
Google, you gotta reward the generous that make the system go.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
posted July 11th 2010 2:02PM
This could be amazing if people pick up on it.
@JL3001 Seems like a terrible idea. You'll end up with dozens of people all driving on masse to one or two free parking spaces. Ridiculous.
@SarnGate
Are you INSANE? This is awesome. Absolutely awesome.
@JL3001 I get it. But the selfishness in me says I couldnt give a monkeys about a parking space once i've left it. All I care about is getting one. But maybe for my fellow android's its worth a consideration..
@SarnGate I dunno. I don't quite think it would happen like that. But I'm in Texas where I used to big parking lots for everything. It may work out different in other parts of the country.
@SarnGate
I agree. Not in the short term, but as soon as this reaches a serious level of adoption, it'll no longer be useful, as there'll be too many information-enabled users vying for the same spot.
On-the-spot bidding/market-based pricing for parking spots doesn't seem to be too far off...
@SarnGate
If enough people using it, it could work well.
@JL3001
So wait..
How many parking spaces are available on that screenshot, out of the 10,000 parking spots ACTUALLY available?
I think the above question states the uselessness of the idea.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
Who is this "NOONE" I keep hearing about?
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
Yes yes because in your mind that is a perfectly logical response and is completely backed up with facts. of course...
@MarkAnderson
It's a good idea provided lots of people are USING the service.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i Your hatred of anything involving Android is pretty pathetic..
When I go to Philly or New York City, its hard to find a parking spot and I end up wasting tons of gas and time trying to find a parking spot in a place when there aren't even available.
If this expands to all platforms beyond Android, this could be really useful.
@JL3001
I don't know if this will ever hit the necessary critical mass of active users. What would REALLY be cool would be location aware cars that automatically (and anonymously) report when they've left a public parking spot.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i No one has an Android phone?
Is that why their Market share grows while others decrease?
Didn't know thats how it worked..
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
I bet you would see it differently if this was an iPhone app.
@JL3001
Worthless ...
1. You need EVERYONE to have an Android phone
2. You need EVERYONE with an Android phone to have this app
3. You need EVERYONE with an Android phone that has this app to use this app when they leave a parking spot
Good luck with that.
Even if the above statements are true it still doesn't make sense.
A better utility would be to have something like this for paid parking. It would show what lots are full (possibly even showing how many spaces are still available) as well as their pricing. That seems doable if you can get buy in from the big boys in the parking business. Beyond that the next step would be have some sort of sensors built into things like parking meters. That information could be relayed in real-time to a system like this.
I LOVE the idea ... there's just no way it will work in it's current incantation.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
Hate to break it to you but google activates 160,000 android phones a day. How many does windows mobile avtivate? Ohhh right.
I can't wait for you to admit that android is the future or simply go away.
I will give this a try. Every spot I get I will give it I will in return give away.
@JL3001
Instead of focusing on core revenue products like desktop search-driven advertising, google is spending time and money doing this?!?
At least find some ways to monetize the growing android base to contribute to the top line. Or maybe finish much desired development and deployment of the mobile os efforts as soon as possible. Talk about corporate confusion. It's no wonder the market has ripped the stock apart from it's 52 week highs. wow, just wow
@bjsguess simple solution. and iOS app will be released. done and done.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
"Hey! Look at me! I'm going to be an ass because of a simple syntactical mistake by another commenter! lolol I'm so clever"
/s
Seriously. You get what he said. 160,000 Android phones are activated (by whomever) per day. Apple is LOSING marketshare compared to android. We've seen that in the latest numbers released. We don't know whether or not that will turn in relation to iOS 4/ iPhone 4, but we know what the current numbers state.
Android is the future. Crowdsourcing is the future (and present, some would say). If you don't like it, you can keep your closed phone on your closed network that tries to rob you blind. You can keep your dickish CEO. The simple fact that Android has this option, and is sponsored by Google, nonetheless, means that it has far-reaching implications to how we do things in a crowded city-scape.
Why you're so against a free app that helps people out is beyond me.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
"buy one get one free from verizon"
Hahaha. So buy one get one free on ONE phone from ONE network is making the entire increase? ROFL. I see more and more HEROS around every day. That's right! A little cruddy Hero! Sprint has finally found their calling, and that's Android.
By the same logic, all the new iPhone 4 buyers are fanboys that upgraded from the iPhone 3G or 3GS. See how I can invalidate sales as well?
Oh, I'm sorry. You're just bitter because Apple keeps raping your wallet. Somehow you think that's better than driving forth sales and mindshare with a BOGO deal.
If you think that people aren't buying Android after seeing some of the new phones out (and due to the awesome deals), then you must be living in your own little universe.
@SarnGate i agree. terrible idea.
@okok:
How are you a fan of Windows Phone 7 when it won't be out for months?! Are you really that naive to believe everything a company advertises? You're a fan of an idea?! Wow... good luck in life!
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
WP7 isn't even out yet and therefore has no data whatsoever, and yet you are already calling it the greatest mobile platform ever.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
"im a fan of windows phone 7, which is a crowdsourcing phone that doesnt have a jerky UI like android, plus has QUALITY video games from xbox live arcade, QUALITY media player from the zune HD, QUALITY productivity with MS office."
Then I apologize. My rage was completely misguided and wrong. I simply assumed because of your user name....
Let's talk instead about the OS that hasn't come out yet! Oh....wait.... we....can't.. Because it hasn't come out yet.
We've seen press shots, we've seen controlled videos. I love the interface, and commend them for adding so many features. But to say with 100% certainty that this system (almost as closed as Apple) which hasn't even been released to the public yet is going to beat out every single phone OS on the market is pure fanboyism.
"have fun with your task managers and fugly ui. windows phone will be overtaking android easily in about 2 months after release."
Lol! We can change our UI to look however we want! We have complete control over our phone. We can root, install custom kernals, etc. The UI is far from fugly. We have task managers because we do ACTUAL multitasking, not the crippled multitasking of Microsoft and Apple. We have complete control over which applications are running.
Can I borrow your amazing time machine? Saying that Windows Phone 7 is going to be awesome is not bad. I, too, think that WP7 is going to be very interesting and looks pretty damn sweet! But what you're saying is pure fanboy drivel.
@JL3001 This will cause jams in the parking lots. Whoever came up with this is definitely doesn't know anything about traffic.
@Mike10010100
Personally, I doubt this will catch on. People are not going to sacrifice their battery life tagging open spots for others. People are mostly selfish. They're going to use it in hopes of seeing a blip, go to it and turn it off.
@akarol
"People are mostly selfish."
True, but if people willingly tweet about going to the bathroom, or the most mundane tasks of their daily routine, they'd be more than happy to donate a few seconds to run this app and mark stuff off.
I think it would be a lot better if the phone's accelerometer (and microphone) was able to detect a car engine vibration, and know that the car is parked when the movement and the GPS location stop simultaneously. Then know that the car is moving out of the spot when it detects the car engine vibration and a change in the GPS simultaneously.
Google should also embed this into Google Maps for both Android and iPhone, as they both have the hardware to support this.
The idea is making it as non-user dependant as possible.
@TareG
Yes, but if it's non-user dependent, then we run into privacy issues. We need some way of making it as simple as possible, while also being consciously done by users.
I think Google has the right idea. Give it some time, see where it goes.
@JL3001
I don't know about cities, but it could be quite useful on a college campus.
@JL3001 This is not "absolutely awesome IMO" but rather just a cool, gimmicky, hard to use app, that would require almost everyone in re US to have an android phone, and also jar the app, and also keep up with it, it's a cool idea but needs to work a different way and have info on what kind of space it is
@tricheboars
Pay-it Forward Parking.. I Like!!
@Phucpholuc
Haven't you heard of Google's idea of every employee spending 20% of their time with whatever they want, this could of been one of those 20%.
@That guy 2 Kinda agree, until android hits cars, and marks it for you...not enough people are going to make spots when they leave for it to make a difference.
@JL3001 I used it this weekend in London (Canada) and it was great. Found a spot and tagged it when I left. Easy and useful.
@JL3001
Google Open Spot. Fuck yeah!
@TareG What if it mistakes my girlfriend's vibrator as the car engine and starts tagging our room whenever she turns it off ? :-)
Could by very useful in NYC.
@ksunnyv99
should add the ability to say how many spaces they spotted before they left.
would give a good estimate of total available, rather than just the one they left.
What about wardens? Can we alert each other to roaming ticket zombies?
What are the karma points for? Acheivements?
@xdreamer I'm definitely wondering what the Karma points are for, personally, I think they should reward users. That way people aren't just leeching, if you provide something like:
5 spots a month you get a 5 second head start (relative to 0 spots)
10 spots a month 10 second head start
...
upto
30 spots a month 30 second head start.
Also, a logarithmic scale might be of use, but I just did something simple. You can also think of 0 spots marked as a 30 second penalty, but I think psychologically this is a better system if we use the term "reward".
Google, you gotta reward the generous that make the system go.
seems gay and unreliable
@pitnefor
Just like my boyfriend...
:sigh:
@pitnefor Like a certain phones reception in left hand. bahaha.
@andthemaniam Seem to me like you need froyo in you life.
Am i the only one that is seeing this video, this dude is sick!
@bxgt
Officer: Sir are you high
Guy: Na man I'm just enjoying the music
Officer: What's that green leafy stuff in the bag
Guy: It's just oregano man.
Perhaps, if the program just marked the spot as Free when you left it... then you wouldn't need to mark it when you leave, only when you got there?