Possible technologies involved

A few years ago people had to use a traditional way to find a holiday by using paper based maps or travel guides. Today it is almost no longer used as people find for example Google maps much more convenient and therefore  will move even further from today’s paper map model. (Schiller H, J et el 2004)

The technologies which are going to be used in the concept are location based services as well as a mobile application.

 

Location based services can be defined as “services that integrate mobile device’s location or position as to provide added value to a user” (Schiller H, J et el 2004).  Location based services give users a broad variety of access to personalized, local content. The application is enabled by GPS-equipped phones, where users can find everything from a emergency application to finding a friend, places, routing as well as it providing distance and time information ( Schiller H, J et el 2004).    

The heart of the LBS system is the location engine, which include soft components that make intelligence to digital map data. The most important functions are geocording, reverse geocording and routing (Schiller H, J et el 2004). Geocording is the one which converse street address to latitude and longitude. The problem occurs when misspelling is added into the application and makes it more difficult to find the right direction. Reverse geocording is the process of gathering the location of the nearest road segment to a place with specified longitude and latitude (Schiller H, J et el 2004). Last but not least routing is the one which calculate the course based on for example origin and destination and also the one which provides drivers/walkers with travel time, speed, turn restrictions etc (Schiller H, J et el 2004).

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As my application is going to provide customers with travel time, distance, possible turn restrictions the application will help customers to come on time for a booking in a restaurant or a guided tour around the destination as well as it minimise stress on preferred destination. When arriving at the destination, the customer has to choose what they want to do, by using multiple choice suggestions in the iPhone application. It will make recommendations and provide advice which will be more specific for individual customers, as everybody has various tastes in entertainment, food and purposes for travelling (Human Kinetics 2006). It will therefore be personalised. The customer then has to enter the budget which will be spent during the holiday as well as acknowledge the application with how many days the holiday is going to last. A screen with the calculation will pop- up, listing matching hotels, attractions and dining places which are the most affordable for the customers’ budget and lifestyle. The application will also recommend places such as supermarkets and become more specific for some customers who have a more restricted budget, but who prefer to eat healthier. This will help save money on food and provide more money for those who would rather spend it on their travel experience. The application is therefore flexible depending upon the individuals’ priorities and budget constraints.

http://www.brothersoft.com/mobile/google-maps-for-mobile-4530.html