What Do You Want In A Consumerist iPhone App?
We're working on an iPhone app for The Consumerist, along with finally getting a mobile version, mobile.consumerist.com, for the site. Our first iPhone app will be extremely basic. This 1.0 will have iPhone-optimized version of the latest posts, and you'll have a few drill-down categories to choose from (top stories, features, personal finance.... something else? You tell us). That's about it. You will not be able to make comments. 1.5 will have comments. 2.0 will be a from the ground up rewrite with all the bells and whistles. So, questions: What categories should be in the 1.0? What dream features do you want to see in the 2.0? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
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Comments:
It would be useful to have a pop-up that says "This was not a cost-effective purchase!"
(just kidding, I'm not a hater)
How about a quick way to search for executive customer service phone numbers?
How about an iPhone app that lets us know why your iPhone app was rejected?
I second the EECB Tools..
A quick way to send Tips with Photos would be nice.
A shortcut to the "Daily Deals" would be great.
A shortcut to the bill of rights to show the walmart door greeter would also be a boon.
How about a G1 app too?
Honestly, this site is perfect as is on the iphone. With the long thin pages, it's very easy to read by just turning the phone to the side. Even the comments are easy to check out. I think there's not really a need for a full blown consumerist app, but a mobile site would probably make checking for updates easier on the eyes.
Make it free and I'm happy
How about Blackberry comparability.
Or, better yet, just make a mobile version of the site. That way all mobile users can access it.
How about a big "Blame the OP Button"? It woulda come in handy in that hotel discount story Laura posted last night.
For an App, I think that the following would be useful:
1) Links to Air Passenger Bill of Rights (Once Finalized)
2) Listing of EECB Contacts/executive customer service phone numbers that Consumerist has collected over the years, searchable by company name and/or category for easy access.
3) Quick link to diall 911 so the next time I am in McDonalds and it takes longer than 30 seconds to get my order I can call the police (OK, Just kidding on this one).
4) Tips on what to immediately do if your wallet is stolen, possibly with direct phone numbers to major credit card companies phone numbers so you can report the theft.
5) A feature where you can snap a photo on your phone, and provide a short caption and submit directly to Consumerist (if say for example you are on a plane looking out the window and see baggage handlers breaking guitars or stealing underware).
While I like the idea of quickly being able to find the information for EECB's, I don't know if it's something I would be keen on everybody having.
The idea of the EECB has been to be a tool of last resort, and I get the feeling that if there were a quick and easy way to access e-mails, people would stop using any form of normal customer service and go straight to the EECB, resulting in it being ineffective for those that need to use it the most.
However, I would like to see in 2.0 the ability to snap a picture of a bar code, and pull up any stories on consumerist about that product or its manufacturer.
So this will have an off-line cached mode? would be cool if it could cache the linked-to-articles from the posts as well.
What do I want in a Consumerist iPhone app?
I don't.
I want a *really* great mobile version of the site, one that will be as functional as the web version I see on my computer. I think an app is overkill.
I'm not a hater; I'm just disagreeing with your decision and I hope you'll respect that just like I respect the fact that you want to build an app.
@thebluepill: That last part may have been in jest, but similarly, the relevant portions of CC merchant agreements, e.g.,
Always honor valid Visa cards in your acceptance category, regardless of the dollar amount of the purchase. Imposing minimum or maximum purchase amounts is a violation of the Visa rules.would be useful. Bonus points for including actual scans of the documents so they look more authentic.
Along those lines, if 2.0 included a way to snap a picture of the offending sign and send it and the location info directly to the CC's complaint page, that would be incredible.
Useless without the ability to comment.
Yes--BlackBerry's need love, too! Everyone does not own an iphone. A mobile version is a good idea.
With all of the negative posts you make about Apple and the iPhone, why would you want to put effort into offering free content on their phone?
@tailstoo: I actually find that most of the "mobile" sites are hard to navigate on my iPod touch. Usually I go to the regular site- gizmodo, wikipedia, etc. When I jailbroke it, I used an app to hide the fact I was using an ipod touch, simply because I hated the mobile sites.
@tailstoo: I agree. I don't want a separate app (that's going to be yet another icon for me to click on), I just want a site that displays better on the iPhone.
@tailstoo: A mobile site would make things load much faster on my iPhone. And you'd still be able to comment.
An "Email This Article" button.
@Rachacha: Sweet list.
A lot of those could also be put into a desktop gadget. Maybe I will see if I can hack up a prototype.
@tailstoo: I agree. I have an iPod touch...so I may as well just be on my laptop if I have a WiFi connection. However, an iPhone app isn't going to work on my LG Dare.
i think a quick link to morning deals would be cool. also, a tipline form so you can email the editors with tips on the go. bonus points for picture attachment support (can iphones do that yet?).
Pretty please put your effort into a mobile web site. That way you can hit more phones. Remember the Jesus phone isn't the only smartphone out there. Blackberry and Windows Mobile need love too!
@Esquire99: or even read the comments. I had to download Opera Mini for my blackberry in order to read the comments on this site. I say forget the whole "apple" thing and just make it mobile friendly (sidekick, Blackberry, G1, Palm, etc)
@BuddyGuyMontag: Actually, why aren't there Consumerist t-shirts that say "Blame the OP" or "Why is this on Consumerist?" Or even better...a t-shirt that says "Why s ths n Cnsmrst?"
When can I expect my royalties check?
Satisfaction! Thats what *I* want in a Consumerist app! SAT-IS-FAC-TION!
@Cant_stop_the_rock: Truthfully, most of the negative posts are regarding AT&T's business practices, and any kind of mixups incurred by Apple and AT&T's transition with the 3GS. There's not actually a lot of negativity when it comes to the functionality and convenience of the actual phone itself. It's a great phone.
I want it to come with a free iPhone.
the two things most desired from an app for consumerist.
1. The ability to search by store name. If I go into traget I should be able to look up all artivles in the last year about traget and be up to date on common issues or successes.
2. The ability to take a photo on the iphone and have it sent directly to the flickr pool or to the tip line. Imagine the awesome consumerist stock photos, grocery skrink ray pics, and epic two for one price fails.
I too am in favor of a mobile friendly site. There are a lot of us out here with Blackberrys and Windows Mobile devices that would get a lot of use from it.
Mobile site or equivalent BB app.
@Smashville: Aww. :( I was just going to say they should make macros for posting comments blaming the OP or asking why X is even on this site.
(I want those shirts.)
Also, why is it everyone feels the need to talk about the one thing that was NOT asked for? Things you DON'T want included in a Consumerist app. The question was legit, and it deserves a response, not heckling.
-def fb connect support.
-browse by tags.
-push notifications for tags of users choosing.
-in app browsing (so we dont have to open the link in safari just to read a story.)
-ability to save stories for offline/fast viewing (say you want to save articles on airline tips, credit card rights, etc.
What do I want in an iPhone app? Why, what I most want in an iPhone app is a blackberry application, TYVM!
@wheresmysamuraii: I disagree. This site is a nightmare on the iPhone, with the need to constantly zoom in and out to read text at a decent size, and the inability to type properly in the text box as the iPhone zooms in on the blank.
It's manageable most days, but sometimes I'd rather just wait the hour until I get home.
I don't use these site specific apps, not when I can get the content in my RSS reader or from a mobile site.
@pecan 3.14159265: There is a ton of negativity about the actual phone, most people just ignore it because it's so trendy.
@OprahBabb: thats because from the comments not everyone has an iPhone so we cant give our input on something that wouldnt do us any good. I think what the editors will take from this is a way to make consumerist more mobile friendly for all phones, not just iphones.
Instead of duplicating functionality that you can pretty much get in an RSS reader app, why not do something uniquely Consumerist... like an EECB app... You could compile all of those corporate contacts you've got into a massive directory, let the user select as many of those emails as possible, and give the user a few different EECB templates to work with... you could send it from within the app.
or something like that
can the comments section have some updates please first?
1. Easy Voting system for worst company in america
2. Access to a "deals" database, much like the posts, except searchable, persistent, etc
3. Access to a database of phone numbers and emails for better customer support
@tailstoo: Yes. We're talking about viewing a website on a web-enabled handset. We have an app for this: The Browser! Please don't contribute to the app glut and instead make a clean, fast cross-compatible mobile website.
Just make a mobile site - there's really no reason for an App.