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PointAbout is working with several institutions to create a new type of reporting & alerting system – one where the users are the eyes & ears of the system, and can send user-generated reports into the institution.   This is putting an entirely new spin on “311″ style non-emergency reporting and alerting. 

To demonstrate this technology, we have created a fictional university called “ACME University,” which in the video above has implemented the 311 reporting & alerting system.  Here’s how it would work:

An institution, say a university, would private-label PointAbout’s 311 reporting application so it showed the university’s brand.  The university would then distribute this application to students across the various types of mobile devices they carry.

Students can then use the application to report maintenance items, noise disturbances, and much more.  The trouble tickets they submit can also be managed through this application.  Since the application is web-based, it can be changed & modified by the institution as desired.

Additionally, PointAbout’s Application Gallery allows for the institution to add a list of complimentary, related applications for students to use, such as local metro or bus system schedules, free wi-fi locations, etc.  This increases the “stickiness” of the application.

This 311 reporting type system isn’t limited to use in universities.  Condo or apartment buildings, for example, could private-label this application and distribute it to residents for them to be the eyes & ears of the building.  Home Owner’s Associations or Neighborhood Watch organizations could likewise use this reporting tool for their communities.  The possibilities and opportunities are vast!  If you’d like to discuss applying this to your organization, please contact us.

Its a fairly simple implementation of a xml reader combined with a

distance calculator. Once the current location of lat long is passed

to this code from the PointAbout mobile software. It is an example of how basic code and location information can completly change the use and power of simple data streams and web sites.

An example xml doc is also appended to the bottom of this post for testing.

—-EXAMPLE OF DISTANCE FORMULA—-

def getDistance(fromLat, fromLong, toLat, toLong ):

  lat1 = float(fromLat)

  lon1 = float(fromLong)

  R = 6371; # km

  lat2 = toLat

  lon2 = toLong

  dLat = math.radians(lat2-lat1)

  dLon = math.radians(lon2-lon1)

  a = math.sin(dLat/2) * math.sin(dLat/2) +

math.cos(math.radians(lat1)) * math.cos(math.radians(lat2)) *

math.sin(dLon/2) * math.sin(dLon/2)

  c = 2 * math.atan2(math.sqrt(a), math.sqrt(1-a))

  d = R * c

  return d

——EXAMPLE OF XML TO ORDERED BY DISTANCE———–

  #logging.info(file_xml.toxml())

  listings = {}

  for item in itemNodeSub:

      try: name = item.childNodes[1].childNodes[0].data

      except: name = None

      try:

          html = item.childNodes[2].childNodes[0].data

          p = re.compile(“ADDRESS:</td><td>(.*?)</td>”)

          m = p.search(html)

          address = m.group(1)

          city = “Washington”

          state = “DC”

          address = address + ” ” + city + “, ” + state

      except:

          address = “No Data”

          logging.debug(“Error”)

      data = {

              ”name”:name,

              ”address”:address,

      }

      distance = 0.0

      try:

          lng, lat, alt =

item.childNodes[4].childNodes[1].childNodes[0].data.split(“,”)

          distance = getDistance(currLat , currLng,

float(lat.strip()), float(lng.strip()))

      except:

          lat = None

          lng = None

      search = requestHandler.get(“search”)

      if search == None or name.lower().find(search.lower()) >= 0:

          listings.update({distance:[data, round(distance,2)]})

  orderedListing = sortedDictValues1(listings)

——-SAMPLE OF XML FEED—–

<kml xmlns=”http://earth.google.com/kml/2.2″

xmlns:atom=”http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom”>

<Document>

<open>1</open>

<name><![CDATA[Layers]]></name>

<Folder><name>Legend</name><visibility>0</visibility><ScreenOverlay><name>Legend</name><visibility>0</visibility><overlayXY

x=”0″ y=”1″ xunits=”fraction” yunits=”fraction” /><screenXY x=”0″

y=”1″ xunits=”fraction” yunits=”fraction”

/><Icon><href>legend.png</href></Icon></ScreenOverlay></Folder>

<Folder><name><![CDATA[Banks]]></name>

<visibility>1</visibility>

<open>1</open>

<Folder><name>Data</name><visibility>1</visibility>

<Placemark id=”pm5504″ ><Snippet

maxLines=”0″>empty</Snippet><name><![CDATA[Adams

Bank]]></name><description><![CDATA[<b><font size="4"face="Arial">Bank

Locations</b><p></p><table cellpadding="1"

cellspacing="1"><tr><td>NAME:</td><td>Adams

Bank</td></tr><tr><td>ADDRESS:</td><td>1729 Wisconsin Ave,

NW</td></tr><tr><td>ZIPCODE:</td><td>20007</td></tr><tr><td>ADDRESS_ID:</td><td>275259</td></tr></table><p></p><b><font

size="4" face="arial"><form>Provided by:  </form></b><a

href="http://dcgis.dc.gov/">District of Columbia

GIS</a>]]></description><styleUrl>#Style_92</styleUrl><Point

id=”g7177″><altitudeMode>clampedToGround</altitudeMode><coordinates>-77.0668994099031,38.9145339105088,1

</coordinates></Point></Placemark><Placemark id=”pm5505″ ><Snippet

maxLines=”0″>empty</Snippet><name><![CDATA[Adams

Bank]]></name><description><![CDATA[<b><font size="4"face="Arial">Bank

Locations</b><p></p><table cellpadding="1"

cellspacing="1"><tr><td>NAME:</td><td>Adams

Bank</td></tr><tr><td>ADDRESS:</td><td>1501 K Street,

NW</td></tr><tr><td>ZIPCODE:</td><td>20006</td></tr><tr><td>ADDRESS_ID:</td><td>279201</td></tr></table><p></p><b><font

size="4" face="arial"><form>Provided by:  </form></b><a

href="http://dcgis.dc.gov/">District of Columbia

GIS</a>]]></description><styleUrl>#Style_92</styleUrl><Point

id=”g7178″><altitudeMode>clampedToGround</altitudeMode><coordinates>-77.0351181683022,38.9029520625695,1

</coordinates></Point></Placemark><Placemark id=”pm5506″ ><Snippet

maxLines=”0″>empty</Snippet><name><![CDATA[Adams

Bank]]></name><description><![CDATA[<b><font size="4"face="Arial">Bank

Locations</b><p></p><table cellpadding="1"

cellspacing="1"><tr><td>NAME:</td><td>Adams

Bank</td></tr><tr><td>ADDRESS:</td><td>50 Massachusetts, Avenue,

SE</td></tr><tr><td>ZIPCODE:</td><td>20002</td></tr><tr><td>ADDRESS_ID:</td><td>293243</td></tr></table><p></p><b><font

size="4" face="arial"><form>Provided by:  </form></b><a

href="http://dcgis.dc.gov/">District of Columbia

GIS</a>]]></description><styleUrl>#Style_92</styleUrl><Point

id=”g7179″><altitudeMode>clampedToGround</altitudeMode><coordinates>-77.0061791229437,38.8975384697844,1

</coordinates></Point></Placemark></Folder></Folder>

<StyleMap id=”Style_92″

><Pair><key>normal</key><styleUrl>#Style_92n</styleUrl></Pair><Pair><key>highlight</key><styleUrl>#Style_92h</styleUrl></Pair><BalloonStyle><color>ffdcf5f5</color><textColor>ff000000</textColor><text><![CDATA[

$[description] ]]></text></BalloonStyle></StyleMap><Style

id=”Style_92n”><IconStyle><scale>0.5</scale><Icon><href>Style_92n.png</href></Icon></IconStyle><PolyStyle><fill>1</fill><color>ff00a838</color><outline>0</outline></PolyStyle><LabelStyle><scale>0</scale></LabelStyle><BalloonStyle><color>ffdcf5f5</color><textColor>ff000000</textColor><text><![CDATA[

$[description] ]]></text></BalloonStyle></Style><Style

id=”Style_92h”><IconStyle><scale>0.5</scale><Icon><href>Style_92h.png</href></Icon></IconStyle><PolyStyle><fill>1</fill><color>ff00a838</color><outline>0</outline></PolyStyle><LabelStyle><color>ffffffff</color><scale>1</scale></LabelStyle><BalloonStyle><color>ffdcf5f5</color><textColor>ff000000</textColor><text><![CDATA[

$[description] ]]></text></BalloonStyle></Style>

</Document></kml>

PointAbout has private-labeled Washington, DC’s feed of real-time crime alerts as an example of the power of PointAbout’s private label offering.  You can download the private-labeled application from the iTunes AppStore by searching for “DC Alerts” in the Applications section of the AppStore.  This video explains how the private-labeling works, and how your brand can white-label our thin-client springboard application.

PointAbout is charged as a flat monthly fee for distribution on all the mobile platforms we support.  If you’d like to learn more about our pricing, please contact us.

PointAbout has submitted the following 14 applications (!!!) for iStrategyLabs “AppsForDemocracy” competition utilizing the Office of the CTO’s data feeds:

• Marinas near you
• Libraries near you
• Gas stations near you
• Banks near you
• Hotels near you
• Construction projects near you
• Embassies near you
• Places of worship near you
• Vacant properties near you
• Building permits pulled near you
• Crime alerts near you
• Post offices near you
• Housing code violations near you
• Police stations near you

You can see screenshots of the applications below.

PointAbout will be submitting all of these applications to Apple’s iTunes App Store, so each will be available for download on the iPhone, and soon, the Blackberry.  The Apple approval process takes approximately 21 days.  However, all the applications above will be available for use by Thursday 11/13 just by downloading our flagship application, titled “PointAbout” in the iTunes App Store (click here to open the app’s iTunes page on your computer), and then “checking out” the applications from our Application Gallery of 100+ applications we’ve made location aware.  Detailed instructions are in the video above, so start using these applications on your iPhone today!

PointAbout was profiled in Inman News for mobilizing The Best Home Search Ever, a popular MLS search site for residential property for sale.  The Best Home Search Ever is branding PointAbout’s service to create a downloadable application for installation on customer’s phones.

Here is the article; you can also find it on the Inman site here.

IPhone users can test beta home-search app

DROdio Real Estate, which recently launched a beta version of its home-search application — The BestHomeSearch Ever Mobile — is looking for beta testers to provide feedback and any bug reports before an official launch in the Virginia-Maryland-Washington, D.C., region in November.

TheBestHomeSearchEver Mobile runs only on iPhones right now, but DROdio said it’ll be adding Blackberry support within the next 90 days. The tool searches the complete MRIS database of MLS listings when queried.

According to DROdio, the tool is “incredibly easy to use. We add a ‘TBHSE’ icon to your phone, and it launches our tool. Then, wherever you are, we bring up the homes for sale or for rent that match your search criteria. You can easily see the property on a map, and we even give you directions on how to get there based on where you’re currently standing.”

Home shoppers can request a showing via e-mail, and get a copy of the property details e-mailed — or press a button to connect with an agent who can provide more property details.

If you have an iPhone (1st generation or 3G) and would like to try this service out, please send an e-mail.

HELPING YOU FIND THE POLLS    

We met yesterday in DC with Daniel Odio, co-founder ofPointAbout, whose start-up just created a shell mobile application that lets iPhone users locate the nearest polling locations using the phone’s built-in GPS. The company has created similar programs for the D.C. Metro (so you can see the nearest stations and when the next trains are coming). “We pull GPS info from your phone and plug it into sites that can send back useful info based on where you are,” Daniel says.      

We caught Daniel just before a meeting with iStrategy Labs CEO (and Twin Tech promoter) Peter Corbett. Here the duo is atop Peter’s new Dupont Circle offices, which just happens to be the former home of George Stephanopoulos. Peter even showed us thetwo-headed shower and sauna we can only assume George installed. (See what you learn here?) Peter is busy hyping a Nov. 19 launch party for DubMeNow, a service that saves contact information (like stuff found on a business card), but updates it as people switch jobs.

PointAbout’s downloadable iPhone Application (link opens iTunes) allows you to find the closest voting station on election day!

Here’s how:

For those people not living under a rock, you know that the US presidential election is 8 days away. Based on an informal poll of friends & colleagues, we’ve realized that many people don’t know where to go to vote on election day. 

Google has launched a great web service to help people find their voting location.  And PointAbout has made it even better by making it location-aware, so with one click you can easily find your nearest voting station!

We’ve made the PointAbout ‘Get Out To Vote!’ app a “Featured By” application on the front page of the PointAbout iPhone Application Gallery through November 4th, 2008.   

This will be the first use of the “Featured By” functionality, which lets us highlight applications that are especially relevant to certain events.  Let us know what you think! 

For more information or to discuss a specific implementation of PointAbout for your business, please Contact Scott Suhy at Scott.Suhy@PointAbout.com or Daniel Odio at Daniel.Odio@PointAbout.com

View Several Screenshots Below.  You can download the PointAbout application here (link opens iTunes) to use the “Get Out To Vote!” application through November 4th, 2008.

PointAbout just surpassed 100,000 145,000 page views and 2,500 5,000 users in our first 5 7 days.  We are currently averaging almost 2,000 unique visitors per day, and that number has been increasing daily.

Additionally, we’ve gotten requests from around the world, including the UK and Hong Kong, requesting PointAbout internationally.  For example, here is one person’s request:

“Can I use this appl in Hong Kong?
Sent from my iPhone”

PointAbout is US-Only to date, but we’ll be working on International expansion in 2009.  It’s nice to see the international demand.

Here’s a video showing how PointAbout has location-enabled the “State Newslines” website.

PointAbout Detailed Information PDF

I’ve just finished creating a 12 page marketing brochure for potential PointAbout clients.  I call it “on demand marketing” where I’m creating the PDF collateral as clients are requesting specific information.  That’s how this specific document was created — based on client requests for information.  Since we’re still a small company, I’m handling both marketing and sales, so I’m getting to flex my Photoshop and InDesign skills in addition to being on the telephone all day.  As we grow we’ll bring in a dedicated marketing person.  Like any entrepreneur knows, the entrepreneur’s life is like a lake:  A mile wide and a foot deep in various skillsets.  Gotta know how to do a little bit of everything!

I’d love any feedback you have on what makes sense and what doesn’t.  You’re welcome to email me anytime at Daniel.Odio@PointAbout.com.

This tutorial shows how a company can leverage PointAbout to extend to mobile.

PointAbout is a great way for companies to extend their business or brand to the mobile space with minimal effort and less cost than trying to code to each phone handset, operating system and carrier themselves– let alone the opportunity cost of having programmers working on a non-core project (like coding applications to various phones) vs. core businesses.

PointAbout Beta Testers:

Thanks for your TREMENDOUS response to our beta testing program.  We’ve had over 50 Realtors from across the US say they want to beta test PointAbout on their iPhones.

Since the demand is so much greater than we expected, we’ve decided to roll out a more formal beta testing program for everyone.  Please visit www.PointAbout.com/download for details & to send us a screenshot of your device ID.  We may not start you on the beta for 2 to 4 weeks, but we will respond confirming receipt of your information.