Leap Card Calculator [APP]

red_bairn

Can an admin sticky this, please?

This app has been posted on the Mobile Application section, however, I believe it would be suitable to post it here too considering commuters are our user base.

We are currently at the end of our MSc in Computer Science course at UCD and have designed this useful app to keep a record of your Leap Card balance. Our Android group gets bonus marks for 1000+ installations* of this app for our final project. Even if you don't own a card please test it out to help us look at improving it and give us some criticism on the Google Market or on this thread.

*We need to inform our lecturer when/if we hit this mark before the final date (mid Janurary).

Thanks in advance!

-Craig

red_bairn wrote: »

App Name: Leap Calculator

One line summary: Leap Calculator allows you to keep a note of your leap card balance on the go.

What OS and version required: Android - 2.2+

Price: FREE

Available from: Google Play

Detailed description:

The leap card allows you to easily use the transport services in Dublin.
Keeping track of your balance on the go is not so easy however.
Leap Calculator allows you to keep a note of your leap card balance on the go.
Just enter in the balance of your leap card to the leap calculator, then whenever you use your card, just update the app.
It's as easy as pressing a button.
Check out settings to set school child or child fares
Enjoy!!
Developed as part of Mobile Application Development course for Msc Computer Science UCD 2013
Group members:

Craig Bell
Deirbhile McGuirk
Eoin McNena
James Mc Dermott
Sam Hodgins

TheBandicoot

Just enter in the balance of your leap card to the leap calculator, then whenever you use your card, just update the app.

So it does not tie automatically into the Leap/NTA's system?

markpb

TheBandicoot wrote: »

So it does not tie automatically into the Leap/NTA's system?

No one has access to the NTA data and if they did, it would be several hours out of date anyway. Hopefully at some stage, they'll allow apps running on suitably equipped phones to read some data directly off the card.

red_bairn

TheBandicoot wrote: »

So it does not tie automatically into the Leap/NTA's system?

markpb wrote: »

No one has access to the NTA data and if they did, it would be several hours out of date anyway. Hopefully at some stage, they'll allow apps running on suitably equipped phones to read some data directly off the card.

What Mark said. Dublin Bus, Luas, Irish Rail etc only send the Leap Card details at the end of the day (midnight?).

We would have to look at scanning the Leap Card in the future. But this will require permission off the company as well.

Dravokivich

The screens at validators display your balance as you use the leapcard. I dont honestly see any benefit using this.

Also noticed while looking through the screenshots, your dublin bus fares are outdated there. How easy is that to be updated, because it looks like yiu need to completly redo the buttons?

coylemj

Dravokivich wrote: »

Also noticed while looking through the screenshots, your dublin bus fares are outdated there. How easy is that to be updated, because it looks like yiu need to completly redo the buttons?

FFS don't be picking holes in the app based on screenshots, install it and you'll find that the bus fares are up to date.

red_bairn

Dravokivich wrote: »

The screens at validators display your balance as you use the leapcard. I dont honestly see any benefit using this.

Also noticed while looking through the screenshots, your dublin bus fares are outdated there. How easy is that to be updated, because it looks like yiu need to completly redo the buttons?

WE know they do, but do all customers remember their balance? It's to help keep track of it and to ensure that you are well credited.

coylemj wrote: »

FFS don't be picking holes in the app based on screenshots, install it and you'll find that the bus fares are up to date.

This is what we want people to do, so they can see if there are any problems with it or are there any features they would like added.

If you guys find it helpful please share it with friends.

Thanks!

coylemj

red_bairn wrote: »

This is what we want people to do, so they can see if there are any problems with it or are there any features they would like added.

If you guys find it helpful please share it with friends.

Thanks!

Would you consider allowing the Dart fare to be input based on start and end stations? I've never been able to figure out how the Dart fare is calculated, I see you have category letters for each fare but I can't find anywhere on the Irish Rail site where they explain the fares on the Dart.

bk

I think this app could be a little more useful, if it did log into the leap card site and compared all transactions made up to 48 hours ago against those recorded and gave warnings if they didn't match.

To be honest, they app will become pretty irrelevant as soon as the NTA finally roll out auto-load.

I've been on auto-load for almost a year now and to be honest, I don't even think about keeping track of my balance thanks to auto-load. I can't understand what has taken the NTA so long to roll out this very useful feature.

Of course if the NTA allowed NFC enabled smart phones read the balance on the card or introduced new, connected ticket machines to Dublin bus, then the site and apps could have an almost realtime balance.

Dravokivich

coylemj wrote: »

FFS don't be picking holes in the app based on screenshots, install it and you'll find that the bus fares are up to date.

huh?

I look at what's presented on any kind of App or software before installing it. It was an honest query. Nothing more.

bk wrote: »

Of course if the NTA allowed NFC enabled smart phones read the balance on the card or introduced new, connected ticket machines to Dublin bus, then the site and apps could have an almost realtime balance.

Does NFC even work like that, I thought if anything, the phone would replace the smart card in such an instance, not read it. And the issue of the transactions being delayed on web isn't solely due to Dublin Bus.

bk

Dravokivich wrote: »

Does NFC even work like that, I thought if anything, the phone would replace the smart card in such an instance, not read it. And the issue of the transactions being delayed on web isn't solely due to Dublin Bus.

NFC can read smart cards, it works in other countries.

But yes, it would also be nice if smart phones could act as a leap smart card.

I would assume that Luas readers and dart validators being directly connected by wired internet, should be almost instantaneous. Unless the backend software is badly designed.

Would be interesting to test it out.

Dravokivich

bk wrote: »

NFC can read smart cards, it works in other countries.

Ah alright, didn't know that.

bk wrote: »

But yes, it would also be nice if smart phones could act as a leap smart card.

I recall hearing of it being trialled before somewhere. But people testing became concerned it could be an invitation for pick pocketing.

bk

Dravokivich wrote: »

I recall hearing of it being trialled before somewhere. But people testing became concerned it could be an invitation for pick pocketing.

Yes and also potentially dropping and breaking a phone or damaging it from holding close to a reader.

I believe there is a fantastic technological solution coming from this, but I think it deserves it's own thread.

red_bairn

Well the other half, who is in Korea at the moment, has a Korean credit card that acts as a travel card as well (They use a system called "T-Money"), so she basically uses it for the majority of things. I think they've brought in purchasing over there with scanning their phones. But they are much more secure over there then here. You can trust Koreans more than our own.