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Train Track Irish Rail Android App

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    #2
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    Just had a quick look, very slick app. I don't use the trains very often so just had a quick look from an Android dev/design point of view.

    I only have a couple of points after a quick look:
    • Get rid of the splash screen, they are pointless and only serve as a blocker to your users
    • When I go to a saved station the image changes and then blurs which is jarring and annoying
    • When I open the about page it is almost unreadable because it is a transparent overlay on top of what I was previously looking at
    • There's a remove filters option in a saved station but I can't find where to add filters
    • Your misusing the floating action button, as far as I am aware it should not be used for navigation as you are doing so in your app and hence it seems confusing
    • In the train details page it would be nice to have the time the train will arrive at the station beside the status such as "Arriving on Time at 14:00" rather than just arriving on time.
    • Even though I've only used it briefly the full screen adverts have become annoying enough to make me consider uninstalling the app
    • The about section is not fully visible in landscape mode


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    #3
    flyingsnail
    Registered Users Posts: 2,752 ✭✭✭flyingsnail


    When I type into the search bar and click the search icon, nothing happens.

    You have train stations listed that do not have any service eg, Campile Wellingtonbridge, Curragh, Woodbrook ect

    For train stations that cannot provide real-time data instead of saying "No train data is available at this time, please pull refresh to try again" you should make it oblivious that data is never available for that station.

    The ability to look at timetables beyond current arrivals and departures would be great.


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    #4
    jessconr
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭jessconr


    Thanks for taking the time to provide me with some feedback Atomic Pineapple. I'm glad you like it and think its slick! ;) Just to get back to you on some of your points

    - the splash screen is fundamental to the app as it get the users last known location and puts their closest favourite station to the front of the list for convenience. It also stores all the stations when the app is ran for the first time

    - the changing image is so that the app doesn't always show the same background image. It blurs only after you interact with the screen so that focus is drawn to the train times and not the background

    - I will have a look at improving the about layout...thanks for that

    - You can add filters by long pressing a train. I will maybe introduce a tutorial to help users with that or maybe include it in the about page

    - Floating Action buttons can be used for navigation. This can be seen in the Android dialer app which has an example FAB navigation when you switch to the dial screen

    - I agree with the train detail screen point. I will add this feature in the next release...thanks

    - I used to have full screen adverts everywhere in the app but now only have them in the time-table search layout, which I think is fair, if I'm trying to generate a little revenue. You can also remove all adverts using an in-app-purchase

    - Will sort out landscape issues

    Thanks a mill again! Any feedback, greatly appreciated!


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    #5
    jessconr
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭jessconr


    flyingsnail wrote: »
    When I type into the search bar and click the search icon, nothing happens.

    You have train stations listed that do not have any service eg, Campile Wellingtonbridge, Curragh, Woodbrook ect

    For train stations that cannot provide real-time data instead of saying "No train data is available at this time, please pull refresh to try again" you should make it oblivious that data is never available for that station.

    The ability to look at timetables beyond current arrivals and departures would be great.

    Thanks for the feedback Flyingsnail.

    - Once typing in the search bar, the search function should work without having to click anything. keep typing and the list of station should get smaller or are you talking about the time table search?

    - I greatly appreciate you letting me know which stations don't actually run any services. I will remove these in my next release.

    - There is the ability to look up time time tables in the future. Most of these timetables also include prices if available

    Thanks again


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    #6
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    jessconr wrote: »
    - the splash screen is fundamental to the app as it get the users last known location and puts their closest favourite station to the front of the list for convenience. It also stores all the stations when the app is ran for the first time

    You can do all that without a splash screen, every time I exit and open the app the splash screen delays me for X amount of seconds which is a bad design, load as much of your app instantly as you can and then anything that takes time load it in asynchronously.
    jessconr wrote: »
    - the changing image is so that the app doesn't always show the same background image. It blurs only after you interact with the screen so that focus is drawn to the train times and not the background

    I guess its personal preference but I found it to be a bit too much. I'd prefer to be able to pick out the train times without having to interact with the screen.
    jessconr wrote: »
    - Floating Action buttons can be used for navigation. This can be seen in the Android dialer app which has an example FAB navigation when you switch to the dial screen

    I wasn't too clear I don't think, I meant they shouldn't be used as navigational menus, the dialer simply switches to the dialing view and in inbox or gmail the floating action button is the same, it offers you options on who to perform an action on but never offers you a menu, the same in Keep, the floating action button gives you four options but they all do the same thing, create a note.

    In all cases it represents the primary action for a screen and not a navigational menu, see here for more info - http://www.google.co.uk/design/spec/components/buttons-floating-action-button.html#buttons-floating-action-button-floating-action-button
    jessconr wrote: »
    - I used to have full screen adverts everywhere in the app but now only have them in the time-table search layout, which I think is fair, if I'm trying to generate a little revenue. You can also remove all adverts using an in-app-purchase

    Indeed, it is fair that you are trying to generate revenue, I'm just letting you know the full screen ads are annoying and your'e likely to lose some users because of them, its all about the trade off and whether you think its worth it.

    I've also noticed since, that once I save a station then I can't get back to the station list to add another station, do you only allow one saved station by design or should I be able to get back and add multiples saved stations?


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    #7
    jessconr
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭jessconr


    Atomic Pineapple wrote: »
    I wasn't too clear I don't think, I meant they shouldn't be used as navigational menus, the dialer simply switches to the dialing view and in inbox or gmail the floating action button is the same, it offers you options on who to perform an action on but never offers you a menu, the same in Keep, the floating action button gives you four options but they all do the same thing, create a note.

    In all cases it represents the primary action for a screen and not a navigational menu, see here for more info - http://www.google.co.uk/design/spec/...-action-button

    I have read through these guidelines a couple of times and I beg to differ with you :). The guidelines specifically mention the following "Qualities. Make floating action buttons positive actions like Create, Favorite, Share, Navigate, and Explore."
    Atomic Pineapple wrote: »
    I've also noticed since, that once I save a station then I can't get back to the station list to add another station, do you only allow one saved station by design or should I be able to get back and add multiples saved stations?

    This is by design because there is no Home up/back navigation on the saved stations activity but you can get back to the station list layout using the FAB button and add more favourite stations


    I am taking your suggestions seriously and will definitely look to improve on the app. Thanks again


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    #8
    jessconr
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭jessconr


    Just got featured on TechBuzzIreland.com :). I'm chuffed! http://techbuzzireland.com/2015/07/17/train-track-irish-made-irish-rail-realtime-tracker-irishrail-apps-android-travel/


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