Routeshare

This is a product I've been working on for quite a while. I came on this idea when I was on my way for a meeting. We kept sending each other location's via WhatsApp when I thought there might be a need for a product like Routeshare. Hope you guys like what I've build.

Sleek visuals! My observations, hope they make sense. First screen: You have Email, Password and "Register" button. I've entered my email and password, got "Incorrect details" message, then I've noticed that "Register" changed to "Login". I'm thinking: "How do I register then?". You see my confusion. Other thought: Why do you need my detail to share the location? Sharing without registration would be powerful. Or asking to register at later stages at least. I'm using Glympse for the same purpose. How would you expect to differentiate and become the default location sharing app?

The video on the homepage is slick, although I'd suggest speeding it up if possible. Routeshare reminds me of Twist which launched back in 2012 and just last month, shut down. To be honest, I've been skeptical of consumer, temporary location sharing apps like this because (1) texting/emailing someone your general location and ETA is good enough and (2) it requires the user to change their behavior (they likely have an open conversation w/ that person via txt, email, etc. Curious to hear your thoughts, @emieljanson.

@nikitakorotaev I noticed that problem yes. Lesson I learned: always do a final version test with a fresh group of testers. I'm thinking about a 'register later' button. Thanks for the feedback! @rrhoover That video took me 3 days to figure out whats the best way of recording. From blue screen to green screen to a photo studio. The hard part is the timing, I actually made it a little slower from the first version. 1. Depends a lot on the length of the trip and where you're meeting. 2. Thats a huge challenge yes. I hope I make a chance by making a super easy and fast flow. I think Routeshare can be great for brands. For example: your cable supplier who's coming to fix your internet texting you a link with their ETA or your car repair service when you stuck on the road.

@emieljanson this looks great, and I'm also impressed with the homepage video. slick demo I frequently use Moby (http://mo.by/) when I'm meeting up with someone - look forward to trying Routeshare! @rrhoover you know when I use this kind of thing is (1) if I'm running late they can see me vs me guessing I'm 10 min away, (2) when I'm meeting someone in the middle or a non-specific location (eg: the great lawn in central park) it makes it really easy to see someone's location and actually be able to walk and turn based on where the other person heading. If they're running behind, I walk a little farther instead of waiting

@emieljanson - I like the business/commercial opportunities for a product like this. Is there a 3rd party SDK/API that enables people to add location tracking to their apps? cc @shedd

@emieljanson - Very cool product and nice video to show how easy it is to use. A few thoughts: 1) Similar to what Ryan mentioned, is this a large problem users face? Large enough to add another app into their conversations? When chatting via... I... a) Google Hangouts... Send via the built in functionality b) Text Message... Send a shortcode "Walnut and 8th" or time approximate or transit stop c) WhatsApp... Send via the built in functionality d) Facebook... Send a shortcode "Walnut and 8th" or time approximate or transit stop With d, as Facebook takes chat out of the core Facebook app you can be certain they will add better chat functionality like location sharing. Facebook has just started rolling out their new take on location sharing, Find Friends Nearby, in the past week, IIRC. With b and d, I can send "Walnut and 8th" or "10 minutes away" quicker than I could launch a new app just to use the cool location feature. This will probably be the biggest challenge you face. 2) My entire above comment has to do with instantaneous location whereabouts. If the premise is that people want to be able to track someone through the entire journey in real-time, then that is indeed different than the offerings out there. Who has failed doing this? Why is this different? Why is now the right time? Do people actually care to see a live route versus getting an approximation? With real-time journey tracking, the Find Friends Nearby feature gets a bit closer, albeit there are obviously differences especially related to privacy. Cool concept, looks nice, would be interested to hear more about the market needs!