Ultimate Grocery Shopping App: Grocery IQ

Coupons.com is hoping to change the way shoppers use grocery lists with their new app called Grocery IQ. (They just got a $200 million investment & it’s got some pretty neat features)

Create & share your grocery lists
Automatically organizes your lists into the proper categories
Scan items to add them to your lists
Add items by speaking your list to your phone
Find & use the coupons you want
Location based finder shows you nearby shopper centers
Download the free app here: http://www.groceryiq.com/

Spatially Aware Devices Will Change Everything

One of my favorite new interests is the gesture control movement within mobile app design. While not directly related to location based marketing services, it will impact how these app, and others, are eventually designed. The second half of the users migrating from “dumb phones” to smart phones over the next several years will start to see easier methods of device usage and controls. A great example of how overall usage will change is the concept of spatially aware devices – your phone will detect when it’s near another compatible appliance (Think: Bump) and allow the seamless transfer of content. Imagine how this can eliminate the need to transfer files to a thumb drive or even the need to email files. Check out this demo – very cool:

Smart Car Argentina Wins The Twitter Creativity Contest

Give it up for Smart Car Argentina for creating the most original twitter stream. Watch it in action by going to https://twitter.com/smartArg and simply hold down your J key. Or, just watch this video.

Google Glass: How We’ll Experience What’s Around Us Someday

Take a look at how Google may help us experience everything around us – including our personal connections, in the (near) future. This takes location based services to a whole new level of interaction and really shows how we can connect and discover what’s around us. Wild.

Sawbuck – Changing How People Browse Real Estate

H/T to Robert Scoble for sharing this wild app from Sawbuck. Simply take a picture of a home and you’ll get instant access to everything you need to know about the house. Watch Guy Wolcott, CEO of Sawbuck, demonstrate the app in this video. This is one of the more interesting and effective location based marketing tools I’ve seen for the real estate market. Agents and consumers can both benefit from this application. The app is available on Sawbuck

My curiosity peaked once I thought about the potential for the Sawbuck platform and algorithm(s) within the automotive industry. Imagine tapping into CARFAX & AutoCheck for vehicle history reports. A shopper could shoot a picture of a car for sale and access the history report. Now that’s disruptive.

Best iPhone Calculator Ever

Ok, I think the Rechner Calculator is the best (standard function) calculator I’ve ever used on my iPhone – and I can guarantee that you’ll hate it. At first. Give it a couple of days and you’ll love it as well.

It couldn’t be easier:

Swipe right for +
Swipe left for -
Swipe up for =
Swipe down for additional functions
Two-finger swipe in any direction – up, down, right or left to clear

Gesture control design solutions is a trend which can’t come soon enough. Remember Clear? As more apps with simple gesture controls and movements become available, acceptance will grow. Overall appearance is sleeker, screen real estate becomes uncluttered and app usage efficiency skyrockets. (In this case – up to 200% more efficient) Imagine the possibilities for other simple task apps, shopping solutions and even check-out solutions.

Check it out:

Have you used it? What do you think?

Twitterize Yourself Into An Infographic

Who doesn’t like an infographic? Create your own using Visual.ly. Here’s mine based on my twitter activity.

Clear: Best To Do List Ever

Here’s my vote for the best new To Do list app: Clear. And the neat thing is that all of the potential features haven’t been released yet, such as: Desktop synching, collaboration & tablet versions.

Clear messaging service (Photo credit: Ben Terrett)

Two great things about this app. First, it’s super simple. All you need to know how to do is:

Scroll up & down
Swipe left & right
Pinch in & out
Drag & drop
Type

Think you can handle that? To do lists are a pain to manage – the stuff we have to do is more important than needing to learn how to master managing a list application. The visual intro and the tips screen is well done. Once your list is created, pinch it, tap your Personal list and scroll down to view the control panel. Couldn’t be easier.

The second thing happening here is the new trend this design may create. Buh-bye buttons. Say hello to the wonderful world of gesture controls. I’m hoping this helps spark a new trend in app design and ushers out the need for tiny buttons with even tinier text. Make your apps easier and users will enjoy them even more. Brands who embrace this will see increased engagement, increased app shelf-life and higher in-app conversion rates.

Small items like unlocking an additional design theme for following @UseClear on twitter is a nice touch. More apps could learn from this as well. Not much needs to be said – it’s a to do app. A very simple one.

So what do you think? Have you tried it yet?

NFC Based Airport Check-Ins: Finally An Efficient Airport Solution

Great things on the horizon thanks to Near-Field Communications (NFC). Check out how SITA & Orange have developed new check-in solutions to clearly trump anything else available. Cool fact: NFC works even when you phone is off.

Be sure to catch my complete overview of NFC in the next issue of the DrivingSales Innovation Guide.

HT to Paul Hamilton for the video!

Location Based Marketing Strategies

Location based marketing & digital strategies you can use. WhatDidEricSay.com