Although the project will remain closed source and I retain the copyright I am open to any future opportunities for licensing or even purchase of the project in its current state. This leaves the option open for any developer or team with the desire and means to build upon it on any platform.

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GCab is a networked client-server application utilizing the unique features of the Android platform to allow users to quickly hail a cab from the device. This eliminates the usual steps of finding the phone number of the local cab company and making a call in situations where talking on the phone may not be appropriate or possible. GCab sends all the relevant information which is used by the local cab company to dispatch a cab to the user’s location, thereby making this an indispensible application for the person on the go.

Purpose

The purpose of GCab is to make it convenient for users to get a cab without having to know the phone number of a local cab company or even having to make a phone call. GCab makes it easy to quickly get picked up from wherever they may be.

Design

GCab is designed to be a quick, easy to use, and simple application to hail a cab. GCab only collects the most basic information required from the user in just three steps. Leveraging Androids features, GCab is able to provide a local cab company with a pickup address, desired pickup time, vehicle type, payment method, and cell phone number. The cab driver is dispatched through the normal channels and goes about his business as usual. GCab checks to see when the cab has been dispatched and notifies the customer automatically. Details about the cab such as the company name, cab number, and phone number are displayed in a notification screen for reference.

Features

• Designed with touch screen use in mind
• Simple three screen interface
• No account creation or login required
• Seamlessly utilizes Android’s always-on networking to send and receive data
• Utilizes GPS to locate user and shows location on Google map
• Provides cab company with pickup address using reverse geocoding
• Uses Android’s notification system to inform user when cab is on its way

Technology

GCab is part of a client-server application software solution.

Client
The GCab application runs on any device that is Android enabled with support for networking and GPS.

Communication
The client communicates with the GeoNames web service and utilizes their reverse geocoding feature to translate from GPS coordinates to street address. This was done as a workaround for the ADC (Android Developer Challenge) until the Android platform’s reverse geocoding is fully developed.

The client also communicates with the GCab server and sends user requests consisting of the following information:
• Desired pickup time
• Address
• Vehicle type
• Payment method
• Phone number

Server
The server is written in PHP and is responsible for receiving requests from clients, storing them in a MySQL database, responding to queries from clients, and providing additional information about the cabs as they are dispatched. For the purpose of the ADC the server automatically "dispatches" a cab from the Yellow Cab Cooperative. In actual use the intent is for a dispatcher at a particular cab company to interact with the GCab web application. Utilizing Google Maps this application shows incoming requests and allows the dispatcher to send a response to the user with an estimated time and cab number in just a few simple clicks.

Android

Platform technologies featured:
• Always-on networking
• Location based service (GPS)
• Notification system
• Touch screen GUI

Usage Examples

Use Case 1:
Three young women in their early 20’s go to a dance club in the city to party and have a few drinks. At the end of the night they realize its past midnight and their ride left without them. The music is loud so one of them uses GCab to request a cab to pick them up right away.

Use Case 2:
A group of 6 college students is preparing to attend the big football game across town. They’ve started tailgating at their fraternity house and had a few drinks. One of them requests a van to pick them up in 30 minutes so they can continue the festivities.

Use Case 3:
A 38 year old internet startup executive finishes giving a presentation in front of a group of venture capitalists. He forgot to call a cab to take him to the airport right after the meeting to catch his flight. As the last presenter is speaking he discreetly uses the GCab application and requests a cab in 15 minutes with the option to pay using his company credit card.

Comments/Suggestions?

I’d be interested to know what everyone thinks of the idea and what I’ve described here. Could you see using this in real life? Any other comments and suggestions welcome.

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