Sign Shaker
My mate Doug runs a web site called Signspotting. It’s a repository for all those weird signs you see when you’re travelling the world. The unintentionally funny, even obscene, warnings and instructions that come about when you attempt to use a language that is not your own.
Being an enterprising American, Doug has spun the Signspotting concept into a number of successful incarnations. There are the wildly popular books – Signspotting 1,2 and 3
Now, at last, there’s the Signspotting iPhone App.
It’s called Sign Shaker, and it works like those Magic 8 Balls that were popular a few years back. You ask a question, shake your phone, and Sign Shaker gives you a randomly selected sign as an answer. Doug sent me a prototype a few weeks ago and I’ve got to say it’s a lot of fun.
First up, if you’ve got an iPhone, do yourself a favour and download a copy. I guarantee it’ll stay on your phone longer than that fart application you downloaded.
Secondly, I’m interested to hear any ideas you guys might have about how I could do something similar with my books.
Can’t guarantee a commission, of course, but you will be duly credited!
The Blog!
July 28th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
You could start with an app that doesn shit in the toilet – but I imagine literaly every app would be in that situation.
Or how about a simple driving game where you have to navigate a Vespa round Italy?
July 28th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
How about a “Peter Moore Random Travel Brochure”… you type in Point A and then Point B (i.e. the place you want to end up in) and then your app generates a route for the traveller via all the cities places of interest you have visited.
July 28th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
I facebooked this post, knowing I have some exceptionally clever friends, hoping some of them have some ideas for you. I have no ideas, I only have clever friends and ride on their coat tails.
July 29th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Or what about a navigation app that leads you “The wrong way home”.
Or maybe a translation app: “Swahili for the broken vespa”
July 29th, 2010 at 11:34 am
Couple of other ideas:
“What would an Australian do” app… bit like the magic 8 ball idea but everyday Aussie advice for us poms….
“What would Peter comsume”…. type in a location and if Peter has been there then the app recommends a dish/drink to try that day
July 29th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Hi Peter!
How about a “No $hitting” app?? aka actually useful travel tips & observations.
Break it down to search by category and country (perhaps use a map with overlay for that so people can zoom in rather than select from a list) and offer a random tip generator too.
Have an option for people to send in their tips and observations, and any decent ones get added to the app so it’s continually evolving (and of course you could always use them as a follow up edition to “No $hitting”!).
Also have an option to ‘favourite’ tips as well they can store & refer to later.
And of course have an option where people can buy your books directly & add to ibooks