Predictably under the beta test: this is a 'pull yourself together' release which means that the main focus was on usability: We added only essential functionalities but a lot of usability improvements:
- Context sensitive help
- Welcome screen at the first start with basic information about Woophoo, the technical requirements and internet costs.
- Place search functionality which should be the first implemented feature in a mapping application. It's done by using the Open Street Map Name Finder - a good starting point with nice syntax like 'main st, new york' or 'restaurants, budapest'. Integration with local search providers and 'near me' search is coming in the next release.
- Heads Up Display (HUD) with speed, current time and arrival time - (The truth is that this is an On Screen Display (OSD) but the name HUD is much more hotter. Sorry for that...)
The HUD wants to be unobtrusive: It is translucent and comes up automatically if you don't touch the phone for a while but hides when you press a key. It moves on the screen so that it always tries to shadow the least interesting map areas. The info on the HUD and its behavior will be configurable in the next version. - Some minor improvements like 'loading...' alerts, icons on the vehicle selection screen, better command priorities in the menus, better and safer settings page (no more password on the screen when you lost the phone - however no stars while you enter the password), distance information on the bunch page and the most important: screen transition effects.
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