Smartphone application for domainers

[andrejc]

Hi everyone,
I'm starting to develop an application for Android OS that would be used by domainers and I need some feedback from you. I would like to see how many people would use application like this and what features would you like it to have.

Here is the short list of features that I've found worth implementing, would like to come up with more with help from your input.


- Domain management - allows you to enter the information about domains you own (or import the list from .xls file for example). It will then provide you with useful information, like expiring domains notification and renewing domains directly from phone.

- Finance management - keeping track of your domain finance - purchases, sales, parking revenue with graphs, charts etc...

- Fetching & displaying your parking stats from different parking companies

- Fetching & filtering lists of expiring domains

- Latest industry news (sales and stuff)

- Domain availability check

- Bidding on domain auctions like Pool, SnapNames or GoDaddy

If you have any ides for expanding any of these features or if you can think anything else that I forgot, I would appreciate your input.


Thanks,
Andrej

 

[Gerry]

I applaud you for taking the initiative to create and market an Andoid App.

But why did you think of domaining? Why not something else? Or have you made other Android apps?

Overall, considering the size of the market potential of Android it would seem that domainers are a wee, wee, wee niche and market.

 

[Aleksandar]

I applaud you for taking the initiative to create and market an Andoid App.

I second that!

Nice features you have there Andrej.

 

[Tia Wood]

Yay! I thought this day would never happen:

http://blog.tiawood.com/domain-humor/we-need-an-idomainerfone.html

 

[andrejc]

@Doc Com

I have developed other Android applications and I'm not looking to make money of this, so I don't care about niche size, as long as there is reasonable number of people who would actually use application like this (one of the reasons I opened this thread is to get an idea about that number).


Andrej

 

[silentg]

No plan for iPhone app?

 

[Gerry]

@Doc Com

I have developed other Android applications and I'm not looking to make money of this, so I don't care about niche size, as long as there is reasonable number of people who would actually use application like this (one of the reasons I opened this thread is to get an idea about that number).


Andrej

Note implying it was (or was not) a money making venture. Understand why you opened this thread.

With all the metrics you plan to incorporate, one would be an alarm or notifying system when an auction of a name currently is about to close.

I have a Google Nexus One and use an alarm app to set to alert me when an auction is about to close. eh, it works, but would be nice to incorporate it into the domainers app. View an auction site, select a name, set an alarm at designated time interval before end of aution.

But here's the thing I do not understand...why design for a specific OS (android or iPhone) or format? I have never really quite understood the inkling to create an app for a specific OS, then another one, then another one and so one. One app for all formats, OS's, and screens.

 

[silentg]

Just like Doc Com said. Do a Web based APP that has a mobile template.

here are some suggestions:
Able to find domain drops by:
NNNN
CVCV
LLL
LNN
and so on

 

[andrejc]

But here's the thing I do not understand...why design for a specific OS (android or iPhone) or format? I have never really quite understood the inkling to create an app for a specific OS, then another one, then another one and so one. One app for all formats, OS's, and screens.

So what do you suggest as a solution? I mean, it's not developers' fault that there is more then one smartphones operating system on the market.

A web-based app is possible in this case and actually a tempting idea. My only concern is that in that case all sensitive data (like passwords and finance stuff) would be stored in an online database instead of a local one, which some might find insecure.

I'll think about this. Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

[Gerry]

So what do you suggest as a solution? I mean, it's not developers' fault that there is more then one smartphones operating system on the market.

I've done sites with Joomla and modules that work across all platforms...any smartphone, any tablet, any PC and any Laptop - anything mobile and stationary.

Those that jumped on the iPhone/iPod apps bandwagon were limiting their reach. Why jump on a trend that only reached perhaps 20% of the smartphone market. Better question - why ignore the other 80%?

Now there is Android along with the Apple OS powering phones and soon to be tablets. Android is and has been outselling the Apple items. The solution? Build the same app for Android? Now, that is not the solution. The solution is to build one app, one site, one URL that works across all platforms and OS.

An example of this would be iCPR dot mobi. Now, it does not matter what the URL is. That is not the issue. It could be any gTLD or ccTLD. This solution allows this site to work on any mobile or stationary device that can be connected to the internet. Plus, there is nothing to download, no purchase necessary, and can be used by anyone and everyone - even multi-lingual. It works on any OS.

I am not a programmer but have taught myself basic skills with Joomla and Wordpress. I'd love to get it onto Android or Apple as a free app or download. But it's easier just to promote it and have people bookmark it.

---------- Post added at 01:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:10 PM ----------

I mean, it's not developers' fault that there is more then one smartphones operating system on the market.

No, it is not a developer's fault that there are more smartphones operating systems on the market. But, ignoring the overwhelming majority of that market or not creating something that works across all platforms and OS's? That is not the fault of the smartphones.

 

[andrejc]

I get your point, but keep in mind that there is a good reason why people build applications that are executed on local platforms rather than on an online server. Later has many limits in terms of what you can implement - this is where platforms that are used on modern mobiles phones (e.g. Java) beat any web-based language (like PHP). 3D graphics is an obvious example. Also, imagine having applications that occasionally needs to do some non-trivial computation (the one I currently want to develop might be an example) and the same being used at the same time by many users. Here the server that you pay for needs to handle all the computation, which might become expensive as number of users becomes large. Basically, this is a waste of processing power that mobile phones own, since all the computing is done "in cloud".

Also, if you develop an application for both Android and iPhone, you will automatically cover about 80% of smartphones that are currently used (I'm not sure about exact figure, but my guess is that it would be somewhere in that range).

I agree that web-based apps might be better solution for some projects that don't require advanced features or heavy computation, but I'm not sure if the application that I want to develop belongs in this group.

 

[Gerry]

I get your point, but keep in mind that there is a good reason why people build applications that are executed on local platforms rather than on an online server. Later has many limits in terms of what you can implement - this is where platforms that are used on modern mobiles phones (e.g. Java) beat any web-based language (like PHP). 3D graphics is an obvious example. Also, imagine having applications that occasionally needs to do some non-trivial computation (the one I currently want to develop might be an example) and the same being used at the same time by many users. Here the server that you pay for needs to handle all the computation, which might become expensive as number of users becomes large. Basically, this is a waste of processing power that mobile phones own, since all the computing is done "in cloud".

Also, if you develop an application for both Android and iPhone, you will automatically cover about 80% of smartphones that are currently used (I'm not sure about exact figure, but my guess is that it would be somewhere in that range).

I agree that web-based apps might be better solution for some projects that don't require advanced features or heavy computation, but I'm not sure if the application that I want to develop belongs in this group.

All good points. Yes, what you want to do is a hog for server needs and computation, rather than an information site.

Things are simply going to go smartphone and tablets. Already, many manufactures are ceasing netbook production. Desktops are dying, except for business use. Laptops are also taking a big hit. I believe anyone planning on making a purchase for the above are going to wait to see what comes out from the CES.

Your 80% guess I think will come true within the next year or so. I can not see Windows making a big dent in the market and Palm OS will be integrated into HP products. All other OS will die off or be absorbed into mergers or partnership.

Actually, it is pretty cool to see a site, like mine, on my Google Nexus One, my iPod touch, my iPad, my Windows based PC's and Laptops...one site seen and working on all sizes, formats, and OS's.