I was inspired by my VI friend who often worried about finding a grassy area for her dog to spend. So I've made this app that uses OpenStreetMap to find any nearby grass verges, parks or wooded areas. It's really designed for towns and cities.
I've tried to make it as accessible as possible but I'm not VI myself, so I'd really like to get some more input from other users. It will link out to either Apple or Google Maps to give walking directions. My friend often uses her Apple Watch to navigate with her dog.
I've tested it as much as I can both with large text mode and voice over. But it's not the same as someone who uses those things every day.
Download it here https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/big-spender/id1239925469
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Hi Thom,
Firstly, this is a great idea. I downloaded the app earlier and have been playing around with it. I have a suggestion that would make it easier from the user perspective but I've no clue how to implement it. It would be very useful if there was some identifying information available e.g. Street name. At present all I'm getting is a list where every entry is called "Park". If an identifying label was added the user wouldn't have to switch between apps to find the most suitable area. Where I've been trying the app out, it's identifying grass areas that are not accessible but if I had identifying info I could scroll past those suggestions.
Also, would it be possible to favourite and black list certain spots? Favourites would obviously be personal and black lists would be public so that users could identify and flag inaccessible areas e.g. roundabouts.
Looking forward to using it☺️
Roisin
Great App
Hi,
I have not tested this app. Thank you for creating this app! Looking forward to using it!
Would it be possible to see if the app can locate trash cans etc. after we're finished?
Thank you,
JoAnn
That's a great idea!
That's a great idea! Unfortunately it seems that the data just isn't available for it. There's a very small handful of parks and areas around the world where dog waste facilities have been mapped. It may improve in the future though!
Why spending though?
My first thought was why couldn't this be for everyone? Like I'm not saying why didn't you say go to the bathroom or anything just where did spending come from? I never once heard of that as a term. If its something you made up that was a clever way to put it. I'm just curious.
Do you mean for any dog
Do you mean for any dog owners? It can be, but I built it specifically with guide dogs in mind and tried to make it easy for VI users.
I'd not heard of "spending" before either, but it seems to be the standard term in the UK at least. Some places provide a "Spending Area" or "Spending Pen".
Are you in the US or somewhere else? What would you call it? I can update the app store description so it's easier for people to find.
Thanks for your feedback.
What I ment
lol What I ment was based off of the name I thought it was for like finding store deals. There's nothing wrong with the discription I just found it to be intresting.
Spending
As a guide dog owner in the UK, "spending" is a common term. It comes from the British euphemism "to spend a penny".
cool idea for an app
Cool idea for an app! I'm not a guide dog owner myself but i know many folks who are and it could be useful. My only concern is since this is a UK-based app that it wouldn't work anywhere in the US which is kind of a shame. If it does work in the US that'd be even cooler.
It will work in the US. It
It will work in the US. It uses data from OpenStreetMap which has good coverage across major US cities, and if you find anywhere that isn't covered then you can help out by adding the info to OpenStreetMap. It's like a wikipedia for maps.