The Challenge: Build and release an app that required less than 12 hours of work.
The Result: NYC Subway Status for Android
I’ve been beating the drum lately on the need to build things very quickly. I’ve found that despite loads of thinking and planning, often you don’t discover most of the real problems with your idea until you’re knee deep in development. Building something in a brief time period is meant to short circuit the process and avoid analysis paralysis.
Working this way, though, can be very stressful. You’re having to cut corners, to make compromises, and to eliminate functionality in order to meet your deadline. However, working like this also forces you to simplify your ideas and focus on the core user experience which can lead to a simpler, more refined final product. Sometimes it’s better to do one feature well than to cram in three or four features.
The result of this latest personal challenge is the NYC Subway Status app for Android. It was built in a few hours and does one thing very well — tells you if the NYC Subway lines are running smoothly, encountering delays, or scheduling maintenance. Here are some screenshots of the app in action.
You can install the app for free just by searching on the Android Market. Alternatively, you can scan in this barcode on your phone.
Enjoy!
UPDATE: Version 1.0.3 now released!
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randy |
wow looks great!
brenda m |
Will, you obviously doctroed your screenshots. the ACE never has good service. :) Nice work! iphone verison, please…
wubbahed |
Ha! Alan had the exact same comment…
Tim Shader |
I have installed the Subway Status app on my android phone which uses the 2.2 (froyo) OS. The problem I am having is the app only shows the status of the first group of subway lines selected. I have selected multiple subway lines to monitor but, the app will only show the first group selected status. I have to deselect all groups and select one group at a time to see each group’s status. Can the app be modified to display multiple/all subway lines selected at once?
thanks
matt |
I really like your program but is there any way to get rid of that update status notification? I found it to be intrusive on my screen. Other than that love the program so thanks!
wubbahed |
Good suggestion Matt! I’ll add this in an optimization update coming out in the next week or two.