Wombat Mobile I should be coding or sleeping instead of this...

I joined the #mobitopia irc chat yesterday for the first time. Impressive group, lots of synergy among everyone there. Just spending time in there gets the ideas flowing.

I ran into crschmidt, who wrote a very cool Python traffic cam proof of concent, and answered a lot of my questions about python. I've got an idea for a python script on my phone that I can use as a helper app while I'm developing J2ME apps, that can make testing more efficient for me. (more on that later)

His traffic app really stuck in my mind, though, and I thought about some things that could be added to it. I decided I would really use this if it had mapping capabilities associated with it, so I went about building a proof-of-concept.

Unfortunately, I don't know python, so I built a MIDlet that accomplishes what I'm trying to convey. You can download it here. I've only tested it on a Nokia 6620, but it seems to work pretty well so far.

Here are some screenshots from my MIDlet, along with the use cases I had in mind.

Use Case 1: I'm late for a Mobile Monday event in SF, and I'm coming from across the Bay. Using my phone, I'd already seen that the Bay Bridge is really backed up via traffic cam, so I took the San Mateo Bridge. Unfortunately as I'm coming up 101, traffic is completely stopped as a Starving Students moving truck has overturned and is blocking everyone. Luckily, my traffic cam app can also retrieve a map and I can take side streets.

(OK, this use case isn't that great, but it's what I started with and eventually led me to the more functionality of Use Case #2. And I know that's the Golden Gate Bridge in the screenshot below, but it's dusk right now as I'm taking screenshots and the other cameras aren't as clear as they were earlier. I'll fix this later)

Then I just decided to expand it to just enter an address and get a map, as well as make everything scrollable.

Use Case 2:
wombat: Um, I think we're lost, somehow we're back to Geary and Van Ness again.
wombat's fiance: Pull over and ask for directions.
wombat: No, wait! Use my phone and bring up a map!