[gps-talkusers] future of Sendero GPS LookAround
- From: "Michael May" <mikemay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2010 14:57:02 -0700
Many messages have been forwarded to Sendero from various lists regarding
the new LookAround application. I won't be able to respond to all messages
but I would like to state Sendero's rationale for even creating an iPhone
app to begin with and where this may lead.
Sendero GPS LookAround is first and foremost an experiment. The fact that it
took us 6 months to come out with this app after we announced it was a
function of the logistics of working with a server-based application and
licensing, much more than the development time. It was a painful process
that in retrospect, we probably would not have engaged in.
Can a company who makes specialized products for the small blindness niche
market justify an iPhone app? To break even, we will need to sell at least
4000 units, not likely if there are only Voice Over users. We need to sell
way more than that to pay for all the features you and I both want to have
on the iPhone, the things that are missing from the other navigation apps.
It is ironic because we get beat up for the high price of our accessible GPS
products and now that we have one for five bucks, the expectations are for a
lot more. I think the expression is dammed if you do and dammed if you
don't.
The good news is that we get these very cool products on the iPhone for
little to no money. The bad news is that new versions can come out and make
the product less accessible. Blind people aren't of course taken into
account when so-called improvements are made.
I really hope that Sendero can improve LookAround to be appealing to both
blind and sighted users and thereby generate enough volume to keep this
project going. We pride ourselves on being on the cutting edge but we are
not supposed to be a nonprofit company.
We would like to actively involve all of you in determining what features go
into the next version of LookAround. We need to be very careful to
prioritize bugs and features so we can afford to keep this product going.
The more people who purchase it, the more we can reinvest. We need to add
the features, which you would like to see and hopefully others will agree
and purchase LookAround.
Sendero is in the process of compiling feature suggestions. We will then ask
users to rate the features, keeping in mind that we only have the resources
to implement the top features. We may have an on-line chat and/or an on-line
form to collect your votes. Stay tuned for the details. For now, it would be
helpful if you would email suggestions with LookAround in the subject line
to iPhone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks again for being part of this experiment and for your feedback.
Michael May, CEO Sendero Group
Developers of accessible GPS and distributors of technology for the blind
Voice, 530-757-6800
MikeMay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.senderogroup.com
http://www.AccessibleGPS.com
http://www.CrashingThrough.com
429 F Street, Suite 4
Davis, CA 95616
Michael May, CEO Sendero Group
Developers of accessible GPS and distributors of technology for the blind
Voice, 530-757-6800
MikeMay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.senderogroup.com
http://www.AccessibleGPS.com
http://www.CrashingThrough.com
429 F Street, Suite 4
Davis, CA 95616
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