Location-based Applications

I had a meeting with Toby Collett at RSPB Saltholme regarding the development of our prototype location-based application. We're developing this with a view to securing some investment for a new start-up company in partnership with three others across the North of England. We aim to develop a range of accurate location-based data for use with any location and have requested that the RSPB Saltholme reserve allow us to use their fantastic reserve as our prototype area.

We're still awaiting the formal written agreement but all has gone well and it is our intention to produce a prototype that will be useful in gaining investment into our project but also provide Saltholme with some features that will enhance their visitors experience. Toby was a pleasure to meet and a great help and I also managed to sneak in an hour's birdwatching before I sloped back to do some work.

This week has also seen the launch of the new website we have created for Life Aid Training Ltd, a new local company that offers certified first aid training and defibrillator and CPR courses. There's still a few tweaks to be made which we will make early next week when our client comes in to the office.

This week has also seen us upgrading the Spirit Seekers website to allow visitors to search for their paranormal events by county.

New Venture Developments

We were up in Newcastle this week meeting with 3 business partners discussing a joint venture that has been developing over the last few months. This is still a pre-start-up business and no firm decision has been made on whether it will start up but some market research has been planned and we at Tad Web Solutions Ltd are in the process of developing a prototype for proof of concept and to enhance the market research by getting the views of potential customers and users.

The project includes the use of mapping software and the collection of data via GPS and to this end we have obtained a developer API key from Ordnance Survey so that we can create a prototype that utilises their maps. We also intend to use Google Maps to give two alternative views. We have already developed some of the functions we require for the display of data and are planning to have a test area to use.

Ideally we would like to develop the prototype for a genuine area where we can provide a range of functions based upon that location in conjunction with the managers of that area. To that end we have provided a proposal to a local organisation and hope shortly to get the go ahead to start the work. We are quite excited about the possibilities of this and believe we would create something of use for our land management partners.

It's all a bit hush hush until we get agreement and the exact nature of the project will not be revealed until the new joint company is launched. However, the prototype development, which is largely being carried out by Matthieu, will be useful for location-based services we could offer our own customers even if the market research points to the new venture not being economically viable as a stand alone company.

Plumbers Directory & a Vodcast!

We've made our new plumbers directory live at www.uklocalplumbers.co.uk and from next week will be giving away (yes, giving away) a limited number of free, lifetime listings in each town. This will be rolled out county by county, starting with our own county of Cleveland - so if you are a plumber or know a good one get them to contact us and get their free listing. The site will list plumbers in each town and they will have their own full page listing including banner, description, offer, testimonials and a small number of images.

We have also added our first vodcast to our website which is the first in a series on social media for Facebook and uses examples from one of our clients, The Pottery Loft, who do a great job promoting their business and interacting with their customers on there. Our Facebook for Business vodcast is also available on YouTube.

New Wordpress Website for Local Architect

Last week saw the launch of a new website for LAS Architecture, an architect based in Stockton-on-Tees. The site uses the open-source Wordpress platform as a CMS allowing our client to update the site, edit pages and add new pages whenever they want.

Obviously we are on hand for help and advice by email and telephone, a service we provide to all clients, if they are struggling with the content management system or looking to add any extra functionality. Our client will be popping into our office for a visit shorty so that we can walk through the CMS with them to help them run the website as they would like.

Contact  us if you are looking for a new website with a content management system, we're sure you'll be happy with our price and service.

The week has also seen a meeting with a local first aid training company to finalise the details of their new website and the development of a forum for Spirit Seekers, a company specialising in haunted events and paranormal investigations.