4 ms·

Can I just say "phone calls" are something that dumb phones can do. GPS and live traffic data are, essentially, the same service in that they fill the same need

by HWR_14 5y ago

Can I just say "phone calls" are something that dumb phones can do. GPS and live traffic data are, essentially, the same service in that they fill the same need. Restaurant reviews? Who actually needs those except maybe on a road trip? And then it really seems like a GPS-style feature. It seems like the phone as GPS+ is use-case you identified. I will say though, even dumb phones have web browsers, and have for a long time. You can access Yelp over the internet on a candybar from a decade ago.

mdoms 5y ago
> GPS and live traffic data are, essentially, the same service in that they fill the same need What? > Restaurant reviews? Who actually needs those except maybe on a road trip? Anyone who likes to visit new restaurants.
- HWR_14 5y ago
  GPS and live traffic data are both "route me to X". I don't think people really have another use case for either, although in some cases the "route me to X" may include "X is a close gas station" or "best route is to wait 45 minutes before leaving". Do people really choose new restaurants while out (unless on a road trip)? I can see using Yelp while planning to go somewhere with friends, but once you're actually outside the house? In other words, I don't see a use case for Yelp outside the computer, with the exception of a road trip.
  - mdoms 5y ago
    > GPS and live traffic data are both "route me to X". I don't think people really have another use case for either, although in some cases the "route me to X" may include "X is a close gas station" or "best route is to wait 45 minutes before leaving". None of this is true. > Do people really choose new restaurants while out (unless on a road trip)? Yes, very often. Maybe I'm at the pub with my partner and we decide to get dinner somewhere. I'll use reviews to find something. It's a very very common use case.
    - HWR_14 5y ago
      > None of this is true. Wow, way to fill in use cases I didn't think of. > Maybe I'm at the pub with my partner and we decide to get dinner somewhere. I'll use reviews to find something. You go out to a bar before dinner? I suppose some people do. I've always thought of dinner as starting an evening out, or at the very least being part of a plan (eg, Show X followed by dinner at Y)
      - p_j_w 5y ago
        >You go out to a bar before dinner? Does it matter? Maybe they wanna look for a bar after dinner then? In which case, you know, the phone is still useful. >I've always thought of dinner as starting an evening out, or at the very least being part of a plan (eg, Show X followed by dinner at Y) I'd suggest you look into the idea of spontaneity. It can be pretty great.
        HWR_14 5y ago
        The people I know who bother to look at yelp are planners and often choose a restaurant to meet at quite far away because it's special. The people I know who decide things spontaneously don't bother checking yelp. Since you tried condescending at the end of your comment: I suggest you try places that smell good from the street and not outsource your thinking to an app. It can be pretty great.
        p_j_w 5y ago
        >The people I know [...] The people I know Are you incapable of escaping from your little corner of the world? >I suggest you try places that smell good from the street and not outsource your thinking to an app. Guess what? I can, and do, do both!
dymk 5y ago
Am I misunderstanding or are you saying people can buy a TomTom and a Motorola Razr and that's just as good as a modern day smartphone? Do you remember annoying it was to use the browser on those candybar phones?
- HWR_14 5y ago
  Buy a TomTom? GPS is already built in to most cars (although they may be phasing it out if they think everyone can just use their phone.) But I know people who have dedicated GPS units (TomTom, Garmin, etc.) in their cars. They do provide better directions than GoogleMaps/AppleMaps. I think the browser on candybars was annoying, but it also was sufficient. Not for daily browsing, but for occasional lookups.

by HWR_14 5y ago

mdoms 5y ago

> GPS and live traffic data are, essentially, the same service in that they fill the same need What? > Restaurant reviews? Who actually needs those except maybe on a road trip? Anyone who likes to visit new restaurants.

HWR_14 5y ago
GPS and live traffic data are both "route me to X". I don't think people really have another use case for either, although in some cases the "route me to X" may include "X is a close gas station" or "best route is to wait 45 minutes before leaving". Do people really choose new restaurants while out (unless on a road trip)? I can see using Yelp while planning to go somewhere with friends, but once you're actually outside the house? In other words, I don't see a use case for Yelp outside the computer, with the exception of a road trip.
- mdoms 5y ago
  > GPS and live traffic data are both "route me to X". I don't think people really have another use case for either, although in some cases the "route me to X" may include "X is a close gas station" or "best route is to wait 45 minutes before leaving". None of this is true. > Do people really choose new restaurants while out (unless on a road trip)? Yes, very often. Maybe I'm at the pub with my partner and we decide to get dinner somewhere. I'll use reviews to find something. It's a very very common use case.
  - HWR_14 5y ago
    > None of this is true. Wow, way to fill in use cases I didn't think of. > Maybe I'm at the pub with my partner and we decide to get dinner somewhere. I'll use reviews to find something. You go out to a bar before dinner? I suppose some people do. I've always thought of dinner as starting an evening out, or at the very least being part of a plan (eg, Show X followed by dinner at Y)
    - p_j_w 5y ago
      >You go out to a bar before dinner? Does it matter? Maybe they wanna look for a bar after dinner then? In which case, you know, the phone is still useful. >I've always thought of dinner as starting an evening out, or at the very least being part of a plan (eg, Show X followed by dinner at Y) I'd suggest you look into the idea of spontaneity. It can be pretty great.
      - HWR_14 5y ago
        The people I know who bother to look at yelp are planners and often choose a restaurant to meet at quite far away because it's special. The people I know who decide things spontaneously don't bother checking yelp. Since you tried condescending at the end of your comment: I suggest you try places that smell good from the street and not outsource your thinking to an app. It can be pretty great.
        p_j_w 5y ago
        >The people I know [...] The people I know Are you incapable of escaping from your little corner of the world? >I suggest you try places that smell good from the street and not outsource your thinking to an app. Guess what? I can, and do, do both!

dymk 5y ago

Am I misunderstanding or are you saying people can buy a TomTom and a Motorola Razr and that's just as good as a modern day smartphone? Do you remember annoying it was to use the browser on those candybar phones?

HWR_14 5y ago
Buy a TomTom? GPS is already built in to most cars (although they may be phasing it out if they think everyone can just use their phone.) But I know people who have dedicated GPS units (TomTom, Garmin, etc.) in their cars. They do provide better directions than GoogleMaps/AppleMaps. I think the browser on candybars was annoying, but it also was sufficient. Not for daily browsing, but for occasional lookups.