Check out my app: GasBot

[Camarones]

No problem. Let me know if you see any other bugs or have any good feature suggestions. I'd like to have as many features as possible when I roll this out as a 1.0 app.

By then I want to have the by address searching capability in, allow people to get directions to the stations. On the main station listing screen show when that price was last updated and possibly all of the different grades of fuel that they report.

Those are all things I was going to suggest. In the map view, it would be cool to see at a glance what a station was offering. Perhaps a different icon for a station that has diesel. Or even biodiesel...

I like the preferred vendor option, but I think some might also benefit from a filter as well. For example, some people don't like to patronize Arco because they don't take credit cards (only debit or cash).

 

[PsychoBadBoy]

Thanks man, I'm up to chat about android development any time. Just shoot me an e-mail at chris@gasbot.net.

And yeah I agree on the interface. I think once I'm ready to hit a 1.0 level app I'll invest in a graphic designer to help out!

Are you serious about looking for a graphic designer? I have a guy who does graphics. I'll send your email address his way and maybe you guys can work something out.

BTW, I just got your app. This is something I'm going to be using all the time. Nice job!

 

[jimczyz]

Gotta say kudos to you on this app. I love it. Saves me from driving around trying to find the cheapest price. Heck, I've prolly saved 7.00 so far with it for the amount of driving I do. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

 

[GasBot]

Are you serious about looking for a graphic designer? I have a guy who does graphics. I'll send your email address his way and maybe you guys can work something out.

BTW, I just got your app. This is something I'm going to be using all the time. Nice job!

Thanks man, glad to hear you find it useful! Actually my cousin is a graphic designer as well, but I wouldn't mind seeing what your friend can do too. Never hurts to see more than one design idea. Does your friend have a website with a portfolio?

 

[GasBot]

Gotta say kudos to you on this app. I love it. Saves me from driving around trying to find the cheapest price. Heck, I've prolly saved 7.00 so far with it for the amount of driving I do. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

That was actually what I was hoping for when I went with the two week trial. I figured most people would probably save close to if not the entire $7 in that time span.

 

[GasBot]

Just an update for any of the E85ers out there. I'm trying to set up a deal with a new data provider to feed that pricing information into the system. I'll let you guys know if/when that'll be turned on asap!

 

[Paranoid]

Where does the app pull gas prices from? I was unaware there was a database of gas prices...

 

[GasBot]

Where does the app pull gas prices from? I was unaware there was a database of gas prices...

It's a trade secret!

 

[Alarictric]

any chance of being able to upload prices from our phones? there are a few prices in my area that arent updated very often

 

[GasBot]

any chance of being able to upload prices from our phones? there are a few prices in my area that arent updated very often

Yeah that'll be coming in a future release. Just have to work it out with my providers so that I can feed info back into their systems.

 

[Camarones]

One of my local stations never seems to appear in the findings, yet it is among -- if not the -- cheapest stations around. It an Exxon. Any chance we can get additional stations added to the DB or is this based on some behind the scenes participation that we can't influence?

 

[GasBot]

One of my local stations never seems to appear in the findings, yet it is among -- if not the -- cheapest stations around. It an Exxon. Any chance we can get additional stations added to the DB or is this based on some behind the scenes participation that we can't influence?

Honestly, I'm not even 100% sure of how the stations get in there. I have a few different data providers and supposedly they use gas card readings and such to pull the grade and price of fuel at the specific station. I think some also use user reported pricing as well. I have no way of just adding a station. GasBot basically just manages the relationship between the user and the data itself and presents it in a format that's hopefully easy to use.

 

[sharky481232]

interesting... i own a gas station in Houston Texas wonder if u get my prices.. Phillips 66 (speedee mart)
1801 Ella blvd
Houston TX 77008

(heights area)

current: 1.879 for unlead
2.899 for diesel

this app seems cool to keep up with my competitors prices.

(i dont have my g1 yet or else id check myself)

 

[GasBot]

interesting... i own a gas station in Houston Texas wonder if u get my prices.. Phillips 66 (speedee mart)
1801 Ella blvd
Houston TX 77008

(heights area)

current: 1.879 for unlead
2.899 for diesel

this app seems cool to keep up with my competitors prices.

(i dont have my g1 yet or else id check myself)

I don't see your station specifically, but I see the average is around $1.80 for unleaded in the stations around you.

EDIT: After selecting to see more stations in a smaller radius from your address. I do see your station. But the price hasn't been updated since the 12th and is showing at $1.93 for unleaded.

 

[mistercorbin]

Question - I have my gps enabled and when it searches for my location, my gps icon doesn't show, when my location finally does load its pretty far off.. this app is awesome, just wish I could get it to work a little better for me

 

[GasBot]

Question - I have my gps enabled and when it searches for my location, my gps icon doesn't show, when my location finally does load its pretty far off.. this app is awesome, just wish I could get it to work a little better for me

Yeah, in the current version it's pulling your last known location. You can force update this location by going into Google Maps and using the My Location feature. The version that's in the beta testers hands now actively polls the GPS for the current location so you won't have to do this in the future.

Only problem I'm wrestling with now is that sometimes the GPS system likes to take a long time to return a location. It can range anywhere from 1 second to 4 minutes so obviously that's not acceptable. I think if it hasn't returned a location within 15 seconds, I'm going to have it default down to the network (cell tower) location and the last known after that.

I really wish Google would've made their Location APIs more seemless.

 

[kkozuch1]

I know you are working on incorporating the address feature for gasbot so you can set direction to it, but it would be really nice if later down the line you can do that some thing, but from it being based off GPS. This would be great for people who are traveling. i know that sometimes you can't even do that with google maps if you just have the cell tower on and not GPS, so probably would be difficult.

 

[GasBot]

I know you are working on incorporating the address feature for gasbot so you can set direction to it, but it would be really nice if later down the line you can do that some thing, but from it being based off GPS. This would be great for people who are traveling. i know that sometimes you can't even do that with google maps if you just have the cell tower on and not GPS, so probably would be difficult.

I'm a little confused as to what you're asking. But if you're asking if you're able to get driving directions based on your current location then this feature will be released with the next version. The directions will go off of either your GPS coordinates, or the coordinates of the address you've entered.

 

[mistercorbin]

Yeah, in the current version it's pulling your last known location. You can force update this location by going into Google Maps and using the My Location feature. The version that's in the beta testers hands now actively polls the GPS for the current location so you won't have to do this in the future.

Only problem I'm wrestling with now is that sometimes the GPS system likes to take a long time to return a location. It can range anywhere from 1 second to 4 minutes so obviously that's not acceptable. I think if it hasn't returned a location within 15 seconds, I'm going to have it default down to the network (cell tower) location and the last known after that.

I really wish Google would've made their Location APIs more seemless.

Ohhh gotcha okay thanks for the response

 

[GasBot]

Anyone around right now that wants to do a little beta testing? I think this puppy is ready to roll, but I'd like to have one more set of eyes look at it before I do.

 

[markinct]

As soon as I unbox my G1 and figure out how to suck the .apk file in!

My Honda Fit is great on gas... but when it comes time to fill up my wife's mini-van every little bit helps! And if anyone thinks $2.00 a gallon gas is here it stay is fooling themselves. But even if it is, isn't finding gas 4 cents cheaper still a good idea?

 

[GasBot]

As soon as I unbox my G1 and figure out how to suck the .apk file in!

My Honda Fit is great on gas... but when it comes time to fill up my wife's mini-van every little bit helps! And if anyone thinks $2.00 a gallon gas is here it stay is fooling themselves. But even if it is, isn't finding gas 4 cents cheaper still a good idea?

I'm still seeing 20 cent/gallon spreads from the station just down my street to one about a mile and a half away. And it definitely gets worse as all of the stations are trying to gouge all they can for gas.

 

[lkosova]

I will volunteer for the Beta!!!!!

I will be in Chicago and suburbs till Thursday morning then off to New Orleans for a conference then back to Chicago this Sunday then off to Detroit to visit family the following week so I can hit three cities and when going to Detroit I drive through Indiana also for a fourth.

Let me know through pm or e-mail.

Larry

 

[lkosova]

BTW- my GPS is solid and the cell towers are just as good in my opinion. Been very pleased with Google Maps and directions. They have been very accurate.

Larry

 

[sharky481232]

I'm still seeing 20 cent/gallon spreads from the station just down my street to one about a mile and a half away. And it definitely gets worse as all of the stations are trying to gouge all they can for gas.

we are not gouging, all stations get different fleet costs (cost of shipment) and our wholesale prices are def different, it all depends on the jobber.

there was a good two weeks i was literally 30 cents cheaper then the guy across the street.

it also depends on when you order your load just like the stock market prices vary all day. if ur lucky you get it cheap you can sell cheap and run through loads daily like i was for that two weeks i was 30 cents cheaper but then ur luck runs out and you get stuck with a costly load and the guy across the street gets it cheaper.

today's unleaded: 1.799
diesel: 2.899