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Prius iPhone app is....

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Prius Team, Sep 15, 2009.

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  1. Prius Team

    Prius Team Toyota Marketing USA

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    Back in July you probably first heard about an upcoming Prius app right here on PriusChat. Toyota released their Prius app in the iTunes App Store yesterday, and so far the response from iPhone users has been, well, underwhelming. What does the app do? Does it....
    • Log mileage?
    • Track and remind you of maintenance?
    • Help you find a local dealership?
    The answers to all of the above: No. The app is basically an advertisement for the Prius, geared toward prospective owners. Granted, the app is called "Prius Experience" and not "Prius Toolkit". A comment from Doug Coleman of the Prius Marketing Team makes me wonder if there is an Owner-focused app in the works:
    "My understanding of the functionality of the app, was, well, different. I thought there was more for Prius owners, when in fact it IS really intended for shoppers. If I'd done my legwork to find that out, I would not have presented it that way in this thread. Thanks to those who are offering constructive criticism. There are lots of ideas out there about how we can make useful OWNER apps in the future. We'll take a look."​
    If you're looking for a ScanGauge-ish app for your iPhone, you might want to start with this app that ggood on the PriusChat forums was able to find: Rev by DevToaster We do certainly appreciate the Prius Team informing the PriusChat community that the app is live and available.
     
    #1 Prius Team, Sep 15, 2009
    1 person likes this.
  2. Jim Calvert

    Jim Calvert New Member

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    That's great, I guess. :rolleyes:
     
    #2 Jim Calvert, Sep 15, 2009
  3. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    No evidence at the App Store - is it done & submitted to Apple but not yet approved?
     
    #3 Dark_matter_doesn't, Sep 15, 2009
  4. Prius Team

    Prius Team Toyota Marketing USA

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    You should be able to find it by typing in: Prius, Toyota, Toyota Prius and the Prius Experience.

    Let me know if you're still having trouble.

    Doug Coleman
    Prius Product Manager
    Toyota Motor Sales, USA
     
    #4 Prius Team, Sep 15, 2009
  5. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Hmmmm, not a ton of functionality there. It has the "Harmony" game, access to the TV ads, and a 360 interactive view of the 2010 Prius.

    Too bad there's not at least a fuel economy log or something like that with it.

    Very pretty graphics tho. Kinda cool you can snap a picture of an ad and then make it interactive.
     
    #5 efusco, Sep 15, 2009
  6. bighouse

    bighouse Active Member

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    Looks to me nothing more than a fancy ad for non-owners.
    I was hoping for some benefit to Prius owners.
     
    #6 bighouse, Sep 15, 2009
  7. radioprius1

    radioprius1 Climate Conspirisist

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    Sigh.

    What a waste of a download.

    Toyota - I appreciate you guys making an iPhone app. But, what is the purpose? It's a freaking advertisement for the Prius. You guys should fire whoever came up with this idea.

    It doesn't do anything! No gas mileage tracker, nothing specific to the Prius, nothing at all. Just a big stupid advertisement.
     
    #7 radioprius1, Sep 15, 2009
  8. cvflowe

    cvflowe New Member

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    Complete waste..... I'm really disappointed, successful iphone apps are useful and have functionality. This app is just another non-owner ad.
     
    #8 cvflowe, Sep 15, 2009
  9. bps

    bps Active Member

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    Prius iPhone app is....


    very disappointing. It's nothing more than an ad. Absolutely no functionality at all...

    Bryan
     
    #9 bps, Sep 15, 2009
  10. eaglesight333

    eaglesight333 Senior Member

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    it is a good advertisement app. But as a prius owner, I wish it did more. Although, this way I can show off the different prius functions to people wanting to know.
     
    #10 eaglesight333, Sep 15, 2009
  11. viprius

    viprius Junior Member

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    Lmao.....is this what i was waiting for!
     
    #11 viprius, Sep 15, 2009
  12. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    Did you really think we'd get our freak on from an app that's nothing more than an advertisement?
     
    #12 32kcolors, Sep 16, 2009
  13. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    To be blunt . . . FAIL
     
    #13 Dark_matter_doesn't, Sep 16, 2009
  14. hptsang

    hptsang Member

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    Was it because you guys feel embrassing to talk about the Prius iPhone app, so your were speechless and put the title as Prius iPhone app is... Let me fill up the blank for your. The Prius iPhone app is P.O.S!!!!!!!!!!
     
    #14 hptsang, Sep 16, 2009
  15. Cassandra

    Cassandra ELECTRIC VEHICLE

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    I wont even download this. That's really too bad.
     
    #15 Cassandra, Sep 16, 2009
  16. wvgasguy

    wvgasguy New Member

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    LOL, how much did they charge you guys for this? Sounds like you didn't get your money's worth.
     
    #16 wvgasguy, Sep 16, 2009
  17. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    It's a free app and easy enough to delete. While I agree the current functionality is pretty limited I don't think the open hostility is really productive.

    It's my experience that apps are often developed and improved over time and maybe, just maybe, since Prius Team now participates here that they might take Constructive Criticism (ie not open hostility and insults) forward to the development team to suggest improvements for v1.1, v2.0 and forward.

    Any chance any of you complainers that are out exactly $0.00 and about 30 seconds of your life would like to put forward practical suggestions for future improvements?

    I and someone else already mentioned a fuel log.
    How about the maintenance requirements at each level and a way to document/log what work has been done?
     
    #17 efusco, Sep 16, 2009
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  18. radioprius1

    radioprius1 Climate Conspirisist

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    Here are some suggestions:

    1. Fuel log / service log - see iPhone app "Gas Cubby" for ideas. It needs to track your amount of money spent on fuel, your MPG, etc. It should come with all of the service intervals pre-programmed in and you should be able to enter your VIN #. Using your VIN number it could look up when you last had service and be sure to remind you (via Push notifications) when you have service due. You could even have like a "high scores" thing for people with the highest MPGs.

    2. Schedule service appointment at your local Toyota dealer through an easy to use interface on the iPhone.

    3. A "Find nearest Toyota dealership" button that finds it and sends the instructions to Google Maps.

    If you guys got really creative you could make a hardware dongle for the iPhone that would let you plug into the OBDII port and do all the ScanGauge functionality, and also let you change the "dealer only changeable" options on the car (ie, no reverse beep.)

    With the rate that Priuses are selling, it's worth developing a decent iPhone app.
     
    #18 radioprius1, Sep 16, 2009
  19. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    To be fair, they can't really be expected to spend a lot of resources developing new, unique content for this app. I agree a fuel and maintenance logger would have been nice, but even that would take more work or dev $ than they can be expected to devote to this. Maybe they can work a deal with someone who already has another logger developed.

    Other suggestions (probably mostly links to existing info on their various websites) would be:

    1. a dealer/mechanic finder (including any non-dealer shop with a certified Toyota hybrid tech), linking to Apple's Maps app.

    2. something explaining/showing how hsd works and its different main parts, with moving diagrams.

    3. common faqs, and Mythbuster factoids. including a what every newbie should know section, and the answers to the most common newbie questions asked here at Priuschat.

    4. explanations/pictures of any unique Prius maintenance requirements, options and features.

    5. links to other online resources, like PriusChat!

    6. riffing off radioprius' suggestions - link to the existing registered owner's site, including the online owner's manual.
     
    #19 ggood, Sep 16, 2009
  20. grand total

    grand total Member

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    I can't see demand for the Scangauge being that high. I could see the rest of your suggestions being useful to all Toyota owners, not just Prius owners which would at least help to justify the expense of developing a real app.
     
    #20 grand total, Sep 16, 2009
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