New IOS Supercharger App For Model S

[Lloyd]

Can you reply to the qr notification:

1. If you are not done charging I need X more minutes

2. If you are "20 minutes back to your car" ?

It would be nice to enable a bi directional communication.

 

[LithionSD]

The recipient can enter a free form message to reply

 

[BobtheV]

How about using this on luggage tags?

 

[kendallpb]

1) Does not require generating a new code for each charger expedition. If you use the anonymous sign in and delete and re-install the app you'll have to generate a new one. If you use facebook sign in your QR code should always be good even if you uninstall and re-install.

D'oh, Facebook. How's the "anonymous" sign-in work; will I still get an alert (I presume this is using badges/alerts/etc.) if someone "scans" me?

A check-in feature would be great, especially if we could put in how long we anticipate charging (though granted, Superchargers oddly don't tell us how long it'll take, IIRC)...then if someone scans us, they'd know if it's even worth pinging us. "The car you scanned checked in at X and said they'd be done in Y minutes (or maybe just do the math re. how long we expect to be there)--do you still want to ping the owner?" Etc. It's late, sorry; not sure I'm explaining this well.

Anyway, this looks cool; I'm not sure just where to put the paper when I print it...dash? How big does it have to be? I know little about QR codes, but this seems like one of the few really useful use cases for it that I've heard of. (Maybe I live under a rock.)

Anyway, kudos, LithionSD. :-D

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Whoops, requires iOS 7.1 for some reason (doesn't look like it uses any fancy 7.x features, not that I can tell, I know), so I can't use it. My iPhone 3GS won't! die! and Apple dropped 3GS support with 7.0. (I really don't want my iPad on 7.x and iPhone on 6.x, though that's my issue, I know...). Ah well...

...still a great concept and if my iPhone ever dies, I'll get a new one with 7.x and install this app ASAP.

 

[ilg]

LithionSD, this is a great idea. I'll have to wait for the Android version, but I'll definitely use it. Well, as long as facebook isn't required. If I understand your description, you only get the reusable QR if you're a facebook account holder. Seems weird to require people to use facebook to preserve their charging anonymity. A bit ironic, don't you think?

Also, it seems like this would be even more useful if it were integrated with Tesla's supercharger map thing, or something like PlugShare. Then, with the check-in feature that people are talking about, each station could report its status. Of course, it would only be a guess, since you can't force people to use the ap. The only way to do it "properly" would be with Tesla's help, I'd guess.

 

[AnOutsider]

What if you added Tesla sign-in to the app. If folks decided to sign in through your app, when someone scans the code, rather than bother the owner, it first checks if they're charged (perhaps to a preset limit) and can maybe even tell the person who scanned: "car will be done in X minutes".

Going along with that, if I put the code in the window and scan it before leaving, I can have the app ping every few minutes and tell ME when my car is at a certain level.

 

[GasDoc]

Why not just leave your cell number as people have been doing?

Do you really want these people to have your phone number?

Crazy rant being placed on SF Area Tesla's
The FACTS on Tesla F*res

 

[dsm363]

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Whoops, requires iOS 7.1 for some reason (doesn't look like it uses any fancy 7.x features, not that I can tell, I know), so I can't use it. My iPhone 3GS won't! die! and Apple dropped 3GS support with 7.0. (I really don't want my iPad on 7.x and iPhone on 6.x, though that's my issue, I know...). Ah well...

...still a great concept and if my iPhone ever dies, I'll get a new one with 7.x and install this app ASAP.

Way to hold onto a phone like that and avoid the upgrade itch that so many fall prey to. iPhone 6 out by end of year so I'd hold off for that I'd you were planning on staying with Apple.

 

[LithionSD]

LithionSD, this is a great idea. I'll have to wait for the Android version, but I'll definitely use it. Well, as long as facebook isn't required. If I understand your description, you only get the reusable QR if you're a facebook account holder. Seems weird to require people to use facebook to preserve their charging anonymity. A bit ironic, don't you think?

Also, it seems like this would be even more useful if it were integrated with Tesla's supercharger map thing, or something like PlugShare. Then, with the check-in feature that people are talking about, each station could report its status. Of course, it would only be a guess, since you can't force people to use the ap. The only way to do it "properly" would be with Tesla's help, I'd guess.

Interesting that people have such a problem with Facebook sign in. It's made very clear in the app that we're not storing any personal data or posting anything to your wall or to your friends. Facebook is simply used as an "identity provider" to keep your user record unique between device installs and app re-installs. Without an identity provider there is no way to deal with multiple devices and app re-installs. I could ask you to create an account in the app and maintain my own database and require you to re-login periodically, but honestly, Facebook does a much better job of such things.

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What if you added Tesla sign-in to the app. If folks decided to sign in through your app, when someone scans the code, rather than bother the owner, it first checks if they're charged (perhaps to a preset limit) and can maybe even tell the person who scanned: "car will be done in X minutes".

Going along with that, if I put the code in the window and scan it before leaving, I can have the app ping every few minutes and tell ME when my car is at a certain level.

A good idea. The next release, which will be out in a few weeks will have the ability for owners to "check in" by scanning their own code. Anyone else who scans the code will be able to see when the check in happened. That feature is step 1 towards integrated sign in and charge status notification, the tricky part is having the phone ping to get the charging status when its in the background.

 

[TexasEV]

People are concerned about privacy but they're on Facebook?

 

[RichardL]

The problem with using the FB login is not so much what you do, as what FB do with that information!

 

[wraithnot]

Great idea- I just downloaded the app and tested it. A few suggestions for the next version:

1. Make the default message something like: "I'd like to use this charger- when do you think you will be done charging?"
2. Enable two-way communication with multiple users to make it possible for someone waiting to use a charger to poll multiple charging cars and ask when they will finish so they can plan accordingly
3. To make two-way communication easier, allow people to link a user name (e.g. their TMC handle) to their QR code.
4. Enable check-ins at supercharger locations (ideally with user names) and allow others to see check-ins and notifications (without showing the actual text of the notification) to gauge how congested a given supercharger location is.

When Gilroy only had four stalls and tended to get congested, someone gave me their cell phone number so I could notify them when I was done charging. A version of your app that enables this sort of thing would get a lot of traction.

 

[kendallpb]

What if you added Tesla sign-in to the app. If folks decided to sign in through your app, when someone scans the code, rather than bother the owner, it first checks if they're charged (perhaps to a preset limit) and can maybe even tell the person who scanned: "car will be done in X minutes".

Well, how long till my car's done isn't the same as when I will be done which may be sooner. Plus as I recall, the car doesn't say when you'll be done, when using a Supercharger. That's why I suggested being able to check in and put in how long you expect to be charging.

Also, I don't want to share my Tesla sign-in with anyone but Tesla. The idea of random people checking up on my car--even for limited info through a third-party service that has my credentials...not something I'd use. Yes, yes, it could be optional...but I feel best practice is for people not to ask for people's Tesla login anyway, so I think this is a bad idea. Another way to expose your Tesla login (and officially one isn't supposed to use it like this anyway).

Granted, my thoughts here mean little since I can't use the app yet. ;-) Just some paranoid rambling thoughts....

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Way to hold onto a phone like that and avoid the upgrade itch that so many fall prey to. iPhone 6 out by end of year so I'd hold off for that I'd you were planning on staying with Apple.

Heh, thanks. Believe me, I keep getting tempted, though, especially since work will pay for $150 towards a new phone; I think ever couple of months I debate with myself on whether to "upgrade" (replace...I hate this upgrade word, that's not what folks are doing).

I expect my 3GS will never die; it's tough and I have the slimmest Otterbox cover I could find, so it protects against my occasional drops nicely. We'll see how long *I* can hold out, though. ;-)

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People are concerned about privacy but they're on Facebook?

Oversimplification; I have other issues with them. And while I made an account for a couple of purposes, I almost never use it--and not the way Facebook would like me to, anyway--because I dislike Facebook. But because some idiots post things there only, it's only just barely worth keeping the account for that reason. Bleah. Sorry to rant.

 

[LithionSD]

Great idea- I just downloaded the app and tested it. A few suggestions for the next version:

1. Make the default message something like: "I'd like to use this charger- when do you think you will be done charging?"
2. Enable two-way communication with multiple users to make it possible for someone waiting to use a charger to poll multiple charging cars and ask when they will finish so they can plan accordingly
3. To make two-way communication easier, allow people to link a user name (e.g. their TMC handle) to their QR code.
4. Enable check-ins at supercharger locations (ideally with user names) and allow others to see check-ins and notifications (without showing the actual text of the notification) to gauge how congested a given supercharger location is.

When Gilroy only had four stalls and tended to get congested, someone gave me their cell phone number so I could notify them when I was done charging. A version of your app that enables this sort of thing would get a lot of traction.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Just a remember, this is a free app in a fairly niche category at the moment so I won't be able to get to everyone's suggestions in the short term. The next version will have "check in" ability for the owner if they scan their own code and the ability for the non owners that scan the code to see how long its been since the owner checked in. I hesitate to put in things like handles because it distracts from the primary driver of the app, which is anonymity. Plus, in the software design world every feature / setup screen / checkpoint you includes adds interface complexity and in turn confusion to new users. My goal is to make the app valuable by doing a few things very well.

I will give you a little tease of something cool though, I've started digging through the Tesla API's and may be able to give you the "Your Tesla has reached your target charge level" sooner than later. The plan is to do the "check in" release as a point (1.2) release in the next few weeks. Then, hopefully within a month release the charging status update as a 2.0 release (also considering allowing you to share your charging status with those who scan your code). That is all depending on how busy I am doing other jobs that pay the bills. :smile:

 

[wraithnot]

... The next version will have "check in" ability for the owner if they scan their own code and the ability for the non owners that scan the code to see how long its been since the owner checked in. I hesitate to put in things like handles because it distracts from the primary driver of the app, which is anonymity. Plus, in the software design world every feature / setup screen / checkpoint you includes adds interface complexity and in turn confusion to new users. My goal is to make the app valuable by doing a few things very well.

I like Kendalpb's idea of checking in and giving an estimate of how long you will need to charge. If you want to keep things simple, how about having people check in, give an estimate of how long they plan to charge, and then check out when they leave. Anyone else who wants to use the spot can then get the estimated completion time when they scan the QR code and also get a notification when the original user checks out. Of course, it's easy for me to throw out ideas since I'm not the one who will take the time to code them up

 

[kishdude]

Hey,

great app. I'm also an iOS developer and Tesla owner. I have a solution for you for the "know when a car is done charging problem". How about if the owner of the car can log into the app when they start charging and then enter what their current charge level is and/or the expected end time is. Then whenever anyone else scans their QR code, the app can display what the current charge level is of that particular car. It may not be exact, but it will be better than nothing.

 

[LithionSD]

Hey,

great app. I'm also an iOS developer and Tesla owner. I have a solution for you for the "know when a car is done charging problem". How about if the owner of the car can log into the app when they start charging and then enter what their current charge level is and/or the expected end time is. Then whenever anyone else scans their QR code, the app can display what the current charge level is of that particular car. It may not be exact, but it will be better than nothing.

Read up the thread, automated charge level reporting based on the Tesla api's is on the list for the 2.0 release (which will follow the 1.2 point release). Doing an estimate based on time won't work reliably because of the shared nature of the stalls (two cars connected to one charger) and also the fact that some chargers are 90KW and some are 120KW. The only thing worse than no information in the case of "what is my current charge?" is information that is drastically wrong most of the time and unreliable. True, with the "check in model" that will be in the 1.2 release I am making some assumptions that users will understand that 20 minutes is not enough and that more than an hour is when they should message the driver but that's different than giving the user estimates about their own charge.

 

[richkae]

Interesting that people have such a problem with Facebook sign in. It's made very clear in the app that we're not storing any personal data or posting anything to your wall or to your friends. Facebook is simply used as an "identity provider" to keep your user record unique between device installs and app re-installs. Without an identity provider there is no way to deal with multiple devices and app re-installs. I could ask you to create an account in the app and maintain my own database and require you to re-login periodically, but honestly, Facebook does a much better job of such things.

Some people don't do facebook. The original question was "If I understand your description, you only get the reusable QR if you're a facebook account holder."
The answer that you get a reusable QR code just as long as you don't uninstall the app is sufficient.

 

[RichardL]

If you are using something like the Ad ID, if not FB, then that is maintained across upgrades. It is only changed if you de-install and then re-install.

 

[bluetinc]

Hi,

This looks like a nice app that I'm looking forward to trying but I'm also not running 7.1. Would you mind sharing what pushed you to require 7.1 instead of say 7.0?

Thanks!

Peter