1. Why Android as well as iPhone?
At the moment Android (non iPhone) phones have a 70% share of the smartphone market and are selling at a significantly faster rate than the iPhone. The latter is certainly 'cooler' but forms a much smaller part of the market. We have started with the Android, but the iPhone version of TopSpots will follow within a few weeks.
When use of the new Windows platform is more widespread TopSpots will also be available for that.
2. Why does TopSpots not include accommodation?
Our research had shown that the vast majority of people book their accommodation - or at least the first couple of nights' accommodation - before they leave home. This means that putting accommodation onto TopSpots will not be nearly so effective as including all the other parts of the tourism product - attractions, food and drink, events and so on.
TopSpots is designed for people who are already here or who know where they are coming to, and for day visitors. It therefore includes what those people need: plenty to see and do, divided into categories to make it all easier to find, and places to eat and drink - tea and coffee, pub lunched and posh nosh. If visitors know that they want to come to see a specific attraction or event they can use TopSpots to find other places to visit on the same trip as well as outlets for lunch and dinner - a cup of coffee and an ice cream too.
3. What does TopSpots do?
TopSpots enables a smartphone user to find plenty to do and plenty of places to eat and drink while they are in Wales or the Borders. They can choose 12 different categories and from a list of attractions/events/outlets within each category. When the relevant page loads they can touch the name to go to that attraction/event's website or the picture to go to a map which will show them how to get there. There is also information already on the app. Phone numbers are there in many cases so that they can contact the place they have chosen should they wish to do so.
4. How much does TopSpots cost?To the end user TopSpots is free. Our research has shown quite clearly that people do not wish to pay for apps - they expect the information to be available free.
5. How is TopSpots kept up to date?Once a visitor has downloaded TopSpots the system will update itself automatically at the beginning of every month - assuming it is turned on, of course.
6. How much internet usage will be involved with using the app?
Depends how often the user links to a website. This is not compulsory - there is info on the app about every advertiser without linking to a specific website.
7. Wales has such poor mobile phone coverage - will this effect the app?
Current mobiles have very much better ability to connect than phone did even a few months ago.
TopSpots advertisers' information is contained in the listings and will be available even when there is no mobile coverage. The end user won't be able to downloads a map or link to the website - but they will already have everything else on TopSpots itself.
