14 DAY TRIAL // A new software solution has been recently released for mobile phones powered by Google's Android operating system, namely the Open Spot application. What the new application is all about is quite simple, as it was developed so as to enable users easily find parking sports, as those leaving the parking lot can share the availability of these spots with others.
“Open Spot works by letting people who are leaving parking spots share their spots with people who are searching for parking. Start helping others find parking, and together we'll all save time, save gas, and reduce pollution. Like to keep score? The more open spots you mark, the more parking 'karma points' you'll get,” the application is described over at Google Labs.
According to the application's development team, not all Android phone users out there would be able to enjoy the features of this application. Open Spot has been developed to tune only on devices running under Android 2.0 or higher, and can be downloaded from the Android Market in the US, Canada, and the Netherlands.
According to the application's FAQ over at Google Labs, Open Spot should be able to provide users with info on parking spots in a 1.5 kilometer (km) / 0.9 mile (mi) radius from their location. As one keeps on moving, the application constantly refreshes the list of parking spots. The app would show parking spots for 20 minutes, it seems, even if that amount of time might be too long for a parking spot to stay open.
As for how the app works, the development team says that things are as simple as they can be. The map would show red, orange and yellow pins, marking this way parking sports that have been freshly market, those who were marked over 5 minutes ago, and those marked over 10 minutes ago, respectively. One thing that should also be noted here is that the presence of open spots on the map greatly depends on the time when they were market, as well as on the number of users that contribute to keeping the list fresh.