As I get older (which seems to be speeding up) I realise that in my limited tome on this earth I'm not going to be able to visit everywhere. This annoys me a bit but that's tempered by the fact that I've been privileged enough to have my heath, a modicum of wealth and the life circumstances to allow me to have visited a lot of them.

But there are some out there who will be lucky to get beyond their front door, or those who are unable to raise the funds to see the places they'd like to and of course those who are curious but have no will to actually go there. So, I dreamt up the idea of a virtual traveller who can do it all on your behalf and report back. I built a version of this 4 years ago and forgot about it. But the itch came back and after some deft bantering I've got funding to get it off the ground. It's called "MapHobo" for obvious reasons (at least I hope it's obvious).

We're about to finalise the production design and build it properly. It's going to be free.

I'm looking for some feedback on the idea and some BETA users and if you are interested please let me know via this quick survey:-

https://forms.gle/hQG95ca5RxYEKCYL7

I'd be REALLY grateful for all feedback both negative and positive.

(Stu, hope you don't mind me posting this. I've fed the bear for services to market research)

Stu, hope you don't mind me posting this. I've fed the bear for services to market research)

Not at all Dave and thank you. I shall take a look in a bit

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Thu Oct 17, 2024 12:35 pm So, I dreamt up the idea of a virtual traveller who can do it all on your behalf and report back.

Do you have two parties, one wants to go, but can't and the other can and will, but is looking for route inspiration and gets this from the one that wants but cant?
Then the one going will fill a feed with eg short reports and photos/videos for the one that wants but cant..?

Edit: totally useless what I wrote. I could've just read the description in the link.

This is brilliant Dave - I think it's got so much potential. Sounds addictively fun to me. Travel research, armchair travel etc .. AI type learning possibilities, it learns what I like and finds it in new places?

"This time next year Rodders.."

jameso wrote: ↑Thu Oct 17, 2024 5:23 pm This is brilliant Dave - I think it's got so much potential. Sounds addictively fun to me. Travel research, armchair travel etc .. AI type learning possibilities, it learns what I like and finds it in new places?

"This time next year Rodders.."

A by-product of this is something JackT asked for ages ago, you can pass a GPX and get back wikipedia articles rephrased in your tone/language of choice. This bit is actually working in the office under my desk

Sounds like “onism” to me (yeah, I’ve been trying to google some hipster travel words in Google and this one I thought fits well).

Not keen on the use of hobo, sounds a bit 90s…

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Thu Oct 17, 2024 5:30 pm [quote=jameso post_id=329304 time=<a href="tel:1729182184">1729182184</a> user_id=3307]
This is brilliant Dave - I think it's got so much potential. Sounds addictively fun to me. Travel research, armchair travel etc .. AI type learning possibilities, it learns what I like and finds it in new places?

"This time next year Rodders.."

A by-product of this is something JackT asked for ages ago, you can pass a GPX and get back wikipedia articles rephrased in your tone/language of choice. This bit is actually working in the office under my desk
[/quote]

When it’s put like this, I think it’s a brilliant idea. Plan a route and then let AI pull up all the surrounding information of the area, if you could include cafes etc on top of the site seeing points, it will be a great resource

The feedback already has been fantastic. I knew it was worth asking here. We’re not fixated on the name, it’s a working title

Maybe a name option? Wanderlust.

Really good idea Dave. I filled out the form too, thanks.

Looks great Dave!

Have been playing with Google’s new Notebook LM. The AI podcast generation feature is remarkable. Be amazing if you could drop a GPX into it and it would generate a 10 minute podcast about the route.

JackT wrote: ↑Thu Oct 17, 2024 11:09 pm Looks great Dave!

Have been playing with Google’s new Notebook LM. The AI podcast generation feature is remarkable. Be amazing if you could drop a GPX into it and it would generate a 10 minute podcast about the route.

That’s doable. I’ve had to hold myself back from cheat writing my latest book.

I was giving this some more thought but ended up down the line of a computer game (do they still call them that) along the lines of the BB200 etc which is a virtual bikepacking game. You would have to engineer some kind of VR effect that replicates dragging your bike through crotch deep muddy water and having cold rain sprayed at you though. I'd be a star customer once my aging bod finally becomes house bound though

Sorry, not that helpful....

It could take the form of a choose your own adventure book, but based on real places:

To turn down the lane that leads to the Black Bull pub, turn to page 83, if you prefer the three miles of hike-a-bike to the bothy, turn to page 124.

JackT wrote: ↑Fri Oct 18, 2024 6:59 pm It could take the form of a choose your own adventure book, but based on real places:

To turn down the lane that leads to the Black Bull pub, turn to page 83, if you prefer the three miles of hike-a-bike to the bothy, turn to page 124.

Stop it Jack! I need to get this phase delivered

Dave,

What do we need to write in this box please?

"It would be great if it could tell me about ..."

JohnClimber wrote: ↑Fri Oct 18, 2024 7:27 pm Dave,

What do we need to write in this box please?

"It would be great if it could tell me about ..."

What would you like the virtual traveller to relay back to you?

For example, pubs they walked past, historic sites etc…

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Fri Oct 18, 2024 7:32 pm

JohnClimber wrote: ↑Fri Oct 18, 2024 7:27 pm Dave,

What do we need to write in this box please?

"It would be great if it could tell me about ..."

What would you like the virtual traveller to relay back to you?

For example, pubs they walked past, historic sites etc…

Cheers, done and sent back

Done. Interested to see more.

Done. Pressed submit with only a partial email address though. Ste should be my email.....

Love the sound of this, Dave. I had a vaguely similar idea that I got as far as buying the domain for (nesw.co.uk) but never fully fleshed it out as with most of my killer plans! It was somewhere between an adventure game and navigation app that'd use your location and describe what was around you using openly available geotagged data to give a sense of place and/or to orientate: The summit of Blencathra is 2km north of you. There's a golf club is to your east. To your south is Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum. Keswick is 3km west.

Looking forward to seeing how it plays out!

Great idea and done