Project Updates : CafeSync

in #technology5 years ago (edited)

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CafeSync has been an on going project for the last few years. Stuck in that perpetual state of needing a community to make it viable, and not having enough of a community to make it worth using. I continue to promote and maintain the software as much as I can with the limited resources available to me. CafeSync in my mind is THE answer to so many of the problems faced by small businesses, and entrepreneurs. But, its not only for businesses, CafeSync could be used for all manor of promotion, from bands, to artists, to events. If there is a need to spread the word about something, and that something exists in a physical place, or the user exists in said physical space. CafeSync is the answer.

CafeSync is also a advertisement platform where in a user can leave their advertisement in digital form at CafeSync locations that would be visible to all the guests at the location. These advertisements would also be on a timed deletion schedule creating the need for the CafeSync user to come back to the place of business every few days to continue advertising in that space. The shop owner would benefit from having the returning customers as well as knowing (by looking at the cards the location would collect from the users) what kind of customers are frequenting their place of business. This goes beyond the reward card style collection method as it benefits all parties and not just the shop or some third party service.

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CafeSync is designed to keep most of the interface flow simple while maintaining the functionality clear. It may seem complex at first but with a little exploration it is intuitive even if it doesn't follow all the modern design paradigms. In the image above you see the three main views. The center circle gives you your location in the form of an icon that changes. Each area has its own facet (from left to right). The default screen is where the cards that you collect as you are out and about these have a timed deletion mechanism so you are never overwhelmed by the number of cards. Your contacts area, for when you save a collected card. And Global, which shows every person on the network. This of course will go away when we reach a number of users that makes people feel like they aren't the only one using the service.

External sources

In CafeSync, every user creates a card, that will then be shared out on the network. This card has the usual fields you would expect, but the interface goes beyond the simple card sharing mechanic and allows users to link various social media sites, including steemit, to the interface. No more leaving the app to check out the latest blog post from a perspective contact, no more hunting for a band on sound cloud, no more trying to remember the name of the persons etsy store. One card, one interface, everything at your finger tips.

Here is a list of the known working interfaces:

  • SteemIt
  • Twitter
  • Medium
  • SoundCloud
  • Etsy
  • Deviant Art
  • Tumblr
  • RSS feed enabled sites

Setup

In card setup you find a whole host of options, including the following

  • Image selection. Take a selfie or use an existing image from available sources
  • Add contact information to be added to the card
  • Set your card invisible or visible to other users
  • Set your contact information visible or invisible to users
  • Add in resume style information about yourself for users that collect your card
  • Add up to 5 external sources to your card (listed above)
  • Change the theme of the interface from the neutral color scheme to pink or Pop

pinktheme.png
pink
poptheme.png
pop

  • Change the auto delete timing and other various settings.

Other features

CafeSync went through a coding sprint some time ago these features are either planned or partially implemented.

  • encrypted chat.
  • various game-a-fication features.
  • calender's and events.

CafeSync "Sync-Cups"

When I started working on CafeSync the idea of federated services or decentralized networking hadn't yet made it to mainstream ears and eyes. In the design spec for CafeSync I had created a set of devices that would connect to one another to share data about cards that exist on the network. The sync-cup and OpenSeed API is still in development.

Where it stands

I truly believe there is a need for the software in a world filled with artists, musicians, and small businesses that struggle to find footing. In a world filled with advertising about larger more connected individuals its time we start focusing on the people around us more than just the brands that fill the airways. I believe that most local businesses would jump at a chance to help other local businesses if not for their own benefit but also for the benefit of the community as a whole. I'm currently looking for funding for this, and other projects.

Find out more

Curious about CafeSync and what it does? Check out my other posts here on Utopian and/or SteemIt
Introduction
cafesync-integrations
all-sorts-and-things
feedback-loops
sharing-is-caring
cafesync-better-late-than-never
cafesync-system-settings-and-theme-support
cafesync-notes-and-encryption

Downloads:

Android Version

If you want to talk about this project you can join the discord channel here: https://discord.gg/vFcC4xQ

About

In the next few posts to my main account I'll be going over each or my current projects both STEEM and non STEEM related. I hope that, in someway, these projects are of interest to my readers. If you are interested in any of the projects feel free to follow me and @v-entertainment. If you have questions feel free to drop a comment below.

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