Comments on: VidTeq – Video Maps for Bangalore [Fancy or Need?]

By: Sumedh

Sumedh — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:49:32 +0000

This is AWESOME !!!

I think this definitely needed much more in India rather than developed world, because “the landmarks” aren’t standard, and mean very little when there are extreme inconsistencies in the signs of the road…plus language problems…

I think this is a great product idea, if implemented well…

By: Nagendra

Nagendra — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:27:58 +0000

I think we need something different than video. Maybe we need new media all together. Convertin map to video map may have application or may not have. It is just incremental. But going back to fundamentals and solving for media type to enable navigation in india would definetely solve the problem. Good iniative Best of luck!

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:43:47 +0000

It is an Impressive product. Congratulations to the founding team !!
Landmarks and Graphic (Video/Images) are 2 ways around the unmarked street/crossing problem

Landmarks are half-useful if i dont know the place at all, bcoz i may not be able to see the identify the landmarks with name/hidden signboard/just dont want to divert attn from driving.

Video comes at a cost; To watch a route of 5 km, i have to watch a video of 8 min, which is a waste of time. Basically, i have to spend the same time wathching the route as i would spend travelling.

I would rather have a map with a 360 degree view of each decision point on the way. This way, i get the best of both worlds.

However, I think, the video maps would be useful in use cases, where the user is actually watching the video streaming while he is travelling. Wait for 3G services, and this might be a reality soon.

By: picsFoo

picsFoo — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:24:34 +0000

I have tried this . This is absolutely a need . A very innovative product.

- picsfoo.blogspot.com

By: Ram

Ram — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:11:23 +0000

How about night time ?

By: Priyadarsan Venugopalan

Priyadarsan Venugopalan — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:07:18 +0000

This is innovative. I love to have video directions when i am new to a place ( only then i need directions )

Hats off vidteq..

By: Miheer

Miheer — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:31:55 +0000

It is very good service(videos), text directions are good when u know something but if u don’t know anything then video is a better option.

one remembers video properly instead of text

By: ravi

ravi — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:49:00 +0000

Piyush,

Thank you. About your last point, lets see what the market feels about it.

Ravi

By: Shashank

Shashank — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:34:07 +0000

I think video maps is the need of the hour for Indian roads. Text direction certainly helps when u r bit familiar with the roads & area. But, what if a user is new to the city?
Well..it also depends on personal interests…. i like to watch movie rather reading novels…:)

By: Piyush

Piyush — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:33:26 +0000

Dear Ravi,

Firstly, accept my congratulations for the product conceptualization and delivering it so neatly. I personally found it great and the plans that you have mentioned looks even greater.

The need for directions exists in a very different way in India. Mostly we do not plan but need directions when we’re lost. More than the features it needs disruption in the way directions can be delivered at the right time. First-Mile and Last-Mile problems are still intact with so many innovations in the space.

While this service is nice to have, but the business case has much bigger questions waiting for you than for other companies in the space.

By: ravi

ravi — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:12:22 +0000

Hi, I am from Vidteq. Mr. Sinha thank you for covering us on Pluggd.in
I would like to clarify couple of things, if I may.

“video maps is solving a bigger need or it’s just a fancy thing to do?”
I say they are both Need for visual directions is there in India for the lack of street name boards.

“hence not a single entity in this space has got the lat/long/data right”
Points of Interest (flashing blue and pink balls) are indeed collected with field survey, so they are lat,lon accurate.

“well implemented text-based driving directions”
If you look at text directions, each line has list of landmarks (if we collected the data) on that particlar road. So, they are landmark based text directions. Soon, we will be introducing DoI images (decision point of interests) showing the images of intersections you would be traversing through as part of the given route. These images will also be sent via Email, if you click on Email tab.

I agree with the fact that data collection is labour intesive task. But someone has to do it Another way is User Generated Content (UGC), we will enable that soon, once filtering mechanisim is in place.

So far user response is positive.

Ravi

By: Mukesh

Mukesh — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 08:16:32 +0000

They have good detailed data for prominent places..but not otherwise..i kinda agree with you on focusing on 1 thing at a time.

Video maps are a ‘good-to-have’ feature, but not something so important..

Data is the key.