iPotato the Game v1.6.4 - Apps Against Abuse Edition

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Apps Against Abuse judges and professional consultants/reviewers (IT, Security...etc) can download the "FREE" full featured app submission for immediate installation on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch (Android version expected in Jan'12) from the iTunes Store by selecting the below link, or by searching for 'iPotato the Game' from their devices Apple Apps store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ipotato-the-game/id345168826?mt=8 The iPotato v1.6.4 app meets or exceeds the four Apps Against Abuse Campaign requirements in the following ways (Note:  v1.6.5 includes the social media features and will release 30Oct11 - if the judges would like to also verify the social media functionality of v1.6.5 beta app please provide the UDID of two iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch devices, I will provision the beta to run on those devices and I will then forward the adhoc app for your local use/verification):   Requirement 1: Usefulness:      1. iPotato provides a social media atmosphere, where individuals can discretely contact each other via text or voice messages, while using an application that appears to be a ‘Hot Potato’ like graphics based mobile app/game.    2. iPotato provides direct access to authoritative domestic violence resources through either a mobile website (www.ipotatothegame.com)or full featured flash enabled website (www.ipotatogame.com), both linked to the app.    3. iPotato currently supports all versions of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch mobile media devices.    4. An 'Android' version of iPotato is currently in-work, and planned for release (following testing) no later than 30Jan12.    5. Within the iPotato app, I have enabled active support for the large screen format of the iPad and iPad 2, which assists in enabling the accesssibilty to handicapped individuals allowing full utilization of the iPotato app features from oversized and easy to touch, visualize, and use buttons.   Requirement 1a: Real-time check-in:      1. iPotato allows individuals to check-in via text or voice message with in app user contacts they select    2. iPotato provides 2D graphic visualization of the sending and receiving users locations (only as accurate as the GPS signal strength of their mobile device), integrated with Google Maps       2.a.  The app user, can opt out of the location feature by select 'No' to 'push notification' request when first installing the app.  When selecting 'No' all locations are defaulted to 0 degrees Latitude, and 0 degrees longitude (in the ocean off the eastern coast of Africa)    3. iPotato provides 3D graphic visualization of the sending and receiving users locations, and text messages, photos, and distance between the two individuals, which is integrated with Google Earth      –Locations are visualized from a PC or MAC using the Google Earth software and an iPotato streaming KML file (updated every 20 seconds for all tosses;  or updated every 5 seconds for individual iPotato user accounts)       - The app user, can opt out of the location feature in two ways:             a. by select 'No' to 'push notification' request when first installing the app.  When selecting 'No' all locations are defaulted to 0 degrees Latitude, and 0 degrees longitude (in the ocean off the eastern coast of Africa)             b. by selecting the 'Settings menu' (in v1.6.5) and set the 'GPS Location' feature to 'Off'.   Requirement 1b: Privacy, Security, Safety:      1. iPotato allows individuals to predetermine desired contacts to play iPotato with, ensuring that they are sending and receiving iPotatos and messages only between trusted individuals.  This is controlled in the 'Manage Contacts' feature and the 'Settings menu'.    2. iPotato is a fully functioning commercial iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch app (Android version coming in Jan'12), that appears to observers  as simply a game.    3. The iPotato user account is a free text field allowing users to remain as anonymous as they desire.     4. Only the originating iPotato user can view his/her ‘registration’ information.  The MYSQL data base that retains the iPotato user accounts is hosted on a secure GoDaddy.com virtual dedicated server.    - The iPotato MYSQL database is the only data set/database in use by the iPotato app, and includes:       a. User name; b. device UDID; c. sending lat/long; d. receiving lat/long; e. sending start time/end time; f. received time; g. text message; h. iPotato toss number; i. Score; j. average time of toss/re-toss; k. registered city name; l. regsitered country name.   (NOTE: in v1.6.5 we include the ability to enter Facebook and Twitter account information, we are using the API provided by Facebook and Twitter and are not storing any of this information within the app or the MYSQL database as required by Facebook and Twitter security and privacy rules). Requirement 1c: Connection to DV resources:    1. Working directly with domestic violence professionals, the iPotato system administrator can create default domestic violence user accounts which will appear to be average app users but are in fact, domestic violence resources      –Any number of domestic violence default user accounts can be created, and automatically associated to selected geographic regions.    2. iPotato provides direct access to authoritative domestic violence resources through either the mobile website (www.ipotatothegame.com) link or the full featured flash enabled website (www.ipotatogame.com) both of which can be found within the iPotato app by selecting the 'i' icon and then selecting 'Game Play'.     a. The flash enabled website (www.ipotatogame.com) is not accessible from the iPhone iPad, or iPod Touch because Apple does not support Flash.  When the Android version of iPotato is released this website will be accessible from the mobile device as the Android operating system supports Flash.     b. The mobile website is fully accessible from the iPhone, and although it may appear after selecting the 'Apps Against Abuse' button that the website, email addresses, and phone numbers are not active links, they infact are active links and fully accessible from the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.  (also supported by Android). Requirement 1d: Social Media integration:      1. iPotato text messaging is provided via a secure webservice and also integrated with Facebook; Twitter; Google+ (awaiting public API release), and SMS cell phone text messaging (these additional social media connection features are delivered with v1.6.5 currently in testing and scheduled for 30Oct11 release).      –iPotato users can send messages from within the iPotato app to friends, family, and DV contacts preferred social media services (v1.6.5 capability)      –iPotato users can send messages from within the iPotato app to friends, family, and DV contacts from within the embedded iPotato app text messaging (current v1.6.4 capability).   –Requirement 2: Innovativeness:      1. iPotato utilizes Apples ‘Push Notification’ service which provides  near real-time ‘pop-up’ notification to receivers of a sending users iPotato.  Users can choose to view the iPotato at a later time (if they are not in a safe situation) or they can view and respond to the iPotato immediately    2. iPotato is integrated with commercial industry social media Titans – ‘Facebook’; ‘Twitter’; ‘Google+’ (awaiting public API), and ‘SMS Text messaging’ (v1.6.5 capabilities currently in testing, and planned for release on 30Oct11)    3. iPotato is also integrated with geospatial visualization applications:  ‘Google Maps’; and ‘Google Earth’.      –further explained in slide 30 (Google Maps integration)  and 36 (Google Earth integration)   Requirement 3: Usability:      1. iPotato is supported on all iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch mobile devices, with an Android version available in Jan'12.    2. The iPotato app is also supported by the iPotato websites which provide Domestic Violence resources in one of two ways:      –Via mobile media and full webpage hyperlinks (www.ipotatothegame.com  and  www.ipotatogame.com)      –The second way to Contact DV resources is directly from within the app, by sending an iPotato to one of the predetermined region specific default Domestic Violence iPotato contacts (working with the iPotato system administrator, DV resources can be established for use by all users or for specific individuals).   Requirement 4: Potential Impact:      1. iPotato provides capabilities meeting all four Apps Against Abuse campaign requirements from within a ‘desired’ mobile media gaming platform that is very difficult to detect by a second party (potential) abuser.    2. iPotato users can communicate their situation/concerns, and their location to desired support contacts (family, friends, and Domestic Violence sources), and review Domestic Violence links if additional assistance in needed. General Overview of iPOTATO THE GAME! An addictive game that reaches you, your friends, your family, & if you choose random players “Globally” & “locally” for a unique game playing experience enabled by Apple’s Push Notification Service (APNS) technology! iPotato is a front running game on the market making use of this exciting new technology from Apple! Get ready for the fast, fun, & exciting world of iPotato! Challenge your friends & family, or the Global iPotato network & keep striving for the top score! DESCRIPTION: The iPotato game play focuses on the creation, toss, receipt, & re-toss of an iPotato between your known and/or random registered iPotato network contacts in primary continents worldwide (Americas; Asia, Europe, Africa, & Australia). Select “New iPotato” menu & then simply drag & drop the iPotato to the contact or continent of your choice. The contact & continent icons ‘enlarge’ to confirm your choice, when you release the iPotato one of twelve random sounds will be played. You will receive one point for an originated iPotato send to a contact or continent. The main game play points are awarded for your speed in responding to a received iPotato, you are allowed up to 40 seconds from the time a player retrieves an iPotato. You must re-toss the iPotato or you will get ‘burned’ which costs you 10 points & lowers your ranking in the iPotato top score game statistics. Re-tossing the iPotato before the time runs out, will award you points in each of four tier increments. Detailed information can be found at www.ipotatogame.com, including screen shots, & statistics. Select the ‘Top Scores’ menu to see the top 50 scores from the iPotato network, this listing is supported by a webservice and is updated in real-time!  Keep striving for the high score! Not sure who a particular contact is on the left of the app screen, just select on the players contact icon and you will see their location, photo, score, tosses and average time. Scroll faster using the A-Z jump buttons on the left of the app screen, or select the up / down arrows to move within a particular letter category.  If you double, triple, our quadruple tap the up / down arrow, the contacts list will jump two, three, or four pages of contacts. SOCIAL MEDIA CAPABILITIES: You can include a 60 second voice message or a 100 character text message with your iPotato tosses.  First make sure to select the ‘Settings’ menu in the app, and select ‘On’ next to ‘Send message with Potato’.  When the setting is ‘Off’ no messages will be sent with your iPotato tosses.   CUSTOMIZE YOUR IPOTATO GRAPHIC: A new feature with iPotato v1.6 is the ability to customize your iPotato, from the app ‘Settings’ menu, choose the ‘Theme’ button and you can review the available list of iPotato graphics to purchase. This feature is completely customizable as you can load any graphic for use as your iPotato (after approval by the iPotato administrator), we have deployed a webservice to allow you to upload your graphics to be used in iPotato, please see our website www.ipotatogame.com for detailed procedures, terms and conditions to use the webservice to upload your graphics. VISUALLY TRACKED IN 2D! Interested in where your iPotato has been traveling? Select the ‘Previous iPotatoes’ button, which is fully integrated with Google maps, to see each & every location an iPotato has been tossed (green pins), & where it eventually burned (red pins). This unique feature allows you to witness your iPotato action as it traveled around the world. Select “Next” & “Previous” buttons to jump between iPotato tosses, or select the ‘ < ’ or ‘ > ’ buttons to display the locations an iPotato has traveled within a selected toss. New in v1.6, you no longer have to manually selecton on a pin to see the sending and receiving players names, it now pops-up automatically!  You will also see the address (depending on GPS accuracy) where your iPotato was received, or burnt. (Note: Users can opt out of location information in v1.6.5 by choosing the 'Settings' menu and selecting 'Off' for 'GPS Location'.) VISUALLY TRACKED IN 3D!: Now you can download a live KML file to watch iPotato tosses in ‘real-time’ as they are happening from your home PC or MAC.  See our website www.ipotatogame.com for the simple procedure to download and use the streaming KML file.  This file is set to update every 20 seconds, you will witness the live action as iPotatos are hopping around the globe, the pop-up bubble also displays the sending and receiving players names/photos, their scores, and the distance the iPotato has traveled! (Note: Users can opt out of location information in v1.6.5 by choosing the 'Settings' menu and selecting 'Off' for 'GPS Location'.) CUSTOMIZE YOUR USER CONTACT PHOTO: By selecting “Manage Account” you can choose a photo from your iPhone library, first select ‘Choose a Picture’, find the photo you would like to use in your library & select it, then zoom in/out & frame the photo, then select ‘Choose’, then select ‘Upload Picture’. The iPotato server responds when your image has been successfully uploaded, select ‘Ok’, then select ‘Done’ to be taken back to the main menu. CHOOSE WHO TO PLAY WITH: In the iPotato Main menu, choose ‘Manage Contacts’, this is a listing of all ‘registered’ iPotato game players (not your iPhone contacts list); select ‘On’ or ‘Off’ for iPotato contacts you would like to play with, then select ‘Main Menu’. Now select the ‘Settings’ menu, & set the ‘Show Only Known Contacts’ to ‘On’, then select ‘Save’. Now your iPotato game displays only the accounts you selected as ‘On’. NEW FEATURES in v1.6.4 1) In 'Previous iPotatoes' spud locations are updated automatically every 4 seconds; pin icon changed to iPotato.  You can watch your tosses live or use the manual movement buttons. Note: iPotato locations update when receiving player views the iPotato in the app. 2) Sending iPotato contact icon is now automatically listed at the top of a receiving players contact list, when viewing a received iPotato. 3) Account aging, contact status will change to 'offline' after 30 days of inactivity.  When player launches app again their account status will be reset to 'online' and 30 day counter restarts.