CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

[cngprices]

Hi everyone,

After having about 1,000 people ask me about it, I finally went ahead and created a very, very simple mobile phone version of CNGPrices.com. No maps, nothing fancy. Just input where you are and it will tell you the stations that are closest to you with addresses and phone numbers and GPS coordinates.

However, I do not own a mobile browsing device of any sort, and was hoping that the community could help me out a little. If you have one, try going to cngprices.com with it. You should automatically be directed to the mobile page. Let me know how it works and what I can do to improve it.

With this update I made a large number of behind-the-scenes changes that make maintaining the site easier for me. In doing so, I also fixed the station operational links - it now asks for verification so you don't just accidentally click on the link.

Thanks everyone for supporting the site. It's not quite as popular as CNGChat is , but it has exceeded my expectations.

Cheers,
Todd

[jetboatjohnny]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

That's great news Todd. Where were you last weekend? I was expecting to see you at the show.

[cngprices]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

That's great news Todd. Where were you last weekend? I was expecting to see you at the show.

I had originally planned on being there, but opted out at the last minute when my dad called and invited us to go with him out on the boat to Santa Cruz island. I hadn't been out there in over 10 years, so it sounded nice. Turned out the weather was awful (cold and windy the whole time), but we had a good time.

As for the cruise-in, there's always next year! =)

Cheers,
Todd

[Larryect]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Well that is just super cool.

Went there with my BlakBerry put in city and state, it returned 10 stations with price, address, phone, GPS coordinates, with a hot link for the address. That goes to a google search which brought up businesses there. Then I clicked on the business address and it brought up a map.

One thing missing seems to be station status.

[John Mitton]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Todd, well done!
I found with my T-mobile Wing that the google map does not display after I click on the address link you provide. Otherwise I am super impressed

[scott]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Thanks a million Todd. This works great on my B'bry!!

Scott

[ieko]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Works well on my iPhone, if I click the address it opens up the Google Maps application!

I think it'd be good to have station status there as well along with the ability to update the status & price. I know I'd definitly be more likely to update the information of the station if I could do it from my phone while I waited for my car to fill up. Station status could perhaps be indicated by simple colored dots?

Edit: Hours of operation would be nice too.

[freedml]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Great addition! The main page worked sort-of on the iPhone but it was very slow.

My only suggestion so far would be to make the url a little easier to remember and type. I think the best url for this page would be mobile.cngprices.com

[CNGCARS]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Awesome Todd! I was looking for you at the expo too?
I was at the Burbank station last night and turned a couple with a cavalier onto your site cngprices.com they had the little mobile book. I told them thats old info and to use your site for future reference.
Hope to meet you soon!

Mario
www.CNGCARS.LA

[cngprices]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

I made some changes that should make it easier to use. For starters, the URL to the mobile version of CNGPrices is now mobile.cngprices.com. Less characters, easy to remember. Still, if you just go to cngprices.com it will re-direct you if you are on a mobile device.

I also added links to change the price and station status (it was showing status before, but only if the station was not working), so you can do that at the station. Should I add a link to change the GPS coordinates of the station while you're at the station (so that they are "at the pump"), or would that just be too many links?

I still have not been able to figure out how to craft a URL that will work in all mobile browsers to open a google map page. For some people it works, and for some it just goes to google local search. If anyone knows how to put together a mobile maps url, let me know!

Cheers,
Todd

[camryman]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Awesome!!!!!!! I'm buying you a Beer sometime in the future.

[ieko]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

...Should I add a link to change the GPS coordinates of the station while you're at the station (so that they are "at the pump")...

Yes! That'd be great! CNG stations are almost never obvious so being able to update their real location would be awesome!

[p71]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Thanks for the great utility.

[Green GX]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

Awesome!!!!!!! I'm buying you a Beer sometime in the future.

Todd,

Very slick! I'm not going to wait to buy you a beer, I'm e-mailing you one right now!

Bill

[bakaroma]

Re: CNGPrices.com now has a basic mobile version

I have a Treo 700p and it works great. Thanks for your work.