1. Database
A database is a collection of information that is organized so that it can easily be accessed, managed, and updated. In this system, database plays the most important role in supporting all applications with data stored of all kinds of information. Furthermore, stored data is the source for data analysis tools such as data mining to get valued information and knowledge.
2. Hybrid positioning systems
Hybrid positioning systems are implemented for the purpose of identifying the location of a mobile device using several different positioning technologies. Mobile apps can provide current position information by using GPS module that is integrated in smart phones.
3. Rating and Ranking system
Our solution expands the boundary of the Rating and Ranking system from destination to users. In other words, users not only can rate destinations and attractions, but also can imply a rating and/or a few remarks on their group members if they were satisfied with the performanceof any member in one travel plan. Of course, this rating and ranking actions could be anonymous and users can choose by themselves whether or not to display their ratings and rankings to other users. It is still noticeable that people who display good ratings, that is,with good reputationswill become more popular in the community and other users will prefer travelling together with them in future.
4. Recommendation system
Recommendationwill be generated through analysing the ‘rating’ and ‘preference’ comments that given by users about a destination.
5. User Interface (UI)
A well designed user interface can greatly improve the work efficiency, customer satisfaction while in the meantime reduce complaints and inquires and the cost of after-sales services. Therefore, user interface design is extremely important for products and services.
In this application, the structure of UI is organized by functions. As shown in the screenshots below, this websiteis categorized with functional columns, namely “Travel Journal”, “Photo Gallery”, “Video Sharing”, “Rating and Recommendation”, “Friends” and “My Travel Plan”. In addition, for the convenience of users,the booking of hotels, flights and other travel related services is provided in an independent section “G2gether super market”.
For smart phone application counterpart, the design is also function-oriented, which includes hotel info, flight info, train info, destination info, plan info, account info, etc. The pictures below display the design of our main UIs.
6. Mashup
A mashup is a web page or application that uses and combines data, presentation or functionality from two or more sources to create new services. The term implies easy, fast integration, frequently using open APIs and data sources to produce enriched results that were not necessarily the original reason for producing the raw source data. In this solution, there are two main APIs integrated in, which are Google Map API and Facebook Nearby API.
6.1 Google Map API
Undoubtedly, Google Map service has become the most popular map-based service in the world. It offers street maps and views, route plans, public transportation information and so on. With its powerful abilities, our system invokes Google Map API to locate and share users’ positions.
6.2 Facebook Nearby API
Facebook Nearby is another position service provided by Facebook to share users’ positions. This system can bind Facebook account to achieve location sharing. In addition, the view written in Facebook can be automatically synchronize and publish in user space.
6.3 Web services
Web service is an important channel linking our system and those systems of travel service providers (travel agents). With the help of web service technology, when travel service providers publish information of their products via their own systems,it will also be updated immediately inour system on both the website and the mobile client. In the other way around, users’ booking actions on our system will be automatically transferred to each specific travel service provider to get operated almost simultaneously. Therefore, our system actually becomes a gateway that links customers and service providers together without extra efforts.