Thursday, 05 December, 2013

MetroMate, a new App developed and marketed by students at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), is helping Metro users across the city make the most of this convenient commuter transport system.Ali Razzouk and Diana Hassanova are the students behind the smartphone App, which provides a comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the Dubai Metro system alongside a range of other handy features, all of which can be accessed without an Internet connection.Diana, a Bachelor of Commerce student at UOWD, has taken on the role of raising awareness of the App amongst students and other potential users. She explains, “MetroMate is a free to download App that provides accurate train timings, last train alerts, and time to destination information for all operational stations on the Dubai Metro. It is available in both English and Arabic and also includes a smart station detection system to locate the station nearest to you, as well as a full map of the entire Metro network. What’s more, there is no need for an internet connection, as the App works even when you’re offline.”The App also has a unique Nol balance tracker, which allows users to keep up to date with their credit and receive notifications when it is running low. The interface is inspired by the Dubai Metro stations and the design blends seamlessly with that of the stations’ interior.Ali is the man behind the technology that brought the MetroMate App to life. Currently studying for a Bachelor of Computer Science at UOWD, he was inspired to develop the new tool by his experience as a frequent Metro user.Ali explains, “Using the Metro on a daily basis, I often found myself frustrated by just missing trains, or dashing to the station only to have to wait for some time before the Metro arrived at my stop. This App is intended to take the guesswork out of Metro travel by providing an accurate, real-time schedule to help users find the next and last trains, as well as journey times to their destination.”Ali has a track-record of producing popular, user-friendly Apps, including an award winning social discussion forum, and he has more innovations in the pipeline. The pair hope that MetroMate will help to improve the user experience across the Metro system and ultimately increase Metro travel across Dubai.Ali says, “We gave a lot of consideration to the design and useability of the App, to make it attractive and easy to use. In two months we’ve had almost 1,000 downloads and the ratings for the App are consistently five stars. This is a great position from which to grow, and we hope that with this App we can impact positively on Metro use across the city.”