List item #1: make a list

Add things to your on-line shopping as they crop up

On-line grocery shopping is a fantastic service but we still create mental lists of the things we need as they occur to us while we go about our business. These items need to be recalled when we're ready to sit down and create an order  - even those who create written lists still need to transcribe them. Those of you who log-on repeatedly to add items a few at a time need not worry (but who has the time or inclination for that?).

So for those of us who only remember that we were meant to have bought something when we are faced with a bare spot in the pantry, a simple shopping list app for smartphones could save time and frustration.

You could configure the app to integrate with your online grocer(s) of choice by providing log-in details for you accounts once you've installed the app. You could then whip out your phone and identify anything you'd like added to your next order at any time and a message identifying the item and the required quantity would be sent with your account details to the grocer's site. The next time you log-on to place an order, hey presto the ad hoc items you've added are already waiting for you - of course you can still cancel or amend as usual.

Identifying items should be fairly simple by using fairly common methods. Firstly, manual entry on the key-pad/touchscreen, with a history for recalling previous and common items; this could be linked to the grocer via data services for an exact match (if not available, a matching facility for submitted items could be made available on the grocer's site). Secondly, barcode scanning using standard APIs; again this would give an exact match to the grocer's stock.

Thirdly, and perhaps the technology isn't quite perfect yet, voice recognition - you say what you want and it goes and looks for a match for you to confirm. Finally, and also a technology that's not quite ready yet, camera based recognition (as used by Google shopper) - this would use the camera to recognise brands, packaging or common food types (eggs, tomatoes etc).

I think with a combination of these technologies this app is perfectly feasible and could add another time saving multi-tasking tool for life in real-time. The app could also be used collaboratively, every member of a family would be able to add to the household shopping list or members of staff in an office could add requests to a periodic stationery order.

Standing back to get a closer look

Choose your own context for search results

What about a browser plug in that gave you more control over search results? I've often scanned results looking for a result from a domain I recognise or looking for a term that shows me it has the right context. Let's be fair, the only reason I ever make it past the first page is because I'm fairly sure what I'm looking for is out there somewhere but it hasn't been kindly positioned under my nose by Google (or anyone else).

And when I do get relevant options at the top of the list, I often consider no more than five options before I make a choice. There must be a wealth of information out there just waiting to enlighten me but if the first options seem at least adequate then having to go beyond the first  results page seems like too much effort.

So my idea is a simple results analyser and filtering tools. Business is demonstrating the value of informatics and I reckon consumer informatics tools must be on the way to help us process the seemingly limitless information available online.

My idea is to gather and index a pre-set number of the cached results returned for any search (maybe 100 by default) and, as a starting point for the plug-in, do two things with it:

• Create a word cloud. An absolutely standard word cloud where the word appears larger based on the number of times it is used and omitting the basic words we use to string concepts together (unless they form part of the search term). You'd expect to see the search term quite large at the centre and get an insight into a much bigger picture. Clicking on a word in the cloud will bring those specific results (already returned) which also include that word to the top. Double-clicking would add the word to the search term and get new results.

• Prioritise results by a simple brand and domain favourites system. During normal surfing, any trusted/preferred domain can be added in the same way as a bookmark (and organised into groups etc). When adding a domain, the user will be prompted to confirm the domain's brand (e.g. www.diy.com = B&Q). Following a search, the user will be notified how many of the results come from  preferred domains and how many of the results contain preferred brands. By selecting a domain, brand or group or either the plug-in will automatically bring those sites to the top. Again, double-clicking will add the brand or domain to the search terms and re-submit.

Hopefully this could give surfers broader views and more insight into what opportunities and information lie hidden beyond the next results.

Music in the key of £

The unsigned band merchandise site

Here's an idea that's just crying out to be done - a branded merchandise store for unsigned bands. There must be hundreds of thousands of new/unsigned/garage bands out there at the moment, with no shortage of supply to replace those who don't make it. And what self-respecting band's vision of success doesn't have the band and/or their adoring fans decked out in t-shirts, caps and badges emblazoned with the band's name?

So there's a market out there. Each band might in its entire lifetime only order five pieces of apparel, but, with the sheer number of potential customers (including families and friends) and the high churn rate, the markets total volume should be high enough to make a nice earner for someone even at low margins.

The technology and services needed to set this up are easily available and require very little cost and effort to set up. I've set up a sample site at www.filthycool.com using an online apparel customising and ordering service called spreadshirt.net. All the example site would need now is an appropriately themed CSS template creating and it's ready for business. The pricing I've used in the sample would return a £1 profit per item.

With the site complete, a marketing and advertising campaign would be needed to establish the brand name and acquire users (both bands and shoppers). I think it would be ideal for someone who would be happy working the unsigned band gig circuit to get bands on board and advertising in publications like NME as well as online.

In terms of maintaining the site, the only involvement would be in ensuring the logos to be used are suitable and uploaded. The spreadshirt.net service even allows purchasers to use the logos as they wish on any of the items stocked (including buttons, caps, coasters etc).

Most bands would buy very few items but now and then a band might over time generate substantial sales. Probably a bit of a lifestyle business, but I think the potential is there for the taking.

There is no "i" in drunk

The let me know you get home safe app

This one came to me last night after seeing my friend off at London Bridge. As he shuffled off into the darkness (distance to home 400 yards), i thought i should tell him to text me once he gets home. However, not everyone has either the mental capacity or the physical capacity once they navigate their threshold to do anything more than collapse in a heap.

So here's a simple app idea for the sobriety-challenged. The app would allow messages to be automatically sent to any concerned party once the phones location is identified to be in the vicinity of there lodgings (or any destination). Or to let them no that they didn't make it.

Setting up the app for a user would be a piece of cake. Users can set destinations by using either Google Maps or allowing the phone to determine its current location - by network or GPS - for repeatedly visited destinations. Links to the phone's contacts, GPS and network location services can be managed.

On starting the app for use, the user would be prompted to: first, select or set a destination; second, select which contacts or phone numbers to notify; and lastly, to set the estimated time for the journey (hours and minutes).

The app then keeps a tab on the phone's location and, in an ideal scenario, once the phone enters the vicinity of the destination within the estimated time it sends a confirmation message by text to each of the chosen contacts.

Should the estimated time elapse before the phone arrives at its destination, an app will record the current location and trigger a phone alert asking the user to select one of the following options: "Still on the way" (defers the initial alert for an hour); "I'm home safe & sound" (triggers confirmation messages); and "I think i need help" (triggers alarm messages). In the event that no option is selected, the app will then wait for anther 50% of the set estimated time to pass before re-triggering the alert every minute for five minutes and recording the current location.

Should the user not respond at all, alarm messages will be sent by text to all the selected contacts providing them with notification that the user has not reached their destination and is not responding to the alerts - as well as providing the times and locations recorded by the alert system.

This idea could also we used for all sorts of purposes (like making sure that regular truants actually turn-up at school or that husbands/wives/whatever don't spend too long at the pub - does this make me a gender traitor?).

So that's it in a nutshell really. It only occurred to me later that i was so busy working out the details of my idea, i'd completely left my friend to his fate.

ps. Yes, he lived.