Unit Test Tuesdays

The engineering team at Loopt is constantly working hard to come up with new ways to improve the Loopt application. One of the ways we ensure the quality of our product is to perform automated unit tests for new and existing features. A unit test is a method that verifies individual units of code. So even before our stellar Quality Assurance team gets their hands on a new product or feature, hundreds of unit tests have automatically helped us verify the basic functionality of our new features and products.

To help us improve in writing unit tests, we introduced a series called “Unit Test Tuesdays” where we had Misko Hevery from Google come in to give talks about writing testable code. We got much more out of the sessions than we expected and we highly recommend other engineering teams to learn from him as well. If you are interested, Misko's blog is a good place to start.

Now, having completed the sessions, we are bringing our newly acquired skills to practice and we are all confident that this will ensure an even higher quality product for you in the future.

- Heine

Heine is a software engineer at Loopt.

Top 25

We've been working hard here at Loopt and we're proud to see that we've made it to the Top 25 on the iPhone App Store.  Here's a cool graph, courtesy of Mybefia, that compares Loopt's rankings to other iPhone apps, Facebook and MySpace.  Sweet upward slope, huh?

Location, Location, Location

Location is one of most genuine parts of the mobile experience. And the mobile phone remains the most ubiquitous, always on device that is capable of knowing where you are automatically and delivering innovative, compelling location-based services. Loopt obviously feels location is a core part of the experience and continues to strive to deliver high frequency, high accuracy location to the Loopt mobile social mapping experience. However, there are still a number of barriers preventing broader adoption of LBS apps, such as API accessibility and the cost of location. We are excited to be working closely with Qualcomm and some of our carrier partners to be addressing these challenges. There are over 100M+ devices in the US alone that are capable of high-accuracy, rich LBS services. These location capabilities will continue to extend into more of the mobile web and mobile UI.

We are thrilled to make this announcement today with Qualcomm.  Stay tuned for additional news as we continue working to enhance the Loopt user experience and drive growth in the broader LBS market.
 
For more information, please contact Eric Carr, VP of location technologies, at eric@loopt.com.

iPhone Commercial

Check out the new Loopt iPhone Commercial!

Loopt for Campaigns

Election day is tomorrow and we keep saying that we believe Loopt is a powerful tool for organizing campaign efforts. Our very own Chris Clark is running for Mountain View City Council so some of us decided to lend a hand with the aid of Loopt. 

Let there be rock!

AC/DC used Loopt to bring together selected fans for their “Rock 'N Roll Caravan” secret performance to celebrate, Black Ice, their first album release in eight years. Fans left from points all over America to converge at the secret performance space in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Using the new Loopt Journal Widget, the official AC/DC Rock 'N Roll Caravan leader shared the live experience with other fans. 

Sign up for Loopt at www.loopt.com

Coming soon to the T-Mobile G1!

You've heard a lot about Android, and now, it's time to get excited! Loopt on Android is coming soon and the team here has their hands full developing on this wonderful and robust platform. We've included a sneak peek with two screenshots. On the left is the Map View of you and your friends with a roll of your friends at the bottom. Click on a friend's image and you'll know where that person is. On the right is the Friends List, showing you where they are, their distance from you, and what they're doing.

Perhaps one of the coolest aspects about having Loopt on Android is access to some of Google’s sweetest features. Stay tuned for more details...

   

CMJ Music Marathon + Loopt

Loopt is your go-to guide for the best showcases and parties at this year’s CMJ in New York City. CMJ Music Marathon is one of the premiere music festivals in the world. Taking place in NYC, over the span of five days, it hosts over 1,000 artists and showcases. Music artists, insiders and influencers will be using Loopt (especially the new Loopt Mix and Journal Widget features) to let fans know how to get to the action. Receive real-time updates on the hottest parties, showcases, secret-show alerts, pictures and messages from artists and industry insiders like 3OH!3, Buddy Akai, Good Peoples, Passenger, Ice Cream Man, Perez Hilton Showcase, Ben Sherman and more!

These music artists and industry insiders are already using the new Loopt Journal Widget to share their location and status updates on their blogs and social networking sites like MySpace. Check out 3OH!3’s Loopt Journal Widget:

Sign up for Loopt at www.loopt.com

3OH!3’s been busy but it doesn’t stop there - catch all the action at CMJ this week with Loopt!

Widget?

Funny sounding word but we’ve put it to good use - now you can share your Loopt Journal with ANY of your friends ANYWHERE with our Loopt Journal Widget. Just pull out your phone to show off to your blog and social networking buddies (on MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, etc.) the fact that you’ve made it to the top of Mount McKinley or that you’re chilling on a beach in Honolulu. Even cooler, use the Loopt Journal Widget to show your friends where you’re trick or treating and the costume you’re wearing for Halloween – the possibilities are endless.

Go here to create and place your Loopt Journal Widget (it’s as easy as copying and pasting).

Rock the Vote with Loopt

Don’t forget to vote on November 4th! We at Loopt wanted to help Rock the Vote make it easier for younger voters to take action and make a difference. For example, Loopt can be used as a tool to coordinate with friends helping to register voters, share status updates on election issues, and explore photos friends put up of Rock the Vote events.

If you have an iPhone, check out the Loopt Mix feature in particular and add the Rock the Vote badge to your profile to discover other Rock the Voters around you.

We really think Loopt will be a powerful tool to mobilize and engage young voters. Download Loopt and Rock the Vote in November!

p.s. – For more information on the elections, check out: www.rockthevote.com