Please guys I want to know how a mobile application is developed. What I want is the steps involved for say a mobile application that helps you find the nearest restaurant around you. The codes are not necessary just the concept and things I need to take into consideration. Thank you all.

It depends on what platform you want to develop for!

@dustydee

Seems GPS will be involved. But for that to happen the restaurants will have to have GPS location devices installed in their locations and that isn't really practical-at least on in Nigeria !

The other idea that comes to mind is using a map. Already there are tools on nokia and google that can do just that. You can make a query to find all the restaurants in an area and you will be shown the map highlighting the locations of restaurants. So you might be able to add this already existing applications as plugins into your mobile devices. Maybe you should do a Google search on "Google maps plugin for mobile devices" or something like that! Note this will smart phones and ipad-ish handheld devices. Do not think it will work on a regular java phone.

The third idea is to collect data by yourself about all the business locations in an area. Create an online database to store the information like business address, latitude and longitude of the location as well as the type of business.
Now, with a GPS (do a research on GPS so you understand the technology) enabled handset, your application will calculate the current latitude and longitude information of the phone so that when a query is made for say, the nearest bookshop, your phone will search your online database for all the businesses under the field "bookshop" and get their longitude and latitude so that it can use the geographical data to calculate the distances of the bookshops from the location of the phone. the bookshop with the Shortest distance will then be found and you problem is solved!
I would advise you use the third idea. its far easier to do that the other two! Plus it will cover a wider range of mobile phone handsets. Hmm now it looks like a very interesting project- Mobile Phone Based GPS Business Service Tracking Solution!

Does that satisfy you, dustydee?

@dustydee
Seems GPS will be involved. But for that to happen the restaurants will have to have GPS location devices installed in their locations and that isn't really practical-at least on in Nigeria !

The other idea that comes to mind is using a map. Already there are tools on nokia and google that can do just that. You can make a query to find all the restaurants in an area and you will be shown the map highlighting the locations of restaurants. So you might be able to add this already existing applications as plugins into your mobile application. Maybe you should do a Google search on "Google maps plugin for mobile applications" or something like that! Note this will smart phones and ipad-ish handheld devices. Do not think it will work on a regular java phone.

The third idea is to collect data by yourself about all the business locations in an area. Create an online database to store the information like business address, latitude and longitude of the location as well as the type of business.
Now, with a GPS (do a research on GPS so you understand the technology) enabled handset, your application will calculate the current latitude and longitude information of the phone so that when a query is made for say, the nearest bookshop, your phone will search your online database for all the businesses under the field "bookshop" and get their longitude and latitude so that it can use the geographical data to calculate the distances of the bookshops from the location of the phone. the bookshop with the Shortest distance will then be found and you problem is solved!
I would advise you use the third idea. its far easier to do that the other two! Plus it will cover a wider range of mobile phone handsets. Hmm now it looks like a very interesting project- Mobile Phone Based GPS Business Service Tracking Solution!

Does that satisfy you, dustydee?

Testing for banning, 1, 2 . . . ?

It could be any platform but lets say for android, what will I need to do first before coding? Lets say i want to develop an app to find the closest restaurant/eatery near you.

I have the answer but the robot thingy keeps banning me!
Tell us what, If it banns me again, drop your mail so I can send you the reply!

Here goes!

@dustydee
Seems GPS will be involved. But for that to happen the restaurants will have to have GPS location devices installed in their locations and that isn't really practical-at least on in Nigeria !

The other idea that comes to mind is using a map. Already there are tools on nokia and google that can do just that. You can make a query to find all the restaurants in an area and you will be shown the map highlighting the locations of restaurants. So you might be able to add this already existing applications as plugins into your mobile devices. Maybe you should do a Google search on "Google maps plugin for mobile devices" or something like that! Note this will smart phones and ipad-ish handheld devices. Do not think it will work on a regular java phone.

The third idea is to collect data by yourself about all the business locations in an area. Create an online database to store the information like business address, latitude and longitude of the location as well as the type of business.
Now, with a GPS (do a research on GPS so you understand the technology) enabled handset, your application will calculate the current latitude and longitude information of the phone so that when a query is made for say, the nearest bookshop, your phone will search your online database for all the businesses under the field "bookshop" and get their longitude and latitude so that it can use the geographical data to calculate the distances of the bookshops from the location of the phone. the bookshop with the Shortest distance will then be found and you problem is solved!
I would advise you use the third idea. its far easier to do that the other two! Plus it will cover a wider range of mobile phone handsets. Hmm now it looks like a very interesting project- Mobile Phone Based GPS Business Service Tracking Solution!

Does that satisfy you, dustydee?

it does but then after data collection, what do I do with it? say ok i do the programming, how do i make the service available to users?do i go through network operators or host it on the web?what i need is the steps involved from A-Z. Thanks for your help.

Good you read the reply before I was banned again for Lord knows what!
Yes, you the internet will be the medium of communication between the phone and the online database.
The phone must have GPS capabilities on it. Just read about "Mobile phones and GPS to have an idea of how the phones use it to transmit data) . It will be network operator independent.

Thank you so much. Sorry you were banned.

Ah dont mention! No need 2 b sorry! Its not ur fault that it is a crime on this forum to be banned for talking about programming on the program board. Maybe I will talk about fashion here instead.
I was imagining the actual software implementation of ur application project. Seems like the kind of service MTN and co should be thinking of! Cool thing is that is actually do-able!
Good luck with it!

Lol! Fashion?

you can use Google App Inventor, it allows you to create software applications for android, its a GUI, u just drag and drop visual objects to create ur application, easy to learn.

A Simpler way is using JQueryMobile http://jquerymobile.com/  ,

http://weblogs.asp.net/guyharwood/archive/2008/12/17/jtouch-jquery-cheatsheet-for-your-iphone.aspx, http://jqtouch.com/ and a Service in the backend to handle the heavy work.

thank you guys.

ok guys i didnt see most of the import replies cos apparently sweet-pawn waz banned
i also wanna develop a mobile application bt with a focous on learning, more like m-learning
too much googling has scattered my head cos now im confused on which platfom to build on,
any advise pls,
10xx

first of all you need to know what mobile application is all about, learn any high programming language of your choice ,

sweet-pawn:

Testing for banning, 1, 2 . . . ?

It has to do with the platform

I'm learning quite a lot from the replies coming here.


.NET

.NET:

I'm learning quite a lot from the replies coming here.


.NET

Yea me too.

you dont need a map or GPS.
#select state, select town, select street, boom! Here are all the hotels and restaurants in this street.
#Click here to view streets close to this street.
#click here to view street map via google map.
#click here to close application.

NB:
I'll create it as a mobile website that has a shortcut that can be downloaded to the user's phone.

There are now some great tools available to help you build and publish a competitive app,
When you have to starting developing applications in programming language for any of application hubs so there are several another ways you can learn ranging wherever from reading books and watching videos to attendance college courses.

my firm develop mobile apps on all mobile platforms, we will be recruiting developers sometime next year. Learn object C and Android Java. Cross platform apps development is the next big thing. follow @voesolutions on twitter and like our facebook page ( www.facebook.com/VOEsolutions ) for updates

I designed a mobile application during my masters. I used J2ME. its not really the easiest thing for me as i hate programming. 
To develop that ,you will need to learn J2ME and learn the GPS concept.This kind of application is currently being used in the UK.
If you not going to use GPS. then you will need to create a search box which maps restaurant to cities or states.you will need the address of all the restaurants populated into your database and users can search by location.
P.S if this is a school project. i would advise against GPS as the easiest way is create search options for users and you can also create addition link for people to register their restaurant on your app

That should do it

This our NL need mobile application.