New Features in HappyPacker Version 1.2.0

What's New in Version 1.2.0

1. New feature to link to food blog.
2. Search nearby food with link to food blog for additional useful information.
3. Packing Offer and Followings screens to show food blog if the item is linked to food blog.
4. Minor bug fix on View Nearby screen to enable display of long description.

How HappyPacker works?


The following example shows how HappyPacker helps Ben to get his favourite food without having to travel from Yio Chu Kang to Changi Airport.  Jon, the packer, gets $3 to offset his transportation cost.

First, Ben search for food stalls in HappyPacker and he found Wild Olives Paste, complete with a link to FoodieFC food blog.  He can create a new food stall in check in screen if he cannot find the stall he wants.

Ben has craving for
Wild Olives Pasta

Ben can view FoodieFC food review
on Wild Olive.

Ben check in to create a Following on Wild Olives Pasta.  A Following is a request for packing food.  He can also share the post on Facebook timeline.

Ben specify some packing details

Ben shared on this Facebook timeline

Jon is having meal at Changi Airport T2 came across this Following on Wild Olive Pasta.  He also noted that the delivery destination is Yio Chu Kang, where he lives.  He contacts Ben to see if he is interested to have the pasta for dinner.

Jon is having meal at Changi Airport T2
staff canteen came across this request to
pack to Yio Chu Kang.

Jon sends iMessage to iron out
packing details.  If this works out,  Jon
will get $3 to offset his MRT fares

If Jon and Ben agrees, it is win-win for both of them since Ben gets his favourite food and Jon get $3 to offset his transportation cost.

Charity Food Packing

I have been following Project Awareness on Facebook.  Among the many post, I really like this phrase "Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself".  From Project Awareness Facebook page, I can see that there are many people that we can care for, just within the neighbourhood.  I think most people care and willing to offer help.  However, we may not know who they are but I am sure if we knows, we will be more than willing to offer a helping hand or give them something they need or wish for.

Happiness is a perfume

For many old folks, good old food brings back fond memories and they wish to visit their favourite food stall.  However, they may not be able to enjoy their favourite food due to many reasons such as poverty, inability to move around, etc.  How nice if some kind soul can help to pack food for them?  A pack of food can be more than just food... it is a "food connection" if the packer also spend time chatting with the old folks.

I believe that I can contribute in providing a "food connection" platform between these old folks and people who are kind enough to offer help.  I have created HappyPacker App as an initiative to promote community food packing at a small token fee.  I am planning to extend it to feature charity food packing.  For this to work, I need help from voluntary organisation to identify the people that need food.  The volunteers also helps to ensure that there is no duplicate packing to avoid food wastage.  

HappyPacker is currently available on Apple Appstore for iPhone.  However, the current version does not support have the new feature yet.  I plan to launch the following feature if I can find a social enterprise to work with.

These are the 5 simples steps in posting a food packing request, which can be discussed and refined.

Step 1. Volunteer to setup profile of
food pack recipient

Step 2. Choose a profile picture

Step 3. Volunteer post Following
on food.

Step 4. Packers see the post and
contact volunteer for details.

Step 5. Packer send SMS to volunteer
and the volunteer coordinates to
make sure no duplicate food packings.

New Features in HappyPacker Version 1.1.2

New feature to show distance in kilometres (km) in Search Nearby Items screen, so that you know how far food stalls are.

The distance information is also available in view packing offer, following screen.