House Party and Yelp Eat24
House Party: House Party is an application found on the Apple and Google Play Stores which allows users to video-chat in groups — in theory the app sounds useful, but there are issues which limit its effectiveness and pleasant use. Some of these issues exist with the interface, but others exist with the idea of group video chat itself. For example, in comparing the concept of group video chat to a normal in-person conversation — inherent issues reside. When in groups, eye contact is used to initiate conversation and also let others know that you are paying attention to them and “on the same page”. This is not exactly possible when video chatting a group. In a normal video chat, for instance, the interactions are more life-like, in that when the person is looking into the camera or onto the screen, you know they are looking at you. This may seem trivial or unimportant, but it made my use of the application significantly less pleasurable.
The application itself also had certain limitations and issues which took away from its ease of use. First, the ability to coordinate groups for talking is not quite intuitive — it is complicated and cumbersome. Unlike other video chats, it was not a call as much as it was a party, where users could leave freely and even unintentionally. In trying to video chat four of my friends, we ended up changing “houses” twice in a 20-minute span — people unintentionally left or were disconnected and our conversation was interrupted.
Yelp Eat24: Yelp Eat24 uses Yelp’s database of restaurant information and reviews to give users not only a method to order food, but also the resources to pick the right food — it is quite useful. I was first exposed to the app through a Google search on online food orders nearby. I downloaded the app for two reasons: I was guaranteed $5 off and I trusted the name Yelp and its ability to lead me to good food options. After downloading the application, I was greeted with an adequately easy-to-use interphase in which I could search restaurants by type, distance, and ratings, among other characteristics.
There was also a “What’s Good” tab, presumably aimed at users who needed some direction and were just looking for some new, good options. The app allows users to select dishes based on reviews, total orders, and pictures. It also allows users to select either pick up or delivery, and restaurants have their individual charges or requirements for both — there is no universal delivery fee or minimum purchase requirement. Overall, the user experience was quite good, and I was able to order dinner and pick it up on time without a hitch. I was provided with a real-time status of my order and was able to pay on the app, which made my pick up experience very short and pleasant. I will certainly use the application again.
