iManila jumps to #1 Top Paid iPhone App

netmonitor- sorry to hear that your disappointed with iManila. It was not intended to be a map application like google maps. (I just don’t have access to the GPS data for the businesses) It is intended to help provide easy access to the Philippine yellow pages as Google continues to be incomplete for the Philippines. Unfortunately, not all businesses are listed in the Yellow Pages either and possibly this is why it was not finding what you were looking for. If you can send me the searches you tried, I can work with the data provider to understand why it was missing. Sorry again that iManila did not meet your expectations. I can be contacted at support //you know the symbol// mangocode.com

im just wondering if it is for the world or in the phil. only?

Hindi ba ma-sue sila for copyright dahil sa name? Mayroong iManila of the same name na IT company dito sa Pinas. I used to work there as a tech, and un din ang product name ng services ng company such as prepaid, internet at technical services.

Nope, i don’t think it’s hard to be successful. Working with integrity – that’s difficult. To be fair with Greg, he did take down the app and he recognized his fault. While his intentions were noble, the method he used was really flawed. EYP owns the data and he should’ve asked for their permission. There are a number of local web publishers out there investing a lot of time, money and effort in maintaining their websites and their work needs to be protected at the least. We’re looking forward to your next app Greg.

Andre-

I am 100% in agreement with your earlier post. I am a big supporter of not using DRM to protect content. DRM punishes the honest (makes it cumbersome) and does not really affect the dishonest (they will always find a way). Your point is very correct that I should not have used their data without their permission. Legal or not, it is not ethical. I screwed up and it is clear to me now. I made the error of thinking I was using “free data” and just selling the application. Yet, obviously upon reflection, the code has no value without the data! This was why I pulled the application immediately after some reflection after reading the earlier posts and coming to this conclusion.

The idea of integrating maps is very good. I guess one good thing that has come from this is that I have received a significant amount of information on other sources of data I can use to get maps + addresses. If I can work out an up-front arrangement with one of these services, I hope to continue to develop this application and possibly put back on the app store.

anyway here’s a thought, use openstreetmap.org.ph data, and great a better GPS iphone app of metro manila, combine that with a search form that brings users to the EYP website where they can view the search results and then make some way to capture the address from there at the option of the user and send them back to the streetmap to show where exactly on the map is the place located. There are probably still some legal issues there but atleast you’re not scraping the data.

Luk4, Eyp and other online accessible database has chosen to make their database available online exposing it to all possible use and exploits. They need to protect their data if they don’t want unwarranted access.

Greg here had the talent to make this database useful to mobile users at super bargain cost and most of all giving us Filipinos something to be proud of.

Patrick & AhmedF-

I am working on establishing collaboration through an update to the application.

My original post was not to complain about the piracy. It was intended to make the point that some people may find value, and pay for that value, and I would be there to support them.

While I may disagree that using a web browser to open a page and reformat the data into an easier to use display with easier integration (which is what iManila does) is different than software piracy, I do recognize your point. While iManila access the data in the exact same way (and with the same page hits recorded) as an end user using a standard browser, there is the loss advertisement visibility. To your point, they have not agreed to this.

I will be requesting the application be removed from iTunes tonight. If and when the collaboration with luk4 or another online service provider is complete, I will re-consider putting it back for sale.

Thanks for your frank and honest feedback.

Greg

Scraping data without the publisher’s knowledge or permission is just the same as piracy. I’m pretty sure that the guys at Luk4 are also working hard in maintaining/updating their listings and directories. Why didn’t you consider collaborating with them instead?

Better, LUK4 and other portals should develop their own apps.

why not just use the iphone browser and access eyp.ph? i assume the imanila app also does searches online

great app for my iphone!

Considering how much the iManila costs, it is quite a bargain. For just PhP92(assuming the exchange rate is PhP42==$1) you could access a lot of information, from where to dine to the place where to buy that exotic plant.

So it may not be the #1 paid app overall… but it shows that Pinoys are willing to pay for iPhone apps, no?