Rate My View Website
Rate My View - new Smart Phone App from South Devon AONB
Rate my View is an exciting new way to capture and share what you really feel about the local landscape! It is part of a project being run by the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) team to discover new ways of exploring landscapes, better understand how we all see them and to discover what we particularly value.
To do this we need to burrow beneath “that’s a nice view” and delve a little deeper to find out what we really think about our coast, estuaries, countryside and villages. By taking part and rating your view, you will be adding your valuable piece of the jigsaw. This will help us complete the giant puzzle which makes up a picture of our South Devon landscape.
If your location falls within the App area, you can add and rate pictures whenever you want. They will be shared onto a map where you can see what everyone else thought too, as well as sent to us to enter onto our Google Earth project.
The app, which is free, and available on both Apple and Android platforms, automatically uploads pictures taken on smartphones or tablets to the Rate my View website. It uses GPS technology to pinpoint the users location and make sure they are in or near the AONB area, even detecting the direction the person is facing.
Users then rate their view by giving it between 0 and 5 stars; and submit words or short phrases that sum up their view. This could include landscape features “network of Devon hedgebanks”, qualities “tranquil”, feelings “inspiring”, events “battered by waves” and much more.
It’s easy, quick and good fun – have a go!
The App can be downloaded from:
itunes.apple.com/us/app/rate-my-view/id569016588?ls=1&mt=8 (iOS)
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.threeequals.ratemyview (Android)
Broadcaster and journalist Jonathan Dimbleby, who is the patron of the South Devon AONB, officially launched the app at the South Devon AONB annual open forum commenting “Rate my view is incredibly simple to use with your smart phone or tablet. It encourages you to say what is important about the view and what it is that captures the imagination. It also gives you the chance to make positive or negative comments about the landscape. I’m delighted to launch it.”
Roger English, Project Officer at South Devon AONB, said: “The app’s simple nature enables a participative approach to collecting, sharing and understanding a range of public perceptions of local landscapes in and around the South Devon AONB. We’re hoping that over time it will enable us to build up a picture of how the AONB is perceived. “
The South Devon AONB is one of 46 AONBs in the country, and stretches from Brixham to Wembury, and includes towns such as Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, Salcombe and Modbury in addition to the spectacular coastline, estuaries and farmed countryside.
The website can be viewed at http://www.ratemyview.co.uk.