Time for drifter Johnny to finally go home and for you to relax, as this is our last problem in the 2013 Cool Summer Internship race. Thank you for sending us your solutions, it was surprising to see so many good ones we received!

We expect your proposals here by Thursday, May 2nd, 10:00 AM GMT. Do not forget about the rules.

Johnny Wants To Go Home

Johnny is drunk homesick. After having spent the past years on the Island of Despair, he has suddenly decided to sail home. For this, he managed to build a boat. During his sailing, he discovered that the boat is small and cannot withstand a storm. As if it wasn’t enough, Johnny drank too much rum and is afraid of getting lost. Definitely, not a good day for sailing.

Requirements

Not everything is lost though. In our version, Johnny has a smartphone and a solar mobile phone charger! Yes, he does 🙂 and he needs an App to help him make it back home to England.

What You Have To Do

You need to create a JavaScript App that helps Johnny find his way on the ocean and avoid the dangerous storms coming his way. Your App is expected to:

• Get the user’s coordinates with GeoLocation. By coordinates, we mean Johnny’s current location, which is also his starting location.

• Get the coordinates of an English port (such as Liverpool), using a web service. By port, we mean Johnny’s home and final destination.

• Get weather data for the user’s location, using a web service. It must also get weather data from the vicinity of the user’s location. By vicinity, we mean a set of four coordinates, one for each cardinal direction: 0.1 degrees farther to North, South, West and East from the current location. Weather data refers to precipitations and strong winds only.

• Create a user-friendly interface. You are free to come up with your own design, but keep in mind that it must contain the following elements: current location weather, the weather from the vicinity for each cardinal direction, distance to home, indicator towards home (such as an arrow pointing North-West, East etc.). You can use images, text, links, whatever you like.

Note that the App does not have to find an optimal way home. It simple offers weather data and indicates the direction towards home. You must deploy the App for iPhone or Android using PhoneGap Build.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5AqJww06bw[/youtube]

Tips

• Wunderground has a good weather API.
• Use a JavaScript framework or library for interface components, AJAX requests etc.
• Feel free to create your own layout for the interface, but don’t ignore usability aspects. Remember that Johnny is from the 17th century. The interface should be that simple!

If this problem gives you more headaches than rum does to Johnny, drop us a comment. 🙂 Good luck and don’t forget this challenge is supposed to be fun too. Stay tuned for the final results.