Couchsurfing goes smart(phone)

A couple weeks ago, giant hospitality sharing website Couchsurfing has launched his new Android application you can download for free here.
I must admit, it was about time. Travelling a lot and being an active Couchsurfer, I was really stoked at the user unfriendliness of the famous website over a small smartphone screen. I am no technology geek nor I rely too much on devices during my travels, but I also seldom renounce to my amazing Couchsurfing experiences. Thus, I just felt so frustrated about the lack of browsing facility on a mobile device, which is actually what most travelers these days use as soon as they can connect to a wi-fi signal.

The new application has a nice look, with a pop-up menu on the left side that easily connects to your inbox, profile and a short list of settings. The user profiles have been reduced to a vertical scrolling tab with all the relevant information condensed in blocks. To see more and actually send a Couch request, you have to slide the screen horizontally to the right in order to access to the different screens. The same clunky procedure is needed to access to the actual Couch Request tab: there is a little button on the lower left corner of the screen you have to slide up to access to the request page and actually lodge your request. I must be honest, it took me several minutes to understand what I needed to do… I suggest to provide a simple screen for starters where these basic – and essential – functions are clearly explained at least once before usage.

What is quite sleek instead is the message inbox: you get a nice, chat alike record of the correspondence, and it is fairly easy to answer on the go, which is actually what most travelers needed. A good way to check for your last minute couch requests on the road.

I also think that another very important feature, the search option, may need some great improvements: first of all, some of the locations that actually have surfers come out empty when browsed on a mobile. The most popular destinations on the contrary work better, but do not list the users under the more organized referential and credential order found on the regular version, making it a bit of a “hit or miss” experience.

Ultimately, I am very glad something like this has been released as it has greatly improved what was a task of endurance I could not bear to perform on my mobile. Now, as long as I can see room for improvements, at least we are able to quickly connect and check the status of our latest Couch requests on the go. Overall, a much needed application that possibly has been rushed to the market without a thorough “on the road testing”… still, I am so glad it arrived! Anxiously waiting for an improved version two!!