News release, 26 August 2008

KEEPING TABS ON PETROL USAGE HAS JUST GOT EASIER

Monitoring the fuel efficiency of your car has got a whole lot easier, thanks to a new ‘personal fuel and vehicle logging programme’ which launched on-line last week. www.flogga.com is the brainchild of Brad Old and Paul Simpson, both of whom are car enthusiasts and Database Software Developers for Tauranga-based Simpson Computer Consultancy.

“Paul and I have both been monitoring our fuel usage for years in a notebook and later in a palm pilot. But when we looked around for a more sophisticated system and couldn’t find one, we decided to build one ourselves,” says Brad.

The launch of flogga.com comes at a time when motorists are becoming increasingly aware of how much fuel they’re using and how efficient (or otherwise) their vehicles are. There are gains to be made for the wallet as well as the environment, says Brad, who has been trialling the system on his own car during the development stage. “I’ve certainly noticed a difference in fuel efficiency when I’ve been towing a heavy load or when my car has been due for a tune-up.”

Because it stores data over a long period of time, and presents it back to motorists in a useable format, flogga.com is a handy tool for evaluating what we’re doing with our cars and if it’s making any difference to how much fuel we use or save, says Brad.

“For example, if you’re putting in an additive that’s meant to improve fuel efficiency, you can monitor if it’s working or if it’s a complete waste of money. Likewise you can compare brands of petrol and octane levels or find out how much towing a trailer or having the air conditioning on affects fuel efficiency.”

It also serves as an early warning system if a vehicle is not running as efficiently as it should. “It can alert you to the fact your car needs tuning or the tyres need pumping – or that maybe you should think twice before lending it to your heavy-footed son!”

If a flogga user has a mobile phone that’s web-enabled, they can access the site remotely, says Brad “though not on the forecourt”, he cautions.

While he admits monitoring fuel usage might be “more of a guy thing”, he says there are plenty of women who are concerned about getting more kilometres to the litre/ miles to the gallon. “An ex-flatmate of mine records everything she spends on her car and the woman in the bank the other day said she does too!”

Brad and Paul have plans to launch a business and corporate section on flogga.com, enabling businesses to easily monitor the fuel efficiency of their company cars. “They’ll be able to find out which cars are most efficient and which staff members are filling up their boat at the same time as their car!”

So watch this space. In the meantime, flogga.com is up and running for personal users. Motorists can opt for one of two packages – the Starter Pack will keep tabs on two cars (US$9.95 for 12 months membership) or the Family Pack (US$15.95 for one year) will monitor up to five cars. “This is a good option if there are grown-up kids in your house with their own cars, or if you have a motorbike or a car you just use on the weekends.”

They’ve set up flogga.com as an international site which can be easily used by motorists wherever they are in the world (“It doesn’t matter if you’re working in rupees, dollars or pounds”).

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Launched into the wild

Well the day has arrived.

As of today, that's NZ time August 21, 2008 @ 3:55 pm, fLogga.com is live and operational.

And we are excited.

Now we wait to see if anyone out there want's what we have - come and get it!

Brad

Launching this month

fLogga is almost ready to launch - just a few more touches to be made on the layout and we will be ready to go.
Look for it around the middle of August 2008.
Bookmark the site (flogga.com) and check back soon.