Case Study: Betcast365 - Desktop Content Delivery Widget
Betcast365 is a horse racing tips service fronted by John Parrott MBE, former snooker world champion. The company behind this project, Desktop365, came to Hero wanting a content delivery service in the format of a desktop widget. As well as this a supporting website was required to promote the service and allow users to register and download the widget.
Hero developed a solution utilising VB.NET and ASP.NET, SQL Server and XML Web Services to provide a feature-rich, robust and future-proof system.
Key Features
Graphical Skin
The widget needed an eye-catching design, rather than looking like a standard Windows application. Hero worked with their designers to implement a custom skin for the application, featuring an interesting window shape, roll over buttons and numerous background graphics.
Content Delivery System through XML Web Services
The content delivery system developed by Hero utilises XML web services. This approach means that content can easily be delivered on other devices and sites securely and without additional coding, as well as providing secure access to the outside world to the backend database. Tipsters add in content through a secure web portal, scheduling when these should be delivered to everyone's desktop.
XML services are also adopted for other actions such as purchasing tips for the day through the widget. This process connects to the backend database, checks they have enough credits for the purchase, and deducts the required amount from their balance.
The framework developed by Hero can be adapted for other widgets that Desktop365 have in the pipeline relatively easily, to reduce future development costs for new projects.
Version Control
There are numerous improvements planned for the widget. To allow these updates to be delivered to the end-user with the minimum of hassle, Hero built in a version control system for the application. When a user opens up their widget it will check the internet for a new version - if one exists the user will be asked if they want to install it and it can then start the installation routine.
As well as this, the system was developed to allow new categories of tips (greyhound racing, general sports etc.) to be added to the widget without the user having to download any new updates of the software.
Benefits Gained
- Within a week the Betcast365 website started to create income and is now going from strength to strength, with membership continuing to rise.
- The system developed allows for the widget to be easily expanded for other sports (greyhound racing, general sports etc.). This is already being taken advantage of as the tip portfolio builds.
- Future updates can be rolled out to all users quickly and easily so new features can be added over time to add more value to the widget.
- The technology can be adapted relatively easily to develop new widgets delivering other types of content, which is the business strategy of Desktop365.
"Hero Solutions took a very basic brief from us and turned our unique Betcast365 concept into a comprehensive technical specification. They advised us on the do's and dont's of our initial brief and made some excellent recommendations based on their extensive web development experience.
The work was completed on time, on brief and on budget with the minimum of fuss. We learned to trust Hero Solutions to complete the project without too much interference from ourselves. Our confidence in them was proved correct as the site has now been up and running for 2 months and due their extensive testing we have had no technical issues to report."
Peter Grubb, Creative Director of Desktop365 Limited
More Information
If you would like to learn more about this project, or discuss how we could do something similar for your organisation, please phone us on 0845 6120620. You can also visit the Betcast365 website - www.betcast365.com.
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