Anyone using Gigwalk?

[MikeG]

I got this program a couple weeks ago and have made a surprising amount of money so far. It's a huge help now that I'm unemployed; I do gigs while I'm out looking for jobs or to and from interviews.

I wouldn't rely on it for full time but I made around $475 in the last week, not bad!

No links so the black helicopters don't think I'm spamming. Go find it on the app store yourself.

PS, one of the main clients uses Microsofts' Photosynth app (also free) this thing ROCKS at taking panoramic shots, my gf just posted a few from her trip to Colorado.

[astro]

I checked out the gigwalk site. Fascinating concept.

[ZipperJJ]

Awesome for you! I can't believe how much you made in a week, wow...

I just read an article about sites similar to Gigwalk in last month's Wired. Fantastic way to fill the niche of putting unemployed and under-employed yet capable people to work!

[MikeG]

Actually they are running a promo this week raising the prices so I made 193 yesterday and 200 on Thursday. My feet are killing me The rest was Monday, I took Tuesday off.

[Anamorphic]

What a cool concept! I just signed up. Most of the gigs here in L.A. seem to be for $7. I guess that could add up, but I'm just imagining how much you did to make that much! Or are the prices higher where you are?

[Taomist]

Dang...wish this had an Android platform!

Of course I live in the middle of nowhere, where even GoogleMaps is outdated by a decade, so I doubt there'd be much work. But dang!

[MikeG]

Android is on the way allegedly. $7 is the promo higher price usually $4.

[Colophon]

That looks like a great idea. I wonder if they'll roll it out to the UK?

[Anamorphic]

Most of the jobs are so spread out here in L.A., I think I'd be spending so much on gas it wouldn't really be worth it. But, it so happens there's a handful in a mall close to a friend I happen to be going to visit today anyway, so I might head over to his place earlier and give it a try, see how it works out.

[Anamorphic]

Wow, actually I was wrong... there are a ton downtown L.A.. If I have a few hours free sometime this week, might have to go into town and try it out.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

Do make sure to let us know how it goes.

[Cat Whisperer]

I think I could really get into that (I love shopping, and I love walking), but I don't have an iPhone, and I don't know if it in Canada yet. Sigh.

[Silophant]

This is cool. I'll be all over this when the Android app comes out.

[Bob Ducca]

Just signed up and started my first gig. Fun!

Question for you, MikeG... Have you run into any trouble w/ businesses letting you take panoramic pictures inside? That part makes me nervous as I feel like a lot of establishments might frown on that sort of thing. Have you had anyone ask you what you were doing, and if so how did you handle it?

[Ferret Herder]

There was one for a restaurant in my building! I popped downstairs on my lunch break. A cashier asked if I was trying to get reception, so I grumbled and said yeah; we commiserated about the (definitely) crummy cellular reception.

[Moonlitherial]

Originally Posted by Cat Whisperer

I think I could really get into that (I love shopping, and I love walking), but I don't have an iPhone, and I don't know if it in Canada yet. Sigh.

Yes, first thing I did was check and see if it was available here, I can see my daughter making some extra cash with this once they expand to Canada.

[davidm]

Explain this to me. It sounds like mystery shopping - evaluating the appearance and service of retail stores and restaurants. It's something I've done here and there when I've been between jobs. Is it anything like that?

I never made a lot of money with it, but it did get me some free meals at some nice restaurants.

I suppose it'd be difficult to make a decent amount doing it part-time if you have a full-time job.

[Ferret Herder]

The ones I've seen around here are just interior/exterior business photography. Since they all also want the interior 360 shot uploaded to Bing, I'd guess Microsoft is trying to flesh out their Bing service.

[davidm]

So I guess you'd need a special 360 degree camera, or will a bunch of separate shots do?

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by davidm

So I guess you'd need a special 360 degree camera, or will a bunch of separate shots do?

Those specify to download and use the free Photosynth app (made by MS). It's pretty easy to use, but test it first to get an idea of what it's like and how fast it can take pics.

[Bob Ducca]

Originally Posted by Ferret Herder

Those specify to download and use the free Photosynth app (made by MS). It's pretty easy to use, but test it first to get an idea of what it's like and how fast it can take pics.

Also make sure you have location services turned on for the app, or you'll have to figure out how to attach a location on the Photosynth website after the fact (a lesson I just learned).

I felt weird taking a pano pic in the business I just "Gigged" but nobody bothered me and probably just thought I was a creeper, which is fine I guess.

[davidm]

Looks like it requires an iPhone.

[MikeG]

Originally Posted by Bob Ducca

Just signed up and started my first gig. Fun!

Question for you, MikeG... Have you run into any trouble w/ businesses letting you take panoramic pictures inside? That part makes me nervous as I feel like a lot of establishments might frown on that sort of thing. Have you had anyone ask you what you were doing, and if so how did you handle it?

You develop a feel for which stores you need to ask and which you need to do on the sly. A busy place, I can get in, do the pano and two detail shots while it looks like Im talking on the phone or texting.

I have been concentrating on mom and pop restaurants lately, I find they are much more willing to allow. Ethnic places, I just say " I'm doing business verification for Microsoft Bing and I'm gonna take a couple pics so when people search for your place, they get a good picture instead of just the name"

I've done about 120 gigs in the last week and had 4 places say no. At that point, you just say thanks and move on, there's 5500 gigs in Chicago right now, no need to worry about the one chinese place on Lawrence that doesn't want a picture online.


Look up GigwalkPro on youtube for a bunch of good videos by Marc on how to do the gigs with or without permission. He likes malls, I prefer crowded urban areas, same idea but I get better places to eat lunch

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

Originally Posted by davidm

Looks like it requires an iPhone.

The Android app is now available, which seems worthy of a bump. I don't know when that happened but it wasn't there when I got the phone in September.

[fubbleskag]

Originally Posted by Spectre of Pithecanthropus

The Android app is now available, which seems worthy of a bump. I don't know when that happened but it wasn't there when I got the phone in September.

the link on the gigwalk website still talks you to a "sign up for the beta" google doc, but the app is available in the android marketplace and seems to be functional.

edit: no gigs in my area; damn you, flyover state!

[voltaire]

There were a ton of unpaid/beta gigs in my area for the first few days after the Android launch, but now, nothing. Running around town and working for free wasn't at the top of my list, so I still haven't done any. Had I known they all were gonna disappear, I would have tried one just to see how it works.

[Rigamarole]

Just downloaded it, and although I live in a fairly populous area, there aren't any paying gigs anywhere near me. Bah.

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

Originally Posted by fubbleskag

the link on the gigwalk website still talks you to a "sign up for the beta" google doc, but the app is available in the android marketplace and seems to be functional.

edit: no gigs in my area; damn you, flyover state!

I'm only seeing two or three near me in my coastal megacity. I don't think the maps show us new Gigwalkers everything there is to see; IIRC we have to do a couple of freebies before we qualify for paid Gigs, so I had assumed that the latter don't show up on my map yet.

I might well be wrong about that, though, and need to refresh my memory with another look at the instructions and other info.

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

Maybe the "beta" part of the Android app is that only free gigs are shown.

[georgemickeyhappy]

I like Gigwalk when I get easy opportunities! Being in between jobs has not been easy and I really enjoy doing the missions for some of the other guys. My favorite newbie is iPoll . I have it on my iPhone and my wife on her android.

Just yesterday, I got to do some really cool things for the Olympics at a local restaurant! Last week I went on a secret mission into a Target store and snapped a picture of a yoplait yogurt. The company is pretty good about catching cheaters so be careful!

All in all I have made $480 on IPoll and $64 on Gigwalk.

A couple others that I downloaded and am starting to use lately; check rewards and shop kick! No missions, just discounts, no real cash rewards either

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

The Gigwalk people took the Android app down when they went to v2.0. This happened four months ago.

And Android users are still waiting. I expect we won't even recognize the business model when and if we ever get to use it again.

[MikeG]

Ive pretty much given up on GW. Since they upgraded their software and the Bing contract expired, the gigs were far and few between.

Field Agent has worked out much better for me. Your location/ experience may vary of course.