EpicSki › The Barking Bear Forums › On the Snow (Skiing Forums) › General Skiing Discussion › Snowciety - a social ski tracking app - is looking for feedback
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Snowciety - a social ski tracking app - is looking for feedback

post #1 of 26
7/2/12 at 6:25am
Thread Starter 

Snowciety is an iPhone application which you can use to share your day on the slopes and keep track of friends and family. We measure distance, duration, speed, etc and share your location and stats with your friends and family in realtime; so you always know where they are and what they are doing. Snowciety is like Path-meets-Google-Latitude for skiers. 

We launched Snowciety almost 2 months ago, but since our season in Europe has ended I am looking for people who would like to test Snowciety in areas where you can still ski. (like Australia/New Zealand, but also all-year resorts). 

Snowciety is born out of our passion for skiing and snowboarding. We wondered how fast we were going, what distances we rode and had trouble keeping in touch with our friends. Phone calls are easily missed, text messages are too asynchronous and walkie-talkies have a limited range and are expensive to purchase. We thought: "Wouldn't it be great if you could just see where everybody was?" With Snowciety you know when someone is just a bit behind or has taken a wrong turn. You can easily find each other when you decide to split up. 

To do so we have developed special maps showing the pistes and lifts of all the ski resorts in the world, including Australia and New Zealand. We even added special layers to give you an almost 3D view of the mountains. You can easily see where you are and how to get from A to B. Our goal was to make the maps as user friendly as possible. 

On top of the realtime sharing and tracking we've built social features like our Timeline, showing not only your recorded tracks; but also those of your friends. Skiing and snowboarding is not only about sports. It is also about fun and social interaction. 

Snowciety is available for free on the App Store at http://bit.ly/scAppStore 

We really like to get (and stay) in touch with our userbase to listen and learn. So please tell us your honost opinion. Your feedback is highly appreciated. 

(Before you ask: We are working on an Android version. We hope to launch it somewhere in September.) 

This message is not meant as advertising, but to get feedback from people who are currently on the slopes skiing and snowboarding.

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post #2 of 26
7/2/12 at 6:38am

Seriously?

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post #3 of 26
7/2/12 at 7:15am

Seriously are you going to track that stuff? Or seriously not an ad? :-)

 

I'm in NA and use GPS essentials to track my day as well as Alpine Replay. I don't want to broadcast my location as I go. I track so I can review my day. It is also nice to share a track to show people what I did especially my BC friends.

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post #4 of 26
7/2/12 at 7:48am

How about becoming a full member here since you are promoting your business model?  How would you like it if Epic were advertising on your app but not paying?

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post #5 of 26
7/2/12 at 9:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MastersRacer View Post

I'm in NA and use GPS essentials to track my day as well as Alpine Replay. I don't want to broadcast my location as I go. I track so I can review my day. It is also nice to share a track to show people what I did especially my BC friends.

GPS Essentials looks like a great GPS app. You really use tracking for reviewing and sharing afterwards?

 

How do you stay in touch with your friends when on the slopes? Do you have trouble finding each other when you split up?

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post #6 of 26
7/2/12 at 9:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Finndog View Post

How about becoming a full member here since you are promoting your business model?  How would you like it if Epic were advertising on your app but not paying?

Thanks for the tip! Will look into that

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post #7 of 26
7/2/12 at 12:07pm

great, just click on the upper right hand corner "become a supporter" 

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post #8 of 26
7/2/12 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by timanrebel View Post

GPS Essentials looks like a great GPS app. You really use tracking for reviewing and sharing afterwards?

 

Yes. I also use Strava. GPS Essentials is very good. I can review where I've been with great accuracy on Google Earth. It is handy for showing friends where I've taken (or will take) them on a tour either skiing or biking.

 

How do you stay in touch with your friends when on the slopes? Do you have trouble finding each other when you split up?

 

I keep them in sight or I use my phone as a phone.

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post #9 of 26
7/2/12 at 2:09pm

In your iPhone app store description you call it the first social skiing app.  Was this released more than 2 years ago when Epic Mix first came out?

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post #10 of 26
7/3/12 at 12:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Finndog View Post

How about becoming a full member here since you are promoting your business model?  How would you like it if Epic were advertising on your app but not paying?


Why the need to crowd-regulate a rec forum? I don't see "moderator" anywhere underneath your name. I tend to appreciate when people display things that are of interest to the greater skiing community (especially free things), whether or not they stand to benefit. If Epic wants to make them pay for that privilege, why don't you let them do it? Cutting your nose to spite your face.

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post #11 of 26
7/3/12 at 12:44pm

as a paying member, if find it very annoying that others come here and don't pay but use the site for commercial reasons.  I see you are not a member and that's your choice but this is entirely different. Otherwise, we should open the site to spambots and other forms of posting spam. This is a money making business.

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post #12 of 26
7/3/12 at 12:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by timanrebel View Post

Snowciety is available for free on the App Store at http://bit.ly/scAppStore 

This message is not meant as advertising, but to get feedback from people who are currently on the slopes skiing and snowboarding.

I'd call this shy of major EpicSki Forum spam only because it is skiing related and seems to be provided at no charge.  However, once you sign up I'm betting you get a ton of spam to whatever email or phone number you provide them.


Edited by crgildart - 7/3/12 at 12:56pm
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post #13 of 26
7/3/12 at 12:47pm

HEy as long as you don't post this on my website, then have at it. I think i will start advertising my business here for free. No need for sponsors anymore I guess. 

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post #14 of 26
7/3/12 at 12:57pm

There's a little red flag in the bottom left corner of every post where any member or supporter can notify the moderators of potential spam.  I can testify that it does workwink.gif

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post #15 of 26
7/3/12 at 12:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Finndog View Post

as a paying member, if find it very annoying that others come here and don't pay but use the site for commercial reasons.  I see you are not a member and that's your choice but this is entirely different. Otherwise, we should open the site to spambots and other forms of posting spam. This is a money making business.


Then don't pay to be a member. I'm not a member because I don't understand the point - I like the forum here, don't need a membership to use it and would go elsewhere if I did. Or just report it to those that are affected.

 

I guess if something appeals to the general community and is free, I don't see what the harm is to anyone (unless perhaps they're invasive about it- multiple threads, constant bumps, etc.). It's as beneficial to us (or those that might use the app) as it is to the OP. Not much different than posting a link to your blog, which I think there's a whole thread for.

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post #16 of 26
7/3/12 at 2:57pm

To the OP:

 

I think you're hearing that not everybody wants to track their runs, vertical or speed.  I've done it a few times, then the novelty wears off.

 

I can see using an app like this, on those days when I'm skiing with my GF and/or other friends, since we don't always ski together the whole time. 

 

That said, the other GPS apps I've tried (Ski Tracks, iTrailmap 3D) use so much battery power that it typically doesn't last much more than half a day.  If you want your app to fly it needs to be optimized for power consumption, especially considering that battery life seems to be a lot less in cold weather.

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post #17 of 26
7/3/12 at 4:06pm

Pimping goods and wares that have little or nothing to do with skiing is overly spamish here.  Pimping skiing related goods and wares that aren't free of charge to everyone here is also overly spamish to me.  Making a post about something skiing related and available to all here free of charge doesn't cross the line to me until it becomes a multitude of threads. 

 

Post a thread about some kind of $200 i-device or something else that has nothing to do with skiing and I would make that post disappear in a heartbeat.


Edited by crgildart - 7/4/12 at 4:52pm
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post #18 of 26
7/3/12 at 4:45pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE

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post #19 of 26
7/4/12 at 9:18am

FWIW I was contacted by someone who's an uninterested party who saw this app at a European Tech Conference.  I got the App - Its free, but haven't really used it because it was late in the season.  I'm going up to Northstar to Mt bike soon.  I'll try it out mt biking and report back. 

 

It looks like some pretty cool technology. 

 

http://snowcietyapp.com/

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post #20 of 26
7/4/12 at 4:47pm

Okay, I did some hiking at Northstar today and used the app.  I like the GPS Tracking and how it followed me, but I didn't get a chance to see if I had a "friend" on the mountain.  

When I clicked on the button to find friends the screen said:  Its awful empty in here. biggrin.gif

Pretty good so far.  Would like to see how it works during ski season, though I'm cautious about battery life with the GPS running. 

 

 

Timanrebel, is there any news on battery draw? 

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post #21 of 26
7/5/12 at 1:05am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DesiredUsername View Post

To the OP:
That said, the other GPS apps I've tried (Ski Tracks, iTrailmap 3D) use so much battery power that it typically doesn't last much more than half a day.  If you want your app to fly it needs to be optimized for power consumption, especially considering that battery life seems to be a lot less in cold weather.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trekchick View Post

Timanrebel, is there any news on battery draw? 

Battery is a big focus for us. It is a constant battle between features and battery drain. We would love to really livestream your location for example or use the accelerometer to measure your every move to tell you when you fell or what your airtime was, but is would drain your battery in a wink. We have some ideas about dynamically increase and decrease power consumption of the app while listening to the amount of battery that is drained and always pause when the battery goes below 20%. We don't want you to get stranded somewhere with an empty battery.

Testing on a couple of iPhone 4 phones show that you can track a day without completely draining the battery. It really depends on how much you use the phone for other tasks (email, twitter, music, etc), but we've had good experiences with it.
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post #22 of 26
7/5/12 at 1:09am
Thread Starter 
If you like, we are looking for beta testers for a new version of Snowciety, with a new Dashboard, better Timeline, Profiles, login with Twitter + email/password and probably more. I think we should be ready to test in a week or 2. You can signup here: http://tflig.ht/xv5Oql
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post #23 of 26
7/5/12 at 4:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by crgildart View Post

There's a little red flag in the bottom left corner of every post where any member or supporter can notify the moderators of potential spam.  I can testify that it does workwink.gif

you missed my point. I am not calling it spam, I dont find it offenseive, I find it rude of the person. If you notice, I sumply suggested that he become a member or a sponsor. that's it. I wasn't attemptingt o act a a moderator. Maybe there is no reason to finacnailly support this community.

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post #24 of 26
7/5/12 at 5:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Finndog View Post

you missed my point. I am not calling it spam, I dont find it offenseive, I find it rude of the person. If you notice, I sumply suggested that he become a member or a sponsor. that's it. I wasn't attemptingt o act a a moderator. Maybe there is no reason to finacnailly support this community.

Yes there is. biggrin.gif

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post #25 of 26
7/5/12 at 5:36am

Do you guys have an android app? 

 

I'm interested in all these apps that are coming out as someone who is sort of "into" mobile tech. I think the competition is getting really hot. I used AlpineReplay quite a bit this year. Tried Phresheez as well but it wasn't as polished. Also had a chance to demo some Recon Mod Live goggles for a review and they actually point you to friends / family through an in-viewfinder nav element. 

 

The biggest downside I see to this is that tracking apps by and large are passive, in other words you cna see stats while you are on the lift but the reside in your pocket most of the time. Let's face it, on most ski days it sucks taking out the phone. That is why I am a little skeptical on using an app like this for tracking family / friends real time as it means i need to expose my fingers, and as a primarily northeast skier that can get (c)old very fast 

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post #26 of 26
7/5/12 at 7:44am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parafly View Post

Do you guys have an android app? 
We've started development and hope we can accept the first beta testers in a matter of weeks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parafly View Post

I'm interested in all these apps that are coming out as someone who is sort of "into" mobile tech. I think the competition is getting really hot. I used AlpineReplay quite a bit this year. Tried Phresheez as well but it wasn't as polished. Also had a chance to demo some Recon Mod Live goggles for a review and they actually point you to friends / family through an in-viewfinder nav element. 

The biggest downside I see to this is that tracking apps by and large are passive, in other words you cna see stats while you are on the lift but the reside in your pocket most of the time. Let's face it, on most ski days it sucks taking out the phone. That is why I am a little skeptical on using an app like this for tracking family / friends real time as it means i need to expose my fingers, and as a primarily northeast skier that can get (c)old very fast 
True, but if you lose someone or want to catch up it might come in handy, even when you have to take out your phone. We have an additional social timeline you can use when not on the slopes. Our focus is more on the social side than on the stats side and think there is a lot of room for improvement compared to existing apps and solutions. I see goggles more as an extension to Snowciety (in the end) than a replacement btw
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