Is 2012 the year of the health sensor <-> app <-> web tipping point?

Feb 01 2012 Published by under observations

There’s never been a shortage of people looking to lose weight, get fit and generally improve their health. And the turn of the year always seems to bring out the best of intentions. 2012 feels a bit different, it seems that suddenly there is a tipping point of fitness / health devices and associated, usually smartphone based, apps to help people gather, assess and manage their health data.

Many of these devices have been on the market for a while, months or even years. Some less so. The observation is not that these things are – individually – new pieces of tech. The observation is that there seem a growing collective of these gadgets/apps and it feels as if there is about to be a tipping point into “mainstream” use (i.e. outside the gadget / tech and fanatical health communities).

What am I seeing?

  • Nike Fuelband (released about two weeks ago), the newest multi-purpose health sensor with fitness tracking app
  • Jawbone Up, another multi-purpose health sensor with fitness tracking app
  • Fitbit Ultra, another multi-purpose health sensor with fitness tracking app
  • BodyMedia FIT, another multi-purpose health sensor with fitness tracking app
  • Wahoo Blue HR heart rate strip for iPhone 4S which doesn’t need additional hardware for the phone, hit the shelves in the days before Xmas

Many of these are into their “second version”, suggesting that the first sold enough to be commercially interesting but feedback and experience are bringing a round of improved devices to the market. Additionally, the use of Bluetooth 4.0 means that increasingly there will be no need for buying into the ANT+ ecosystem to connect additional sensors to your smartphone (the Blue HR strap is one of these).

Not to be forgotten, there is an ever growing selection of smartphone apps which blend data from the smartphone’s sensors (typically GPS for distance / speed tracking) with the potential to use add-on sensors (heart rate, cycling cadence, etc.) to give blended exercise information. RunKeeper is probably one of the most notable of these, although there are many worthy of trying out.

Is there about to be a tipping point?

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It’s unexpected that Twitter for iPhone still identifies as “by atebits”

Aug 22 2010 Published by under observations

I don’t think there’s anything too meaningful intended, I just would’ve expected them to update the identifiers by now.
Accessed via settings –> connections.

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I thought I’d found the holy grail – iPhone takeout ordering (UK)… it was not to be

May 07 2010 Published by under online services

In a previous post I mentioned that I thought a takeout ordering app would be a great idea. Online takeaway aggregator Eatitnow.co.uk seemed to have heeded the call with their iPhone app. This evening, feeling both lazy and hungry, I thought it was time for a test drive. Have I found the holy grail?

iPhone optimism
Eatitnow iPhone app

Logging on, selecting a restaurant and pulling together an order worked well. Then I clicked “Finalise Order” and… nothing.

Could it just be a usability issue?
The usability folk will tell you that whenever you perform an action on system (e.g. click a button), the interface should tell confirm whether your action has succeeded or not. It stops the user from wondering if the system has done what they needed. I tried again a few times and… nothing. I shut down the app, re-opened it (had to login again though – so much for auto-login), recreated the order and… nothing. I tried on the app and the (mobile) website to find a customer services number and… nothing.

Optimistic or just naïve?
Hunger began to overtake laziness so I headed upstairs to the computer, logged onto the website, found the call centre number and rang them to check if the order had been placed. They were closed at 20h45. For an outfit whose core business is the restaurant trade that’s a pretty poor showing. The answerphone said to send an email and I thought that maybe, just maybe, Amazon style response times would mean I’d get a response. After 20 minutes… nothing.

Resigned to the Web
As I was off the couch anyway, I decided to order via the website. Everything seemed to run smoothly, I placed the order and received an onscreen confirmation.

Here one moment, gone the next
20m later no email confirmation so I logged onto the site again, checked recent orders and my order was there. I checked recent orders on the iPhone app and it wasn’t – so much for services oriented architecture. I rechecked on the website and the order had disappeared. I thought I was going mad so I tried again, planning to take some screenshots. Again the order went through and I clicked refresh expectantly waiting for the order to disappear. Two hours later … nothing. The order still appears but no sign of dinner. This time I want the system to let me down and it can’t even do that!

Thinking on an empty stomach
Aside from me feeling better for having vented my frustrations, why is this important for your mobile app / online business?

  • If you’re going to make a song and dance about your iPhone app – make sure it works.
  • If you’re going to offer a mobile service, be sure your customers have a way of getting hold of you that doesn’t require them going to their computers. Particularly important if your service doesn’t work.
  • If you’re going to offer a seamless web / mobile / web experience – make sure your architecture supports it.
  • If your business sells to customers after 20h00 on a Friday, be ready to respond to the calls or emails after 20h00 on a Friday, especially if the sale is “right now or not at all” in nature. Twitter would be a great customer service channel for this.
  • If you’re going to tell customers their order is placed and then unilaterally cancel it with no notification, shut down your business and go home.

As for dinner – well, looks like its cereal or toast tonight!

7 responses so far

iPhone usability appearing on the web

Apr 11 2010 Published by under design, observations

Designers will often talk about using “common design patterns”. Basically, it’s a jargonny way of saying that we try to use familiar pieces of user interface so that new users don’t feel there is a massive learning curve when getting their heads around a new service.

This evening I was using a website, Twilert, and I was interested to notice that a pattern made popular by the iPhone UI is appearing in website design. Look at the sliders for “ON” and “OFF” on the iPhone…

… and note how this pattern has been repeated on the Twilert website.

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iPhone apps I'd spend a few bob on

Feb 28 2010 Published by under tech

When I went for the iPhone, one of the key reasons was a sense that the app ecosystem would mean I used the phone more than any other model, even if it meant accepting some of the (widely documented) shortcomings.

This remains the case but there are still a few apps which I’d love to see launched:

  • Pizza ordering. Whichever of Domino’s or Pizza Hut get this out first will make a killing. And if I can convince them to shove the pizza through my living room window I won’t even have to heave myself off the couch.
  • A today screen. An app which shows next 2 or 3 appointments, most recent emails, etc. I think this is blocked by the SDK but it is such an obvious productivity app.
  • Tesco grocery ordering. I know that Ocado have an app but we’re a Tesco household so, truth be told, I want a Tesco ordering app. It should link to my online grocery shopping account, be able to display my “most commonly ordered” list from my online shopping account and be able to place orders on the app. Tesco do have some innovative iPhone apps in play (Tesco card on iPhone, storefinder) so hopefully they’ll get onto this and bring it all together.
  • Household management. In discussing the idea with my wife, she suggested a “household management” app which would suggest ordering basic supplies (toilet paper, cleaning products, etc.) based on average consumption for a household of the size of mine. I guess I’d need to put in how many adults & children are in the house and then let the app do the rest. It would need to be integrated to, or part of, my grocery shopping app so it has knowledge of when I’ve ordered what. Then it can popup reminders, create baskets, etc. One less thing to think about.
  • Museum audio guide system.  Most museums have an audio guide for hire. I’d far rather download to my phone than carry around the poxy headset device most museums offer. Better quality, easier to use, etc. And the app could include museum maps and illustrative pictures. The app could be standardised across all museums and just the content downloaded, either at the museum or in advance – depending on the cost model.

Any other ideas?

5 responses so far

The 2 not so obvious things I'd want on my next iPhone

Feb 16 2010 Published by under big idea, tech

The recent iPad hullabaloo has overlooked one significant thing – the iPhone is a magnificent device which is, hopefully, still maturing.On the tube recently I was pondering – what would I like to do to it to make it more magnificent? I decided to ignore all the ideas I’ve heard before (multi-tasking, better camera, mp3 ringtones, unified messaging, removable storage, etc.) and think about real game changers. I came up with two…

  1. Add a programmable RFID chip. This would allow app developers to programme the chip to do whatever can be done with chips. Why bother with your Oyster card? Just download the Oyster app and use your phone. The same thinking could be applied to any RFID identifier / micropayments type requirement.
  2. Add photovoltaic cells to the casing and allow the phone to solar charge. This is not to replace traditional charging, just add to it. And get you out of trouble if you’re running low on the road.

And the iPad – well, just because Apple can put an iPhone in a photocopier on 200% enlargement doesn’t mean they should.

Any other suggestions?

2 responses so far

How did Apple leapfrog Nokia in the smartphone market?

Jul 13 2009 Published by under tech

I’ve been toying with with the idea of upgrading my phone (currently an N82) with one of the new generation smartphones, either an iPhone 3GS or a NokiaN97. Truth be told, I’ve been lusting after the N97 for some months now as I’ve been committed to Nokia since replacing my Ericcson 337 with a Nokia 6210.

Now that the N97 is becoming widely available I’m reading some of the reviews and having second thoughts. A video review that I watched this morning (from The Really Mobile Project) got me thinking about how Apple have taken the market initiative from Nokia over the past few years.

What Apple has done to leave Nokia behind in smartphone development

  • Made the app store something every user will access rather than something for gadget heads
  • Made development for the iPhone attractive to swathes of developers
  • Made connectivity seamless (no “choose your connection” dialogs)
  • Not buried the functionality in an old-school “tree / folder” menu system
  • Focused on some key functions which non gadget heads can relate to and made these the ‘killer features’ on top of the phone functionality (i.e. browser and media consumption)

And this is all on top of some of Apple’s traditional strengths, i.e. it’s beautiful, it works without much crashing, it’s well marketed, etc.

Admittedly, I’ve not decided one way or the other. I am an experienced S60 user and doubt would be able to find my way around without any problems. And the Nokia is functionally more capable (internet tethering? come on Apple, Nokia’s came with bluetooth modem drivers years ago). For me, the jury is still out.

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