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Ride Society - freeski iPhone app

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chewchew
Posts: 14 - Karma: 10

Hey all!


I’m currently doing a school project on freeskiing x interaction design. The result is a mobile concept called Ride Society.


Ride society lets you track, capture and share your rides directly from the mountain.


If you have 10 mins to spare, please visit http://www.ride-society.com and watch the video, check the iPhone app and let me know what you think.


I have to make my final presentation monday, and every insight from you guys is a big help.


Thanks!


Aug 25 2010 9:30PM
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Frosty
Posts: 1738 - Karma: 797
This is genius. Unfortunately I don't own an iPhone, and not every skier and pro owns one as well so I think this might be the only flaw.
Aug 25 2010 9:33PM
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teleak
Posts: 2251 - Karma: 105
dude. cool.
Aug 25 2010 9:37PM
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No_Dub
Posts: 3357 - Karma: 294
thats gnarly!!! so sick
Aug 25 2010 9:39PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
please tell me you got permission from poorboyz to use that footage, and i didn't see a disclaimer saying none of that was filmed with an iphone(we all know it wasn't)
Aug 25 2010 9:44PM
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austinmetsch
Posts: 525 - Karma: 17
that's a really cool idea. however i wouldn't want to ride with my iphone right on the outside of my jacket like that. pretty risky. other than that everything seems great. the filming friends could work well. i really like the stats feature a lot. that would be cool to know. especially the speed aspect. i also really like the idea of seeing other riders on the mountain to join with and ride. overall really well done, some aspects just need more thought. like are you going to make outerwear to hold the phone? are you going to have other companies add that as a feature to their outerwear? and as i said before having the phone on the outside poses a really high risk of crushing or breaking it.
Aug 25 2010 9:50PM
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PeterWojnar
Posts: 3937 - Karma: 678
This.

Really cool idea, I just wish I had an iPhone.
Aug 25 2010 9:51PM
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skodeo7
Posts: 14949 - Karma: 9,234
Doubt he did.
Aug 25 2010 9:52PM
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HIRO
Posts: 548 - Karma: 34
that was so fucking cool. I'd do it.
Aug 25 2010 9:54PM
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supersteezey
Posts: 12 - Karma: 10
nice, i like it
Aug 25 2010 9:55PM
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chewchew
Posts: 14 - Karma: 10
Yep, I got permission from Poor Boyz. The video is not supposed to look like it was shot from an iPhone - but to explain the core values of the concept.
Aug 25 2010 10:03PM
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chewchew
Posts: 14 - Karma: 10
Thanks!
The idea was to use the same pocket as you often use for goggles - and of course make it waterproof, super padded etc..
Im not providing outerwear, that should be provided by other companies (sort of like the jacket Burton made some years ago that could control an iPod)
I know there a lot of "loose ends" but it still only exists as a school project...
Aug 25 2010 10:08PM
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willy_baller
Posts: 1622 - Karma: 693
genius idea! I am getting this stat
Aug 25 2010 10:59PM
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chewchew
Posts: 14 - Karma: 10
Thanks for the comments!

Any features missing or anything?
Aug 28 2010 2:48AM
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Downtofilm
Posts: 6896 - Karma: 20,399
sweet idea, and app looks amazing, the flaw is the recording part of it, but everything else would be pretty cool, i might downlaod it. do you have a price set?
Aug 28 2010 3:09AM
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chewchew
Posts: 14 - Karma: 10
Great, thanks!

I think you guys are right about the first-person recording. Maybe the app should be hooked to a GoPro instead. Technically it would be hard, but it would be pretty cool on the mountain. 

It would be great with more tracking. The iPhone 4 has a build in gyroscope, - so maybe i should work on tracking rotations and stuff!

I have no idea about costs of an app like this. Currently i am looking for some founding to continue with the project (need a real developer for next level app) so if anyone has some good contacts please let me know.

Thanks for the comments, the best way to make good projects is to involve the people who gonna use it.
Aug 28 2010 3:29AM
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p.hawks
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
this looks sick
another reason i want an iphone
Aug 28 2010 5:08PM
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austinmetsch
Posts: 525 - Karma: 17
that is a great idea. knowing my rotation for the day would be tight. i also think hooking up to a go pro would be cool but technically extremely difficult if not impossible.
Aug 28 2010 6:17PM
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B-Haag
Posts: 1767 - Karma: 38
agreeables, for sure a phenomenal idea and once it comes out it will be a big hit for the individuals that have possession of an iphone and the custom outerwear, but an over veiw of the aspect is great so good job, also haha the britsh voice in the video is enjoyable
Aug 28 2010 6:38PM
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miketheskier88
Posts: 749 - Karma: 66
Wait.. this is all a concept at this stage? So no coding has been done?

Just for other people's curiosity there are various iphone apps out there that track your vertical metres, average speed etc.

The find a friend, profile, and trick book are good ideas though. Good luck!
Aug 28 2010 6:43PM
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MothaHucker
Posts: 4678 - Karma: 2,589
this mite be the sickest app i have ever heard of. if u go thru with it it could be huge. i also think the pov is a pretty good idea if u can get jackets made for it
Aug 28 2010 7:16PM
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Heyawhatsup
Posts: 424 - Karma: 4
Looks wicked sick! i would definitely get it... if I had an iphone.
Aug 28 2010 7:24PM
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k.thompson
Posts: 239 - Karma: 1,258
thats so sick. if only i could afford an iphone....
Aug 28 2010 7:59PM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
"All ski footage belongs to Poor Boyz Productions and Clas Ahlstrand and has no connection to this concept (None of it is filmed with an iPhone).
Thanks for letting me use it in the video!"

it's right under the video
Aug 28 2010 8:05PM
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Seanoop
Posts: 19 - Karma: 10
I think this is a phenomenal idea, but you would need to market the product to snowboarders, as well in order to have more commercial viability (and more support for the online community). Perhaps being able to link to videos of you performing each trick in your "trick book" would be cool, and also provide a way to validate your claims.

The only problem I can see you encountering is that reception generally is not good on the mountain (and especially not in the backcountry), so seeing where your buds are might not work as smoothly as it's drawn out. This would definitely be a sweet app to play with at the base and during lunch/apres, as well.

I'd buy it!
Aug 28 2010 8:14PM
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Chompo.
Posts: 4952 - Karma: 88
i would...
Aug 28 2010 8:46PM
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sagesnow
Posts: 3116 - Karma: 1,593
haha i searched for the app right after i saw this, then noticed it hadn't been made yet.

Please make this
Aug 28 2010 8:53PM
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PULSEofdaNATION
Posts: 426 - Karma: 51

Sounds like a great idea.

The only thing that I think would make it sicker is if you could hook your newschooler account up to this.

but the only problem with doing this is that it makes it less marketable to snowboarders, which is very key as someone said above. Advertising would be key, but I think it could be very successful.

Aug 28 2010 11:10PM
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@skiinmitch
Posts: 2781 - Karma: 78
pleassssse make this app
Aug 29 2010 12:41AM
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backbarvey
Posts: 158 - Karma: 59
ok this is one of the sickest ideas for an app ive ever seen (except doodle jump of course). seriously tho its awesome, however there are a few key concepts with it IF you want to go through with getting this app made, its going to take a fuck load of work from you but it would definitely be worth it if you really commit.

firstly, you need to make this available to snowboarders as well because lets face it, there are far more freestyle and big mountain boarders than there are skiers (obviously you could keep this to just skiers but youre not going to make nearly as much money and itll be harder to get the help from companies

secondly its going to be harder for people to use it in the UK as we mostly ski in europe (basically in foreign countries). this means that with your concept of being able to upload videos and data live to a site that you choose for this app, its not going to be free, in fact its going to be fucking expensive to upload data. ive got an iphone and for an iphone abroad it costs 3 pounds per mb of data you upload or download. thats alot of money so people will be loathe to do that. maybe install a setting where you can store all you videos and data and then upload them when you get back home (obviously not a problem in the USA and canada because you'll still be in ur respective countries. something to look into maybe.

thirdly, i dont think the camera for an iphone is going to be good enough to keep up with action sports such as skiing, i could be wrong as ive never tried it but its definitely something you need to look into.

and lastly, ive had an idea for your outerwear problem which will be far cheaper than getting companies to design a whole line of outerwear designed for this. pm me about that if you want.

atb, jack
Aug 29 2010 6:53AM
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Su[G]ar
Posts: 564 - Karma: 38
that shit is so sick! i would download it for almost any price! i would also buy an iphone when it comes out!
Aug 29 2010 7:47AM
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Oreos
Posts: 1207 - Karma: 38
very professional. which is refreshing as the inordinate quantity of badly executed business ideas in these sort of communities is exhausting.
Aug 29 2010 8:22AM
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belden...
Posts: 2914 - Karma: 1,273
How do you know this? I'm not saying you wrong just curious. Plus if they made that work it could be a million dollar idea in itself. The use of a iphone as an lcd monitor is genius. My question would be about the service on mountains. I know a lot of mountains, stowe for example, that have practically no bars on the mountain (at least for verizon). You may say well that doesnt matter because the iphone is At&t but in december i believe apple is combining with verizon to make an iphone. And if that doesnt happen make a droid ap.
Aug 29 2010 9:05AM
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ReedSkis~
Posts: 2122 - Karma: 98
Wow that is an awesome concept, I wish it was real!

I'm working on an app myself, and it is a lot of work, but if you could find someone to make this for you it will be awesome!
Aug 29 2010 9:44AM
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chewchew
Posts: 14 - Karma: 10
Great feedback, thanks!

I will definitely look into possibilities for turning this into reality, but as you say its s%&t loads of work. Would be great  with some of the big companies to support it.
Aug 29 2010 4:01PM
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chewchew
Posts: 14 - Karma: 10
Cool, will get back to you with your idea for outerwear. Just have to finish exam and stuff (busy with presentation right now)

You can never beat Doodle Jump..
Aug 29 2010 4:03PM
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s.miller
Posts: 268 - Karma: 95
I got confused by the name, Ride (as in snowboard company) and Society(as it is one of their board models) but cool idea
Aug 29 2010 5:14PM
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g-man
Posts: 1955 - Karma: 301
you should just make a dongle that connects a gopro to the iphone and broadcasts the stream over 3g to your website.  apple is allowing 3rd party hardware makers to write apps that connect to their devices now, so this is totally realistic.  I guess it requires you to make hardware too, but gopros are going to give way better footage then the iphone camera in a breast pocket.
Aug 29 2010 9:25PM
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Testicles
Posts: 1432 - Karma: 13
Me too haha
Aug 29 2010 9:32PM
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Seanoop
Posts: 19 - Karma: 10
It seems like one major corporation (Vail Resorts) will already be implementing a system that has many similarities to your vision of this application. While it lacks the niche appeal of Ride Society, it does seem to cover quite a few bases (vertical feet, days, etc) and is much, much more marketable as it is built for broad appeal. This is definitely something you should look at as you begin to develop this product.

Aug 30 2010 7:34PM
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chewchew
Posts: 14 - Karma: 10
Came across Epix Mix at Wired as well. Its pretty cool and as you say it covers a lot of the same features.

Its always cool to see "real" projects and it looks pretty well executed. The only (big) problem i can see with Epic Mix is that it only works with those 5 resorts.

But thanks for pointing it out - definitely  something to check in details when developing Ride Society further!
Sep 6 2010 9:46AM
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