Surf Log (for iPhone and iPod touch) - seeking feedback

[surf patrol]

Hi all,

first of all please note that I have permission from the forum admin (surf patrol) to post this, since it relates to my own commercial software.

This morning I launched some new software for the iPhone and iPod touch called Surf Log () that you can find in the iTunes App Store (link at bottom of this message).

Surf Log is a straightforward app that allows you to keep a log of all your surf sessions, recording which board you used, which break you surfed and conditions data such as wave/swell size, wind speed/direction, wave period, tide stage etc. You give each session a rating out of 5, and over time build up a picture of how much time you spend surfing, and how you rate the surf at your breaks and for each board. That's all in version 1.0, and I'm just finishing off an update (v1.1) which adds a Wave Finder feature - you enter the current buoy readings and Surf Log will tell you where the most likely wave will be based on your own surfing history.

So that's all the sales blurb. Now rather than just post a "hey look at my software" and hope you buy it, I'm hoping to get some constructive feedback. Whether you like the idea or not, buy the app or don't buy it, or it's just not your thing, what do you think of the concept? Do you already keep a log of your sessions?

Hope you can spare a moment to post your comments.

Noel

[Real Pol]

I like it, however I don't think I'd get the benefit as my surfing is dominated by more things like work and daylight hours as well as waves. I also only surf a couple of breaks which are within an hours travel or so, so don't really need to workout which break will be the best cos I can visit them all.

But even still you can't go wrong for £3.50 and if you wrote it for the Samsung Tocco I'd probably buy it and have a play.

Good idea, Good luck!

(Maybe you should write it as a download for PC's for people who don't have iPhones, or has that already been done? Then once it's popular you can sell it to magicseaweed for millions! I'll have a percentage please!)

[nhartshorn]

Hi - thanks for the feedback. Yes, I thought about doing a PC/Mac version but decided I really want to stick with mobile devices. I have plans for a Windows Mobile version, but will wait to see how the iPhone version does first.

Regards.

[pkbum]

I gotta give my honest opinion to you.

You're idea is not gonna get very far.
I don't wanna write diarys after my surf. Writing after a surf session is too much work and waste of my time. I rather trust my local forecaster for these kind of thing. And to type everything in a ipod is also 2x the work . Might work for no life hard-core surfer who has bunch of money and surfs his ass1 off everydday
No pun intended, just honest opinion.


my 0.000002 cents

instead of this, if you have a program that can detect how clean the condition is, you can probably make some money. Forecasting size is easy for forecasters, but forecasting condition and how the shape is going to be is, probably the ultimate challenge for forecasters to deal with everyday. You have so many factors and it doesn't add up very well when you try to think logically.. bah what i m saying

[regforte]

Sorry to pile on here, but I agree with the above.

As a computer application, it doesn't make a lot of sense. When you add in the mobile aspect, it makes even less.

Ask yourself a few basic questions.

What can you do with it that you can't do with a standard PIM apllication?

What part of surf journaling is so information intensive that it requires a dedicated app? Why not just use a word processor?

As for the mobile part:

What information in the database is so critical that you may need to retrieve it while away from home (wait, what were the dims of the board was I riding last Tuesday)?

Do you really need to enter your journal info right when you get out of the water, or can you wait until you get home?

With any product, you should be able to state in a few sentences exactly what need it fulfills and why someone would need it's specific features. Maybe you could specify this because I could be missing something.

.

[billie_morini]

I've got the opposite experience/opinion from some of the previous surfers. I write this kind of stuff in pencil in a book that summarizes surf spots. It helps me learn what conditions work for me and also helps me remember really good times. I don't know if I'd be interested in using a mobile phone to keep this log, though.

[Sillysausage]

it would be a good thing to have if you're into the gadgets etc. i think new comers will be a bigger target as a lot of surfers with surfing experience will know quite a bit about the breaks they surf and ones they have surfed.

[nhartshorn]

> I gotta give my honest opinion to you.
> Sorry to pile on here

Thanks for the feedback everyone - no worries on the negatives....I wouldn't have posted this if all I was expecting was praise!

But yes the research I undertook when developing the app showed a 3 way split between surfers who though it was great, surfers who thought it was a nice idea but weren't totally convinced, and those who couldn't see the point.

[Hang11]

I can't remember anything about most surfs I've had - brain must be cooked or something, but I do know there have been some great ones! I would love to be able to look back to jog my memory about a great session 20 years ago etc.

FWIW I would get photo capture of the waves in there for an iphone to attach to the notes, and get it syncing to iphoto as an event or something, so you could have a whole photo album of surfs, with the relevant stuff available with the pic, like EXIF data.

Make it shareable online, with groups, and it could be a winner.

Oh yeah, make it free too. Get some advertising revenue instead.

[Real Pol]

I would like it to get all the raw data like, tides, wind, buoy swell blah blah and enter it itself from other sites......does it do that or would I have to physically look it up and enter it all myself?
That's why you should get it affiliated with other websites which have all the information and then the user can update all the relevant gumph for that day/spot. Cos if it takes off someone will come along and steal all your customers by making their application easier to use.