Recently I attended an investment fair in Germany where three old friends were presenting their wonderful new phone app, and hoping for some serious venture capital. Taking the stage with handheld microphones and looking like a rap group, they bounced around, quizzed the audience, and interacted with each other. It was highly energetic.
They showed how to use their app on the big screen, and invited us all to download and start using it right then and there. Many of us did and soon there were scenes of some hilarity. The app is a social media tool, designed to alert the user to when other people of similar interests are nearby. A ‘radar screen’ displays how ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ you are, and when you have found someone else who is ‘hot’, the two of you have to go through a kind of freestyle dance performance as you attempt to phoneshake. Once successful you each have access to mutual likes and interests.
It was very amusing to see about half the audience hopping around, waving their phones at each other, and the hall was full of laughter. I was sitting next to a lady from LA, who was at the fair to “make some bets”, as she called it (also known as ‘investing’). We got to talking and I could see that she was already contemplating the diversion of a few coins into the new app. It was one of those moments where we get to witness the next big thing, knowing that the world will never be the same again. Like if you were taking a walk along the beach at Kitty Hawk when the Wright brothers first flew.
All was going really well with the demo of the app, until someone shouted out, “Hey my phone is going flat!” Others looked at their handsets and reported that their freshly-charged batteries were now reading 50%. I checked my own phone, which was very hot, and very low on power.
“Oh yeah,” said Stewart, the project leader, “I forgot to mention that we are having a little bit of a problem with battery life at the moment.” A bit of a problem? This was a veritable app killer, and people were exiting it as fast as they could. A pity because it's really fun, and there are some very cool possibilities for mass marketing. For example, if the singer of a band at a festival waves their smartphone at the crowd, and the crowd responds with their own orbit-enabled phones, then they all automatically become part of that particular band’s fanbase. Great opportunities for marketing and sales!
The presentation ended not with a bang, but a whimper. Afterwards my new LA investor acquaintance counselled my three app friends. “You know guys,” she said, “I was ready to throw some money at you until we heard about the battery thing.”
“You still can,” said Stewart hopefully.
“No, I always want to see 100% solid before I commit,” was the answer.
It may be that since that meeting in Germany the team have been working 24/7 on the app and it no longer drains phone batteries. I must try it again. I really must, but you know that old truth? You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
They showed how to use their app on the big screen, and invited us all to download and start using it right then and there. Many of us did and soon there were scenes of some hilarity. The app is a social media tool, designed to alert the user to when other people of similar interests are nearby. A ‘radar screen’ displays how ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ you are, and when you have found someone else who is ‘hot’, the two of you have to go through a kind of freestyle dance performance as you attempt to phoneshake. Once successful you each have access to mutual likes and interests.
It was very amusing to see about half the audience hopping around, waving their phones at each other, and the hall was full of laughter. I was sitting next to a lady from LA, who was at the fair to “make some bets”, as she called it (also known as ‘investing’). We got to talking and I could see that she was already contemplating the diversion of a few coins into the new app. It was one of those moments where we get to witness the next big thing, knowing that the world will never be the same again. Like if you were taking a walk along the beach at Kitty Hawk when the Wright brothers first flew.
An unpleasant surprise...
All was going really well with the demo of the app, until someone shouted out, “Hey my phone is going flat!” Others looked at their handsets and reported that their freshly-charged batteries were now reading 50%. I checked my own phone, which was very hot, and very low on power.
“Oh yeah,” said Stewart, the project leader, “I forgot to mention that we are having a little bit of a problem with battery life at the moment.” A bit of a problem? This was a veritable app killer, and people were exiting it as fast as they could. A pity because it's really fun, and there are some very cool possibilities for mass marketing. For example, if the singer of a band at a festival waves their smartphone at the crowd, and the crowd responds with their own orbit-enabled phones, then they all automatically become part of that particular band’s fanbase. Great opportunities for marketing and sales!
The presentation ended not with a bang, but a whimper. Afterwards my new LA investor acquaintance counselled my three app friends. “You know guys,” she said, “I was ready to throw some money at you until we heard about the battery thing.”
“You still can,” said Stewart hopefully.
“No, I always want to see 100% solid before I commit,” was the answer.
No second chances?
It may be that since that meeting in Germany the team have been working 24/7 on the app and it no longer drains phone batteries. I must try it again. I really must, but you know that old truth? You never get a second chance to make a first impression.