Final Post

Pace Mate is a program that uses motion-sense technology to gauge a runner's stride and pace. The program then selects songs of a matching tempo and generates a playlist. Pace Mate ensures the songs listened too actually match the tempo of the run, creating a more effective, enjoyable workout.

The Pace Mate product relies heavily on technology, using motion-sense capabilities to gauge a runner's stride and pace. Once the accurate tempo has been collected, the program selects songs of a similar tempo and beats per minute (BPM) and generates a playlist. It can be thought of as a cross between Nike + and Pandora. That being said, there would be the possibility of partnerships with these two entities. Additionally, a future product capability could be a heart rate monitor.

Gaining more knowledge about technology has allowed for the advancement of Pace Mate. Social media is one area that provides great opportunities to the product. A Pace Mate Twitter account and Facebook page would help give the product exposure to its target market. These avenues could also promote the brand while being a source of feedback from product users. Pace Mate employees would mainly utilize social media to monitor and respond to customers as a sort of customer service avenue. Furthermore, as Pace Mate gained popularity, it could generate its own form of social media incorporated into its app where runners can share favorite songs, workouts, and running discussions.


Cloud computing is also extremely relevant to Pace Mate. Pandora is a perfect example of cloud computing in that all of its songs are streamed to devices from cloud servers. Pace Mate would follow a similar model to provide the largest library of music to all of its users. With unlimited storage space, it could build a large library of songs and be able to cater to various listening preferences. Additionally, information regarding a runner's pace, time, and distance from a workout could be stored in the cloud. This would allow the user to monitor their workout history and track any progress they have made and then access the information at any time or place.



In terms of an operating system, Pace Mate will enter the market through the App Store for iPhones and iPods. iPhones are increasing in popularity, and iPhones and iPods are often the preferred mode of music storage for runners. However, for the program to be competitive, it will eventually need to be available on Android mobile devices, as well. Pace Mate is meant to be a transparent, easy-to-use program. For this reason, it would be important for designers to work collaboratively with programmers to develop a user-friendly and appealing product.


The feedback received on Pace Mate from peers was encouraging. The overall feeling was that Pace Mate would be widely-accepted and would make for more enjoyable workouts. Originally I was unsure what form the product would take. It has evolved into a mobile application that will have a corresponding website. A wristband (as opposed to a sneaker chip) will be used to track a user's heart rate and BPM. This wristband will be able to utilize similar technology to the products already provided by Nike, furthering the possibility for a partnership. The Pace Mate app will also have a corresponding website where users can access and track the statistics recorded and music played by the app. To make this idea a reality, I would need to establish storage space in the cloud and social media accounts. I would subsequently need workers to manage these, as well as a customer service team to manage customer concerns and feedback. Additionally, I would need designers and programmers to develop a user-friendly product and a database to manage the information on the corresponding website. Finally, I would likely need a legal consultant to manage risk, especially that associated with music rights and the privacy and security of customer information. Overall, I think Pace Mate is a very realistic and potentially successful entrepreneurial idea.

Lecture Post 5: Databases

Pace Mate is a program that uses motion-sense technology to gauge a runner's stride and pace. The program then selects songs of a matching tempo and generates a playlist. Pace Mate ensures the songs listened too actually match the tempo of the run, creating a more effective, enjoyable workout.

In the long-term it may be most beneficial for Pace Mate to have its own database. The main purpose of the product is to provide music and playlists that match a runner's pace, but further value can be added through additional features such as tracking mileage, pace, and heart rate over time. A database would allow Pace Mate to manage large amounts of data from many users. It would also increase the speed and ease of use for a user trying to access their stored data. Tables would help organize the data and maintain its accuracy, especially as the product gains popularity.

Using a database could also give Pace Mate the chance to generate more revenue by providing market research. Having information logically stored as primary and foreign keys would allow the company to perform queries to determine the characteristics of certain individuals. For example, they could determine how far a 50 year old typically walks and whether they walk or run. This information could then be used by, for example, shoe manufacturers to determine who they should be marketing which products to.

Finally, a database would allow Pace Mate to be more competitive in the technological/application market. Online services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Bank of America all use databases. By having its own, Pace Mate could develop a strong product and have greater control over its information. In relation to the "view" of the data, Pace Mate could control the organization of its data and make it as user-friendly as possible, similar to the organizational structure adopted by Zappos. A product that is easy to navigate and customize will result in happier, and thus more, customers.

Lecture Post 4: Operating Systems

Pace Mate is a program that uses motion-sense technology to gauge a runner's stride and pace. The program then selects songs of a matching tempo and generates a playlist. Pace Mate ensures the songs listened too actually match the tempo of the run, creating a more effective, enjoyable workout.

Operating systems will be important to the secondary use of Pace Mate. Information gathered using the program will be transferred and stored on a computer. The graphical user interface of the operating system in particular will determine how users view and interact with this information. The goal will be to make the information easy to read and navigate so that users can't receive the maximum benefit from Pace Mate via tracking and understanding their progress.

The popularity of iPhones is increasing, and Pace Mate is most compatible with the iPhone, so it is likely that many Pace Mate users will own Mac computers. This means that any communication between the program on a mobile device and a computer should be compatible with the Mac as well as Windows operating system. For the program to be competitive, it will need to be available on Apple and Android mobile devices.

Pace Mate is meant to be a transparent, easy-to-use program. For this reason, it is important for designers to works collaboratively with programmers to develop a user-friendly and appealing product. There would be little use for Pace Mate if it could transmit a multitude of statistics such as hear rate, blood pressure, and pace if the user is unable to understand the information and the format it is presented in. During development, Pace Mate will go through test stages where potential users will navigate the app and corresponding computer program and provide feedback.

Blogger Review

Ryan Lawler received a BA in English Language & Literature and Religious Studies in 2000 from New York University. He is now a writer for TechCrunch but has previous experience with New York and San Francisco publications. Ryan focuses on business, technology, and telecom-related subjects. His work for TechCrunch can be found at http://techcrunch.com/author/ryan-lawler/.

TechCrunch describes itself as "a leading technology media property, dedicated to obsessively profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news" (AOL Inc., 2013). As such, these are the main topics of Ryan's blog posts. However, he seems to monitor and review new and changing apps quite frequently. Such posts include "Socialcam Improves Video Quality On iPhone App To 720p, Adds Video HDR And Redesigned Visual Effects," "Group Photo Sharing Is a Fustercluck, But It Doesn’t Have To Be With Cluster," "With Help From Watchwith, Fox Syncs Social TV Content With Second-Screen Apps Shazam, Viggle, ConnecTV, And NextGuide," and "Mark Cuban And 500 Startups-Backed Switchcam Launches iPhone App And Director Dashboard In Public Beta," just to name a few. In the posts related to apps, as well as in his other posts, Ryan often discusses how the change impacts the industry, the company, and the end user.

After reading several of Ryan's posts, I have gotten a sense of his blogging style. He does a good job at explaining the implications of new technology, especially in language that an average, non-tech-savvy individual can understand. Despite that, he does rely heavily on facts to drive his posts. Less personality is apparent and he expresses fewer personal opinions than many bloggers. In other words, he has a very formal and professional tone, and he remains objective in his posts. His posts are very factual and focused, but I think that they are generally a good length. His direct and focused statements make his posts easy to read and leave the reader feeling more well-educated.

Lecture Post 3: Photoshop, Cloud Computing, & Bits & Bytes

Pace Mate is a program that uses motion-sense technology to gauge a runner's stride and pace. The program then selects songs of a matching tempo and generates a playlist. Pace Mate ensures the songs listened too actually match the tempo of the run, creating a more effective, enjoyable workout.

Cloud computing is extremely relevant to Pace Mate. The product can best be described as a cross between Pandora and Nike+, and Pandora is a perfect example of cloud computing in that all of its songs are streamed to devices like iPods and iPhones from servers. If the device has a Pandora app, it can stream music. There is no need to install software, and the service can be accessed anywhere. Pace Mate would likely utilize the Software as a Service (SaaS) model, only managing the software.

Using cloud computing would greatly increase the quality of the Pace Mate product. Because there is little to no limitation on storage space, Pace Mate could build a large library of songs and be able to cater to various listening preferences. It would also result in lower support and operating costs because there would not be a need to purchase a server. The only concern with this would be the possibility of down time, which would disrupt Pace Mate use for runners.

Additionally, cloud computing could be useful to other aspects of the product. Information regarding a runner's pace, time, and distance from a workout could be stored in the cloud. This would allow the user to monitor their workout history and track any progress they have made and then access the information at any time or place. This information could also be used in determining what types of runners use Pace Mate, contingent on managing privacy issues. Knowing the target market would lead to more effective marketing and a more customized product experience.

Competitive Analysis

Pace Mate is a program that uses motion-sense technology to gauge a runner's stride and pace. The program then selects songs of a matching tempo and generates a playlist. Pace Mate ensures the songs listened too actually match the tempo of the run, creating a more effective, enjoyable workout.

Competitor #1: SynchStep

http://synchstep.com/

SynchStep is probably the closest competitor to Pace Mate. It matches a runners music to his or her pace using a step-detection algorithm. SynchStep pulls songs from the individual's library that match the pace, but not all songs in the library will necessarily work. Pace Mate is slightly different in that it collects songs from a master library of music rather than the runner's own library, preventing a runner from getting sick of their songs. In this way Pace Mate has the benefit of providing more musical options and exposing the listener to new songs. Additionally, Pace Mate has a shoe-chip-type component that makes the application more accurate in terms of measuring BPM and provides the opportunity to develop the product further to include a heart rate monitor and other features. On the other hand, Pace Mate could benefit from SynchStep's step-detection algorithm and could also provide the option the choose songs from a runner's iTunes or the broader library.

Competitor #2: PaceDJ

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pacedj-sync-your-running-pace/id446225183?mt=8

PaceDJ is similar in that it selects songs from those on a user's phone. However, it is slightly different in that it alters the BPM of songs in a playlist to match the runner's target tempo. It also measures a runners strides per minute, and this information can be uploaded to a website to find other songs that match that pace. PaceDJ provides more musical options in this way, and being able to track strides per minute could be a useful training tool. However, once again the runner is limited to the songs they actually find and place on their device.

Competitor #3: JogTunes

http://jogtunes.com/

JogTunes helps runners create playlists based on a chosen tempo. The user determines his or her "favorite pace" based on samples of music. They then browse a "Tunes List" to buy and download songs of that particular BPM. Finally, the user creates a playlist of the songs they have picked. The process is much more manual than the other competitors, and it seems time consuming and even expensive to buy and download enough songs for a quality playlist. Pace Mate is superior in that the measurement of pace and finding of music is automatic, which also makes it more accurate and effective. It is more conducive to active individuals with busy schedules looking to just run out the door and have an appropriate running playlist with one tap of their finger. Taking ideas from JogTunes, Pace Mate could increase its setting options to allow a user to have automatic BPM measurement and song selection or to let the user select a desired BMP manually.

Lecture Post 2: Computer Forensics, Hardware, & the System Unit

Pace Mate is a program that uses motion-sense technology to gauge a runner's stride and pace. The program then selects songs of a matching tempo and generates a playlist. Pace Mate ensures the songs listened too actually match the tempo of the run, creating a more effective, enjoyable workout.

Identity theft is becoming an increasingly prominent issue as the world becomes more digitized. 18 to 29 year olds account for almost 30% of all identity theft complaints, meaning they are a major target. Potential causes of this are their lack of attention to credit, as well as the mass amounts of information consolidated on college campuses. Another potential explanation could be that this age group is the generation that grew up with technology and utilizes it the most. 

Relating to this, the 18 to 29 age group is likely the major market for the Pace Mate product. These individuals are physically active and utilize readily-available technologies, especially those associated with music. With this in mind, Pace Mate managers will need to carefully monitor what information they collect from consumers and where this information ends up. The product does not require much personal information for use, so risks involving identity theft should not be a major concern.

The immense capabilities of hard drives and memory will be very beneficial to Pace Mate. Most consumers are likely to use Pace Mate on an iPhone, or similar mobile device, which utilizes a solid state drive. This means that there are no moving parts and the drives don't get fragmented. Their spin-up time is instantaneous, so accessing data is much faster. This is a useful trait because it will allow various metrics, preferences, and song-play history to be stored without affecting device performance. It will also be more convenient for someone who's on their way out the door for a run because they will be able to access and use Pace Mate quickly and easily.