It's sad that a service like this exists. Taking a walk isn't a horribly dangerous activity and it's sad that our society has conditioned us to believe it might be.
Live a little.
EDIT: Sorry for the overly negative comment. I'd never personally want this, but Afforess makes a great comment about alternative demographics.
I live nearby a older grandparent right now. I was over at her house a week ago. While I was there, she asked if I could help her change the light-bulbs in her garage. Actually, she could change them herself, she just didn't want to use a 3ft step ladder alone, because she fell, it could have been hours before someone discovered her.
After that, I suggested she could text me before she does a similar task again, and if I didn't get a "all clear" text within a few minutes, to call and/or investigate. She is pretty savvy with her iPhone and agreed this was a good idea.
This seems to be exactly what this service offers, without having another person needed.
You're right. I didn't think of alternative demographics where taking a walk has a statistically higher chance of being dangerous.
Sorry for forgetting that not everyone is healthy and young. Though I fear it's likely going to be an uphill battle for a little app like this to reach the people who aren't.
> Though I fear it's likely going to be an uphill battle for a little app like this to reach the people who aren't.
Young people can use this too. Just one example: at a "safe sex" seminar during freshman orientation, the organizer recommended letting your roommate or a friend know where you are going before meeting someone off of Grindr[0], etc. At the time I heard that, I actually thought of making something like this, though I never actually got around to it. I'm glad that someone has, though.
Another example: I haven't had to travel by plane since this summer, but my friends have told me to let them know the next time I have to go through security, so they can know that I made it through safely.
These are both somewhat niche use cases, sure, but the product is general enough that it can satisfy both (and, I suspect, many others). The concept of a "dead man's switch" is certainly not new or obscure.
As you can see, the application mimics behaviors that already exist in the real world. So, their challenge will not be finding real-life uses for this application, but rather marketing it in a way that people understand the variety of things that they can use it for.
[0] Grindr actually didn't exist then - it was probably Cragislist or something. Also, it wasn't really a "safe sex" seminar - Columbia calls their anti-sexual violence training their "Consent" campaign (colloquially referred to as "Consent is Sexy": http://health.columbia.edu/services/svprp/advocacy-outreach), but I digress.
Fair enough. There are definitely use cases for this, including some that I myself might consider (such as when I go out on random solo backpacking trips in the desert).
So it's more an issue with the marketing choice of using taking a walk as the example, which I think is one of the worst possible options and possibly perpetuates a culture of fear.
Safety is personal and often a luxury. Living is exactly what people are trying to do thanks to such services. You may have next to zero exposure to violence surrounding you and others near and far. If you're in the United States, I'd suggest checking out some crime maps (which only scratch the surface), taking a look at your region's more in-depth Police Incident Reports if they have a site, and tuning-in to a police scanner online every now and then. It may give a nice dose of reality.
> "Taking a walk isn't a horribly dangerous activity and it's sad that our society has conditioned us to believe it might be."
That's relative. It depends on where you are, times, and other contexts. It's sadder that people are conditioned to be less receptive to understanding the plight of others or, moreover, conditioned to wearing blinders. You might never want a service that provides aid or extra peace of mind. You might not want locks on doors. But "live a little" is not a caring response to those who do.
Other services like this exist with various subscription models. As to whether this Kitestring one is any good, who knows. The splash page is too sparse.
It's sad that arguments like this exist. Believing that your own personal experiences are indicative of all other human beings' is foolish and it's sad that our society has conditioned people to believe this is the case.
Going for a walk isn't the best use case of this, at least for me (fortunately). I would find it more useful for solo outdoor activities, especially in the wilderness, like boating, hiking, etc.
They should definitely give some alternative use cases.
Think other scenarios please. If you go caving/hiking/anything-dangerous alone, this is a great service. Usually you always tell your friends, but this allows you to keep in check without telling everybody and possibly relying on a network of people instead of 1 or 2. To me this looks like a great idea...
Wait, what? It sounds like you live in a safe neighborhood. That's not the case for everyone. It sounds like you are a male. That's not the case for everyone. That comment isn't sexist, it's a comprehension of statistics. I see your point though; it is sad that a service like this has a market.
Live a little.
EDIT: Sorry for the overly negative comment. I'd never personally want this, but Afforess makes a great comment about alternative demographics.