Last year Vail Ski Resorts through ‘Epic Mix‘ trialled a program that used RFID technology in the ski pass to help skiers track and share their ski activity on the mountain. The video below explains how this works:
The app is a great example of what I refer to as the ‘ubiquitous check-in’. By placing connected objects on the person or in the environment, the activity of that person can be monitored and then provided back to that person in a meaningful way. With Epic Mix, skiers never stop doing what they are doing but they get access to stats on their ski performance, photos and easy to use apps that help relive the excitement of their ski trip. Now compare the value of Epic Mix with a better known Check-in app, Foursquare:
- Every person on the mountain with Epic Mix is automatically checked-in 100% of the time. The Foursquare picture is less complete with comparatively few users and infrequent check-in activity.
- Epic Mix badges and awards are based on what you have done, rather than where you say you have been.
- The value of ski performance stats, pictures and being able to share your story is much greater with Epic Mix.
Many have asked how leading check-in applications like Foursquare and Gowalla can evolve and become more relevant? Epic Mix, using smart UX, data, social graph integration and game design around a Ubiquitous Check-in, provides a good answer to this question.
Great point, Slade. I’ve been thinking about this very point as I’ve tested out my Epic Pass for the first time the last few weeks while at the same time testing EpicMix “competitor” apps like SnoCru and AlpineReplay. One of the first things I noticed was the very thing you mentioned, just by getting on a lift for the day, it showed “Gregg Checked in at Beaver Creek” automatically in my timeline. How an app or other mobile service could do this without draining the battery from running GPS full time or if this full-time personal location tracking is even desireable is what my mind has been chewing on lately.
Thanks Gregg. Battery life is one of the biggest issues if you only think about the phone, but the relationship to an object or system that doesn’t rely on these restrictions is very clever.