Audio Freediving Computer + Music Player

[ggalisky]

Hey freedivers,
I've been working on my audio freediving computer for a year now and I've finally got it on Kickstarter. It provides spoken audio notifications about your depth, dive time, surface intervals and more so you don't have to look at your watch while you dive. It also plays music, which can be loads of fun.


I wanted to post here and get your feedback and criticism.

Let me know what you think

 

[azstinger11]

Seems interesting. One question I have is about loading content. Almost all of my content is through services like Apple Music, Spotify, Audible, etc. I get it won't be streaming anything, but is the device compatible with any of those services for offline download/playing?

Is there any roadmap a desktop client or way to configure the device outside of a mobile app? Seen far too many great pieces of hardware become obsolete due to their software support drying up long before the hardware's usefulness ends. In the same vein, how is music loaded onto the device? Does it need to go through the app or can you just connect it to a PC and access the storage directly to add/delete media?

 

[tursiops]

What is the interface to one's ears?

 

[azstinger11]

What is the interface to one's ears?

From the kick starter page they are using bone conductive speakers.

Thinking this might be a good deco time killer, since its rated to 100m not too worried about taking it down on the dive.

 

[tursiops]

From the kick starter page they are using bone conductive speakers.

Makes sense.
You'd have to pay me a lot to use one of these, however. What I DON'T want is noise underwater, especially including music and somebody talking to me.

 

[azstinger11]

Makes sense.
You'd have to pay me a lot to use one of these, however. What I DON'T want is noise underwater, especially including music and somebody talking to me.

Yeah I generally agree with that statement. However I also read about these long deco hangs, and having an audio book/podcast to listen to would certainly be a nicer way of passing the time than just staring off into the abyss. Not doing those type of dives currently but they are on the path i've set upon.

 

[Wibble]

Look at the iRiver player and headphones. Very sought after as they're not made any longer.

Great for deeper dives and the long deco hangs.

 

[tursiops]

Yeah I generally agree with that statement. However I also read about these long deco hangs, and having an audio book/podcast to listen to would certainly be a nicer way of passing the time than just staring off into the abyss. Not doing those type of dives currently but they are on the path i've set upon.

For long deco hangs, fine, but all you need is an mp3 player, not some box that is constantly yakking your depth to you. Such devices have been available for two decades. iRiver made a good one. you can still find them occasionally on eBay.

 

[azstinger11]

For long deco hangs, fine, but all you need is an mp3 player, not some box that is constantly yakking your depth to you. Such devices have been available for two decades. iRiver made a good one. you can still find them occasionally on eBay.

All the different free diver alerts look to be toggle able in their app so you can have it not do any of the alerts and just be a depth rated MP3 player.

@Wibble 's suggestion I did look at the iRiver. I found quite a few of the housings and players on ebay, but the housings I saw were only rated to 10ft? I guess you could clip it off on the anchor line, but something that is rated to depth of the dive you are doing seems better? Just less to worry about? A self contained unit that doesn't involve any extra cables and that isn't worried about depth seems like an improvement over the older alternatives, but some of that would be preference I guess.

To be clear I am not part of this product team, just interested in it.

 

[ggalisky]

Seems interesting. One question I have is about loading content. Almost all of my content is through services like Apple Music, Spotify, Audible, etc. I get it won't be streaming anything, but is the device compatible with any of those services for offline download/playing?

Is there any roadmap a desktop client or way to configure the device outside of a mobile app? Seen far too many great pieces of hardware become obsolete due to their software support drying up long before the hardware's usefulness ends. In the same vein, how is music loaded onto the device? Does it need to go through the app or can you just connect it to a PC and access the storage directly to add/delete media?

Right now we have a basic desktop app that can be used to process and upload tracks over bluetooth low energy. Spotify integration is something we have our eye on, but we want to with the basics and get them right before integrating more complex features.

There are no ports on the device, so adding music, managing music, and creating playlists is done wirelessly through the desktop software. No ports means less parts and easier water proofing. Our team is pretty small right now but we have a dedicated software developer with a CS degree from MIT who is committed to making the software side of things excellent.