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Show HN: Sobrr

sobrr.me

43 pointsmrwnmonm53 comments

I kept waiting to find out what on earth being called "Sober" has to do with a Snapchat clone. Are your single serving friends supposed to help you in your quest to not drink any more?

And why does half of the displayed UI seem to refer to it as "Vibe"?

I think this is a great app and an interesting idea, but one of the few projects where I could see the name being a problem for traction and success. A more generic name, which doesnt associate neccessarily with parties and drinking, would enable more people to take this app serious. And well, like for all social apps, I really hope that more plattforms are very close on your roadmap =) Why wasnt a web-based approach with the opportunity to compile down to hybrid-apps not an option? Good luck anyway, hope to see you successful, since I really like the idea =)

Many thanks for pointing out the name part. The android version should be soon released, targeted this September.

Call it Vibes.

The social network for sex toys.

Drop the s, just Vibe. It's cleaner

September? Seriously? Who planned your launch?

> A more generic name, which doesnt associate neccessarily with parties and drinking, would enable more people to take this app serious.

Before I clicked the link and watched the video, my first thought was that it was something related to AA or sobriety in general. I can see how this may be a problem for traction and for people telling their friends about it. Until someone explains how it works a large number of people may think the name relates to addiction.

The color scheme of black and gold adds on to that inebriated vibe. A more generic name might appeal to a broader audience, unless your app is indeed targeted at the party and drinking crowd.

Write the whole pitch/description in text, because otherwise you'll lose the people who can't or won't be able to watch the video: people at work, libraries, auditoriums, etc.

This. I'm currently in Germany on the world's shittiest 3G connection, and anything over 10kB is a deal-breaker for me.

Yup. Totally lost me. You at least have to convince me about why I should watch the video.

True. They even wrote the text but it's hidden in the footer as FAQ: http://blog.sobrr.me/post/90218046282/fabulously-answered-qu...

Immediately thought this was a hook up app for recovering addicts...

Looks interesting, kinda like Snapchat's My Story on steroids. I would suggest redoing the voiceover with a better mic and less gain, there is some obvious clipping going on there. Also, cut the music track down a bit, and maybe pick one without vocals. It was kinda hard to understand at points, but maybe that's just my rock-concert ears.

No I agree. As soon as I heard the music I instantly started thinking about it. "Is music always this distracting? Is this louder than normal? What is he saying. Oh well, I'm sure it's just me." But I'm glad you pointed this out. Definitely worth a reshoot.

The images of a cheering crowd with hands in the air has become annoyingly cliche for social apps. Nearly as cliche as About pages with circular images of the employees.

I'm having fun imagining the Birdman-esque thought process that must have gone on in your head before writing that comment.

Must... find... something... to... complain... about!!

That name makes no since for this app IMO

Yeah, I was expecting some sort of addiction support app or something.

Yeah. That's the ironic part. Everything 'sobers up' in 24 hours.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Only the name without the description will be surely misleading. But i heard people like it after realizing the ironic part: everything sobers up after 24hours

I'm not quite sure your using the word ironic correctly (unless there's something I'm missing).

Although, I did like the name more after the description. :)

Presumably the idea is that the app allows you do take pictures and engage in chats that may not hold up to scrutiny the next morning.

The lettering in the logo suggests a cold experience; it's So... brr.

I'm okay with the name; it's the .me domain that's weird to me.

I clicked on the link wondering how an app is supposed to help with sobriety. "Does it count days clean? Does it hook you up with somebody to talk to if you're having a compulsion to use?" Nope! It's yet another damn photosharing social network. Awesome. Now I can finally share my photos with people online. Thanks Sobrr.

I like how an app named Sobrr promotes itself with people drunkenly messing around half-naked, people at a concert, people at a bar. All the things I personally associate with my own sobriety!

"Sobrr will make sure there is no evidence of your craziness. You will always be “sober” online."

The only way they can make it sure is that they don't allow you to post anything. Otherwise it's just the same lie that Snapchat started and less tech-savvy people may believe it (that nobody can save their photo that expires). I'm sure they quickly become sober when they see their "expired" photo spreading on the net.

To say something positive: I like the 24-hour friendship thing, because it makes sure there is only active "friends" in your list, and also forces a little more interaction:

"At the end of the 24th hour, you two will be cleared from each other’s friend list, unless both sides tapped “Keep.”"

Cue "why didn't you keep me as a friend"

Another photo sharing app? Really?

It's symptomatic of the industry. "Startups" are created by kids barely out of (or still in) college, with little real-world business experience, so they create what they understand - like photo sharing for drunken hookups. And investors are there to play on them, like lottery tickets for multimillionaires, just in case it's the next Snapchat or something. Hmm, has Snapchat found a revenue model yet?

Branding is critical for any business. The "startup" industry needs to get that. I'm not convinced that it (as a whole) does. And that fact is both encouraging and shocking. Job security for me as a design/branding professional.

I don't think of this as a branding problem. I think it's a business model problem. Why another social sharing app? How does this make money or compete in a viciously crowded field against billion-dollar giants?

I agree with all the other comments here about the name being absolutely wrong. Maddeningly wrong.

The "hook" for this app seems to be not just disappearing content but also disappearing "friends" (impermanence is hot!). It's interesting how much this must hamper any viral uptake. The app itself is deleting the overlap you need to prompt adoption. what are the odds that two people who are grinding on the dance floor both have the app installed waiting to connect? What are the odds I am going to want to take the time to publish a vibe knowing I have very few permenant contacts?

Lots of harsh criticism in here. I think you guys have done some great work. Innovation is made incrementally, and you guys have taken two different models and blended them. Sometimes that works very well, sometimes it doesn't.

I'm not going to try and predict what's going to happen to this app, but I would say that your biggest challenges will be in getting users to understand that Sobrr fills a different need of theirs -- if it is a need at all. With Facebook and SnapChat and Hinge and Tinder it'll be hard to separate yourselves from the crowd, but I'm wishing you luck.

Yes, I can see how differentiating a clone from the things it clones will be a tough row to hoe.

There is nothing innovative about this at all - it's almost a parody of useless SV startups.

I read it as sobber, the social network for crybabies and whiners.

Takes a lot of effort to try and guestimate what this page is about if you are trying to avoid the video.

Also I think the video is done nicely however I am not entirely sure about how I get exposure to new photos etc - what originates them if everything expires in 24 hours? After I login the first time I am not clear on how this app would take me so I am losing a bit the excitement about looking forward to getting this app

Cool, another social network I can ignore.

Nice! I had a similar idea myself. Have you thought about how you could reassure users that data really has been deleted?

At first glance I'd assume this is like don't break the chain for alcoholics and drug addicts.

Site looks great though.

I seriously thought this was an app that had something to do with alcohol and getting sober etc.

Is this an app about sobriety or what? That's what the name leads me to think.

Is it possible to make this compatible with iPhone 3g?

Was the low battery (19%) in the demonstration intentional? It is probably realistic, but there's an xkcd about that, which is never a good sign. Except when it is.

http://xkcd.com/1373/

Lol. Funny one. At least it shows the screenshots are not fake. Lol

I did not even click the link. All the comments alone made it very clear you did NOT use the services of a brand/marketing expert that could have helped clarify/define your brand. Your brand is sorely misunderstood.

Why do startups refuse to hire professional design/branding people at the early stage? when we can help make your idea into a real winner?????? Sorry but come on, "It's too expensive" is totally not a good enough excuse. Even for bootstrappers. Not if you hope to earn a living/funding with your idea. If the idea's that good, the expense of using a real professional is well worth the investment. And if the idea is less than good...let us work with you to get to a good idea. All designers should include fact-finding/question-asking-probing and positioning statement writing as a basic part of the service. That's what the major multinational design firms (the ones that work for the top global companies) do.

OK...so I DID click on the link, and OK, I'll concede, maybe a professional designer MIGHT have worked on this, but it looks like some kind of nightclub/social "party" app. If that's not the intention your designer needs to go back to the drawing board and redefine this brand.

Oh, come on -- you admit you didn't click the link but still assume that you have enough information to go by to criticize them? And start pushing your services on them?

This is a "Show HN" post. You're supposed to play with it, and then comment.

I stand partially corrected, but sorry, I still stand 110% by the general idea behind my comments. I'm not "pushing" my services so much as pushing the concept of rigorously thinking an idea/concept through and testing it before rolling it out to the public (and getting other professionals involved in the process) - even if it is a "Show HN" post. When something is posted on any public forum you do open yourself up to criticism. My apologies if it's taken the wrong way, but startups DO need to consider this.

The most important part of branding is empathy. Same goes for product management, usability, design, marketing and even programming. I don't think Sobrr would have been better off hiring you or your firm, given the lack of empathy displayed in your post.

Would you be willing to post some of your work, so we can get an idea of what you provide clients?

EDIT: Link to his portfolio was posted in a previous comment by him, for anyone interested.

Thanks for that. My intention was not to offend anyone.

The creative/design/branding people often get ignored and are often not a part of the process for ANY type of business, including startups, and we have way too much to offer for me not to speak up.

Using the services of someone like me (NOT necessarily me specifically) can help sharpen focus, define direction, and reduce negative comments such as what have been posted here.

I'll try to soften my bedside manner in future comments. My intent is to help clarify purpose.

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