The Problem With Smartphone Apps (An Incomplete Review)
This is going to be the strangest review I’ve done since I started this channel. Well, hi, everyone, and welcome pal2tech, Yelangu sent me this auto dolly slider for review on this channel. And this is basically a compact motorized slider that you can attach a camera to and get some creative slider footage. However, I could not finish the review, and I’ll tell you why in a minute. The reason that I’m doing this video in the first place is for two reasons. First, because if I promised to a vendor that I’m going to do a review, then
I’m going to do a review. And the second reason that I’m doing this review is hopefully a lesson that camera companies, software vendors and in particular anyone who creates an app can learn from. So let’s start off with a simple unboxing. Inside the box you get the instructions, the unit itself, which allows you to rotate outward, the left and the right side wheels. A small bag containing an Allen wrench, a rubber ring, a small screw, a small screw adapter and a USB-C cord. On one side of the unit there is the USB-C port and a
shutter cable jack. The shutter cable is meant for shooting time lapse on the top. You’ve got both a 1/4″ and 3/8″ screw holes. The power switch is located on the right
the tightness of the wheel extenders with these two screws here. Now, I’m going to stop the review right here. Right here, dead in its tracks. Because when I went to install the app, there is no app. It’s no longer in the App Store. I could not find any information on their website about this. It could be that the App store themselves requested that it be taken down and changes be made to it. But I did notice a company reply on their official YouTube channel indicating that the app had been removed and this comment is over
a month old and the app is still not available. The problem and the reason that I still made this video is because this is actually a great little unit. And I am definitely not singling out the maker of this particular product here. I am talking about apps in general across all industries for consumer products. Companies seem to be taking the easy way out of having an app do everything to the point where you can’t do anything anymore without an app. You can’t start and stop this. You can’t control the speed. Basically, this thing is a
paperweight without an accompanying app to go with it. Let me tell you something. An app should always be used to supplement the use of a product and not to replace the product. For example, Zeapon produced this slider which has an app to control it. Okay, Now the slider has advanced features that would require a huge amount of buttons and other elements which would raise the cost of this piece of gear. I get that. And having an app work with this thing to control these features so long as the app is useful and polished, is a
great part of using the product. However, Zeapon added several buttons and some basic functionality right within the slider itself so that you don’t need, if you don’t happen to have it, you don’t need some goofy app. You could still use this thing as a slider. So here’s the deal. Yellow goo. If and when you ever do release a workable app to go with this product, please let me know. And if there is, I will eventually finish this review using whatever app you finally decide to release until such time. This is a pretty paperweight for the
studio background decoration and I do not recommend that anyone purchase this until there is a full featured app available for both Android and iOS to control this. This goes for many gear companies out there. Please stop relying on apps to do everything. Smartphone apps should be treated like parsley with a fine meal, right? They’re pretty. They look nice on the plate. But if they’re not there, well, screw it. You can still enjoy the main course. I think this can be a really wonderful portable little dolly. However, until there is a full featured app for both
Android and iOS to use and control this dolly, I unfortunately cannot recommend it at this time. Anyhow, thank you for watching and I’ll catch you in the next video.
