Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking • Hacker News Board

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#31

Post by saganus » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 5:37 PM UTC

I'm not comfortable buying a $100 cup if I Can't find the "How does it work?" question in the FAQ. I mean, I'm not expecting a full technical detail, but something more than "It’s not magic, but close to it…".

It's easier to find out if it will work as you expect it if at least gives some hint of what kind of technology it's using. Or am I missing any text that says so? I would certainly consider doing a pre-order if I had some more info on its inner workings. It looks like a neat product and even one that I would like to try out just for fun, and also to see if this technology actually works.

(I'm not counting the video which I didn't look at because I really prefer not having to sit through several minutes of pretty pictures and logos and such to find out how the product works)

So am I alone in this? is it so rare for people to ask how a device that claims near-magical properties work?

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#32

Post by watty » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 5:41 PM UTC

normloman wrote: post #5

What problem is this cup solving? Is it that hard to figure out what you're drinking? (Hint: look at the bottle when you pour, and don't take drinks from strangers.) Is it that hard to keep yourself hydrated? (Just drink when you're thirsty.) And how is a calorie counting cup gonna help me lose weight? (Just DRINK WATER). I want something that simplifies my life. Not something that needlessly complicates something as…

Keeping track of what you're drinking, how much you're drinking and how many calories your drinking is what this solves. It clearly isn't useful to you but it's automating a task that some people don't want to do manually. Why do you need a pedometer when you can count steps?

We can certainly argue the usefulness of this device for the average joe or how small their market may be but arguing that it doesn't solve any problems is silly.

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#33

Post by yankoff » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 5:46 PM UTC

>In most cases, you will see the specific brands and flavors of what you are drinking when you open the app.

It'd be very interesting to know how the heck this thing works.

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#34

Post by alaskamiller » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 5:46 PM UTC

normloman wrote: post #5

What problem is this cup solving? Is it that hard to figure out what you're drinking? (Hint: look at the bottle when you pour, and don't take drinks from strangers.) Is it that hard to keep yourself hydrated? (Just drink when you're thirsty.) And how is a calorie counting cup gonna help me lose weight? (Just DRINK WATER). I want something that simplifies my life. Not something that needlessly complicates something as…

For a copywriter you're pretty boring. Your complaint is the equivalent of begging why have anyone tell you the weather when you can just open the window!

This is a sensor in a cup. It's a companion piece. The future is all about companions surrounding you, nudging you, guiding you.

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#35

Post by mscarborough » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 5:51 PM UTC

saganus wrote: post #31

I'm not comfortable buying a $100 cup if I Can't find the "How does it work?" question in the FAQ. I mean, I'm not expecting a full technical detail, but something more than "It’s not magic, but close to it…". It's easier to find out if it will work as you expect it if at least gives some hint of what kind of technology it's using. Or am I missing any text that says so? I would certainly consider doing a pre-order if…

No, it seems pretty basic. If you had sat through the video it would still be 'magic'.

But hey, you can get it for $99 right now instead of $199 later!

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#36

Post by chillingeffect » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 5:53 PM UTC

alaskamiller wrote: post #34

normloman wrote: post #5

What problem is this cup solving? Is it that hard to figure out what you're drinking? (Hint: look at the bottle when you pour, and don't take drinks from strangers.) Is it that hard to keep yourself hydrated? (Just drink when you're thirsty.) And how is a calorie counting cup gonna help me lose weight? (Just DRINK WATER). I want something that simplifies my life. Not something that needlessly complicates something as…

For a copywriter you're pretty boring. Your complaint is the equivalent of begging why have anyone tell you the weather when you can just open the window! This is a sensor in a cup. It's a companion piece. The future is all about companions surrounding you, nudging you, guiding you.

> For a copywriter you're pretty boring.

His profile says "I'm a copywriter, a web designer, and a deeply cynical person."

I believe that is utterly congruent with his comment.

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#37

Post by saganus » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 5:59 PM UTC

mscarborough wrote: post #35

saganus wrote: post #31

I'm not comfortable buying a $100 cup if I Can't find the "How does it work?" question in the FAQ. I mean, I'm not expecting a full technical detail, but something more than "It’s not magic, but close to it…". It's easier to find out if it will work as you expect it if at least gives some hint of what kind of technology it's using. Or am I missing any text that says so? I would certainly consider doing a pre-order if…

No, it seems pretty basic. If you had sat through the video it would still be 'magic'. But hey, you can get it for $99 right now instead of $199 later!

So even the video doesn't explain this? Well that was unexpected. I really really find it odd that people that can engineer something like this don't even want to show a little bit of the magic they created? Sounds like snake-oil to me then.. even if it's not, that's how it looks.

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#38

Post by ing33k » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 6:02 PM UTC

I thought it was mac pro

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#39

Post by evanlivingston » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 6:09 PM UTC

timothya wrote: post #8

I'm not sure why exactly I would need this (I don't need a cup to tell me what I'm drinking, and I don't find it difficult to keep track of my beverage habits). This is interesting from a technical perspective, though. How does it know what's in the cup?

It's so that everything is better and you know everything about everything all the time and then everything is better because you know all the things and can track it and turn it into data.

I'm getting a little tired of the onslaught of products which attach technology to items/habits/lifestyles that (IMO) are obscured by technology. Does the jawbone bracelet improve my understanding of my own habits and body better than care contemplation and meditation would, or does it add an (incomplete) layer of abstraction to an already complicated system? Do a few meager data points help me better understand what's going on with my body?

With these technologies we must force ourselves to weigh the negative impacts against the perceived values.

What is the environmental impact of creating this item?

How much does this item increase my power consumption?

How is the data collected by this device used, who has access to it?

Is there a problem that this product solves?

What kind of impact does this product have on the people around me?

If this item is just a toy, does its environmental impact justify the purchasing of it?

Re: Vessyl, the smart cup that knows exactly what you're drinking

#40

Post by altschuler » Thu, Jun 12, 2014, 6:10 PM UTC

volker48 wrote: post #4

This sounds absurdly stupid. I thought it was a joke.

Exactly my thought, the video seems satirical. Especially when the guy pours beer in the cup and it tells him that it's beer, after which he gives it a "that's right" nod.