Attention sugar cat for two reasons. Is a purely Internet company to do hardware, shout a lot, not much real good things. In my opinion, sogou do children watch is one, so I want to know what kind of drive hardware projects in large companies are feeling. Second, if playing time stamp, after children's watches are for 10 "intelligent hardware", so I want to know what they grew up with technology products should look like.
Candy Cat make up: delicate cartoon characters like a technology product; no screen no psychological pressure; only one button "press and hold the talk", using extremely simple; supporting the App interface, allowing parents with very comfortable.
The project sponsor Mark Wu Tao, on various occasions, mentioned his fatherhood experiences, is the head of a children's product. And the person in charge of the product Todd Li Jiantao contribution not only search dog award, but also as a father. While a few months old, still don't watch, but Todd has been on a full Moon shining "can't wait" on Baby Candy Cat pictures.
00 of 15 and a half, has started Recalling youth, 5 and a half years after the 10 comes at good time. For them, well, they just "sugar cat". A fun dialogue, between the net of Lei feng and Todd Li Jiantao. too long; don't read。
To 10 designs products
Q: before, children watch this product on the market.
Answer: Candy Cat in late 2013 or early 2014 planning. At that time there are several children's watches, including competitors also have some ideas originally conceived to coincide with us. But we're thinking about it, did not put the starting point in anti-lost and safe, as this is not a real, large, rigid demand. Our initial point is communication, parent-child communication tool. "Positioning" function is the standard, but is not the main attraction.
In fact, this point also struck a chord with many parents. Actually what happens to lost children, incidence is too low. Parents do not worry about kids run away, but is the need for ongoing communication between children and parents. In big cities, parents work outside during the day, children at home or for the elderly aunt with, this time is a window period, parents have with children. Candy Cat can help parents and children communicate.
Q: in my opinion, this generation sugar cat is a call handset, its components should be established.
Answer: your description is quite accurate. Speaking from the basic principles, it is a watch form phone. However, when we try to put the phone's ability to such a small dial is very challenging. The simplest example, watches require operators base station antenna connection. We originally designed for several programmes, antennas are placed inside the table, but since removed from circuit boards too close, so it will produce a lot of static, performance does not meet the requirements. Finally, find a way, to the outside.
Ask: huh? That line was on the strap?
Answer: I look to you (takes out sugar cat shows). If you take a close look at it, dial two places, there are convex shape, it is a special process, laser engraving, carved on each side of the GSM antenna, WiFi antenna. Dial material in itself is not a regular plastic, but contains a metallic element, metal laser plastic condenses, forming a thin layer of metal antenna. Connect antenna to your body. Ensure the antenna and electronic components inside the table furthest apart, electrostatic interference least.
Q: any other product, this time?
Answer: before this practice is relatively small, in some high-end cell phones. Samsung mobile phone models in plastic inside the housing before carving antenna.
Antennas are an example, another phone without too much material to health issues. Watch especially as children watch, strap material is very important. We find a lot of solutions, including the TPU and rubber, eventually choose silicone because it is characterized by a very safe environment, stable, not too many chemical reactions, it is the earliest large-scale applications of the pacifier.
Children bracelets industry yet when production plants are not easy to find, and we're the newcomers, a lot of effort, so look for manufacturers in Shenzhen and Shenzhen and surrounding areas. Find partners are also quite interesting, neither through a variety of channels not determined after the liquid silicone materials, we found liquid silicone raw material production plant, the world's first big Dow Corning, let it give us a downstream purchaser, to find one of the largest (who purchased many who fly). Now we can achieve food security, transparency, tensile strength, softness of the material are very good. iPhone 6+ case
Q: food grade what does security mean?
Answer: because what children put in his mouth, it (the sugar cat watches) if it's not dirty, it will be safe. Other plastics from petroleum refining, filled with impurities. Fitbit until it had a strap allergy problem, massive recalls. Even now, children watch industry, can do little of our quality requirements.
Because we have also contacted some distributors, their feedback to see sugar cat feels different from other products of quality, so sell sugar cat you believe.
Q: now strap and dial a separate split structure, say. Many similar designs, bracelets, easy to lose the core module.
A: the child's nature are toy heat in three minutes, so at first we imagine how "child like" work on this matter. The entire design, no ordinary watch shape, but a very cute little Elves. Taking into account future expansion, tired of wearing this can change a set of tentacles, Bunny, kitten, lamb, along with some stickers, styling can be done as a whole changed. Now we have released a kit with 6 set of ears and a strap, without too much publicity, sold very well.
If you didn't intend to remove it, Candy Cat dial is hard to fall off. But to be honest, Candy Cat's reach is easy to fall, so we got a few more pairs in the packaging.
Q: can touch the dial, is based on the idea of what.
A: sugar cat the first design was an Elf image, a face, small eyes, antennae, and children and fairies to do some interactive, touch-dial different regions have different feedback. Dial is 18 LED lights inside, around 9, two eyes. Holiday time, touch it will activate a different greeting.
Question: in your data, how children with sugar cat? School's attitude towards children's watches, do you have a survey?
Answer: from our data, from two to nine years old, 10 years old, is greater in scale 5, 6 years old. Primary and elementary school on this stage.
Some schools reject this kind of product, but the teacher is not worried about wearing the effect class, we set up the classroom mode (silent mode) does not affect, but worried about wearing such an expensive thing, in case of bad lost account. You will find that some schools including kindergartens and open teacher for this product (attitude) is Open.
Positioning, how to do
Q: you have also said, location not sugar cat the main selling point, but it is necessary for children's watches feature GPS how to do it?
A: the positioning function is, we must make sure that this feature is excellent. Positioning principle divided into outdoor and indoor, outdoor GPS, in buildings where precision is not too dense, once inside, not receiving satellite signals can only rely on other means, including base stations, but the positioning accuracy is not high, because the relatively large signal fluctuation, precision in the range of hundreds of up to 2000 metres. Another is Wi-Fi, it is also a base station, is just a router base station, range a bit. Wi-Fi base station positioning accuracy of almost 25 meters, but if you have collected enough data.
Position it has several challenges. First outdoor GPS positioning, GPS has several work modes, cold start, warm start, search GPS satellite signal to know the current position of the 24 satellites, so you need to record satellite orbit ephemeris, cold start is inside the chip is not ephemeris, need to go to the Internet to download ephemeris and satellite search, speed is very slow. Candy Cat once cold start, only when it is turned on for the first time. After cached ephemeris, and then automatically update every once in a while to ensure stars through may not fail, so GPS chip is going to know the location of the satellite. On GPS positioning, we together with chip manufacturer u-Blox ' engineers to debug and understand the inner workings, and spent a lot of time in the tuning.
Indoor positioning several challenges are, first of all, you collect data how many whether data, determine positioning success rate. Base station data is relatively easy, it collected Wi-Fi data requires a lot of. Sogou map in this regard in itself (the predecessor of Go2map) reserves, a large number of data acquisition and map data accumulation of more than 15 years. The other hand, the Wi-Fi signal fluctuation is very powerful. How unstable signals to determine position where, requires a complex algorithm, again according to the policy where the probability of even more. The third challenge is the watch itself, must be able to collect around the Wi-Fi antenna performance is better, collecting enough data.
Q: so the positioning algorithm is the core work.
A: when we are all engineers in Shenzhen, positioning a series of optimization, regulating algorithm, and strategies (when Wi-Fi base station, when GPS), we need to lower power consumption and high accuracy, faster speed of these areas to find the right balance. Sometimes needs a faster pace and, in some cases requires more precision.
Then a bunch of engineers carry out a bunch of watches do the road test, collected a number of returned data analysis, strategy still need to be adjusted. Adjustable end for measuring, time after time. Pretty stupid, but there is no better way.
Question: between the geographical difference? Road test data is how to help improve the final positioning of the algorithm?
Answer: may be different, but when your policy is in place and after, and elsewhere facing scene are similar.
Algorithm is very complex. We road test found, for example, walking on the road, GPS signal sometimes good, sometimes bad. Case said it's all outdoors, should make no difference, when we tested, find the difference, find, probably because of the weather, such as cloudy GPS will be slower, community housing density while also affect GPS signal. We even found, in a particularly bad GPS signal under the overpass, data engineers crouched to the bridge in a few hours, turn out to be the environment impact.
Q: Candy Cat watch for children and our mobile positioning: is there any difference? Experience on a mobile phone can be used to watch.
Answer: the big differences on the principle of not particularly big. But they are not the same, mobile phone, iPhone and Android are already on hardware and systems provides the ability to obtain location, you only need to call the interface of the operating system, data is OK. Behind the iPhone also has a very complicated algorithm, but is invisible to developers. For us, everything needs to do now.
Q: positioning the matter, there are methods which can enhance the experience?
A: for the industry as a whole, are more difficult to move forward, we are confident in the child watches is the most accurate in the industry. In practice, however, still find user expectations there is a big gap. Users get a phone will say, I'm at home, why do you not display in my home. He would think that shows him at home is the done thing, so cannot accept deviation of 10 m, 20 m, but this is a very high level positioning technology. Want to rely on a new technology to quickly enhance the positioning level is not realistic, still need the step by step in the algorithm optimization.
Question: using a better GPS chip?
Answer: we use a chip is the world's leading. Better chips is not, but accuracy is limited, and costs is not our types of civilian products can bear.
Intercom range, how do
Q: there are a variety of ways to communicate, why talk?
Answer: initially we thought about, or to tell a good call. End with the latter, because calling real-time communication: when parents are busy, boy bang a call, give parents greater pressure preschool this stage, children do not know what to say into the phone. Taking into account these factors, we give preference to do the talk-chat.
Is a kind of delayed communication, more in line with the communication habits of the Chinese people. Taking into account the child using simple, all there is only one button, press and hold the talk will be able to send a message, click will be able to listen to the message. Moreover, our speaker chat is not just a parent for a child, but the family communication, Grandma and Grandpa were MOM and Dad coming into family group chat.
Q: intercom function how to do? If we send a lot of voice, watch can receive them?
A: in chat, we put a lot of thought into the matter. From the technical point of view, we do the message queue, asynchronous communication. Watch has a process can continue to receive messages, you can cache a message. When collecting information, playback speed than slow download speed, it will start from the first message received, continuous broadcast of all unread messages. When the child can continue to say, watch will be cached, and then send out the one. Competing products learned us, but a look of them is not the same, their product can't do other things while sending a message, can only wait.
Q: the battery, many watch no longer fits 1 day out of power.
Answer: GPS power, this thing we use cell phones have experienced. Watch needs to maintain communication with the base station, it has a "heartbeat", which is another large power consumption. From the hardware and software needed to optimize hardware to improve antenna performance, connected to the antenna with reduced power consumption mode. Software algorithms and strategies to enable GPS users to take the time to start. Standby is now 4 days, the routine use of battery life for more than 2 days.
There's just one thing. First we use Unicom SIM cards, messaging, speed, power consumption is not satisfied, later changed to move and found that power down, speed up, overall performance very much. 2G of mobile base station distribution or to seal a lot. But power is a protracted war, strategies need to be constantly optimized.
Q: Candy Cat motion sensor gaming service, or other features?
Answer: the products now on the market, said they rely on acceleration sensor to locate, are bullying. It completely on the technology to a commercial level. Now sugar the cat's motion sensor, for game use on the one hand, on the other hand can be stationary or moving monitor watches, can do for power control optimization strategies. This is in the plan, is not on the line.
Play games because, in addition to meeting the needs of parents, but also to meet the needs of children. Watch, after all, is to give children with, so design a few games and see what feedback.
Q: now, how is feedback?
A: the older child is less interested in younger kids up so high. And the game played a large role in the product line--when they sold under, you can put on a presentation, it is easy to attract children.
Candy Cat where are you
Q: Candy Cat's price is not cheap, and in similar products should be considered expensive. Hardware that is not like a lot of Internet companies emphasized that closer to cost, paving way to do it.
A: we do not want to go with competing products, other than price, we prefer to say, the cat's quality is that, to achieve the industry's highest quality, at a reasonable price to worthy of this quality.
We didn't go the the so-called "Internet pricing". I think early on for a product category, price competition is not the most crucial. It is a blue ocean market, it should be possible for the user to provide value. For a relatively mature market than price is valid. Kate Spade iPhone 6 plus cover
Q: where do kids like Candy Cat, don't like where? Some feedback, it's relatively large size, please?
A: common feedback is, its shape very much. When friends heard my mother make a sound from inside the watch when surprised and excited.
Bulky, often parents say. So the next generation will be greatly compressed in size, make sure the thinnest on the market.
Q: line cards, and say it through service charges.
Answer: the first is simple, built-in 1 year service, whether yourself or send people to boot, that is, no need to buy separate cards. The other hand, we are also trying to find a new business model. For Internet companies that search dogs, and do not want profit model only sold hardware, or if you want some new explorations.
I understand it's business model is divided into several levels, hardware profits are on the one hand, this is the above-mentioned costs. Consequent costs such as service charges. Then there is the child-oriented and value-added services, such as education, health, security and so on, there is still a long way to go in this regard.
Hardware in the Internet company what it's like
Q: before you do software and the Internet, hardware feel now? You also took the dog's outstanding contribution award last year.
Answer: the dog gives the sugar cat was so good in this area, within the company in a similar way to incubate and support of entrepreneurship. Hardware software venture to do App than a team a lot harder hardware has a lot of traditional industry and supply chain management, and the physical world of objective constraints that cannot be broken. We hold a fear heart to try to explore.
Hardware speak for the production and marketing, supply chain management is a very complicated task. Software knows, the outsourcing team must not kaopu, but hardware is bound to find outsourcing, outsourcing is the supply chain. Including, production control, production control is also very complicated. Maybe you never imagined, when we want to focus on production number of this year, found that factory workers have a holiday home, to rearrange the whole production plan. This is the industry's rules. Hardware sales strategy also needs to learn online how to play, how do offline channels, how to work with operators. In this regard, we take some losses in the first half, and accumulated a lot of experience.
Q: eat what?
Answer: we think the hardware to make Jingdong to do next start on it. Actually, an amplifier of Jingdong product sales, could not be the source of motivation. Jing dong, cat, Amazon games are not the same, have great promotions at any time. Later we found that take many offline channels to laying. Has a very strong marketing sugar cat, very great help to the team.
Q: this year's sales, in line with your expectations, please?
A: it is worse than I expected in the first half, the last two or three months, found a sales and promotion strategies (knows how to sell), sales and meets all expectations.
PostScript
One more question, I asked Todd Li Jiantao, do this, where is your favorite place? He told me, "sugar cat makes an impression and feeling, it is different from other child watches on the market, style is completely different, completely different qualities. This is the point we are unique in the industry and sugar cat brand value will continue. We want to give users a "different" to provide "high-quality" ".
In fact, given the sugar cat 2 's upcoming release. Such a long dialogue, we still have reservations on the content – sugar cat has been very good, but hardware cats of sugar for the first time many of the pit, is a place worthy of attention other hardware team. This is Lei feng's network activity of the hard open class needs most content, new products such as market, expecting Candy Cat team do a better share.
Dialogue with the creator, find product highlights-"materialist" is a network of Lei feng to create brand products reported (General number: okweiwu). We care about a product is, where it came from, where you want to go. Wishes to do the same in the hardware industry, read the "materialistic" articles can be of inspiration.
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117 votes
Candy Cat child watch
Chat feature is I think one of the most meaningful and, Yes, before it was even ranked in position. Chat interface similar to app group chat, watches, cell phones will be able to send a voice message. Sugar cat wake up button for the recording, after the release is automatically sent. Sugar cats receive the voice message light screen and has voice prompts, click the wake button will be able to listen to your voice messages. To prevent the child missed "mum yelled at meals" important information such as, sugar intervals to remind the cat will not listen to messages; fairly delicate intimate functions.
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