We compare a water drinking app with the prototype of a smart bottle that prompts you to open it and hydrate yourself. Who wins?
On my table is a water bottle, the usual blue-coloured plastic make that is in offices. Only, my bottle beeps once every two hours; it's cap lights up and blinks. It is not too obtrusive, and is a tiny reminder to drink up. The smart water bottle is a prototype from Briefcase, invented by Anand Damani and Mayur Tekchandaney. It is intended to "nudge office employees to drink water 16 per cent more". Essentially, using behavioural design to keep yourself hydrated.
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In the course of the two weeks that I have had the smart bottle with me, I can safely say that it did its trick. I am not a slacker when it comes to hydration, but there are those days where you are glued to your screen, and you forget to drink water. The beep grows fainter gradually, but, I am sure Briefcase will figure a way to solve that. Every note from the dietician says "drinks lots of water". Lots, according to the Drink Water (named quite simply) is 2660 ml. This is a calculation based on my weight and age.
At the time of setting this app up, I chose an alarm every one-and-a-half hours. The first evening of the download the alarms worked. To the point of being annoying. Being told to drink water meant that I also had to ensure that the bottle had water. The second point is that when you do drink water, you have to update by clicking the options (glass 100-150 ml, bottle 300-600ml). It seems a tad tedious.
So much of your life is already on an app, do you want more? Plus, I can't really be expected to know exactly how much 100 ml is, can I? Is it a gulp or a sip? The second day, there were no notifications. And, admittedly, I did drink less water. The bottle across the workstation divider does sound like better option.
When: Drink Water
Where: Android, Google Play
Verdict: Thumbs Down
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