Two of the most compelling features of the iPhone for me are the ease of use and expandability through “apps”. There are plenty of other great features that make it my favorite cell phone, but those are my two sticking points preventing me from moving to any other mobile platform. It looks like Mares has taken a cue with their Icon HD dive computer.
Ease of Use
I haven’t had a chance to play with one of these in person (yet), but they have a great site available to walk you through the Mares Icon HD computer. It looks incredibly easy to use with only four buttons that have similar functions regardless of the screen you’re on. Even when the function changes, they have employed easy to understand icons to represent their actions.
I think having a site like the one they’ve setup builds a degree of excitement about their product, plus is something of an online interactive manual. I’m not a big fan of all-Flash sites, but I think for this purpose, it works well.
Apps
Today, Mares and Art To Media announced a partnership to bring underwater topographical maps to the Icon HD computer. Although we don’t have reliable underwater GPS to pinpoint yourself mid-dive on the map, I think this is an excellent idea. I envision SCUBA diving centers having maps of their local dive sites that they can download to a customers computer for them, providing an excellent value-added-service while giving the diver valuable information.
I have an email out to Art To Media to find out if there is a process to have maps made for your local dive sites.
According to the Mares web site, the Icon HD has an air integration upgrade available this spring along with a “reprogrammable processor”. Although their description is vague, based on the new maps, air integration coming later and a PC interface, this could pave the way for more “apps”.
How about a fish ID app? Or instructor slates? Or games for a deco stop/surface interval?
My Favorite Feature
The rechargeable battery.
I love my Suunto Stingers and D9, but I hate sending them in and spending a fair chunk of change to have my battery changed. Although Mares doesn’t specify the expected battery life (both between charges and number of charge cycles), if compared to a typical cell phone or laptop battery, it should easily last 2+ years.
Do you think we’ll see more iPhone-like functionality built into our dive computers in the next couple of years?
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{ 5 comments }
Hi Nick,
just discovered your (amazing) site today, and reading through all of it now.
I didn't comment on the dozen articles I've just read as my contributions would have just been in the lines of "I agree" or so…
However I have things to say about the Icon HD as I tried it in both shallow and deep dives, by day and by night. Yes the features are interesting, yes the ability to view your profile in real time is a serious benefit, and yes, ability to add maps or fish ID slates or Instructor cue cards is also appealing (in fact you can upload any image you want, you don't need to wait for new apps).
However the rechargeable battery is a pain : it makes the computer really heavy (to the point that I wear it on my BCD d-ring and not on my wrist) and the battery life is so limited that you can barely do two days of teaching before recharging.
Relating it to another article read today about tech-savvy people, I would say the Icon HD is more an iPad than an iPhone (nice and fancy but doesn't have any real life application). If you're looking at safety options and diving features, you would probably prefer to have air pressure transmitter, heart beat (or pulse) monitor and adjusted no deco limits based on these factors (Uwated Galileo). Another savvy solution for people willing to put a lot of money in a recreational dive computer is the Oceanic Datamask, now that is innovative and is making diving going one step forward.
What is the future bringing in? cameras I hope, coupling between computers to monitor distance to your buddy (with alarm), lights…
Thanks again for all your great articles, they make me feel good about the marketing choices I make everyday!
If I was
I am excited to see what is developed by the government of Turkey, with the earth friendly dive computer software project they are funding. When finished, you will be able to install it on many of the new smart phones…. Unfortunately, I don’t think they are going to worry about an iphone app, as they have no control as to whether apple approves it or not…..
A housing manufacture in Hawaii is partnering with them to develop waterproof cases as well…
Can’t wait to see what rolls out this year!
That does sound cool. I'm hoping more vendors follow Google's lead with their Reader, GMail, etc and just make their "Apps" as web apps instead of proprietary programs. It would make development much easier and developers wouldn't need to worry as much about "official app store approval".
Google is going to take over the world!
I wouldn't put it past them
As long as they stick with their unofficial motto of "Do No Evil", so far I don't mind. But they do have access to far more data than I think anyone really wants to admit.
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