Potentially Useful Device
Poor use of colors often making data and messages unreadable: light yellow font against a white background. On the history page, a blue graph tracks yellow data, blue also represents both calmness and tension. There's no thought of colors having consistent meaning.
And that history, date specific page has tacked-on graphs of current data no matter what day the page heading says is displayed.
Inefficient and inaccurate graphing. The app's history info that could be expressed in a simple graph is spread over four pages of meaningless shapes which to fully understand requires manual calculations. Indications shown in an hour may have occurred completely in another hour. A simple graph of focus might appear as a flat zero line or as maximally high with no vertical scale to warn users.
The exact same data usually looks different in today's view of it from yesterday's view. The cumulative graph of focus often fails to match the data it's accumulating.
The help text is wordy and redundant. With poor navigation: like straight line sequence with the only path to reach a specific topic is to start at the beginning again. At the end id a section you have to click a button to display the button to click to move ahead. They have a 100+ page document that tries to explain the app's use. It's necessary because of the app's design weaknesses. The document explains a page-sized flow chart in nearly a dozen places. The flow chart's message is that habits are habitual which doesn't require the flow chart or the 50 pages explaining it.
Unfortunately this exhausting list is not exhaustive. There is much more wrong with the app.
The Foci device, worn clipped to your waistband, can operate without the app. It vibrates to indicate various attention failures. Unfortunately the vibration is so weak I rarely feel it.
Response from developer
Thank you for the feedback. The app could use a lot of work, and we have long pipeline to improve it. Affective computing, emotion tracking, and emotion modulation, are at their infancy. However, the big guys are exploring these technologies for advertisements, influencing purchase behavior and getting people even more distracted to achieve their business purpose, despite all the social negative externalities. We are a very small team, and we are developing this affective computing technology to make a positive impact, to improve focus. This is difficult. But we will get it right.
Enjoying thus far!
Response from developer
@kriscothelatteboy, cheers! Currently there isn't a plan for Apple Watch app, but we will look into it.
Awesome update!
Response from developer
@appreviewerOK, cheers! Currently there aren't records for negative states, thank you for your suggestion, will look into it.
Couple bugs but app functions great on main features
Response from developer
@besapre, cheers! Got it, thank you very much for your suggestions, we will look into it. Unlike other balls the purple fatigue ball doesn’t have a duration as it is an indication that you reached a state of attention fatigue rather than you have been in this state for a while. If you continue to be fatigued, you will get several fatigue balls in succession.
A+ for the Foci device, but D for the app design
Wish the developers would look at the Fitbit app to see how to design a clear, easy to understand app. This Foci app seems to be designed by nerds for nerds.
Response from developer
@Asatly, thank you for the feedback, and being a such an early backer of the FOCI project. Sorry for the inconvenience. The app could use a lot of work, and we have long pipeline to improve it. Meanwhile, the Focus Training Manual, which is what you are looking for, is on our website. We would be systematically integrating it into the app, and this would take time and support, as we are a very small team, looking to make a big impact.
Full of bugs that make it unusable
Response from developer
@ThinkHappy, sorry to hear about the experience with the bugs, we fix bugs with each of the software updates, however as new features are introduced, new bugs would also appear, however, based on the phenomenon you have described, it is a bug from one of the older versions, so please make sure you update the app, and also the firmware that comes with the app.
Great App But Needs Dark Mode
As one of the first backers of Foci they’ve come a long way. I’d love to see how this application evolves over time. It does take some time for the machine learning component to reflect more precise information. Patience is needed in the beginning, but worth the effort when used daily.
Make dark mode available or let the user choose their own background color or upload their own background image and I’ll give the app 5 stars.
Response from developer
@Digitalfigment, cheers - thank you for your suggestions, will put it in the pipeline.
It’s quite hard to set up
Response from developer
@JDCFOCIREVIEW, sorry to hear about the installation experience, will look into it. The clip is indeed quite tight, which is to mitigate the risk of losing the device through accidental slippages. However, there are quite a lot of users who find it more convenient to clip the device to the signal enhancing belt.
Studying for exams
Feels like a beta
Response from developer
@Anythingthatsnottaken123456789,this product is training based, which requires close integration with the Focus Skill Training Manual, Skill of Deep Focus, which you can find on our website, and includes psychological techniques with to improve your focus in conjunction with the device. There are quite a few precautions with machine learning, so first need to make sure that machine learning is complete.
