Pupil App: Mark Zuckerberg May Like It, But Will You?
April 22, 2011
Want to know more about something, but haven’t figured out where to look? Now, finding the answer is as easy as taking a photo with your iPhone/iPod touch. Yet, does it serve its purpose well?
Created by Doozy, Inc., Pupil’s moniker is “take a picture, get an answer.” Yet, this isn’t done through some fancy algorithm. Rather, other Pupil community members answer each question.
Upon signing up for the free Pupil service, users are asked to identify their expertise from a list of categories. These include Art/Music, People, Electronics/Technology, as well as many others.
Once registration is complete, you begin snapping photos of objects for others to discuss, or answer questions from others. Each is easily completed within the app.
Taking a photo is a three-step process. Naturally, first you must take the photo (or grab one from the Camera Roll.) Next, ask your question. Finally, the photo is assigned a category. This last part is essential, since it determines the members who may answer the question.
A click of the “Respond” button shows a graphical list of unanswered questions from within your category. Answering questions is as simple as asking them.
Finally, an email is sent when a question is answered. Up to three different responses may be sent, before the question is closed to further discussion.
As Pupil community members answer questions they get Points, which accrue to earn class ranks. Each starts off as a “Pupil,” but a user can work their way up to being a “Professor,” or an expert in their categories.
Pupil, like so many other apps on the market today, relies almost exclusively on how popular it becomes. Assuming a lot of people use it, it could become something remarkable.
Unfortunately, this may be a tough sell.
For one, I’m not sure this all-in-one approach is going to work. There are too many categories and finding “experts” for each might be extremely difficult. As such, some categories may be slighted, while others flourish.
Second, while it is said a picture is worth a thousand words, which ones will make their way to Pupil?
For example, will Pupil become a place to discuss cars or a great find at a antique store, or maybe people will pull a Mark Zuckerberg and ask online friends whether they should date someone.
The point is, Pupil is too generalized in its approach. And besides, most answers may be found somewhere else online and don't require a camera.
Since Pupil is free, feel free to check it out and let us know what you think. Leave your comments below.
