3 ms·

Pedal Brain website down at Apple's request

33 points by dazmax 16y ago

jolan 16y ago
My guess is Nike+ infringement of some sort?
- timcederman 16y ago
  How? I don't see anything that relates to Nike+.
  - jolan 16y ago
    Nike+ does monitoring of running and Pedalbrain does monitoring of cycling. Apple/Nike may have patents on "exercise monitors".
    - phreeza 16y ago
      From the Nike+ wikipedia article(http://bit.ly/aJ9u0U http://bit.ly/aJ9u0U): As of August 2008 "Nike+iPod for the Gym" launched, allowing users to record their cardio workouts directly to their iPods. No Sport kit or shoe sensor is required; [..] The models of compatible cardio equipment include treadmills, Stationary Bikes, stair climbers, ellipticals, and others such as Precor's Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT).
    - timcederman 16y ago
      No. It is almost exactly the same as Garmin Forerunner (which also can use a pedometer).
dazmax 16y ago
Google cache for those unfamiliar with the startup: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&q=cache%3Aen.pedalbrain.com%2Fhome&btnG=Search http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&q=cac...
mml 16y ago
wow, that's nice. i'll be sure to not think twice about hooking my wagon to apple.
- zefhous 16y ago
  I don't think any of us have enough info to merit freaking out about this... From their blog: Down at Apple's Request Apple has notified us of an issue. We’re in the process of resolving this and fully expect to amicably resolve it. Unfortunately till then we are forced to shutdown our website. We’ll provide updates as they happen. http://blog.pedalbrain.com/ http://blog.pedalbrain.com/
  - Zak 16y ago
    The fact that they felt the need to shut down their website over this issue suggests something is a bit off. It may be that the issue is quite a bit more serious than they're letting on. It may also be that they're unwilling to start with less extreme steps because they're scared Apple will ruin their business if they don't immediately and fully comply with Apple's wishes. If it's the latter, it suggests that Apple has a bit more power than I'd like them to.
dhimes 16y ago
I hope this is an little glitch which turns out to be an obvious oversight (<-oxymoron?), because this just stinks. What an awesome idea for a product; it could potentially drive Apple sales in some circles. Waiting for more info ......................................
- seiji 16y ago
  (wild guess) It may be as simple as they haven't completed a Made for iPhone contract with Apple yet, but they are advertising an Apple hardware extension.
  - barlo 16y ago
    This sounds very likely. I used one of their graphics prior to their recognition of receiving my contract and they weren't very happy about it.
junkbit 16y ago
If you put things on a pedal stool you are just asking for them to get knocked down
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
pmorici 16y ago
From the Google cache of their site, they claim their product works with any ANT+ compatible sensor. ANT is the same wireless protocol used by the Nike+ sensor. There aren't any public APIs in the iPhone SDK to access the iOS devices built-in ANT receiver so my guess is they are using undocumented APIs possibly to gather data from these bike sensors which Apple would presumably have a problem with.
- rue 16y ago
  ANT+ is not the same as ANT. Apart from that, you may be correct unless the bastards are doing a C&D on "grounds" of their frivolous bike stuff patent application. Edit: paragraph.
  - pmorici 16y ago
    ANT+ is built on top of ANT if I've read the documentation correctly.
    - rue 16y ago
      ANT is not a single standard as such. Manufacturers had their own incompatible versions of ANT. ANT+ on the other hand is a standard so that any ANT+ capable devices will be able to communicate with eachother. I assume there is some intellectual heritage, but the two are distinct.
- timdorr 16y ago
  But why would they have to take down their website? That would be an issue in their app, not in the website itself.
  - pmorici 16y ago
    Don't want to advertise something that might not be able to exist in it's current form, who knows. When you enter the legal realm people act in strange ways.
  - tlrobinson 16y ago
garrickvanburen 16y ago
I'm sure it's just coincidence that PedalBrain is down and Apple applied to patent the 'Smart Bike' http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/08/apple-introduces-us-to-the-smart-bike.html http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/08/apple-in...
- rue 16y ago
  This would definitely be something more warranting of a website shutdown. Holding out hope for a driver issue or something, but I had a bad feeling about that frivolous patent app as soon as I read it.
jkincaid 16y ago
Just talked to them. They claim it actually is a miscommunication involving Apple's 'Made for iPod' program and that the site should be back soon (apparently a third party retailer had marked their item as "On Sale" without permission, which is a no-no) . Also said they're on track for a release in Sept/Oct. UPDATE: Looks like the page is back in action: http://en.pedalbrain.com/ http://en.pedalbrain.com/
yuxt 16y ago
Is that on purpose that Free account comes with 3 Minutes of Data Resolution, while paying 6 bucks will allow only 1 minute?
paulhart 16y ago
Sounds like it's going to be expensive (then again, a lot of bike accessories are). I'm very happy with my CycleMeter app ($4.99 in the App Store) and putting my phone in a secure pocket while I cycle. If I was "serious" about cycling (I cycle daily to get to and from the office, so I'm a frequent cycler but that's the extent of it), then this thing looks pretty neat.

33 points by dazmax 16y ago

jolan 16y ago

My guess is Nike+ infringement of some sort?

timcederman 16y ago
How? I don't see anything that relates to Nike+.
- jolan 16y ago
  Nike+ does monitoring of running and Pedalbrain does monitoring of cycling. Apple/Nike may have patents on "exercise monitors".
  - phreeza 16y ago
    From the Nike+ wikipedia article(http://bit.ly/aJ9u0U http://bit.ly/aJ9u0U): As of August 2008 "Nike+iPod for the Gym" launched, allowing users to record their cardio workouts directly to their iPods. No Sport kit or shoe sensor is required; [..] The models of compatible cardio equipment include treadmills, Stationary Bikes, stair climbers, ellipticals, and others such as Precor's Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT).
  - timcederman 16y ago
    No. It is almost exactly the same as Garmin Forerunner (which also can use a pedometer).

dazmax 16y ago

Google cache for those unfamiliar with the startup: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&q=cache%3Aen.pedalbrain.com%2Fhome&btnG=Search http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&q=cac...

mml 16y ago

wow, that's nice. i'll be sure to not think twice about hooking my wagon to apple.

zefhous 16y ago
I don't think any of us have enough info to merit freaking out about this... From their blog: Down at Apple's Request Apple has notified us of an issue. We’re in the process of resolving this and fully expect to amicably resolve it. Unfortunately till then we are forced to shutdown our website. We’ll provide updates as they happen. http://blog.pedalbrain.com/ http://blog.pedalbrain.com/
- Zak 16y ago
  The fact that they felt the need to shut down their website over this issue suggests something is a bit off. It may be that the issue is quite a bit more serious than they're letting on. It may also be that they're unwilling to start with less extreme steps because they're scared Apple will ruin their business if they don't immediately and fully comply with Apple's wishes. If it's the latter, it suggests that Apple has a bit more power than I'd like them to.

dhimes 16y ago

I hope this is an little glitch which turns out to be an obvious oversight (<-oxymoron?), because this just stinks. What an awesome idea for a product; it could potentially drive Apple sales in some circles. Waiting for more info ......................................

seiji 16y ago
(wild guess) It may be as simple as they haven't completed a Made for iPhone contract with Apple yet, but they are advertising an Apple hardware extension.
- barlo 16y ago
  This sounds very likely. I used one of their graphics prior to their recognition of receiving my contract and they weren't very happy about it.

junkbit 16y ago

If you put things on a pedal stool you are just asking for them to get knocked down

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

pmorici 16y ago

From the Google cache of their site, they claim their product works with any ANT+ compatible sensor. ANT is the same wireless protocol used by the Nike+ sensor. There aren't any public APIs in the iPhone SDK to access the iOS devices built-in ANT receiver so my guess is they are using undocumented APIs possibly to gather data from these bike sensors which Apple would presumably have a problem with.

rue 16y ago
ANT+ is not the same as ANT. Apart from that, you may be correct unless the bastards are doing a C&D on "grounds" of their frivolous bike stuff patent application. Edit: paragraph.
- pmorici 16y ago
  ANT+ is built on top of ANT if I've read the documentation correctly.
  - rue 16y ago
    ANT is not a single standard as such. Manufacturers had their own incompatible versions of ANT. ANT+ on the other hand is a standard so that any ANT+ capable devices will be able to communicate with eachother. I assume there is some intellectual heritage, but the two are distinct.
timdorr 16y ago
But why would they have to take down their website? That would be an issue in their app, not in the website itself.
- pmorici 16y ago
  Don't want to advertise something that might not be able to exist in it's current form, who knows. When you enter the legal realm people act in strange ways.
- tlrobinson 16y ago

garrickvanburen 16y ago

I'm sure it's just coincidence that PedalBrain is down and Apple applied to patent the 'Smart Bike' http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/08/apple-introduces-us-to-the-smart-bike.html http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/08/apple-in...

rue 16y ago
This would definitely be something more warranting of a website shutdown. Holding out hope for a driver issue or something, but I had a bad feeling about that frivolous patent app as soon as I read it.

jkincaid 16y ago

Just talked to them. They claim it actually is a miscommunication involving Apple's 'Made for iPod' program and that the site should be back soon (apparently a third party retailer had marked their item as "On Sale" without permission, which is a no-no) . Also said they're on track for a release in Sept/Oct. UPDATE: Looks like the page is back in action: http://en.pedalbrain.com/ http://en.pedalbrain.com/

yuxt 16y ago

Is that on purpose that Free account comes with 3 Minutes of Data Resolution, while paying 6 bucks will allow only 1 minute?

paulhart 16y ago

Sounds like it's going to be expensive (then again, a lot of bike accessories are). I'm very happy with my CycleMeter app ($4.99 in the App Store) and putting my phone in a secure pocket while I cycle. If I was "serious" about cycling (I cycle daily to get to and from the office, so I'm a frequent cycler but that's the extent of it), then this thing looks pretty neat.