“Text me when you get back home,” is a phrase I’ve been told many times at the end of the night. More often than not, I fall asleep and forget to text my friends. However, Kitestring, a new phone app, works to help forgetful people like me through their automated service that alerts users to check in once they have arrived home.
How does Kitestring work?
Users sign up through Kitestring’s website by entering their phone number. Upon signing up, users enter the names and numbers of a few emergency contacts along with an “emergency message” that will be sent to their contacts if users fail to respond to the Kitestring check-in
Kitestring allows the user to set up notifications based on trip details.
Before leaving for a night out, users specify how long they will be out and when they want Kitestring to check in. If a trip takes longer than expected, users can extend the trip through the app. If they fail to check in, the user’s emergency contacts will be notified. Prior to a trip, the user can also set up a distress word. Responding to Kitestring with the distress word will alert emergency contacts that the user could be in danger.
If users want to be more cautious, they can set up an optional check-in word that requires a specific word, set by the user, to be entered once they have arrived safely at their destination. The check-in word can be set to prevent someone else from checking in at a user’s final destination.
No Need for a Smartphone
Kitestring is an app that relies solely on SMS as opposed to data connectivity. This allows the app to be open to users who may not have smartphones.
The app could be helpful if users are out for a run or a hike. My only hesitation about the app is how effective it will be after a long night with one too many drinks. I worry that I could fall asleep without checking in at my final destination. I could see a couple of my friends being annoyed if they are consistently notified late at night because I fell asleep before checking in.
What do you think? Would you use Kitestring? Would you tell your friends about the app? What are some of yor hesitations about Kitestring?