Ideas

SmileWave.

SmileWave app: dashboard and profile screens

Working on right now, to make this public

  • 1.A complete design change. What you see below is the first version. The next one is on the desk.
  • 2.A unique smile card for every user, generated for you and changing every time you add a new smile.
  • 3.And whatever else comes across. There's a list. It grows faster than I build.

There was an argument in my community about whether people smile enough anymore. Some said no. Some said we smile plenty. Nobody could prove anything.

So I built something that could.

The real reason sits underneath that. I made this to back up Smile More. Stress spreads faster than a smile these days. I can watch it move through a room. So I wanted something that helps a smile hold on a bit longer, and while it's at it, keeps a number. How many real smiles, where in the world, right now. Nobody was counting. Now something is.

SmileWave is a free web app. Open the camera, smile, it catches it. Up to ten people can be in the frame, and only the ones actually smiling are counted. Nobody else.

The one thing it will never do is keep your face. No photo is stored. Not on my server, not anywhere. The detection happens on your phone and the picture is gone the moment it's done. The only thing it keeps is a location, if you allow it, and that shows up as a dot on a map. Turn it off and you're invisible.

Why the name. The idea is Smile More. That name is already a registered brand in America, so rather than argue with lawyers I called the app SmileWave and kept the idea. Precaution, not a fight.

What's in it

SmileWave home screen showing 102 smiles caught and the current badge
Home. Your smiles caught, your current badge, and the camera button. That number is real. It only goes up when someone actually smiles.
SmileWave leaderboard, all time and this week
Leaderboard. This week and all time. Yes, I'm top. I built it, I test it, I smile at it a lot.
SmileWave smile map with dots and counts, currently showing an API key error
Smile map. Every dot is a place where smiles were caught, with the count. Mine, or everyone's. It's broken this week. Missing API key. My fault. Left it in because that's what building looks like.
SmileWave profile with badges for catching smiles and for passing it on
Profile. Badges for catching smiles and badges for passing it on. Invite a friend, they smile, you get one too. Settings live here as well: notifications, language, ask for a language that isn't there yet, location off, nickname, sounds.

What's not done

The design. Not everything looks the way I want it to yet. Sharing your smile picture to social media is half built. The map needs its key back. And there's one more thing in it I'm not talking about yet, because I'm still building it.

What's next

Friendly battles between countries. Philippines, prove you're the smiliest country on the planet. That's the version I'm building towards. Web app first. If it works, the phone apps come after.

It was one of the first things I ever built. It shows in places. It's still up.

Open SmileWave

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