Real reQall

I have vivid memories of the day we founded reQall sitting on an idyllic California beach. (Which shall remain nameless, as we'd like it to stay that way.) We mapped a vision for an entirely new approach to memory. We didn't envision cadres of sophisticated workers producing vast productivity schedules. Or for that matter techno geeks reading complicated reQall manuals. Our goal was more ubiquitous: to help real people, living real lives, improve their memories and their lives at the same time.

Developing reQall, we set out to put more of the things you need to know and remember into one place, accessible through whatever medium is nearest or easiest at the moment. The idea was – and is – to keep it “humanly simple, brain-fast and powerful.” We based reQall on the easiest, most natural communication – your voice. As technology goes, it's hard to get much more simple than that – at least for the user.

There has been a lot of buzz about productivity products lately. Frankly, reQall is not a productivity tool, although you can use it to be more productive. reQall is bigger than that space –it's about how you feel about life, how much more of life you can access, how much stronger your relationships can be, when your memory gets some help.

We're real people. We know that life doesn't happen in neat segments. In the middle of work, you can have a sudden inspiration about your class reunion. In the middle of bathing the baby, you can get an idea about how to solve the engineering problem at work. I don't know about you, but I'm not big on little pieces of paper stuck all over the desk – and they really don't work well near a bathtub!

So new reQall 2.0 is ready. We hope it gives you even more memory, allowing you to share thoughts and tasks with others. New keyword recognition capability sorts your memory additions into categories like tasks, thoughts, lists and due dates. It allows you to create richer reQall content and jog your memory in new ways, including AIM or Yahoo Instant Messenger. As you use the product, get even more information about our new features, at http://www.reqall.com/reqall_help/help_web.html.

We appreciate your feedback so we can continue to improve reQall. Please add your thoughts to this discussion!

Till next week,

Sunil

reQall for iPhone

Today we released reQall for the iPhone. reQall has always been designed so that you can use it from any phone and via the web. Now you can have the entire reQall experience expressly designed for the Apple iPhone

Just go to the reQall login page: http://www.reqall.com/web/ using your iPhone's built-in Safari web browser. After you login, you'll see a special iPhone interface in which you can browse and organize your reQall posts just like you do on the web. To add a new post, call 1-888-9REQALL (1-888-973-7255) or just press the "Add" button to have your iPhone call reQall directly.

Update: reQall works on the iPod Touch

A memory aid by any other name

A common misconception about the memory aid work is that we are building a device. Let me quash that now. What we are developing is a software application that transforms everyday communication devices (like cell phones, smartphones, PDAs, etc.) into memory aid solutions. We are not manufacturing a device.

Not that there's anything wrong with devices. However, the need for a separate device has been largely obviated by contemporary smartphones. Mobile phones in general are arguably today's main wearable technological companion. The ubiquity, portability, and convenience along with the rapidly increasing capability, customizability, and decreasing cost make these the preferred platform for everyday memory aids.

I've wondered why the work is mistaken for a physical device. Sure, it runs on a device and it would not surprise me if I've been imprecise with my words from time to time (and I probably have a recording of such gaffes :-). Perhaps the word "aid" connotes device (like "hearing aid"). I've also used the phrase "memory prosthesis," which also might imply a physical device. Or I can just blame the press since they tend to prefer pretty pictures of futuristic toys with blinking lights :-)

One of the important aspects of a successful memory aid is availability. Throughout my dissertation work, I recorded many conversations. Ironically, one of the reasons I missed recording some conversations was because I forgot to charge or carry the memory prosthesis (i.e., a prospective memory problem). But, I had my mobile phone with me nearly always. Adding another device to one's utility belt of portable gadgets along with the associated memory burden of remembering to charge it, carry it, etc. seems to be counterproductive towards the goal of improving memory. Hence, running software on your existing device is the way to go.

While I'm on the topic, I'll also mention that the memory aid is not a pill, liquid, or other late-night remedy. But, if you prefer to go that route, here's one I found. Note: I haven't tried the recipe below; if it works for you, drop me a line.

Take seven almonds and immerse them in a glass of water in the evening. Next morning, after removing the red skin, grind the almonds. Mix the ground almonds with a glass of milk and boil. When it has boiled, mix in a spoonful of ghee (clarified butter) and two spoonfuls of sugar. When it is lukewarm, drink it. Take this on an empty stomach in the morning and do not eat anything for the next two hours. Do this for 15 to 40 days.

- Indian home remedy for “weak memory”

Sunil on CNN

Sunil Vemuri (QTech's Co-founder) was recently profiled on CNN. The clip offers a sneak preview of the telephony based memory solution QTech is expecting to introduce into the market.

iRemember how it all started

Welcome. This blog is a forum for QTech to talk about some of our interests.

I'll start with a topic that I've spent some years working on: computer-based memory aids. I've been asked why I got involved in this area. In a sense, it is an offshoot from earlier work on organizational memory. The problem of helping organizations remember better has been studied for years. Sociologists have done fieldwork, MBAs have done case studies, research groups have built "groupware" prototype, companies have built products, etc. Many blog entries could be spent talking about each of these, why it's hard, etc. I'll fast forward to the connection with personal memory aids.

While reflecting on the various ways one might address the myriad of organizational memory problems and solutions, I became fascinated with the idea of improving the whole by improving the parts. Put another way, can some organizational memory problems be remedied by improving individuals' memories?

This in turn led me to some of the oft-cited personal memory aid work: Memex, ParcTab, Remembrance Agent, etc. Most technological approaches at that time had limitations: a non-trivial data entry requirement, storage limitations, etc. I wanted something that had lower data-entry barriers (i.e. talking vs. typing). At the time I started the iRemember project (a.k.a., "What Was I Thinking?"), some of the key technology enablers (e.g., speech recognition, speech-recognition-quality high-capacity digital recorders) were getting good enough for a research effort.

Fast forward again a few years, and I was recording my life and searching it like I Google search. The original hypothesis remains unanswered. For now, I'm partially satisfied that I remember how it all started.