tomcavill

Well it's quite different in that it functions more similarly to a traditional messaging app than SnapChat. In other words -- messages are stored indefinitely so you can view them back; the app's homescreen is a list of your existing messages; and the item you can send is limited to front-cam video only -- there's no choice between back cam, front cam, video or photo. This is in order to make it a very fast way of communicating.

Hi all,

Brief intro to the app. This is something I've made with fellow HNer Alex Edge (@edgeman27). The idea is to make a more personal messaging app, that combines the convenience of texting with the emotional connection of Skype.

Would be interested to hear your feedback or questions. Thanks.

I have an app written in ASP.NET MVC with an API. Would like to either convert it into, say, RoR (or Python/Django/whatever if you prefer). Or, write a separate web app that uses the existing API.

To explain further, I had the app built in ASP.NET and find I don't give it enough love because I'm a mac-using product person (design and front-end dev). But it's a nice app that has some potential. There's an iOS app in existence that utilises the API.

Would be nice to have a web-app to complement it that we could work on in unison perhaps. It probably won't amount to anything more than a side project, but I've always found it enjoyable to work on.

My twitter is @tomcavill if you'd like more details.

Didn't realise that. Looking for ways to ensure that doesn't happen. Do you have any ideas?

I know the fabric does appear a little thin in the photos, but honestly, they're really high quality tees. We consulted with our printer and they assured us they are the best available at a reasonable price point. I think the see-throughness is exacerbated by the harsh flash from the camera. In reality they are a good weight and made from high quality cotton.

Thanks, very kind.

We're going to try and utilise the fact you can 'create' a tshirt with just a link, i.e. http://helvetitee.com/tee/foo-bar. It's so quick to react to trends and happenings, or suggest a tee to someone based on their actions, that we feel the product can benefit from virality and p2p sharing. Plus a healthy mix of the usual Google ads etc.

Haha, we will react to demand on that front.

Thanks re: design. Nice to hear.

Thanks. You're right. We've changed the price down to $25 based on so much feedback suggesting it.

Changed the helper text, hopefully this fixes.

That's very cool. I wonder if .io domains are too geek-centric, though?

It's very memorable.

Definitely on the roadmap

That's a great idea, and something close to what we're thinking a few versions down the line. The free shirt after 5 purchases is very clever, and probably a better model than standard affiliate stuff.

I've changed the footer based on hearing this suggestion a couple of times :)

We are using Helvetica Neue with Helvetica as a fall-back, and a Helvetica clone (Nimbus sans) after those two in the font stack. You'd have to have some funny configuration not to see Helvetica. What's your setup?

We'll intro geo-based pricing asap :)

Yeah. It's a tough one. We might change the name if we can find the right domain.

Yeah I like v-necks too. It's definitely something we'll consider, but it has to balance with not having too many options (simplicity being the by-word for this project).

We wanted to ensure we could post anywhere in the world and not lose money or have to charge extra. I think at this price orders will be slow though, so we've slashed it to $25 to see what happens. Should still make a profit unless the order is in very far-flung lands.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. We've changed the price to $25 (formerly £25) as almost everyone said the price was too (damn) high. Margins will be cut significantly, but it was definitely too high before, and we'll still make a small profit with the new price.

We're probably going to put it up to $30 after the opening two weeks, so consider this an 'early adopter' discount...

Here's a humble suggestion for fellow HNers: http://helevetitee.com/tee/Founder

Fair point. We'll come up with a better price as everyone seems to agree it's too high.

All the feedback so far indicates our pricing is too high. That'll definitely be the first thing we'll fix.

Thanks for the really comprehensive feedback.

I actually agree with every point you raise. We've got a great deal to improve upon but like you say at the end, it has only been a quick project thus far.

I hope you'll take a look back (or follow one of us on twitter - @tomcavill / @helvetitee / @ccharlesworth) so you can see the site improve over the next few weeks.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment.

Accept that. It looks a damn sight better on a light background, but we changed it to dark gray hours before launch. The image will be replaced shortly so I'll sort out my cutting skills then ;)

Guilty. We took a few shortcuts to get it done in our timeframe (4 days). We will of course be replacing this ASAP (we were originally going to use AA hence this image).

Just wanted to get the first version out there and pick up feedback.

Ha. Maybe too many. We're not closed to the idea of changing the name if we think of a good one. Suggestions?

Thanks re: bootstrap.

We view our simplicity as a benefit. Sure SpreadShirt and their ilk offer thousands of options, but when you just want a message printed clearly on a tshirt, we provide a solution that you can take advantage of in seconds. It's very easy to make a pig's ear of your shirt with those other services. With Helvetitee, it's actually hard to make something ugly.

Your point on the pricing is fair, it's something we'll have to monitor and find out what people are comfortable with.

Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah that could be made clearer. Thanks. Glad to hear you liked the rest.

Another +1 for London