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The Diabetic Journal

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
N

Nial

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello all,

My name's Nial Giacomelli and I've been a T1 for just over 5 years. This is my first post, so I'm not sure how well this will be received, but I wanted to tell people here about a project I've started recently to develop a new kind of diabetic journal application.

I write software for a living and for years I've struggled to accurately monitor my blood sugar levels. I found existing applications to either be unnecessarily complicated or simply too slow when it came to adding entries. In the end I decided to do something about it by writing a new kind of diabetic monitoring application for the iPhone. It's helped me to get my sugars under control, and now I want it to help others by releasing it free of charge.

I've spent months of my free time working to develop the application, but I need funding if I'm going to be able to implement essential features. To accomplish this I've started a Kickstarter to help raise the money necessary to finish the application.

I've heard from lots of diabetics who have found themselves in a similar situation to me and it would mean a lot if diabetessupport members would take the time to watch the Kickstarter video and possibly share the link. It's a good cause and I'll need all of the help I can get to spread the word.

I will of course answer any questions you guys may have about it, so please don't hesitate to ask 🙂

Thank you,
Nial
 
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Speaking personally, a) I don't have an i anything and b) use my pump software.

When I was on MDI I couldn't be bothered to keep on entering stuff on SiDiary so I wouldn't with anything else I don't think. Handwritten diary and download does it for me!
 
not everyon has an iphone and I'm not sure I'd use this kind of application anyway
 
trophywench: Diabetic software certainly isn't for everyone, but The Diabetic Journal does aim to reduce the effort required to make new entries!

Caroline: Fully aware that not everyone has an iPhone! As the campaign states I'll be looking to bring the software to more devices in the future 🙂

Thank you both for taking the time to check it out!
 
Hi Nial

Good luck with your project. I've been logging daily on a 'fruit based' mobile device for many years. Lots of apps out there already, some great - others not quite so well thought out IMO.

Good to have another available 🙂
 
Thanks Mike, much appreciated! I think we share a similar philosophy in that respect. The way I've been approaching it is: if it's helped me, it can surely help others. More variety in terms of tracking applications can never be a bad thing, in my opinion.
 
Hi Nial

That's an interesting idea. I wonder how it compares to the currently pending I-phone app that diabetesuk were advertising trials of a month of two ago? (i didnt get to take part: they wanted under 25 s).

In any case have you been in contact with diabetes uk? They could help you to meet a wider audience and will know the Market extremely well.....

I'm surprised by your marketing methods but know absolutely nothing about the industry. Is the idea that I phones pay you and then the app is free to users, rather than you making the product and selling it? What response have you had from them so far?

Anyway, good luck with it. Sorry to ask nosy questions but I wouldn't put funding into anything like that without seeing it was sound first, even for a pin badge....
 
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Though of course DUK have their own app (launched last year) Lizzzie

Were you thinking of the start-up app challenge thing? There's a thread or two about that somewhere on here I think.

As for the funding option mentioned - isn't 'kickstarter' a sort of crowd-sourced Dragon's Den thinghy? People chip in money to get creative digital projects off the ground.
 
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Mine's a Droid phone and I found a great app called OnTrack which meets my needs very well. It keeps track of my BGs, meds, food, exercise and, if I want, weight and blood pressure too. It's easy to use and presents the data in numerous ways that are simple to export as needed. I'm assuming you've already checked out the competion and found ways to improve on what they can offer, so I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with. Good luck.
 
Nial said:
Hello all,

My name's Nial Giacomelli and I've been a T1 for just over 5 years. This is my first post, so I'm not sure how well this will be received, but I wanted to tell people here about a project I've started recently to develop a new kind of diabetic journal application.

I write software for a living and for years I've struggled to accurately monitor my blood sugar levels. I found existing applications to either be unnecessarily complicated or simply too slow when it came to adding entries. In the end I decided to do something about it by writing a new kind of diabetic monitoring application for the iPhone. It's helped me to get my sugars under control, and now I want it to help others by releasing it free of charge.

I've spent months of my free time working to develop the application, but I need funding if I'm going to be able to implement essential features. To accomplish this I've started a Kickstarter to help raise the money necessary to finish the application.

I've heard from lots of diabetics who have found themselves in a similar situation to me and it would mean a lot if diabetessupport members would take the time to watch the Kickstarter video and possibly share the link. It's a good cause and I'll need all of the help I can get to spread the word.

I will of course answer any questions you guys may have about it, so please don't hesitate to ask 🙂

Thank you,
Nial
Click to expand...

Just got myself a windows 8 phone which means that I can now use an excel spreadsheet I designed after i did the DAFNE course last year. At the time I gave up on it after a couple of weeks as it was too much hastle having to update at the end of the day. Now I have the spreadsheet on the cloud and can access it at any time - so good bye paper log book and hello instant update. Currently logging carbs, BS, Meals, health. I can quickly search for the last time i had a similar meal and can develop graphs that reflect my circumstances - for example identifying differences between working from home and working in the office. I have previously used free and purchased apps - all have positves but all have negatives. Now at least I have some control - limited only by my lack of excel knowledge.
 
Lizzzie: Thanks for the kind words! everydayupsandowns is quite correct when he says that Kickstarter basically allows users to chip in a small amount in order to fund a larger project. It's my hope that I'll get enough donations to allow me to make the application completely free for people to use. Unfortunately I've been unable to get Diabetes UK to mention the application. I'm not sure whether this is down to them having their own iPhone application or not!

HOBIE: Thank you!

martindt1606: I'm glad you've found a system that seems to work for you. Everyone is different in this regard. The most important thing is that you're keeping on top of it, at the end of the day 🙂
 
I have tried diabetes tracker apps before, didn't like them. There's never enough info on how to use them, so I download, get frustrated as I can't understand it and then delete the app.

If my meter could bluetooth my results to an app I might be more inclined to use one. Otherwise I think trusty pen and log book will suffice.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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