Comments on: Should a Ski Resort be a “No-Tech” Zone?

By: Eric Hoffman

Eric Hoffman — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:22:29 +0000

Kristin, my question is then, do you Facebook or tweet out those photos? I've been known to do that.

By: kristin

kristin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:18:39 +0000

I think the phone is useful for meeting up with friends on the mountain. As a local, I get there when I get there and my friends will text me when they get there (usually hours later) to see if I am on the mountain… we don't even make plans ahead of time. Unless it's a ski buddy, I don't answer the phone on the mountain or even look at it. Oh, and on a good powder day, I have to take a picture or two.

By: Eric Hoffman

Eric Hoffman — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:34:51 +0000

@harallambi I think you''re right, and that this is probably "just a romantic notion" at this point, but I would argue that we do need to consider these impacts on our guests as we develop ways to provide experiences for them on the slopes.

By: @harallambi

@harallambi — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:01:52 +0000

As a maker of interactive technology who's very focused on mobile and location services, especially to ski resorts, I'm kinda shooting myself in the foot here, but I have to agree with you Eric, even if only for the romantic notion. When I'm snowboarding the iPhone is in my pocket but I rarely use it. You can't with gloves on for a starter and it's just a drag… I want to ride not Foursquare about it, but then having a phone/camera in my pocket to take a snapshot of the powder turn I just did is pretty cool. Basically it's those bastards who invented technology are to blame, they have ruined us forever.
Will tweet you from the hill this downunder winter Eric… doh!

By: EricHoffman

EricHoffman — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:59:47 +0000

Great example Stephen! It certainly illustrates what I think is the conundrum of the connectedness issue. Because, If we're already doing something, such as enjoying ice cream with our family, aren't we already 'engaged' in that activity and do we really benefit 'disconnecting' with reality to 'connect' virtually? On the flip side, if you didn't even know the Ben & Jerry's shop was in the area until you checked with perhaps Urban Spoon, you would never have had that bonding experience with your family, then there's a large chunk of usefulness. I'm really not sure what the balance is, but in any case I'm with you, when I'm making turns, my phone stays in my pocket!

By: Stephen Landau

Stephen Landau — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:33:36 +0000

The family and I went to Ben & Jerry's the other day (yes, it was delicious). Not wanting my "technology" to interfere with my family time, I resisted checking in via Foursquare. As the kids were distracted in finished their cones, I took out my iPhone to check in. And after I checked in, I found out I could have gotten 3 scoops of ice cream for $3 by showing my Foursquare check in. I don't know if this makes me more or less empathetic, but 3 scoops for $3 at Ben & Jerry's is a great deal, and technology would have helped me save a few bucks.

I guess the question is: are we using technology to distract ourselves from what we're doing, or are we using it to further engage in what we're doing? If you're on the mountain and you're using your iPhone to check the football scores, you're certainly distracting yourself from the moment. But if you're checking out trail conditions, you're using technology to help create a better on-mountain experience. It comes down to relevancy and usefulness, along with *why* people head to the mountains. Personally, I go snowboarding to escape my other "real life" responsibilities, so any app that helps me escape is useful, even if it means I can check my work email on the mountain between runs.

But when I'm making turns, the iPhone stays in my pocket. If you can't enjoy that experience by itself, just stay off the mountain.