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Genies
p/geniesDigital clones that react to the news in real-time
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Akash Nigam

Genies 2.0 - Digital clones that look and think just like you

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Genies are the most intelligent and dynamic avatars on market. We use 3D motion picture quality and advanced artificial intelligence to create digital clones to look and think just like you. Genies are a medium that people can understand in the new generation.

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Ryan Hoover
This update makes Genies look more like your previous chat-based app, Blend. I'm curious what the biggest learnings have been since the app's first launch a year ago, @akashrnigam. Also, any insights you can share about how the kids are communicating and using tech today? (I swear, I'm not a dad)
Akash Nigam
@akashrnigam @rrhoover This year has been insane. During our beta last year, we wanted to test the thesis if people like the PERSONALITY and the AESTHETICS of our avatar. Once we got that affirmation, we decided to build out the platform for what we think is going to be the next wave of communication: communicating through your digital identity. Nowadays, teens don't use iMessage or anything formal to talk to one another. They look for passive, indirect ways to grab each other's attention. Human interaction is never going to dissipate and the mediums of which we communicate is going to continuously evolve - we believe the foundation is set for avatars.
Chris Messina
Top Hunter
@akashrnigam @rrhoover @akash_nigam how do you quantify that people like the personality and aesthetics of your avatar? What counterfactuals have you considered? Can you give some other examples of "passive, indirect ways to grab each other's attention", and explain how Genies 2.0 supports those methods? Thanks!
Edison Espinosa
@akashrnigam @rrhoover @akash_nigam that's all we use is iMessage and Snapchat bitmoji sometimes. I'm curious as to how you plan to get everyone to adopt this because snap/bitmoji users are your target demographic..
James Andrews
Maker
@akashrnigam @rrhoover @akash_nigam @edisonjoao6871 Synchronous communication. Kids chat synchronously all the time on all platforms - iMessage, Snap etc. You want to be close to each other. You *need* to be close to each other. Using a genie is the most comfortable, yet most expressive way to chat like this (i.e. you could be on the toilet yet you still feel like you're showing "face" :p)
James Andrews
Maker
@akashrnigam @rrhoover @akash_nigam @chrismessina We don't believe one can quantify art. We look for reactions :) -
Regarding your 2nd point about attention, that's pretty much what drives IG/Snapchat teen behavior these days. Get attention (indirectly) from the people you care about. Kids are experts in this without even realizing it. Sending a snap, posting a story, posting an actual post, liking a post etc. are all ways to indirectly get attention from the 3-5 people you actually care about getting attention from. We built behavior into Genies where you can let everyone know you're online or just one person. Ping your crush with no worries - they have no clue how many people you pinged.
Blazej Marciniak

App wants all your contacts (or app wipes your avatar) and sends invites right on click w/o asking permission. I feel tricked into giving them my contact list 😤

Pros:

Cute app

Cons:

Data hog!

Akash Nigam
Maker
We saw how much people enjoyed the beta version of Genies and invested the last 6 months of work into making this company a one stop shop for all of your avatar needs. Our platform and SDK today provide users and technology companies with all dimensions of the ideal avatar.
Carl Shaver
This app is nothing more than a data grab. After spending tons of time making my avatar it asked for my phone number to create an account, then it wanted to send me notifications and then it wanted full access to my Addressbook. After granting all of that, it found no friends and wouldn’t let me use any functionality. This is pure garbage. You guys should be ashamed of yourselves.
Alvaro Flores
@carl_shaver i didnt got so far, when it started asking access to my contacts and notifications just to use it was the end for me, the avatar looks good though
James Andrews
Maker
@carl_shaver @neeph Promise not our intention! We chose contacts over usernames based off user testing and the app isn't usable without at least one friend on it (reason for contacts requirement). :) Notifications are actually optional btw!
wipeyadocsoff

Marketing team member #1: How can we make our frankly terrifying digital personas connect with the youth

Marketing team member #2: What if we used a literal pedophile in the press photos

Marketing team (in unison): Sounds great

Pros:

Plenty of customization options!

Cons:

Tekashi 6ix9ine in the press photos, scary avatars

Izzy Pollak
We have a coordinated marketing strategy that our team is confident in.
Zee M Kane
Why do you need my phone number? Access to my contacts? AND notifications enabled to create an avatar.
James Andrews
Maker
@zee Notifications are optional! Contacts are required because app isn't usable without at least one friend on it :)
Teresa Henning
Why is contacts required before i do anything? If i like of course i would then give you access than. Just saying had to uninstall before i could even use
James Andrews
Maker
@moneymasternow1 you need to have friends to experience the app :) ..or else you'll just be talking to yourself :(
Andre Goersch
@moneymasternow1 @jclintandrews That doesn't address the question. I should be allowed to add contacts at my own leisure, instead of being forced to share my entire private list of contacts with an unknown entity. And I don't want yet another useless app forcing notifications on me. These things should be up to the user, and not be requirements to use the app. You should be ashamed of yourself for creating such an intrusive app in this day and age where user privacy is under attack.
Elizabeth
I can see why @JakePaul invested. That's not an insult, by the way. @akashrnigam @jclintandrews @genies_
Alex White
Contact access required was an immediate uninstall for me.
core

The German and English reviews are so badly translated. Also why is such a unknown App suddenly upvoted with 1600 on PH? Also look at the reviews here at PH...

Just don't use it. They want your data and sell it.

Pros:

None

Cons:

Data Hog, Fake AppStore Reviews and Fake PH upvotes.

Turner Novak
Can Genies only be used in the Genies app, or do you have keyboard functionality and/or an iMessage app?
James Andrews
Maker
@turnernovak iMessage/WhatsApp keyboard coming soon :)
Roberta Moede-Carrington

I would love to invite my friends to use it; but, unable to locate where that is done.

Also, I am stuck because I have no friends using it right now.

Pros:

Avatars that are real looking, you can customize them daily if you want

Cons:

Not sure how I invite friends

Alina Vandenberghe
same thing. even worse on the iPhone app it's impossible to select someone because there's no search. And you have scroll 10 minutes to find someone as crazy as I am :). And when i do find someone and click "Add" it gets stuck and it never invites them
James Andrews
Maker
Hi Roberta! After you create your genie, you should arrive at a screen that allows you to invite your contacts :)
Jonathan Chang
super buggy. stuck on the "add friends" section.
James Andrews
@jcbruin @alinutzav Aware this issue is happening on certain devices. Working to resolve it ASAP. Thank you for reporting!!
James Andrews
@alinutzav messaging you now so we can get to the bottom of this :)
Umar Pharouk
GENIES in one word = AWESOME.
Steven Rueter
Futura Medium Condensed, bang bang.
Steven Rueter
@isidor_pollak agh, you flatter me. But really, it is you. An exquisite choice in typeface, indeed 🧐
Pavel Svitek

I'm stuck on the screen I mentioned above. Looks like very obvious bug. I'm surprised this flow is not tested properly before you post on PH.

Pros:

Looks fun (from screenshots)

Cons:

Installing flow:

Install -> Download 427MB (!) -> Requested contacts -> Deny -> Skin color choose -> Requested contacts and I'm stuck.

Andre Goersch
My flow had an extra step. ... -> Request contacts is required to continue -> Uninstall NEVER force your users to share private information that isn't strictly required to use your app. I don't want to give you all my contacts list just to use an avatar builder, and I never will.
Roberta Moede-Carrington
HELP! How do I invite people to use it?
James Andrews
Maker
@roberta_moede_carrington After you create your genie, you'll arrive at a screen where you can either invite a friend (if you don't have any friends on the app yet) OR if you already have friends on the app you'll get to the main screen where you can tap the silhouette genie in the top left to invite friends :)
İmren Karyağdı
Hi @jclintandrews , "add" button on the invite user screen seems broken. I've clicked a lot of times, but nothing happened.
James Andrews
Maker
@imrenkaryagdi Aware of this issue and working to fix asap. Thanks for reporting!
Stoner
I think you are collecting more information than is necessary to run an app that could create a neat avatar clone. I was not impressed and didn't even finish loading it because it needed my contacts and other intrusive information. It was like that annoying Uber or Lyft driver who keeps asking all those informal questions that you wanted to avoid by riding in the back and even though you are wearing your headphones they keep talking and trying to get some kind of response. That is this USELESS intrusive app! Genius it is not. You should of named it NoseyAF2.0 ✌🏽
Willie Morris
That video is a lot. 😆
Daniel Schoonover
Honestly, I'm not that impressed with the ability to create an avatar that matches me. The design aspects leave much to desire to make an avatar that looks at all like me. The eyes are just WAY too big. Why? And every face I made looked Asian. Why can't any of these types of systems make an avatar that looks like a European/American/Caucasian mutt? Not to mention with SO many design options the wheel makes it frustrating to cycle through the different options.
Mike Reina
@dangarion it's the shape of the eyes. I agree with the Asian look. Maybe they'll consider reshaping the eyes to make them more natural. I don't mind the size of the eyes though, but the shape needs to be tweaked.
Charles Zuniga
Good