1.) DParker - 05/01/2013

Right up front...this is NOT an attempt to open up old wounds or rehash anything. I'm just genuinely curious to know what has become of the iBowSight from Firenock. Based on the searches I've done it appears that the first version became available sometime in Dec. 2011. For a brief period following that there is some chatter about the product on various forums, almost all of the "Looks interesting" and "But I wouldn't buy one" variety, as well as some regurgitation of Firenock's marketing verbiage - or just descriptions from writers who have seen it at a trade show or watched a video about it - on a few hunting e-zine sites. But I could find no "I tried one out" reviews. And what little there was seems to stop just over a year ago, and I've been unable to locate a single hands-on review...or even so much as anyone on a forum acknowledging that they bought one (except for one moron claiming that he bought one for $50 from his buddy, 2nd hand...before it had even been released). The Firenock website indicates that it's still available for sale, with an upgrade to the app released just last month.

So...does anyone out there know of anyone who has actually bought one, or at least been furnished one by Firenock for review purposes?

2.) luv2bowhunt - 05/01/2013

I think BULLZ-i bought a couple of them, check with him.:wink

3.) Jon - 05/01/2013

[COLOR="#006400"]LOL, not touching it with a 10' swampfox..........[/COLOR]

4.) Swamp Fox - 05/01/2013

Hey!

:ach:

5.) Ventilator - 05/01/2013

LOL, believe it or not the ibowsight does function as described. I dont personally own one, but , i have tried one a few times at various outdoor expos. It automatically adjusts for range, has a zoom & HD video function and it can be set in airplane mode to prevent a call or text from coming in. App is 100.00 from the apple app store. It is designed for the iphone 4s as far as the mount goes. There are other companies offering smart phone mounts for bows as well besides firenock.

6.) DParker - 05/01/2013

[QUOTE=Ventilator;5599]LOL, believe it or not the ibowsight does function as described.[/quote]

I have not doubt about that (though I would still have questions about it's durability in various kinds of weather...when being dropped...etc.) I was wondering more along the lines of:

1) Has anyone ever done a review following hand-on experience with it under field conditions? And...

2) Have any consumers actually forked over the $$ to buy the app and/or mounting hardware?

7.) bluecat - 05/01/2013

[QUOTE=DParker;5601]I have not doubt about that (though I would still have questions about it's durability in various kinds of weather...when being dropped...etc.) I was wondering more along the lines of:

1) Has anyone ever done a review following hand-on experience with it under field conditions? And...

2) Have any consumers actually forked over the $$ to buy the app and/or mounting hardware?[/QUOTE]

I'm thinking no one has forked it over because they didn't want to be forked over.

8.) Swamp Fox - 05/01/2013

Does everybody already know my frog joke?...'cause that's what I'm reminded of right now...LOL

9.) DParker - 05/01/2013

C'mon, I'm being completely serious here. For all of the criticisms we (myself included) leveled at the idea, I'm truly interested in finding out whether or not there really was a market (however small) for the thing after all.

10.) Dan-o - 05/01/2013

0 reviews on the App Store.

I thought Mike bought it?

11.) Alex - 05/01/2013

The 0 reviews at the app store tells you something. Usually there are too many useless reviews.

12.) DParker - 05/01/2013

[QUOTE=Alex;5612]The 0 reviews at the app store tells you something. Usually there are too many useless reviews.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but that's generally for apps that don't command a $99 price tag. I would assume there aren't too many high school kids downloading it.

13.) Triton Rich - 05/02/2013

[B]Momma always said, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything![/B]

14.) Alex - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=DParker;5613]Yeah, but that's generally for apps that don't command a $99 price tag. I would assume there aren't too many high school kids downloading it.[/QUOTE]
yep, and anyone that would drop 100 would probably be the type to leave some kind of review.
I just think any app that has 0 reviews hasnt likely been downloaded many more times than the number of current reviews :P

15.) DParker - 05/02/2013

I'm just trying to be optimistic on Dorge's behalf. :wink

16.) Triton Rich - 05/02/2013

[B]I've got an ordinary fiber optic bow sight that I could give you a review on if you're interested. :tu:[/B]

17.) DParker - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=Triton Rich;5617][B]I've got an ordinary fiber optic bow sight that I could give you a review on if you're interested. :tu:[/B][/QUOTE]

Heck, I could do that:

"Me put pretty colored dot on target and pull trigger. Pointy stick go where dot is. Me happy."

18.) Ventilator - 05/02/2013

Well, the truth is , it will only be as durable as an iphone4s. In the otter box, thats pretty durable im thinking. There should be quite a few reviews out there regarding that. I dont think dropping it or field use is going to alter the functionability of the app. I havent heard of many people downloading it, however , i know for a fact it has been selling or it wouldnt still be available. There is a market for all of his products , even tho its limited on this one.

Nobody thought a 900.00 fletching jig would sell, but he cant hardly keep up with the demand on it.

19.) DParker - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=Ventilator;5627]however , i know for a fact it has been selling or it wouldnt still be available.[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure the former logically follows from the latter. He put a lot of time, effort and money into developing it...and no doubt has the brackets sitting in inventory that he can't do anything else with. It costs nothing to keep the item available for sale...especially the app...whether anyone has been buying it or not. Given all of the threads I saw started on various boards asking about it, you'd think that if anyone was using the thing there'd be [I]some[/I] kind of feedback on it by now. But a whole year without a peep from a single user?

20.) Ventilator - 05/02/2013

The brackets will sell regardless of the app. Several companies making them.

I will go ahead an say , I heard it direct from the source. It has been selling, tho not as well as he would prefer.

I think you will have a hard time getting someone to admit to buying it ,due to the ridicule they would face from the general forum public. There were a few guys on AT that talked about buying the app. Didnt take long till the haters came in and told them how stupid they were for buying it.

21.) Ventilator - 05/02/2013

[video=youtube;4kAViDyOsMg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kAViDyOsMg&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

22.) DParker - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=Ventilator;5633]The brackets will sell regardless of the app. Several companies making them.[/quote]

Not for $130. Here's one for $29 (designed for use with a $4.99 range estimation app): [url]http://www.bowranger.com/iphone-bow-mount.html?layout=view[/url]

Here's another one for $29: [url]http://crazyarchery.com/?page_id=24[/url]

And....a bracket that mounts the phone in place of the sight is completely useless without the app that turns it into a sight.

[QUOTE=Ventilator;5633]I will go ahead an say , I heard it direct from the source. It has been selling, tho not as well as he would prefer.[/quote]

1 unit? 2? 10? What would someone do with the bracket without also getting the app?

[QUOTE=Ventilator;5633]I think you will have a hard time getting someone to admit to buying it ,due to the ridicule they would face from the general forum public. There were a few guys on AT that talked about buying the app. Didnt take long till the haters came in and told them how stupid they were for buying it.[/QUOTE]

That certainly hasn't stopped a lot of people from admitting...quite proudly...to spending that kind of money on ridiculous things like the HECS suit.

[QUOTE=Ventilator;5635][video=youtube;4kAViDyOsMg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kAViDyOsMg&feature=player_detailpage[/video][/QUOTE]

Searching YouTube yields that video and a few others of people talking about it at one or more trade shows...but nothing from any actual hunters who have bought it and used it in the field.

23.) Jon - 05/02/2013

[COLOR="#006400"]Considering the Iphone 5s will be out within a few months and it's a completely different size, those brackets are all but destined for the melting pot. I was out of line to suggest that last year but hey, what do I know......
it's a flop or we wouldn't be having to ask so many questions.[/COLOR]

24.) Go Bucks - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=Jon;5643][COLOR="#006400"]Considering the Iphone 5s will be out within a few months and it's a completely different size, those brackets are all but destined for the melting pot. I was out of line to suggest that last year but hey, what do I know......
it's a flop or we wouldn't be having to ask so many questions.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

that may actually help sell the app by people picking one up for cheap, or retiring a cell phone for the job. I certainly would not use my active phone for this.

25.) Ventilator - 05/02/2013

Me either GB.

Dp, i was just trying to answer your questions. Rebuttaling every reply i post gets nowhere.

As for how many he is selling, i dont know and didnt ask. I was pretty surprised to see it was selling after a year myself. However, just because me or you wouldnt buy it ,doesnt mean lots of other people wouldnt.

At 130.00 a pop, u are correct. I had no idea that bracket cost any where near that much. I agree no one would buy a bracket at that price if they could get one for 29.00. Lots of people out there using phones for filming hunts. Many more, no doubt , than what have the ibowsight.lol

Iphone 4`s are around by the loads now. Yes they can be gotten for cheap. The company would have to benefit from this as i just dont see many people using their primary phone for this either. I wouldnt. I waste alot of time browsing inet on stand as it is. Uncooperative deer and turkeys and such.

26.) Ventilator - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=Jon;5643][COLOR="#006400"]
it's a flop or we wouldn't be having to ask so many questions.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

You are most likely very correct. :wave:

27.) DParker - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=Ventilator;5653]Dp, i was just trying to answer your questions. Rebuttaling every reply i post gets nowhere.[/QUOTE]

Oh, well...far be it from me to question/challenge you.

28.) Ventilator - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=DParker;5657]Oh, well...far be it from me to question/challenge you.[/QUOTE]

Well, im sorry you see it that way. I was only trying to help answer your question . as i stated. No need to be that way about it.

I guess i shouldve jsut not replied. Always seem to be misinterpreted.

29.) Go Bucks - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=Ventilator;5653]Me either GB.

Dp, i was just trying to answer your questions. Rebuttaling every reply i post gets nowhere. [/QUOTE]

uhhhhh... I don't think its possible to turn off the D-Google-Wiki-Nexus fact checking feature on HC. It's an exclusive built-in function to prevent not well thought out statements of fact. It has certainly hit me a few times. I honestly don't think there is a human behind it. can't be... kinda like Siri.

for instance, what is the over under for this post to get clobbered?

30.) crookedeye - 05/02/2013

That certainly hasn't stopped a lot of people from admitting...quite proudly...to spending that kind of money on ridiculous things like the HECS suit.


what?? whats wrong with the hecs suit..:tap:

31.) DParker - 05/02/2013

[QUOTE=crookedeye;5672]That certainly hasn't stopped a lot of people from admitting...quite proudly...to spending that kind of money on ridiculous things like the HECS suit.


what?? whats wrong with the hecs suit..:tap:[/QUOTE]

Oh, nothing...I'm quite sure it looks just [I]fabulous[/I] on you. And if you get the hoodie version it will block the government mind-control rays.

32.) bluecat - 05/02/2013

I'm waiting until the hecs suit comes with Scent Blocker.

33.) Swamp Fox - 05/02/2013

LOL...

34.) Old Crow - 05/03/2013

[QUOTE=Go Bucks;5666]uhhhhh... I don't think its possible to turn off the D-Google-Wiki-Nexus fact checking feature on HC. It's an exclusive built-in function to prevent not well thought out statements of fact. It has certainly hit me a few times. I honestly don't think there is a human behind it. can't be... kinda like Siri.

for instance, what is the over under for this post to get clobbered?[/QUOTE]

:-)

Kind of like my GPS when I make an unexpected change of direction

Julie can be pretty mouthy with all that recalculating ......:wink

Great tool till it try's to infringe on your ability to make a personal choice and pick your own direction

35.) hoyt_em - 05/03/2013

DP, I shoot a lot...in a myriad of venues, and almost as many styles (types of target styles)...I have seen exactly zero of the entire system in use, and heard the same quantity of talk about it.

Granted most of the stuff I do is target orientated, but the cross section of shooters is pretty broad.

36.) Go Bucks - 05/03/2013

and your brethren will pop $500 in a sight system without thinking twice, but they can resell it if they want something else.

its an all-in move with no proof of concept. a cheap mount and a 30 day trial would at least get a few to try. plus, if the phone dies, does the app have to be bought again? the total cost to just try it, and the no-resale of the app makes it scary from the git go.

37.) DParker - 05/03/2013

[QUOTE=Go Bucks;5703]plus, if the phone dies, does the app have to be bought again?[/quote]
[QUOTE=Go Bucks;5703]and the no-resale of the app makes it scary from the git go.[/QUOTE]

Those are both very good points that I hadn't even considered...which is embarrassing, considering that I own an iPod Touch, to which the same issues apply.