I've taken the next step and pre-ordered Glydance!

Taken the leap of faith and jumped in. Hope it works.

I’ve been hearing about this product for a few months now, and I’m very excited about it. I have a veering problem, and my mental mapping isn’t good, so this could be a game changer for me. I will probably be pretty nervous when using it at first, but I think I have heard that people have been nervous when they first gotten a guide dog too. I am also allergic to dogs, and I’m not really a dog person anyway. I understand the concerns, but I really hope it works.

I've signed up for a demo this month and am excited to test it on the track.

As I read through the FAQ, I'm curious about how the company plans to manage user privacy. Having run a couple of tech startups, I can tell that the Glidance team is developing a robust set of features within their software, likely built on various services that are invisible to the user. Inevitably, some or all of your personally identifiable information (PII) will need to be shared with these services for Glidance to function properly.

Here's where the risk comes in. Imagine a scenario where a million users adopt the product. These users will be traveling and living their lives with this appliance, generating vast amounts of data. This data will be stored, processed, and integrated into the core functionality of the app. For instance, if I visit a place where one of these million users has been before, the Glidance device can navigate the space more efficiently. This is a huge advantage for navigating complex indoor spaces like airports, arenas, conference centers, or hotels.

However, the risk arises when this data reveals sensitive or private activities. Consider the implications if the data shows visits to places like:
• A friend's apartment who might unknowingly be involved in criminal activities, making you a person of interest due to frequent visits.
• A bank machine, potentially highlighting your cash withdrawals and making you a target for criminals or marketers.
• A political rally, which could raise flags with certain governments or lead to targeted political advertising.
• The junk food section of a grocery store, which might prompt your health insurance company to raise your premiums.
• An establishment known for adult services, which could attract law enforcement scrutiny or targeted advertisements.

These scenarios illustrate the potential dangers of data being processed, analyzed, and possibly sold to third parties, whether in private industry or government. For example, Amazon's interest in using Roomba vacuum robots to map the interiors of homes raised similar concerns about data sharing and usage.

While the Glidance device promises significant benefits for individuals and communities, the involvement of corporations focused on shareholder satisfaction poses a substantial risk for privacy compliance. It's crucial to consider how the data collected by such devices might be used and to advocate for stringent privacy protections to safeguard users' personal information.

While I don't want to sway anyone off of this game-changing device, I think we should be asking these kinds of questions right now before the product ships and Pandora starts her unboxing.

Out of curiosity, doesn't using a mobile phone race the same privacy concerns? Or for that matter, using any location-enabled device? Who knows what data these devices are sending to whom and when? What assurance do we have except a privacy policy? Should we assume that Glidance will have no privacy policy in place?

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I just signed up for the virtual demo. Unfortunately, it's taking place while I'm at work, so I might be able to listen in on my airpods, but I definitely won't be able to participate. I work at a blindness agency, but I have no idea who I would need to reach out to at my agency in order to increase Glide awareness. Either way, I will probably have to download the archive after the demo is over. I'll try to join for the actual event, but will most definitely have to be on mute the whole time.

they seem to send a lot of marketing emails and post to FB a lot...

I am not sure if this has been already said, but in Canada CNIB will have a live demo event soon in Toronto on Friday June 21st. Unfortunately I couldn't be there at that time but those who are interested here is the link.
https://glidance.io/glidance-demo-day-toronto-june-2024-cnib/

I finally got replies to my queries. However, by that point I'd already decided to take the chance and bought into the programme. I have a feeling this is going to be one of those things that time drags for. 1 year or more is a long time sometimes.

I sent them a message Tuesday, heard nothing yet, it's not to long. As long as they did get back to you, everything is frosty!

I emailed Glide a week ago with some questions. I've heard nothing back, not even an automated response. They have been out of the office, according to social media, so I am not to concerned.

I do worry when all the energy is in asking for money and not ansering questions - we all have the experience of the sales line being free and ansered right away, then the customer service line costing money and taking an hour to anser!

Let's see what happens.

A lot of marketing talent has been poured into the proudct in recent months. Some people are about to have a 'come to Jesus' moment wiht it. Not me, we say "nothing to see here."

Lots of questions ansered. I feel so much more posative about ordering now. Not fun to be back on Zoom - reminded me of lockdown!

This is the option to pay $100 in advance and then get 40% off the list price of $1499.

After that, you wil still be able to preorder at a 30% discount when preorders open in July.

Preorders open on July 9th, for both founders and people wanting to take advantage of the 30% offer.

Also good news. They have lowered the monthly subscription from $40 to $20. This may help some people to decide. Also Glide confirmed to me this is not fixed. So, exchange rates to come into play. So, $20 is aprox £15.76 at the moment.

The subscription of US$20 a month is only for those individuals who paid the $100 deposit.

I need to go back and listen to the recording now. they had offered the first three months ($120) before. If they are giving $20 off a month, that is a lot more. I am looking forward to getting the spcecific actual details in writing. Wil sstill probs order thogh.

What makes you say $20 is for those who bought early? I've reread the email and nowhere in that does it suggest this. It simply says after taking feedback subscriptions will now be $20.

This is taken directly from the email:
we’ve decided to offer anyone who preorders Glide a locked-in price of no more than $20 per month, along with further discounts on annual payments. We are dedicated to always finding a way to work with our community to ensure that you are able to access Glide’s full capabilities.”

Whoops Had read the mail twice and still failed to catch on to that part lol. Yes it does appear to be for those who pre-order. My bad!

They seem to be as far as the $20 a month, but other than that? Do we get a low seriel number or something?

Not a problem, I'm glad everyone is getting the $20 - it makes for less moaning I guess.

Does Glide work at all without the subscription or is it only to unlock certain features?

They talked a lot about 'freestyle' mode, where you just walk on your own. The next step they talked about included talk of Google maps Etc. and setting waypoints.

I got the impressionn that the 'Glide Sensible Wayfinding' as they call it, was necessary. It is the bit that uses a lot of AI and cloude gubbins.

If I had to guess, I'd say the $20 is a must.

Or maybe this subscription gives you say future upgrades whereas without it you get the thing and it can never improve.

They've literally got a handful of the things and the early betas at that. I don't think they are planning to be near the final design until later this year.

I attended the demo earlier in the week - they stated that they are designing and building it in public so nobody is surprised by the end product - my words.

I am a founding Glider. I can order up to the start of September for $899 - 40% off the price of $1499. This is directly from there email:

"If you go ahead with your preorder, we will be offering a 100% refund policy within 60 days of you receiving your Glide, with a minimum expectation that you’ve used it for 30 days. This means that once your Glide arrives, you can use it for a month and return it within 60 days for a full refund, no questions asked!"

I think there might be one or two places left on the Founder program, so if you are still thinking of it, you only have a couple of days (if any) left to decide.

That is quite the discount. Way to go!

we are expected to just have that money lying around though in this economic climate? i'll wait for release and others to use it; hopefully in a few years a payment plan may be in place.

Would anyone know if this is an Australia? I’m interested, and from what I’ve heard and read it sounds like a cool Little device for navigation.

"Where will Glide be available?
We plan to launch Glide in the United States, Canada, EU, and UK first, and are exploring timelines to reach other markets. We will communicate more precise location timelines as soon as we can."

Everything cost money down to the water you drink. These guys have done a great job keeping that cost as low as possible.

I personally don't feel the cost is so bad for what it is. However, the combination of a large amount (for me) up front plus ongoing subscription is what really puts me off.

In the Zoom they said it had on-board AI and used the cloud. I presume the Glide should work if I lose internet connection - otherwise I'd definitely not be touching it with a barge pole. I think it's understandable that a company should charge if it incurs ongoing costs for me to keep using my device. So if I am using the cloud, it feels reasonable to have a subscription. (Although as has been mentioned elsewhere there are only so many AI subscriptions any of us can cope with).

But I would expect to get some functionality out of it without a subscription. Otherwise I am effectively being held hostage to it. Let's say I get this and lose my job. Suddenly £20 is a lot. (Although admittedly it would be very useful for getting to job interviews). Or let's say their costs go up and they decide to increase the cost.

I wouldn't be happy if my expensive device was bricked because I didn't renew.

I should say these guys seem very honest and open. I wouldn't expect them to increase the subscription in an underhand way. But things change, costs go up, companies get taken over, who knows what can happen.
And my other concern that I have mentioned elsewhere is that if you are out and about with a mobility device, there is a very high risk that it is going to get broken because some idiot has cycled into you or whatever. I know the Glide will help avoid some of these things if it works as advertised, but it can't cater for everything. For example, when my expensive graphite cane was broken along with its tip, I was standing waiting and a cyclist came from around a corner and that was almost £100 in the bin. The Glide wouldn't have helped because I wasn't moving.

If the subscription included some insurance and qualified you to some free or affordable repairs then maybe it wouldn't be so bad. But I liked my graphite cane and even so I've not wanted to fork out £65 for a repeat experience.

One other thing I've probably forgotten - does the Glide require a phone? If not, how does it access the internet?

It would work the same way that all of The new cars like the Teslas do. It’s all on device processing, but once you’re back home near your Wi-Fi it does all of the firmware and software updates and upgrades. At least that’s my understanding as that is what they had mentioned during the demo because that question was actually asked an answered 😊.
As for cost, at this point, it would be no different than sided people having to pay for their vehicles. Even when their vehicle is paid off, they still have to pay insurance, and a whole bunch of other cost associated with owning a vehicle. You’re worrying about the same thing sided people worry about every single day of their lives but it still has to get done and they need their vehicles to look for other jobs.
I know that they said that they were partnering with different agencies in Canada and the United States alongside Europe and the UK regarding the cost factor, so I guess we’ll see if that makes a difference on how folks are able to obtain the glide.

Anyone who would need Glidance will get at least this. Most blind people I know get the higher rate. Then you will have to choose, glidance or a brand-new VW Golf every three years for your other half to drive!

We are so so lucky to be living in this place at this time. I don't think those of us in the UK should talk to loudly about the horror of $20 a montg fir a primary mobility aid.

Also, I pay more than $50 a month to feed two cats. How much dogs a guidedog eat? Or do you get that free? I seem to remember paying, but it was last century!

My point is not so much that the up front cost is too much or that the subscription is too much, it’s that I object to paying a sizeable amount up front and then it being rendered useless if I choose not to renew the subscription. And I’ve no guarantees that the subscription remains as it is or that I can continue to afford it.

My point isn’t to do with the specific prices involved. And my own budgets and costs are irrelevant. If I could choose to leave the house or bring back my dog who recently passed I wouldn’t be needing my cane again either.

But much of this is about personal value. If I was going to the office every day in town on my own then this would become a different proposition for me. As it stands it’s something I am curious about in case it could give me a little more independence but it’s harder to quantify.

Not wanting to disrespect anyone who is going for this. Far from it. I’m tempted but can’t quite bring myself to make that commitment. And if it was either a cost or a subscription it might be easierfor me to justify to myself.

Anyway I don’t even know my Richard’s from my Jonathans so what do I know.

Regarding Tesla - I must confess I remember them mentioning something about that but it went over my head. I might have missed the context. I’m sure they did say that it used both local AI and cloud AI which sounds more than just firmware related. Although they also said that the experiences of one Glide would be fed into the matrix and used to improve things overall so it could be that.

But it still makes a mandatory subscription make less sense to me. But make it a charge for feature updates and that would be a lot more palatable.

Hello,

I just found this in the faq

Underground & in subways
Will Glide work underground, in subways, etc?
Core features like obstacle avoidance and line-of-sight targeting will work in offline or GPS disrupted scenarios like this, but the full suite of navigation and AI features make not be accessible.
https://glidance.io/frequently-asked-questions/

Oh, what a shame..

Hopefully they decide to roll out of countries in the mear future. Well, if anybody gets their hand on it, please describe how you go with it.

I agree with everybody else talking about the subscription/money part of it. however, I do agree with other people

Overall, the discussion surrounding Glidance on Reddit illustrates a blend of hope and skepticism within the blind community regarding its potential as a game-changing mobility aid. While some foresee it as a step forward in assistive technology, others remain cautious, emphasizing the need for practical testing and addressing technical challenges before widespread adoption.

All,

For anyone who pre-ordered Glide you can pay from today. However, in the UK/EU/Canada there is an issue so we can't yet pay. However, it now appears if you can't afford the $799 in 1 go you can pay in 6 installments. This appears to be for only those who are founding Gliders but it is a great option.

I reentered my address at leat least six times before I went back and red the bit about the UK! that'll teach me.

I was a little surprised about the option to prepay for four years of way findign sefvice for not that much of a discount. Thanks, but no thanks. Please produce the device first. I am willing to gamble with you, but only so far.
Also the order form now has a captcha at least for me, that I didn't get past this morning. If there is an accessible way I didn't find it, perhaps I needed more coffee first. I am really hoping their Glide designing is better than their IT work. Between sending out an inaccessible PDF of FAQ, and now captcha. I really want to support Glidance, but they're shaking my confidence a bit with messing up the basics.

Four years in advance is pretty ballsy! I'm just ordering the unit, it might not last the year.

Well, for better or worse, I've pre-ordered my Glide. It took less than 5 minutes. I have simply paid the $799. I didn't want to order months or years of service in advance; I'm already spending more than I'm truly comfortable with, but I'm hoping it'll be worth it if the Glide can help me feel even a bit more confident going places independently. I'm also contemplating smart glasses, but am not sure I'm ready to jump on that band wagon quite yet. Plus, until the Glide is paid off, it wouldn't be prudent for me to make any more large purchases unless my financial circumstances improve drastically.

And paid for Glide. Delivery is expected in September 2025.

Hi all, The installments are for all, in the UK at least you'd pay more, if you were not a founding glider, plus of course you'd have to factor in tax. i'd love the device but yet again, they are only offering this order stage until the end of the summer, it does sound like desperation to me. why would i pay yes, in 6 equal payments for either the unit, and or the unit plus 12 or 48 months of subscription costs, by say March 2025, only to have to wait 6-7 months for September, then who knows how long for it to be shipped to the UK? I'll just wait for others to get it, even though it will be $1499,99 and not $1049 with 30 % discount at that time, surely once reviews are in, paying for it, will be a natural step at that time.

I've now purchased mine. If you check the site they have raised over $1.5m more than they were expecting in the first round of financing. So at the moment I don't think money is an issue.

It seems to me that the language from Glide has changed over the summer.

I had it in my head that it was coming in September 2025. The latest updates keep saying delivery by the end of 2025?

They're going to be fine tuning things and all that.

This is the first device of its kind, i'd rather wait another year and get it working to the best standards possible, than have a half baked product.

I'm honestly really looking forward to this device, i hope i get to try it out iether next year or in 2026.

I'm overweight and to have a device that I can walk with that will guide me is a god send.