madewithzoe-blog

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Zoe Update 8/31/15

Hi Everyone,

We launched Zoe (Beta) in August 2014 to establish a community where friends could collaborate. Creating short highlight videos (or “Zoes”) enabled us to tell our stories, while remixing them enabled each of us to re-tell those stories from a new perspective. What a ride it’s been!

We listened closely to the community and worked quickly to incorporate your feedback into each update. The ability to download your Zoe, share to Instagram and many more features came as a result. However, the most common request was always increased reliability. Because Zoes were made by servers in the cloud, performance was largely tied to mobile network connections that weren't always reliable enough. When the network connection became intermittent, progress would be lost and people sometimes had to start over. We heard your frustration and continuously worked to overcome network instability.

Over time it’s become clear that providing the best user experience means returning to a local creation model. Zoe will now use the phone’s onboard CPU and GPU to make a video locally on the device, without needing to upload media clips to the cloud. The locally made Zoe can then be shared out to existing social networks like Facebook, Instagram and more. This means vastly increased reliability, and better integration with existing services.

Unfortunately, this also means no more remixing of shared media clips, because those clips lived in the cloud. And because Zoe needs to work with each phone’s unique CPU and GPU, we’re shelving our plans for iOS and non-HTC Android devices in order to focus our development efforts on the hardware we know best.

Since we’re moving toward local creation, Zoe’s cloud services will be discontinued starting August 31st and shut down entirely on September 30th, 2015. During this time, community members can download their existing Zoes through the app and on zoe.com. After September 30th, the only way to create and share a Zoe will be on a supported HTC device. We’re confident that the best user experience for the vast majority will be with a local creation model, and that’s only viable when you can work intimately with the phone’s CPU and GPU. Unfortunately, this means that our non-HTC community members won’t be able to keep using Zoe.

Thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to install Zoe, create and share your highlight videos, and provide us with your feedback. We have learned and grown quite a bit through this process and can’t thank you enough for giving us a shot.

- Zoe Team

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Unfocus your lens, and enjoy a new perspective above.

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Walking among the Giant Sequoia Trees of Mariposa Grove, California.

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Thousands of feet above the valley floor, enjoy a breath taking sunset from Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. 

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Seattle based photographer Rick Takagi takes us on a fantastic tour of Kenmore Air and the surrounding area. 

For more of Rick’s work check out: http://ricktakagi.zenfolio.com

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The What the Festival takes place every year in Dufur, Oregon and is a culmination of both art and music in one of the most beautiful natural settings imaginable. The installations are divided into experiences, each with it’s own unique offering to festival goers. The Illuminated Forest was one of the most captivating and visually stunning experiences at the festival. 

“We invite you to create an experience in a forest of wonder, to an endless soundscape of music and laughter,
where senses are expanded and imagination comes to life. 
Welcome to “The Illuminated Forest,” 
the portal to a world of interactive experience 
that sparkles by day and is enlightened by night.” (http://whatthefestival.com/experience-2/the-illuminated-forest/)

For more information on What The Festival check out: http://whatthefestival.com

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Rick Takagi is a brilliant Seattle based photographer with a unique gift for capturing Seattle’s iconic landmarks from his own unique perspective. He spent Father’s Day wandering the Public Fish Market capturing these vibrant images.

See more of Rick’s work here: http://ricktakagi.zenfolio.com

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The 22nd Annual Celebration of Lupines was recently held in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire. These beautiful flowers blanket the fields surrounding the quaint town of Sugar Hill with flashes of striking purple and pink hues. 

“Over the course of the last few decades though, Sugar Hill has slowly positioned itself as THE must-visit location in Northern New England during the month of June. It has done this simply by managing its most striking feature, the beautiful land and landscape, for the growth of lupines.” 

http://www.yankeemagazine.com/explore-new-england/sugar-hills-lupine-festival#_

Mark the Lupine Festival on your calendar next year and take a trip to America’s beautiful North East. 

For more information on the Lupine Festival check out: http://www.yankeemagazine.com/explore-new-england/sugar-hills-lupine-festival

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Thousands of feet above the Valley floor, the stunning high-country views from Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park have been captivating hikers, travelers, and tourists for years. From this vantage point, visitors are treated to breath taking views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite’s high country. 

Learn more about Glacier Point here: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/glacierpoint.htm

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Paso Robles was named Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine in 2013. Along with over 32,000 acres of beautiful sprawling vineyards, Paso Robles also is home to over 200 wineries. This visually enticing landscape in California offers up many stunning views and even better wine tastings.

For more information on Paso Robles check out:

http://www.pasowine.com/ http://www.winemag.com/Web-2013/2013-Wine-Region-of-the-Year-Paso-Robles/ http://www.travelpaso.com/

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Zoe community member Matt Lin showcases the beauty of ‪Sanxiantai‬, a popular attraction on the shores of Taiwan. Well-known for its sprawling rocky coastal views and a stunning footbridge connecting the coast to the larger island. ‪

You can learn more about this beautiful location and it’s history here: http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002123&id=R12

See more of Matt’s content here: http://z.zoe.com/1JFfOxt

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Zoe community member Mathieu van Sluis was lucky enough to experience firsthand the magic of the UEFA Champions League Final between FC Barcelona and Juventus in Berlin, Germany.

Filmed in part with RE Camera.

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Once the lights go out at Lightning in a Bottle, the real fun begins. Visitors are treated to an audio and visual smorgasbord from some of the best artists in the world. The warm California nights meld perfectly with the soaring sounds and dazzling lights at this one of a kind festival. LIB is truly an event that should be on your calendar next year!

To Learn More About LIB: http://lightninginabottle.org

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Yosemite National Park contains some of the most beautiful and naturally rich landscapes in the United States. Nestled in the Sierra Nevada range in California, Yosemite is a popular destination for hikers, climbers, and outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. 

For more information on Yosemite National Park click here: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/formations.htm

To Download Zoe: http://z.zoe.com/1Fn7l4b

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Lightning in a Bottle, or LIB as it is affectionately referred to as, is a visual and audio festival bridging the gap between Burning Man and more traditional music festivals. ���At Lightning in a Bottle, you have a unique opportunity to stumble upon many experiences outside of the musical stages that are full of lively, participatory fun and shenanigans. The interactive areas at LIB truly allow you to lose yourself in an entire universe of play. From fully immersive environments to roving interactive stations and pop-up art car environments, be sure to take some time to stop by and drop into an entirely different world that will make your LIB experience unforgettable and uniquely yours.” Between live performances, guests have the opportunity to view a wide range of art installations and even partake in the world’s largest ski ball set up. If LIB wasn’t on your hit list of festivals before, it should be now. 

Check Out the Video Here: http://z.zoe.com/1EQ5myB

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It’s that time of year when the sun begins to shine a little longer, the days get a little more beautiful, and our wanderlust begins to grow. Walking through the Giant Sequoia Trees of Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, California can be a transcendent experience. Get out there and explore. It’s good for the soul.

Watch it Here: http://z.zoe.com/1ECiIym

Find out more about this beautiful area here:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/mg.htm

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Zoe Community member Brandon Chau made this awesome Zoe of his time in Chicago.