Slowly (stylized as SLOWLY) is a geosocial networking application that allows users to exchange delayed messages or "letters". The time taken by a message to be delivered depends on the distance between the sender and the recipient.[2][6]
 | |
| Original author(s) | Kevin Wong Ho-yin,[1] JoJo Chan Sau-wun[2] |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Slowly Communications Ltd. |
| Initial release | 14 February 2017 (iOS only)[2][3] |
| Stable release | |
| Operating system | iOS, Android, web app |
| Size | 21.7 MB (iOS)[4] 38 MB (Android)[5] |
| Available in | 26 languages |
List of languages Arabic, Catalan/Valencian, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Serbian (Latin), Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese | |
| Website | slowly |
History
edit
Slowly was released on iOS in 2017 and on Android a year later.[2] It was featured as App Store's "App of the Day" in over 30 regions worldwide.[1][7] It was also awarded 2019's "Best Breakthrough App" by Google Play.[8] By January 2019, it had reached 1 million users.[9]
The Slowly web application was launched in version 5.0, in mid-September 2019. In 2020, features such as Dark Mode, the ability to exchange audio notes and to pass a letter without it affecting the user's sent/received ratio were introduced in version 6.0 of the app. A paid membership feature called SLOWLY PLUS was also launched that allows members to double their quotas for the number of friends, excluded topics and regions, and photo sharing.[10]
In September 2023, Slowly launched an Open Letters.[11] This feature enables users to share their open letters or to read others open letters in order to connect and boost their potential match.
Operation
editUsers are required to create a nickname and an avatar for themselves to get started. They can either manually browse user profiles or be "auto-matched" using an algorithm. It lets users search for people using various filters such as common interests or people from particular countries. The app establishes several "House Rules" that must be agreed to before a user can use the app. The "letters" take anything from 30 minutes to 60 hours to "slowly" reach their destination, depending on how far apart the sender and the recipient live.[2] Virtual stamps are collected and attached to the "letters" before mailing them.[12]
A large variety of virtual stamps can also be obtained for free on special days (Holidays, International Days, etc.) or bought in the app's "Stamp Store", and paid by "SLOWLY Coins". These coins can be purchased with local currencies, or obtained as free rewards by watching short in-app video ads. Messages may also include photos and audio notes with the recipient's consent.[13]
Slowly users can also use a "Web Version", which runs on a web browser in their PC or laptop. First-time Web users can login by using a QR code, generated through the web app and scanned/verified by their mobile device's Slowly app. The Web Client offers easier and faster writing and is generally preferred by users composing longer "letters".[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Write To A New Friend : App Store Story". App Store. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ a b c d e James, Lauren (10 June 2019). "The Hongkongers trying to make messaging more meaningful". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ "We're bringing the traditional pen friend experience to your smartphone". SLOWLY. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ a b "SLOWLY - Make Global Friends". App Store. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ a b "SLOWLY - Make Global Friends - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ Bhagat, Hitesh Raj. "Slowly review: The app lets you revive the pen-friend experience". The Economic Times. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Team, Slowly (20 December 2018). "What's new on Slowly?". Medium. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ "From puzzles to poster-making: 2019's Google Play Award winners". Google. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ SLOWLY (11 January 2019). "Slowly just reached 1 million users! 😎". Facebook. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "Release Notes". SLOWLY – Write a letter to the world!. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- ^ "Slowly - Make Global Friends". App Store. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ "'Kind Words' is the rare social network where everyone is nice". Engadget. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Rizvi, Faiza (2 October 2019). "Slowly: Writing Letters To People In An Age Of Instant Messaging". StreetBuzz. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ Afar, Friends Near and (24 May 2020). "A Laptop is the Best & Easy way to use Slowly". Friends Near and Afar. Retrieved 20 September 2022.