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March 11 2012
Nike To Open First-Ever API To Developers At Backplane’s SXSW Music Hackathon
Screen shot 2012-03-10 at 9.08.54 PM
Last month, Jason wrote about the announcement that Backplane -- the new interactive, visual platform that's part Pinterest, part Tumblr and Ning -- will be using its star power to stage an unusual event at SXSW: A music hackathon. The startup, which is backed by Lady Gaga along with a host of Silicon Valley VCs, is hosting its so called "SXSW Managers Hack," a unique event for SXSW and music tech. The hackathon will be judged by music industry veterans, like Scooter Braun (the guy who helped bring you The Bieber), President of Jay-Z's Roc Nation Jay Brown, and Lady Gaga's manager (and Backplane Co-founder) Troy Carter, as well as reps from Spotify, Pandora, and SoundHound.
Screen shot 2012-03-10 at 9.08.54 PM
Last month, Jason wrote about the announcement that Backplane -- the new interactive, visual platform that's part Pinterest, part Tumblr and Ning -- will be using its star power to stage an unusual event at SXSW: A music hackathon. The startup, which is backed by Lady Gaga along with a host of Silicon Valley VCs, is hosting its so called "SXSW Managers Hack," a unique event for SXSW and music tech. The hackathon will be judged by music industry veterans, like Scooter Braun (the guy who helped bring you The Bieber), President of Jay-Z's Roc Nation Jay Brown, and Lady Gaga's manager (and Backplane Co-founder) Troy Carter, as well as reps from Spotify, Pandora, and SoundHound.
The Economics Of Emotion
msn
The most recent commercial for the BMW i3 and i8 concept cars is a great example of something enlightened marketers have known for years: emotion is the key driver behind purchasing decisions. Yet, today, most businesspeople still follow the old adage, “Emotions and business don’t mix,” relying on rational data to drive decisions instead. Doesn’t the advertisement make you want to buy a BMW? Don’t you want to feel cool or look more successful, technology-forward and progressive? Well, that desire is emotion at work. Steve Jobs inherently knew the emotion of his consumers was critical currency in building the Apple phenomenon, and with over 1,700 CMOs admitting that building an enduring connection with consumers is a top priority in a recent IBM survey, leveraging emotion is fast becoming a top business imperative.
msn
The most recent commercial for the BMW i3 and i8 concept cars is a great example of something enlightened marketers have known for years: emotion is the key driver behind purchasing decisions. Yet, today, most businesspeople still follow the old adage, “Emotions and business don’t mix,” relying on rational data to drive decisions instead. Doesn’t the advertisement make you want to buy a BMW? Don’t you want to feel cool or look more successful, technology-forward and progressive? Well, that desire is emotion at work. Steve Jobs inherently knew the emotion of his consumers was critical currency in building the Apple phenomenon, and with over 1,700 CMOs admitting that building an enduring connection with consumers is a top priority in a recent IBM survey, leveraging emotion is fast becoming a top business imperative.
March 10 2012
Eric Chu Steps Away From Overseeing Android’s App Store, Jamie Rosenberg Expands Role
eric-chu
There was more than meets the eye with this week's rebranding of Android Market as Google Play. Accompanying the new name and look is a shift in how the store is being managed. Eric Chu, who has worked on the Android team for four-and-a-half years, is stepping away from overseeing Android's app store and is exploring other options inside Google. Jamie Rosenberg, who has been a director of digital content for Android and was the public face for the Google Music launch, gets increased oversight for apps and games inside the store. (His title isn't changing though.)
eric-chu
There was more than meets the eye with this week's rebranding of Android Market as Google Play. Accompanying the new name and look is a shift in how the store is being managed. Eric Chu, who has worked on the Android team for four-and-a-half years, is stepping away from overseeing Android's app store and is exploring other options inside Google. Jamie Rosenberg, who has been a director of digital content for Android and was the public face for the Google Music launch, gets increased oversight for apps and games inside the store. (His title isn't changing though.)
100Proof App Shows How Getting Drunk Is Killing (Or Saving) You
100Proof
6 drinks for an 160-pound, 30-year-old male? That'll take 2 days off your lifespan. Just in time for SXSW, 100Proof is a mobile web app from healthtech startup 100Plus that calculates how your drinking shortens or even lengthens your lifespan. Cute graphics shows you how much sex or time boxing a kangaroo you'd have to spend to work off those calories. Founder Chris Hogg tells me 100Proof delivers the serious message of being mindful of your habits but with a fun tone, and that it previews some of the functionality the full 100Plus app will offer when it launches. He also shared with me some real-time data from the app like that 50-somethings are drunker than those in their 40s, and that Android users drink more than those on iPhones.
100Proof
6 drinks for an 160-pound, 30-year-old male? That'll take 2 days off your lifespan. Just in time for SXSW, 100Proof is a mobile web app from healthtech startup 100Plus that calculates how your drinking shortens or even lengthens your lifespan. Cute graphics shows you how much sex or time boxing a kangaroo you'd have to spend to work off those calories. Founder Chris Hogg tells me 100Proof delivers the serious message of being mindful of your habits but with a fun tone, and that it previews some of the functionality the full 100Plus app will offer when it launches. He also shared with me some real-time data from the app like that 50-somethings are drunker than those in their 40s, and that Android users drink more than those on iPhones.
March 09 2012
Nokia Lumia 900 Won’t Hit AT&T Shelves Until April 22
lumia-900
We'd heard a while back that the long-awaited Windows Phone-powered Lumia 900 would show up on AT&T's shelves on March 18. However, around the time that this rumored launch date leaked, the Lumia 900 had yet to go through its testing in the technical acceptance process. Turns out, that may be the reason BGR is now reporting that the Lumia 900 launch has been delayed to April 22.
lumia-900
We'd heard a while back that the long-awaited Windows Phone-powered Lumia 900 would show up on AT&T's shelves on March 18. However, around the time that this rumored launch date leaked, the Lumia 900 had yet to go through its testing in the technical acceptance process. Turns out, that may be the reason BGR is now reporting that the Lumia 900 launch has been delayed to April 22.
Marvel Touts New Deal: Buy A Comic Book, Get The Digital Version Free
mobilecomics
Pop quiz, hotshot: it’s Wednesday, and that means a new shipment of comic books is sitting pretty at your local dead tree retailer. Do you schlep down to the store to buy a physical copy, or will you reach for your smartphone/tablet and buy it from the comfort of your own home? Well, if you want the best bang for your buck, you should probably get dressed and prepare to brave the outside world. Starting in June, any Marvel comic that costs $3.99 or higher (when did comic books get so pricey?) will come with a code that lets the purchaser download a digital copy of that same comic via the Marvel Comics app for iOS or Android.
mobilecomics
Pop quiz, hotshot: it’s Wednesday, and that means a new shipment of comic books is sitting pretty at your local dead tree retailer. Do you schlep down to the store to buy a physical copy, or will you reach for your smartphone/tablet and buy it from the comfort of your own home? Well, if you want the best bang for your buck, you should probably get dressed and prepare to brave the outside world. Starting in June, any Marvel comic that costs $3.99 or higher (when did comic books get so pricey?) will come with a code that lets the purchaser download a digital copy of that same comic via the Marvel Comics app for iOS or Android.
How Green Dot Will Use Loopt To Go After Mobile Payments
3938248052_5b5823e58f_m
Imagine you're walking by your local cafe, and you get a notification on your phone that you'll get a free bagel if you buy a cup of coffee. You walk inside, and make the purchase with your credit card — no need to take out your phone again. The bagel rings up as "free," and you get a notification from your bank confirming you've received the discount. All of this payments and loyalty interchange can happen over the cloud. A lot of companies are trying to get their arms around mobile payments. Many of them, trying to make your phone itself act as the credit card. Google with Wallet, Square, PayPal, American Express, everybody who's experimenting with NFC.
3938248052_5b5823e58f_m
Imagine you're walking by your local cafe, and you get a notification on your phone that you'll get a free bagel if you buy a cup of coffee. You walk inside, and make the purchase with your credit card — no need to take out your phone again. The bagel rings up as "free," and you get a notification from your bank confirming you've received the discount. All of this payments and loyalty interchange can happen over the cloud. A lot of companies are trying to get their arms around mobile payments. Many of them, trying to make your phone itself act as the credit card. Google with Wallet, Square, PayPal, American Express, everybody who's experimenting with NFC.
February 29 2012
Forget The Holiday Rush: Mobile App Downloads Did Better In January Than December
iPhone-4s-Apps
Mobile app marketing firm Fiksu has new data today on the effect the post-holiday rush on mobile devices had on the number of apps downloaded throughout the month of January. In short, downloads skyrocketed last month, even beating December's numbers. iOS downloads reached an all-time high last month, the firm says, up 12% from its previous high in December, when the devices were originally unwrapped by their new owners. This trend seems to indicate that the fervor to load up a new phone or tablet with apps doesn't just result in a temporary spike - the increased activity is sustained over weeks (and perhaps months) into the future.
iPhone-4s-Apps
Mobile app marketing firm Fiksu has new data today on the effect the post-holiday rush on mobile devices had on the number of apps downloaded throughout the month of January. In short, downloads skyrocketed last month, even beating December's numbers. iOS downloads reached an all-time high last month, the firm says, up 12% from its previous high in December, when the devices were originally unwrapped by their new owners. This trend seems to indicate that the fervor to load up a new phone or tablet with apps doesn't just result in a temporary spike - the increased activity is sustained over weeks (and perhaps months) into the future.
The Doro PhoneEasy 740: Finally, An Android Phone For Your Grandparents
doro3
Accessibility has become quite the theme here at Mobile World Congress: Nokia and ZTE have announced new low-cost devices to bring push Windows Phone into developing markets, and Google chairman Eric Schmidt highlighted the importance of connecting all people. Sweden-based Doro is trying to help in their own way -- the company has recently pulled back the curtain on the PhoneEasy 740, an Android-powered smartphone meant to help the older folks in your life stay connected.
doro3
Accessibility has become quite the theme here at Mobile World Congress: Nokia and ZTE have announced new low-cost devices to bring push Windows Phone into developing markets, and Google chairman Eric Schmidt highlighted the importance of connecting all people. Sweden-based Doro is trying to help in their own way -- the company has recently pulled back the curtain on the PhoneEasy 740, an Android-powered smartphone meant to help the older folks in your life stay connected.
ReportGrid Launches Precog To Help You Turn Big Data Into Smarter Apps
best-smart-free-iphne-apps
Back in October, ReportGrid raised $750K from investors like Launch Capital, David Cohen, Walt Winshall, Doug Derwin, and Ed Roman -- not long after it graduated from TechStars' summer program in Boulder. The interest in ReportGrid was due to the fact that the company offers data analytics as a service (or DAaaS, if you prefer), providing companies with nifty scalable cloud database and visualization engine. In this way, it's meant to be a turnkey, hosted alternative for developers to save them from having to build their own.
best-smart-free-iphne-apps
Back in October, ReportGrid raised $750K from investors like Launch Capital, David Cohen, Walt Winshall, Doug Derwin, and Ed Roman -- not long after it graduated from TechStars' summer program in Boulder. The interest in ReportGrid was due to the fact that the company offers data analytics as a service (or DAaaS, if you prefer), providing companies with nifty scalable cloud database and visualization engine. In this way, it's meant to be a turnkey, hosted alternative for developers to save them from having to build their own.
February 28 2012
Apps Round-up From The Streets Of Barcelona
iPhone-4s-Apps
We've been trawling Barcelona for apps and startups during Mobile World Congress, so here's a little round-up of some of those that have been plying their wares - many of whom don't have the cash to exhibit at the official Congress, but who are pitching like mad in the hotel bars of Barcelona. BearCare from Tagofjoy is an Augmented Reality game with a freemium business model. In the game you have to protect your beloved helpless Teddy Bear and cuddle him to keep him happy (go with it, it gets better). The fun part is that it takes place in a real environment, which is blended with lively and playful 3D bears. The games ha two modes. One is a fast-paced action game, in which you have to protect your helpless bear from unearthly, evil toy bears. Another mode lets you take care of him and keep him happy by cuddling him, playing with him and feeding him when he gets hungry. It's a Tamagotchi basically, but re-done for a new world. PlayTales is a an interesting virtual store and publishing platform. It publishes interactive children’s ebooks in 7 languages on Android, iPad, iPhone, Windows Phone and soon a flash web site. It's basically a dream come true for parents who want to read stories to their kids on an iPad. Mafuta Go! is a one from left field for you. Coming out of Uganda, this is an app that lets users find the nearest gas station with the cheapest prices. Should you need that. It's worth also pointing out that Swiftkey, which we've covered before, won the official GMA award for most innovative app, beating Google Wallet. Here's a few others:
iPhone-4s-Apps
We've been trawling Barcelona for apps and startups during Mobile World Congress, so here's a little round-up of some of those that have been plying their wares - many of whom don't have the cash to exhibit at the official Congress, but who are pitching like mad in the hotel bars of Barcelona. BearCare from Tagofjoy is an Augmented Reality game with a freemium business model. In the game you have to protect your beloved helpless Teddy Bear and cuddle him to keep him happy (go with it, it gets better). The fun part is that it takes place in a real environment, which is blended with lively and playful 3D bears. The games ha two modes. One is a fast-paced action game, in which you have to protect your helpless bear from unearthly, evil toy bears. Another mode lets you take care of him and keep him happy by cuddling him, playing with him and feeding him when he gets hungry. It's a Tamagotchi basically, but re-done for a new world. PlayTales is a an interesting virtual store and publishing platform. It publishes interactive children’s ebooks in 7 languages on Android, iPad, iPhone, Windows Phone and soon a flash web site. It's basically a dream come true for parents who want to read stories to their kids on an iPad. Mafuta Go! is a one from left field for you. Coming out of Uganda, this is an app that lets users find the nearest gas station with the cheapest prices. Should you need that. It's worth also pointing out that Swiftkey, which we've covered before, won the official GMA award for most innovative app, beating Google Wallet. Here's a few others:
Google’s Schmidt: If Google Gets It Right, There Will Be An Android In Every Pocket
schmidt
The number of people in the world has now reached 7 billion people, but the number that have been online are only at 2 billion, Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, said today at a keynote presentation at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. "We need to be realists about technology," he said. The future, most easily, belongs to "ultra connected people" who can embrace the future of technology, but the majority of people do not fall into that category, he said as he kicked off a speech about what he sees as the role of technology in the world today, and carefully suggested what role Google could play in the game.
schmidt
The number of people in the world has now reached 7 billion people, but the number that have been online are only at 2 billion, Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, said today at a keynote presentation at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. "We need to be realists about technology," he said. The future, most easily, belongs to "ultra connected people" who can embrace the future of technology, but the majority of people do not fall into that category, he said as he kicked off a speech about what he sees as the role of technology in the world today, and carefully suggested what role Google could play in the game.
ASO (App Store Optimization) Is The New SEO, And Here’s A Tool To Do It
ipad-search-results
What's the hardest thing about building a successful mobile app? If you answered "building a mobile app," you're wrong. It's getting your app found. With over 600,000+ iOS applications, and now some 450,000 on Android, the real challenge for developers is having their app surfaced higher than hundreds of other competitors in the app store search results. Doing this correctly involves ASO, or app store optimization. It's basically SEO repurposed for mobile, and because we're still in the early days of the mobile ecosystem, it's simpler to optimize apps than webpages. But developers are often lacking knowledge, and especially tools, to help them out on this front. That's where the newly launched App Store Optimization Keyword Volume estimator (whew!) comes in.
ipad-search-results
What's the hardest thing about building a successful mobile app? If you answered "building a mobile app," you're wrong. It's getting your app found. With over 600,000+ iOS applications, and now some 450,000 on Android, the real challenge for developers is having their app surfaced higher than hundreds of other competitors in the app store search results. Doing this correctly involves ASO, or app store optimization. It's basically SEO repurposed for mobile, and because we're still in the early days of the mobile ecosystem, it's simpler to optimize apps than webpages. But developers are often lacking knowledge, and especially tools, to help them out on this front. That's where the newly launched App Store Optimization Keyword Volume estimator (whew!) comes in.
ClassPager Lets Teachers Quiz and Remind Students Via SMS
ClassPager Logo
Why ban phones from the classroom when you can harness them? Bootstrapped startup ClassPager today launches its Twilio-powered SMS system that lets teachers and professors efficiently send their students quizzes and reminders, and receive answers and feedback. ClassPager can re-engage bored or shy students, and show teachers who's falling behind. The 30-second set up provides a classroom code students can text to participate, so teachers and students don't actually have each other's phone numbers. That means better grades with no prank calls and no inappropriate advances.
ClassPager Logo
Why ban phones from the classroom when you can harness them? Bootstrapped startup ClassPager today launches its Twilio-powered SMS system that lets teachers and professors efficiently send their students quizzes and reminders, and receive answers and feedback. ClassPager can re-engage bored or shy students, and show teachers who's falling behind. The 30-second set up provides a classroom code students can text to participate, so teachers and students don't actually have each other's phone numbers. That means better grades with no prank calls and no inappropriate advances.
iZettle Launches In The Nordics, UK Launch On The Cards
5749761765_b7e08cb344_b
iZettle, the Swedish mobile payments startup that basically competes with Square, has gone live on the App store in the Nordic markets today (Denmark, Norway and Finland). It's making 5,000 card reader devices available in each country. They've also appointed a UK managing director, Stewart Roberts. Stewart was former Director of Global Innovation at Barclaycard. A launch in the UK is therefore all but confirmed. Unlike square, iZettle's card reader is a chip and pin, which makes it more secure than Square. However it doesn't have quite the same advantages, as its reader uses Apple's proprietary connector so it has to pay Apple for the license on that.
5749761765_b7e08cb344_b
iZettle, the Swedish mobile payments startup that basically competes with Square, has gone live on the App store in the Nordic markets today (Denmark, Norway and Finland). It's making 5,000 card reader devices available in each country. They've also appointed a UK managing director, Stewart Roberts. Stewart was former Director of Global Innovation at Barclaycard. A launch in the UK is therefore all but confirmed. Unlike square, iZettle's card reader is a chip and pin, which makes it more secure than Square. However it doesn't have quite the same advantages, as its reader uses Apple's proprietary connector so it has to pay Apple for the license on that.
It’s Official: Apple Sends Out Invites For March 7th iPad 3 Event… In San Francisco
apple invite
Looks like CNBC was wrong. Apple just sent out invites for a March 7th event where they promise to have something we really want to see and touch. The event will be held next Wednesday at 10AM PST at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco where they will no doubt unveil the next iPad.
apple invite
Looks like CNBC was wrong. Apple just sent out invites for a March 7th event where they promise to have something we really want to see and touch. The event will be held next Wednesday at 10AM PST at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco where they will no doubt unveil the next iPad.
February 13 2012
Google TV Gets A New YouTube App
unnamed
Last month, Google began showing the new versions of Google TV at CES, giving the press a taste of what was in store. One particular panel discussing Google TV's new capabilities led Rupert Murdoch to take to Twitter, bemoaning the pirating ways of the search behemoth. Forbes has the backstory here. Google TV posted on its Facebook page yesterday, saying that it has some big announcements in store for Monday. Today, it announced that it is upgrading the YouTube experience on Google TV with a new, revamped app.
unnamed
Last month, Google began showing the new versions of Google TV at CES, giving the press a taste of what was in store. One particular panel discussing Google TV's new capabilities led Rupert Murdoch to take to Twitter, bemoaning the pirating ways of the search behemoth. Forbes has the backstory here. Google TV posted on its Facebook page yesterday, saying that it has some big announcements in store for Monday. Today, it announced that it is upgrading the YouTube experience on Google TV with a new, revamped app.
Uber Testing Begins In LA & Toronto; Edward Norton Gets Beaten Out For LA’s “Rider 0″ Title
Screen shot 2012-02-12 at 6.07.40 PM
Uber, the fast-growing on-demand car service that lets you request a ride at any time using SMS or the company's iPhone and Android apps, has seen its fair share of struggles in providing a disruptive alternative to cab services. Uber has continued rolling on in spite of it, raising $32 million in December from Menlo Ventures, Jeff Bezos, and Goldman Sachs -- among others. The startup has also continued pushing forward with its national (and international) service, recently launching or soft-launching in Chicago, Washington D.C., and Paris. Now, it seems that Uber is ready to begin adding more cities to its existing services in Boston, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Seattle, soft-launching (or entering its super secret "testing phase) in the City of Angels just in time for the Grammys. Yes, according to Uber's blog, the time has come to begin testing its car service in Los Angeles waters. Oh, and just in case you missed it, Uber just this week also began its testing/research phase in its first Canadian city, Toronto.
Screen shot 2012-02-12 at 6.07.40 PM
Uber, the fast-growing on-demand car service that lets you request a ride at any time using SMS or the company's iPhone and Android apps, has seen its fair share of struggles in providing a disruptive alternative to cab services. Uber has continued rolling on in spite of it, raising $32 million in December from Menlo Ventures, Jeff Bezos, and Goldman Sachs -- among others. The startup has also continued pushing forward with its national (and international) service, recently launching or soft-launching in Chicago, Washington D.C., and Paris. Now, it seems that Uber is ready to begin adding more cities to its existing services in Boston, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Seattle, soft-launching (or entering its super secret "testing phase) in the City of Angels just in time for the Grammys. Yes, according to Uber's blog, the time has come to begin testing its car service in Los Angeles waters. Oh, and just in case you missed it, Uber just this week also began its testing/research phase in its first Canadian city, Toronto.
February 12 2012
Five Ways That Mobile Apps Can Save Your Valentine’s Day
iPhone-Icon-Heart-f
It’s that time of the year again and if you haven’t started thinking about what to get that special someone in your life, better start thinking fast, or Cupid’s arrow might just speed right past you. Luckily, we live in a world where our smartphones have become pragmatic problem solvers. Need the perfect gift? There’s an app for that. Can’t get a restaurant reservation? There’s an app for that. Girlfriend being a royal V-Day diva and it’s only 9 a.m.? There’s an app for that. (Well, not really, but it’s only a matter of time). Here are five unique ways that mobile apps will not only ensure you get through "le jour d’amour" with flying colors, but will provide you with time and cash-saving tricks that you can use any day of the year.
iPhone-Icon-Heart-f
It’s that time of the year again and if you haven’t started thinking about what to get that special someone in your life, better start thinking fast, or Cupid’s arrow might just speed right past you. Luckily, we live in a world where our smartphones have become pragmatic problem solvers. Need the perfect gift? There’s an app for that. Can’t get a restaurant reservation? There’s an app for that. Girlfriend being a royal V-Day diva and it’s only 9 a.m.? There’s an app for that. (Well, not really, but it’s only a matter of time). Here are five unique ways that mobile apps will not only ensure you get through "le jour d’amour" with flying colors, but will provide you with time and cash-saving tricks that you can use any day of the year.
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