Consumer Electronics Daily News

IBM Challenges Mobile Developers to Create Apps Powered by Watson

IBM today launched the IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge (www.ibmwatson.com), a first of its kind, global competition to encourage developers to create mobile consumer and business apps powered by Watson. IBM announced the challenge at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where the company is demonstrating its mobile and Watson capabilities.

The program, being driven by the newly formed IBM Watson Group, aims to encourage developers to spread cognitive computing apps into the marketplace. The IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge will encourage developers around the world to build sophisticated cognitive apps that can change the way consumers and businesses interact with data on their mobile devices. Through this initiative, mobile developers can take advantage of Watson's ability to understand the complexities of human language, "read" millions of pages of data in seconds and improve its own performance by learning.

Over the next three months, the global challenge invites mobile developers and entrepreneurs to share their best ideas to build and develop mobile apps into prototypes. Three winners will join the Watson Ecosystem Program. The winners will work with IBM's recently launched global consulting practice, IBM Interactive Experience to receive design consulting and support from IBM experts to develop a viable commercial app.

The IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge is part of the IBM MobileFirst strategy to help businesses of all sizes adopt mobile technology to better engage with customers and extend their businesses to new markets. The news also represents the latest milestone in the newly formed IBM Watson Group to fuel an ecosystem of developers, start-ups, tech companies and venture capitalists building Watson powered apps as part of the Watson Developers Cloud. 

Using natural language processing and analytics, Watson processes information akin to how people think, representing a major shift in an organization's ability to quickly analyze, understand and respond to Big Data. Watson's ability to answer complex questions with speed, accuracy and confidence is transforming decision making across a variety of industries, including health care, financial services and retail.

IBM has advanced Watson from a game playing innovation into a commercial technology. Delivered from the cloud and able to power new consumer and enterprise apps, Watson is 24 times faster; smarter, with a 2,400 percent improvement in performance; and 90 percent smaller than the original system.

Named after IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, Watson was developed in IBM's Research labs and is now being accelerated into market by the new IBM Watson Group. As part of the group, IBM is investing $1 billion to introduce a new class of cognitive computing services, software and apps, and investing $100 million to spur innovation for software application providers to develop a new generation of Watson powered solutions.  

For more information or to apply to participate in the Challenge, click here.

Bubl Launches New Mobile App for Kids: Bubl Draw, Best New App in Kid's Category on the App Store

Russian developer Bubl launched today their new brand of unique educational apps for children. Their innovative debut app Bubl Draw is a tool that uses music to draw, designed to help develop the artistic perception of shape, color and sound.  Bubl is featured on the US App Store as Kids Category in Best New Apps, as well as Best New Apps inCanada and the United Kingdom.

"We make use of both digital art methods and gaming mechanics to develop children's perception of links between color, sound and shape," says Bubl creator and CEO Oleg Stavitsky. "We've channeled inspiration from our favorite creators into something children can easily understand and, more importantly, learn from."

About Bubl Draw: Bubl Draw composes music out of drawings, where every color has a corresponding musical instrument that changes key as the drawing changes shape. Complete lines and shapes turn into unique musical phrases that comprise a complete composition. Buble Draw thereby becomes an endless music box - an abstract visual and musical tool that creates connections between color, sound and form.

Bubl apps are inspired by the visual art of Wassily Kandinsky; the ambient and generative music of Brian Eno; the minimalist compositions of Philip Glass and Steve Reich; and the contemporary creative collaborations of Sesame Street.

"The modern world is full of digital distraction," says Stavitsky. "We choose not to fight the future, but rather to create products that help kids develop fundamental skills to use in their modern environment."

Wonder is the First App that Lets You Give Gift Cards Your Friends Really Want Without the Awkward Redemption Experience

Starting today, the new Wonder app is available for consumers to give the e-gift cards their friends and family really want instantly from the convenience of their smartphone. With Wonder, finally the digital gift card experience is personal for both the gift giver and those they want to treat for big holidays or small moments.

"We are excited to introduce Wonder as the most innovative gift card marketplace out there," said Gerry Goldstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Wonder Technologies, Inc.. "Wonder connects gift card buyers and recipients in a more thoughtful and meaningful way and offers the best redemption experience by simply swiping your credit card. Only with Wonder can consumers conveniently give e-gift cards from any merchant in the U.S., whether it's a favorite local boutique or a national brand."

Wonder gives consumers the best choice, convenience and personalization available in the gift card marketplace today. Wonder's patent-pending technology allows users to effortlessly and discreetly redeem e-gift cards at any merchant by paying as usual with their credit card while never losing or forgetting a gift card again.

Give the Gift of Wonder Throughout the Year

Whether you're traveling on your loved one's Birthday, a parent miles away from your college-age child, or you miss your "Bestie" in another city, e-gift cards on occasions throughout the year are perfect for people separated by distance to express their affection and make their thought count. In fact, 60% of consumers said they preferred gift cards to physical gifts for the holidays (National Retail Federation, 2013). 

The free Wonder app, available today in the iTunes App store, is easy to use and delivers e-gifts to anyone with an email address or mobile phone number. Pick a restaurant for date night, a massage at a local spa, or a shopping spree at a favorite boutique. Then select the amount you want to give, add a personal note, and send.  

With Wonder, you can be confident you are giving a great experience. The recipient receives the Wonder e-gift card instantly, and can accept the gift and send a thank you note immediately from their smartphone or computer. The Wonder e-gift card never expires. Once accepted, the recipient can redeem the gift when they want. Even if your e-gift card is sent last minute, your thoughtfulness and generosity will be appreciated long afterwards. 

Wonder App Features


Wonder gift cards are "green" so you can ditch the plastic of traditional gift cards. They get used because they can't be lost or forgotten. The Wonder e-gift card is simply linked to any credit card via the Wonder app or website so they are always present. Balances are visible on the app, and GPS reminders tell you when you're nearby the merchant for easy redemption. Browse friend's favorites, select from curated picks, or choose a local hip hangout and give gifts you know they will love. Make the gift extra special by inviting others to contribute and use Wonder's group gifting feature to easily coordinate a friend's, a teacher's or a coach's group gift.

Wonder e-gift cards are stored securely in the Cloud and linked to any credit card via the Wonder app or website.

Merchants Benefit 


For U.S. merchants, Wonder offers a closed loop, e-gifting solution for the 21st century. Wonder provides merchants with greater consumer reach, delivers an attractive consumer demographic to the store, and requires no staff training, changes to Point of Sale (POS) software, or hardware upgrades for e-gift redemption. With its patent-pending technology, Wonder can redeem e-gifts using existing payment systems, enabling merchants of all sizes to participate and have access to advanced market data. Wonder targets brick-and-mortar businesses in the Restaurant, Health & Beauty, Activity & Events, Shopping, and Hospitality categories.

The $140 billion gift card industry isn't slowing down. E-gifting, through digital and mobile channels, has taken hold and will deliver $4 billion in spending in the U.S., a 8-fold increase over 2012 (CEB Tower Group, 2013).

Vivitar's New Camelio TV Turns Any HDTV into an Android Tablet

Vivitar today unveiled its new Camelio TV, the world's first customizable TV companion device that turns any HDTV into a "big screen" family-friendly Android tablet that's customizable with a range of themes and characters via Camelio Personality Packs.

The company offered a sneak peek of the new plug-and-play device at the 111^th Annual Toy Industry Association's International Toy Fair® 2014 in New York and expects the product to hit store shelves in late summer 2014. Camelio TV strives to be the most affordable PC/Tablet-TV device on the market.

"Camelio TV is the first product of its kind that turns any ordinary HDTV into a personalized, full-featured Android tablet with interchangeable themes the whole family can enjoy," said Liza Abrams, VP of Licensing with Vivitar. "With Camelio TV, you can browse and view exclusive channels, plus stream all of your own photos, videos and music stored on any device straight to your TV, all wrapped in your favorite character-themed environment."

The new set-top-box brings all the functionality of a Camelio theme-changing tablet to any HDTV in full 1080p resolution. Built-in 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and HDMI port makes it easy to set up Camelio TV in seconds. In addition to offering the first-ever "skinnable" tablet-TV user interface, the device itself is even customizable with snap-on covers that Vivitar will offer in a wide range of characters and styles through its licenses with Mattel, Hello Kitty, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros. and Hasbro brands.

Instead of requiring yet another remote control, Camelio TV users navigate with the companion Camelio app for iOS or Android, offering a matching Camelio theme that coordinates with the on-screen environment. Users can access exclusive channel apps through the Camelio TV Network, plus any of the most popular channel apps available in the Google Play Store. Full parental controls in the app allow parents to determine which Camelio TV apps children can access, and limit "screen time" by setting the maximum time per day and week children may use the app or watch programming.

Camelio TV users can also wirelessly access all of their photos, videos and music files stored on Camelio or Camelio+ tablets, networked computers or any smartphone or tablet device, and even on social networks and cloud storage like DropBox, Google Drive or Skydrive. The Camelio TV Personal Media Player displays photo slideshows and video in full screen mode, and it includes the same on-board photo editor found on the Camelio and Camelio+ tablets.

Featuring 4GB built-in Flash memory, the Camelio TV is fully expandable with two USB and one Micro SB memory slots. The device ships with support for English, Spanish and French language options.

For a preview of the new Camelio TV by Vivitar, visit Booth #1659 at the New York Toy Fair 2014 going on now through February 19 at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center or go to their website here.

YottaMark Awarded Patent for Personalization of Food Scoring

YottaMark Inc. today announced it has been granted a patent on methods for personalizing food nutrition scores.  The Company's ShopWell app, downloaded more than a million times in 2013, helps shoppers make healthy choices about the food they buy simply by scanning a UPC barcode from a product label.  Unlike shelf-label nutrition scoring systems, which can only provide an average rating, the ShopWell solution calculates scores based on the user's individual dietary goals, such as heart health, as well as dietary preferences, such as an allergy or gluten avoidance.

"There has been a shift in understanding about diet in the last 30 years. People want to be more proactive about their health but nutrition panels can be complicated and are created for the statistically average person" said Charlie Piper, CEO of YottaMark. "One option is to seek nutrition advice from a registered dietician. Our goal is to make it easy for shoppers to access personalized nutrition scoring and healthier product suggestions at the grocery store or in the kitchen using their smartphone."

The latest patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,647,121, covers a method for calculating a score using multiple food nutritional values and user's preferences.  Additional awarded claims incorporate the inclusion of health coefficients to improve score fidelity, and the scanning of a product's UPC barcode. ShopWell's algorithm was developed by registered dieticians and nutritional researchers to tailor food scores to individual health issues. The invention covered by this patent is incorporated in the ShopWell app and website, and has already been used by shoppers to score products over 4 million times.

"This important patent recognizes the fundamental innovation in the ShopWell app.  The app interprets the ingredients and nutrients of hundreds of thousands of products and matches them against multiple personal dietary goals and preferences to come up with a simple, science-based score … all in a couple of seconds", said Elliott Grant, YottaMark's Founder & CTO.

With the '121 patent, YottaMark continues to demonstrate its commitment to innovation in the food industry, with 22 U.S. patents now granted for methods and systems improve data acquisition and analytics for improving the food system.

Luna Moth, LLC Introduces "Doodlelove," a Free Electronic Greeting Card App for Sending Personalized, Dog-Themed Well Wishes to Loved Ones on Valentine's Day and Other Special Occasions

Luna Moth, LLC, today announced Doodlelove, a free, digital greeting card app for iPhone and Android that features Dudley, the lovable labradoodle dog and main character from the popular interactive storybook app Baby Comes Home: Dudley Doodle. With its clean, contemporary designs and hassle-free user interface, Doodlelove makes it easy to send hand-crafted and dog-themed good wishes to your friends and family. Doodlelove requires no logins and collects no personal information.

Doodlelove arrives on the paws of interactive storybook app Baby Comes Home: Dudley Doodle introducing the real Dudley Doodle to the world.Initially, the app offers ten free ecards and two video cards that you can email or save to your device's built-in photo library. You can also include a personalized message. "We hope that Doodlelove will continue the message of love, friendship, and understanding conveyed to children in the Baby Comes Home storybook through adorable ecards and videos sent to loved ones," said Alena Amundson, co-founder of Luna Moth LLC and designer of Baby Comes Home and Doodlelove.

Luna Moth LLC plans to expand the Doodlelove catalogue with more card designs and videos for every type of occasion. "Ultimately, we would like to incorporate other themes and designs beyond our featured labradoodle by building on our clean, contemporary interface," said Amundson. "After all, we don't want Dudley to get overconfident from too much fame."

Distinguishing Doodlelove from similar apps, Amundson noted, "While there are many greeting card apps available, we believe that people will gravitate to superior design, unique messages, and an elegant interface built upon the values expressed in Baby Comes Home. Doodlelove captures these important qualities and makes communicating to loved ones and friends effortless and meaningful."

Houlihan's Promises Free Appetizers For All Americans In Exchange For The Return Of The Flappy Bird App

Houlihan's, a modern Americanrestaurant and bar with 82 locations nationwide, announced today they will give away a free Jumbo Stuffed 'Shroom appetizer to all Americans on March 24 if game developer Dong Nguyen returns the Flappy Bird app to the iOS and Android app stores by March 10.

On Monday, Nguyen stated in an exclusive interview with Forbes that he chose to take down the Flappy Bird app because "…it happened to become an addictive product."  Upon hearing this statement, the Houlihan's brand both sympathized with the plight of the game developer and understood they had an important role to play in helping bring the game back to its rightful place on app stores.   

"We understand the responsibility that comes with offering addictive apps, at Houlihan's we offer lots of them," said  Jen Gulvik, senior VP marketing and creative director, Houlihan's Restaurants, Inc.  "We want Mr. Nguyen to know he's not alone.  The folks at Houlihan's are behind you all the way and ready to celebrate your brave decision to bring back Flappy Bird by offering free Houlihan's apps at our restaurants. With your game and our delicious food, together we can make America a happier place."

Fans of world's once most popular free app can plead for the return of Flappy Bird by signing a petition available at houlihans.com/WeHaveAddictiveApps.

Alicia Keys To Introduce New Interactive Storytelling App "Mookey" At The 111th American International Toy Fair

Grammy Award-winning artist Alicia Keys will attend the 111th American International Toy Fair on Sunday, February 16th, 2014 to cut the ceremonial ribbon and take part in a press conference following the opening ceremony.  The press conference will include a question and answer session and introduce the new interactive storytelling app "Mookey," the latest extension of her magical children's property The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee.

Singer/songwriter/producer, entrepreneur, humanitarian and app co-creator Alicia Keys, along with Jessica Walton, have teamed up with Bento Box Interactive to develop a series of storytelling app experiences for tablet and mobile devices under the The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee franchise. The apps engage children 4+ on an interactive journey through stories, journaling, games and beautiful, original music scored by Keys instilling important values for the target audience.

Mama Mae, voiced by Della Reese, is a grandmother who guides her granddaughter LeeLee through each vibrantly illustrated story.  Through the strength of her personality, Mama Mae and her stories inspire and enlighten children of all ages.  The important and special bond between grandparents and their little loved ones is emphasized in this family oriented app.

"Mookey" is the newest installment in the Mama Mae series, and this particular story touches on self-acceptance and bullying in a meaningful way.  In the story, children will be introduced to Bali, an imaginative boy, his not-so-imaginary-friend, Mookey and his pushy cousin, Ankita. As they follow along, children will learn about courage, acceptance, and forgiveness in the face of bullying.  The app has the ability to facilitate conversation on the issue among families, children, as well as teachers. Thought-provoking and empowering, the Mookey" app is a tool that uses creative play to help youth positively express themselves through a range of interactive activities. 

Set in the jungles of India, "Mookey" features an alluring soundscape, magical sets, and a story that appeals to both girls and boys. The "Mookey" digital app will excite, entertain and educate youth of all ages! "Mookey" also features a new song written especially for the story by Keys and performed by Arealyah Paul, titled "I Wanna Dream."

"Alicia Keys: Mookey" is available on the Apple App Store as a free to play download for iOS devices.

Hit Bubble Popper, Bubble Blaze, Optimized for Intel® Architecture

Outplay Entertainment, a leading social and mobile game developer and publisher, announced today that its highly-addictive bubble-popping game Bubble Blaze is now optimized for Android devices based on Intel® Architecture.

A high-energy and fast-paced action adventure, Bubble Blaze is available on Google Play, Amazon Appstore and the Apple App Store. Players tackle over 160 exciting bubble popping puzzles as they tap and tilt their way through vibrant environments and conquer tricky obstacles. Its features include:

Addictive Puzzles - Crack open Mystery Bubbles, burst Beach Bubbles and pop past Cursed Bubbles. Tackle cunning foes and race against the clock.

Exhilarating Gameplay - Create Jewel showers, make bubble busting combos, and master huge score boosts by tilting your device and nudging falling treasure into Bonus Pots.

Bubble-Tastic Boosts - Unlock powerful boosts including explosive Fireballs, vibrant Rainbow Bubbles and bouncing Dragon Pups.

Leaderboards - See how your bubble blasting skills stack up against your friends and race them across the Bubble Blaze map.

Stunning Graphics - Journey across a world of frozen caves, exotic beaches and spectacular mountain peaks realised in stunning high definition graphics optimized for smartphones and tablets.

"With millions of downloads, Bubble Blaze has been Outplay Entertainment's biggest success. We're delighted to be showcasing Bubble Blaze on the next generation of Android devices based on Intel's latest platform. This is an excellent opportunity for us to make Bubble Blaze available to an even wider audience of Android gamers!" Senior Producer, Tone Brennan states.

Self-Taught Developer David Richard Harnesses the Power of Geofencing to Create a New Type of Local Network with His New Mobile App JaVu

Mobile app developer David Richard has recently launched the private beta for his upcoming application JaVu. Built around the concept of geofencing, this top-notch app is capable of functioning as a location aware social network. JaVu users can create a geofence around them, and their followers receive image or text notifications when they enter the geofence. JaVu is capable of finding out connections with a high degree of accuracy while still being battery-safe by using a combination of Wi-Fi positioning, cell tower triangulation, and GPS.

Though these are early days to make any prediction, JaVu does look like a unique application with endless possibilities for the future. This may include finding restaurant reviews, promotion of entertainment events, product listing for a business, and much more. David's plan for the future of JaVu includes augmented reality, location based games, event implementation, deep real estate implementation, and an incredible feature for restaurants.

David is a 22-year-old entrepreneur and application developer who began tinkering with the idea of JaVu and other programming projects approximately 18 months ago. "I have been building the idea in my head for two years, even before I started programming. When Apple released their Reminders app, I wondered how they accomplished reminding people based on their location. That's when I discovered geofencing. I thought it would be incredible for your phone to automatically alert you of location-based social media," David says.

The young developer has moved from fixing iPhones in a flea market to learning the Gamesland Engine, Lua language and the Unity Game Engine. He is currently learning and writing JaVu in the iOS native Objective C language. All of this has occurred over the past year and a half.  He has released several applications on the Apple App store, but JaVu is his biggest project to date.

Currently, JaVu is in private beta, and the creator is looking for more testers. David is pushing for a mid-March launch.