Consumer Electronics Daily News

Twilio Launches Picture Messaging, Drops Prices on Text Messaging

Twilio, the communications API platform, today announced Twilio Picture Messaging, which allows customers to send images over MMS. Twilio customers can now send picture messages via short codes in the U.S., and phone numbers in Canada. In addition, Twilio is adding feature enhancements and continuing its tradition of passing savings onto customers by announcing a 25 percent price cut to its text messaging product for US phone numbers. More details on Twilio's offering can be found at http://www.twilio.com/sms.

"Text messaging is a great way to communicate, but often words are not enough," said Jeff Lawson, CEO and co-founder of Twilio. "Why describe a house for sale in words when you can send a picture? Why describe the damage to your car when you can show it? Seeing is believing -- pictures can build trust and drive decisions. Picture messaging opens the door to a whole range of new communications opportunities. We can't wait to see what our community builds next."

Developers and businesses can now send and receive picture messages to and from Canadian phone numbers and U.S. short codes with just a few lines of code. Twilio Picture Messaging supports a wide variety of image types including JPEG, GIF and PNG. Pricing will be only $0.02 outbound, $0.01 inbound, with a one-time activation fee of $500 for U.S. short codes only.

"Incorporating pictures into messaging takes the customer experience to another level," said Patrick Malatack, director of product management at Twilio. "Whether you are influencing customer behavior, maintaining consistent branding in your communications, or building better processes for your business; we think that a lot of people, in a wide range of industries will be able to create incredible experiences as part of their products and workflows."

As Twilio has done historically, it continues to drive down the cost of operations and pass the savings on to its customers. Twilio Text Messaging, which debuted for US phone numbers in 2010 at $0.03 per message, will now be a fraction of a cent -- only $0.0075 per message, inbound and outbound. International messaging and short code messaging rates remain unchanged.

"Twilio continues to work to reduce costs and make the delivery of voice and messaging more accessible," said Lawson. "As we do that, Twilio passes those savings onto our customers. Making it as easy and affordable as possible to use Twilio is our ultimate goal -- a scenario where everyone wins."

In addition to picture messaging and the new pricing cut on text messaging, Twilio is also adding support for sending messages up to 1600 characters, an increase from the industry standard 160.

To learn more about Twilio's new messaging offerings, please visit http://www.twilio.com/sms

PRNewswire

FreeCast's Rabbit TV Takes Web TV to the Next Level

FreeCast Inc. announced today substantial updates coming to its Internet TV guide Rabbit TV, including a redesigned user-interface, new interactive features, and multi-device compatibility. This announcement comes shortly after the subscription-based Rabbit TV service reached a landmark one million paid subscribers less than 18 weeks after its launch.

FreeCast has become the universal aggregator for web-based entertainment content through the use of their proprietary eMedia guide technology, which crawls and organizes over 2 million digital media/video links daily, including popular shows, movies, sports events, and more. Rabbit TV delivers this content in an easily searchable, user-friendly interface for consumers to access all their entertainment from one location.

According to FreeCast, the forthcoming updates to Rabbit TV are designed to create what the company calls a 'complete entertainment ecosystem.' One of the primary updates is the integration of web-based subscription services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, among others. This added functionality allows users to easily browse freely available content on the web (already available in the current guide) plus a variety of paid and subscription libraries from one central location, eliminating the need to log in to multiple accounts to explore content options.

The new updates will also include multi-device compatibility, allowing subscribers to access Rabbit TV from not only their computers, but also their smartphones, tablets, and HDTVs (smart TV or not). FreeCast CEO Bill Mobley anticipates that this will provide a decisive advantage over device-specific services such as Roku, Boxee, and Apple TV.

"It's clear that content is all going to be served through the web — now we have to focus on developing services that unify all of the consumers' devices, giving them the ability to access their entertainment no matter where they are," says Mobley. "Many of today's devices are certainly capable, and now we're already seeing bandwidth providers like Time Warner Cable beginning to loosen up and allow third-party units on board."

Mobley is referring to the recent announcement by Time Warner that they will allow their cable service to be delivered directly through third-party set-top boxes, without the need to rent the standard cable box.

Additional features coming with the update will include personalized content options, custom watch lists and recommendations, enhanced social integration, and tools to build your own a la carte programming package.

FreeCast plans to roll out these new features in time for the holiday season. The company has also leaked word of a 'super set-top box,' which they plan to unveil in January 2014 at CES.

For more information, visit http://www.rabbittv.com.

Girl Scouts of the USA and Dell Release Be the Video Game Developer, Available to All Girls

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has received a two-year, $600,000 grant for its Journey and Connect Through Technology program from the Dell Powering the Possible Youth Learning Initiative and is now releasing Be the Video Game Developer, an interactive experience that puts girls in the driver's seat of video game development.

Through Be the Video Game Developer, girls consider what they would like to see in video games and make selections accordingly—choosing avatars, storylines, and other video game features. They learn ideation, critical thinking, and teamwork skills to help them feel like creators in the game design process. Girl Scouts and Dell believe that Be the Video Game Developer will encourage girls to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and math by exposing them to the exciting world of video game development. The program builds on Dell's commitment to personalized learning for all students to help them to realize their academic goals.

Trisa Thompson, VP of Corporate Responsibility, said, "Our partnership with Girl Scouts highlights our commitment to truly 'powering the possible' so that girls can succeed in school, work, and life. We believe that Be the Video Game Developer will empower and provide unique opportunities for girls to acquire knowledge and skills to utilize in future STEM careers."

"We are thrilled to partner with Dell to bring girls a unique and exciting opportunity to design and create their own video game experience," said Anna Maria Chávez, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of the USA. "Today's girls are digital natives, as comfortable in front of computer screens and smartphones as adults. Be the Video Game Developer lets girls delve deeper into the world of technology, learning vital new skills and discovering their own creativity in a manner both engaging and interactive. As we face a future of ever-expanding opportunity in science and technology, Girl Scouts and Dell are partnering to create a girl-led learning experience that will drive more girls into these groundbreaking new fields."

On September 18, 2013, GSUSA and Dell will convene a think tank on innovation in today's gaming industry as it pertains to girls, and the key skills girls need exposure to in order to succeed. At Game On: Girls and Technology, a live audience will be treated to an exciting think-tank session of industry insiders and girls discussing the past, present, and future of video games and girls.

There will also be a live, interactive demonstration of Be the Video Game Developer, during which girls and audience members will contemplate what they would like to see in video games and make selections accordingly—choosing avatars, storylines, and other video game features.

Be the Video Game Developer is part of GSUSA's Journey and Connect Through Technology program, and plays an essential role in introducing girls to ICT concepts and helping them gain skills that promote critical thinking.

Dell has been involved with Girl Scouts for more than 10 years and has worked extensively with the five Girl Scout councils that will receive the game upon launch. Dell team members have provided valuable mentorship, volunteering their time and expertise to these councils, which include Girl Scouts of Central Texas, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital, Girl Scouts of Northern California, and Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma.

GSUSA is the only organization, out of 50 charities managing 34 programs, to receive a two-year commitment from the Dell Powering the Possible Youth Learning Initiative. The initiative provides $2.4 million to charities nationwide.

Apple's iPhone 5S, 5C Announcement Satisfies and Excites

Today at 10:00 Cupertino Time, Apple held an intimate meeting in their 200-seat theatre at 4 Infinite Loop to introduce the new iPhone 5c, 5s, and iOS 7.

Some highlights from the announcement:

iOS 7

• Siri has “higher quality male and female voices” and a more seamless integration with twitter, Safari, and other apps.
• Safari now has a 3D tabbing interface-- similar to what iTunes did with "Album View"
• The iOS 7 Camera has built-in instagram-y filters.
• Airdrop, the P2P sharing found on iMacs, is now part of iOS 7.
• iOS 7 will be a free upgrade for existing iPhone users (4 or later), iPad (2 or later), iPad Mini, and iPod Touch (5 or later) on September 18.
• iWork comes free with iOS 7-- they are immediately downloaded with the update.

iPhone 5C

• "The entire back and sides are made from a single part, its front one glass, multi-touch surface. As close as you look, you wont see joints or seams"
  
• Each device comes with a color-matched wallpaper
• 4-inch Retina Display
• Higher-capacity battery than other iPhones and an A6 chip
• 8MP iSight Camera
• 16gb model will be $99 and 32GB for $199 on a 2-year contract
• On Sale September 20.

iPhone 5S

• Features the A7 performance chip-- the biggest and first smartphone CPU of its kind.
• Graphics are two times faster and the computing power is two times as fast with its 64-bit re-engineering. "It’s got a new 64-bit kernel, libraries, and drivers. All built-in apps have been reengineered. It’s a seamless dev transition, with full backwards compatibility."
• The M7 Motion Coprocessor continuously measures motion data, accelerometer, and gestural data. It can determinine whether you’re walking or driving.
• The battery life is even better than the iPhone 5-- it has an estimated 250 hours of standby time.
• iSight camera now has an f/2.2 aperture and a 15 percent larger active sensor area (1.5 micron pixel sensor)
• There are two flashes in the 5S-- one white LED, one amber, and the camera has auto-image stabilization.
• Videos can now record in Slo-Mo.
• TOUCH ID: The fingerprint sensor "is capacitive, 170 microns thin, has a 500 ppi resolution, scans sub-epidermal skin layers, and has 360 degree readability"
• With the Touch ID, you only need to touch the home screen and iTunes purchases can be made with the tap of a finger
• $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB on a 2 year contract
• On sale September 20.

For a complete blow-by-blow, check out Techcrunch's live update stream.

Facebook Announces Public Feed API and Keyword Insights API

Facebook has announced another way that it will be taking your words and applying them to media marketing. According to Jason Osofsky, VP Media Partnerships and Online Operations, "Over the past few months, we have rolled out a series of products aimed at surfacing the public conversations happening on Facebook including hashtags, embedded posts, and trending topics. We are committed to building features that improve the experience of discovering and participating in conversations about things happening in the world right now, including entertainment, sports, politics and news." Basically, a user's conversations and posts will be meshed with trending topics (not only hashtags) to create a comprehensive and enhanced ad stream alongside the facebook feed, profiles, and pages.

This will be carried out with the Public Feed API and Keyword Insights API, and they will only be available to certain news organizations, including Buzzfeed, CNN, NBC's Today Show, BSkyB, Slate, and Mass Relevance. With these tools, the news organizations can "begin to integrate Facebook conversations into their broadcasts or coverage by displaying public posts of real-time activity about any given topic. For example, CNN’s New Day can now easily incorporate what people on Facebook have to say about the latest, breaking news event during their show."

The function of these two APIs are summed up by Osofsky:

Public Feed API
The Public Feed API displays a real-time feed of public posts for a specific word. Only public posts (from Pages and Profiles of those with ‘Follow’ turned on) are available with this API.

Keyword Insights API
The Keyword Insights API aggregates the total number of posts that mention a specific term in a given time frame. It can also display anonymous, aggregated results based on gender, age and location.

It will be interesting to see how news outlets integrate these tools into their media. Will this become as obnoxious and prevalent as forced facebook logins, or will it be relatively unobtrusive like the facebook web tracker API?

OnAir Play Wants to Revolutionize In-Flight Connectivity

OnAir Play is set to revolutionize the way airline passengers spend their time onboard by combining inflight connectivity with films, TV, live news, music, games, magazines and newspapers. Passengers will now have access to a full range of content including live news and sport, updated throughout the flight and can buy destination-based goods and services to ease their arrival.

Passengers simply need to connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot to enjoy a wide range of entertainment features. The passenger interface, which is fully customizable, is highly intuitive and is compatible with all device types, regardless of brand, screen size and operating system. OnAir's onboard GSM and Wi-Fi networks mean passengers can tweet, email, send text messages, browse the Internet and make calls.  

OnAir Play gives airlines the freedom to provide extensive inflight entertainment (IFE) content directly to passengers' own personal electronic devices through the onboard wireless network. Importantly, IFE is now a viable option for short-haul and regional operators, with a passenger service differentiation and revenue generating opportunities, such as the sale of content and advertising opportunities. Airlines opting to offer OnAir Play have the option to continue working with existing content providers, or work with OnAir to create content integrated packages.

The solution was developed in conjunction with inflight entertainment expert Advanced Inflight Alliance AG (AIA) and its software group DTI, through its Wireless Inflight Services and Entertainment. It provides full video-on demand capability with secured wireless Digital Rights Management (DRM) streaming approved by major studios through renowned AIA content specialist IFP.

PRNewswire

AT&T; Begins Pre-orders For Samsung Galaxy Note 3; Samsung Galaxy Gear Coming Soon

Beginning Sept. 6, AT&T* will offer pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy^® Note 3.  The Galaxy Note 3 will be available for $35 per month with AT&T Next or $299.99 with a two-year agreement.  For more information or to pre-order, visit www.att.com/galaxynote.  Orders will begin shipping around Oct. 1.

The Galaxy Note 3 features a 5.7-inch full HD Super AMOLED display and builds on Samsung's successful Note series with a better way to control, write and get more done, such as:

• My Magazine allows you to curate content tailored to the things you love including sports updates, celebrity news, your social media feeds, even nearby restaurant suggestions. 
• Scrapbook provides an easy and functional way to use the S Pen to grab and store videos, photos and clips from Web pages that are linkable back to the original online source.
• Wake-up Command allows you to send messages, make calls and more without touching your phone, just by saying "Hi, Galaxy."
• S Finder makes locating emails, text messages, contacts or web history on your smartphone easy.  You can even search for handwriting or symbols, or browse by date.
• Advanced Multi Window functionality lets you keep two windows of the same app open so you can browse your social media feed while posting vacation photos^***. You can also drag and drop an address from an email into a map search without cutting and pasting.
• Samsung Smart Switch™ transfers contacts, calendar events, messages, photos and more. It can also automatically find your favorite apps on Google Play™ and recommend similar ones if there isn't a direct match^****.
• Action Memo makes your handwritten notes actionable.  You can dial a number, import information directly into contacts, go directly to a web address and find an address on a map.

The Note 3 also includes innovative camera features as well as additional features introduced on the Galaxy S^® 4:

• Eraser Shot removes unwanted background distractions in your photos and videos with just one touch.
• Drama Shot captures a time-lapse event all in one frame.
• S Beam™ quickly and easily share files simply by tapping two S Beam enabled smartphones together. 
• WatchON™ simplifies searching and recommends TV, movies and sports according to personal tastes. With WatchON and the built-in IR blaster, the Galaxy Note 3 functions as a remote control for home theater equipment.
• Easy Mode settings give new smartphone users or simplicity seekers the option to start out with a basic version of your home screen that keeps your favorite apps and features within reach. 
• Air View™ lets you hover your finger over photos, files, links and text for an instant preview.

Galaxy Gear™, Samsung's first wearable that extends the smartphone experience to your wrist, will be available in the coming weeks. The Galaxy Gear paired with the Galaxy Note 3 broadens the smartphone experience by intelligently connecting and sharing information. With Galaxy Gear, AT&T and Samsung are expanding how people live their lives with technology.

PRNewswire

Half of American Parents Say Kids Have Damaged a Mobile Phone, Laptop or Tablet

SquareTrade^® today revealed new research about kids and electronic devices. The study found that more than 50 percent of American parents say their kids have damaged a mobile phone, laptop, tablet or other portable device, costing parents more than $2.8B  in repairs and replacements.¹

"Just like their parents, kids use devices for an increasing number of things – from games and videos to research and homework. Our research shows that this increased usage also means that devices are more at risk than ever before, and we expect this trend to continue," said Ty Shay, CMO of SquareTrade. "We believe it's important to educate parents about these accidents because 60 percent are not covered by a protection plan, making repairs and replacements expensive and time consuming."

More than 85 percent of American kids now have their own mobile device and they use it more than ever: parents say their kids use mobile devices for an average of 3.2 hours a day.

• Kids 2 and under use for 1.5 hours per day
• Kids 3-6 use for 1.8 hours per day
• Kids 7-12 use for 3 hours per day
• Kids 13-17 use for 4.9 hours per day

The research also revealed the unexpected consequences of kids using mobile devices including unauthorized purchases, accidental calls, texts and photographs, and a surprising number of food and drink related accidents:

• Accidental calls & texts: 31 percent of parents say that their kids have called, texted, or messaged someone by accident on their parent's devices
• Unapproved purchases: 28 percent of parents say that their kids have purchased something on the parent's mobile device without permission
• Unintended photos: 9 percent of parents say that their kids have taken inappropriate photos with the parent's devices.
• Conflict: 36 percent of parents have bought an additional device in order to reduce conflict in their home
• Food & Drink: 33 percent of kid-caused accidents involved food or drink:
  • 50 percent involved milk
  • 19 percent involved chocolate
  • 17 percent involved candy
  • 16 percent involved yogurt
• Boy trouble: Boys were 35 percent more likely than girls to have caused the accident

SquareTrade suggests these 5 tips for protecting kids' devices and parents' wallets from unexpected device accidents:

1. Always keep devices in protective cases or covers
2. Never take your devices to the bathroom
3. Remind your kids not to eat and drink while using devices 
4. If your kids bring devices to school, make sure they don't over-pack their backpack and crush their tablet
5. Buy a protection plan so you're covered no matter what accident happens

PRNewswire

TicketLeap Launches New Mobile Box Office for iOS

TicketLeap, powering a do-it-yourself ticketing platform, announced its new app for event creators, available now in the App Store. With a complete redesign and key added features, the app makes it easy to check-in ticket holders and sell tickets onsite with a quick swipe of a credit card.

"Until now, to sell tickets at the door, an event creator's best choice was to fit a square peg in a round hole," said TicketLeap President Tim Raybould. "This app is designed specifically for ticket sales and registration and for those who love throwing events."

In advance of this release, TicketLeap announced new pricing that eliminates per ticket fees for onsite sales while reducing the credit card processing charge to a flat 3 percent. Along with its visual and pricing makeover, TicketLeap for iOS boasts super quick ticket scanning, real-time attendee lists, credit card processing, and printer and cash drawer compatibility.

TicketLeap gives both first-time event creators and established organizations the tools to create a shared, memorable experience for others, regardless of the type or size of the event.

TicketLeap for iOS is available for free download in the App Store today. To learn more, please visit www.ticketleap.com/ios, or follow TicketLeap on Twitter for news, updates, and the occasional GIF.

PRNewswire

Yahoo! Rolls Out Site Redesign

Mike Kerns, SVP of Yahoo!'s  Homepage & Vertical Products, yesterday posted on the company's blog. He said, "today we’re one step closer to creating a consistent experience across our sites with the newly redesigned Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Movies, Yahoo! Music,Yahoo! TV, Yahoo! omg!, Yahoo! Games and Yahoo! Weather. We’ve made it easier and faster to get your daily fix from Yahoo!, whether you’re on your phone, tablet, or in front of your computer."

Some of the highlights:

• Yahoo! weather takes a cue from the popular iOs and Android apps, featuring full-bleed photos from flickr against 
• Yahoo! games streamlines the homepage experience, letting users more easily play their last-played games and view the most popular games up front.
• On Yahoo! omg, Yahoo! Movies, Yahoo! Music, and Yahoo! TV, the experience is more engaging: it's easier to customize your favorite content, and videos and pictures are now larger than ever on your screen.
• Yahoo! Sports offers a customized experience similar to the other sites, putting an emphasis on the user's favorite content-- your fantasy football scores (with a seamless Yahoo! Fantasy Football integration) alongside NBA, NFL, MLB, NASCAR scores and more.

The sleek new redesign marks a new era of Yahoo!, ushered in by Marissa Mayer, CEO. With these aesthetic changes, coupled with the recent re-release of unused (but claimed) Yahoo! user names/e-mail addresses, things are looking up for the future success of Yahoo!.

Read more on Yahoo!'s tumblr here.