Tag: technology news

NEW YORK, NY, JANUARY 23, 2014 – For the first time ever, fans will have the power to unlock exclusive content and rewards from authors by using image recognition technology to turn regular book covers into interactive media experiences. Author and TED speaker Sunni Brown has partnered with mobile tech company, BestBuzz, to leverage their proprietary technology and mobile app for her latest book release, The Doodle Revolution: Unlock the Power to Think Differently , published January 9 by Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Brown is ranked one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business and one of the 10 Most Creative People on Twitter by Fast Company, and her TED Talk on doodling has drawn more than a million views. Her book was recently named an Amazon Best Business Book of the Month and CBS Sunday Morning aired her story.

“This is an exciting and connective breakthrough for readers and authors. It gives me the ability to have direct touchpoints with my revolutionary doodlers. The BestBuzz platform is innovative, and provides exciting, visually rich tools to deliver relevant and valuable content to my readers, like infodoodles, webinars, exclusive sneak-peek chapters, how-to videos, special offers, and rewards you can’t get anywhere else,” says Sunni Brown, author of The Doodle Revolution. “It’s empowering.”

To trigger the image recognition experience, smartphone users can download the free BestBuzz mobile app or text the word DOODLE to the number 63566. Upon opening the BestBuzz app, users align the target shown on their screen with the book cover of The Doodle Revolution, which will buzz when the experience is triggered. Doodle fans will unlock exclusive content and advocates are prompted to support the author by sharing with friends on social media to help spark the Doodle Revolution movement.

Image Recognition technology has received steady buzz from top media outlets and tech blogs and is one of the hottest trends for 2014. Founder and CEO of BestBuzz, Carrie Layne, says, “Image Recognition technology is the latest addition to the BestBuzz platform, which gives our partners the ability to select the mobile activation triggers that best align with their marketing strategies and overall campaign goals. Another function of the platform is that our partners can connect real-time marketing content to social media rewards, making it simple for them to deliver an exciting and valuable experience to customers through print media, in-store displays and even product packaging.”

Sunni Brown says, “My team and I are leading a global campaign for visual literacy, what we refer to as a Doodle Revolution, and BestBuzz has built a revolutionary tool that helps me communicate and amplify my movement to reach new audiences and engage more deeply with established audiences. I love watching the buzz spread around the world from my dashboard in real-time, and it’s been an extraordinary experience discovering the BestBuzz team’s impressive capabilities.”

About The Doodle Revolution: Unlock the Power to Think Differently (published by Portfolio/Penguin Books January 9, 2014)

What did Einstein, JFK, Edison, Marie Curie, and Henry Ford have in common? They were all inveterate doodlers. These powerhouse minds knew instinctively that doodling is deep thinking in disguise–a simple, accessible, and dynamite tool for innovating and solving even the stickiest problems. Sunni Brown’s mission is to bring the power of the Doodle to the rest of us. She leads the Revolution defying all those parents, teachers, and bosses who say “Stop doodling! Get serious! Grow up! “She overturns misinformation about doodling, demystifies visual thinking, and shows us the power of applying our innate visual literacy. The Doodle Revolution was named an Amazon Best Business Book for January, 2014, and was recently featured in a CBS Sunday Morning story on Sunday, January 19.

About BestBuzz

Ranked as one of the Top 10 Hottest Startup companies by Startup America and Tech Cocktail, BestBuzz is a social amplification platform that helps businesses create, manage and deliver real-time content to fans that scans mobile activation codes from product packaging, in-store displays and print media. Users can download the free BestBuzz mobile app to discover and unlock rewards from their favorite local businesses, brands, media publications, and consumer products. Start scanning QR codes, UPC barcodes, images and logos marked with the BestBuzz icon to instantly earn points and unlock exclusive offers from partners.

To learn more visit: http://sunnibrown.com/ and http://bestbuzz.bz/or follow @sunnibrown and @best_buzz.

Developers show faith in wearable technology

Mobile games developers are beginning to show a great deal of interest in wearable technology. Google Glass and Samsung Galaxy Gear have yet to attract the enthusiasm of consumers, but game developers are keen to make new products for these platforms. Glass, in particular, has managed to establish a following among consumers despite the fact that it is not yet available. Game developers have been rushing to make applications for the platform in order to take advantage of what could be the next big thing to come to the consumer electronics realm.

Wearable technology could change the mobile space

Glu Mobile, a prominent developer of mobile games, compares the potential of wearable technology to that of the iPhone when it was first launched. The iPhone received a great deal of hype before its official launch and went on to revolutionize the mobile space, especially where applications are concerned. Wearable technology may have a similar impact on the mobile space, but it is impossible to tell for certain whether or not this will be the case.

Mobile games on Glass being released in January

Mobile games for Google Glass are already scheduled for launch later this month, but Glass itself has not yet been officially released. Currently, only a few thousand developers have access to the platform. Developer units were issued in order to get developers more comfortable with the platform and understand its capabilities and limitations. Game developers have praised Glass’ use of augmented reality as well as its other features.

Some challenges may lie ahead for mobile games on wearable platforms

Mobile games and wearable technology may go hand-in-hand. These games are well liked because they can be played anywhere and at any time. Technology like Glass compliments this feature, allowing users to play mobile games whenever they like. The problem, however, resides in how a Glass user will actually control their mobile games. If voice control is the only option, mobile games may soon become more of an annoyance, especially for commuters, than a source of entertainment.