From Australia, QR code app helps event attendees to skip the queues
Queuing is more often than not an annoyance for consumers and can also be bad for business. Estonian startup Qminder has already offered one option to help customers avoid queues, with its number allocation app that alerts them when it’s their turn to be seen. Our latest spotting is Australia-based ExpressQ, which enables event attendees to pre-order and pre-pay for food, drinks or merchandise for easy collection on the day. READ MORE…
Airline commissions books that can be completed in flight time
In today’s world of non-stop information and endless social network notifications, it’s hard to find the time to concentrate on just one story, never mind finishing a full-length novel. The Netherlands’ VertragingsApp has already encouraged train passengers to discover short story authors based on their delay time, and now a new project has created a range of fiction titles for customers of Australia’s Qantas airline, selected to correspond with flight times. READ MORE…
Online concert venue grants access to sold out shows
Music lovers are now well versed in buying albums and singles off the web, whether through downloading or online stores. But what about live events? In the past startups such as eMusic Live have enabled fans to buy video of the show they just saw at on-site kiosks, but EVNTLIVE is an online concert venue that lets users watch a customizable live feed of shows with friends. READ MORE…
Scannable pyjamas contain bedtime stories
Most parents will know just how difficult it is to get their kids to bed at the right time, especially if work life means they don’t have much time to relax at home. While Japan has offered the Hug and Dream Minnie Mouse – a toy with a lulling mechanism that mimics slow breathing – our latest spotting is Smart PJ’s, pyjamas that make bedtime more engaging by enabling kids to scan the garment’s patterns to unlock new stories. READ MORE…
Board game uses melting ice to highlight effects of global warming on animals
Educational children’s games have delved into territories such as environmental responsibility before – regular readers may remember our coverage of Play Rethink, for example. Treading the line between entertainment and education can be a tough act to pull off, however. MELTDOWN – a new board game from Germany – innovatively incorporates real ice to demonstrate the plight of polar bears whose habitat is being affected by global warming. READ MORE…
Picnic blanket features integrated speaker system
Travelers heading outdoors usually have to decide which home comforts they’ll have to leave behind. However, we have seen a few innovations that conveniently combine products, such as the Springtime picnic basket that can transform into a set of tables and chairs. Our latest spotting is the Speaker Blanket, a mat that keeps picnickers off the mud while providing music to complement their outing. READ MORE…
In Japan, headphones detect user’s mood and play music accordingly
Regular readers of Springwise may remember Digipill, the audio ‘drug’ that uses psychoacoustic therapy to alter the mood of users. Turning that concept on its head, Mico headphones monitor user’s brain waves and select songs that match their mood. READ MORE…
Movie provides extra narrative content to cinemagoers via app
Some people may get annoyed when audiences start getting their phones out during a performance, but we’ve come across a few projects that encourage those with an urge to check their devices – such as the Providence Performing Arts Center’s Tweet Seat scheme. Now, a new movie from the Netherlands called App has placed viewers’ second screens at the heart of its narrative, providing extra content to those who keep their smartphones at hand for the duration of the film. READ MORE…
Movie rental app offers credit for watching commercials
For home movie renters, one thing that can irritate viewers is adverts interrupting their show. Hoping to turn commercials into a positive thing for customers, HitBliss offers free credit for movie rentals when they choose to watch adverts. READ MORE…
Through AR and digital watermarking, TV viewers see synchronized companion content
It’s one thing for augmented reality (AR) to display content superimposed on still objects or images, but Japanese NTT is working on technology that enables similar capabilities for video watched on TV. Specifically, using digital watermarking, Visual SyncAR lets TV viewers see companion content through a mobile device that’s synchronized precisely with the video being viewed. READ MORE…
