In January of last year, Gil Ben-Artzy and Shuly Galili launched a startup accelerator with the intent to expose Silicon Valley to the next generation of hot Israeli tech companies — and vice versa. While Israel has long been a hotbed for innovation and is home to the R&D labs of many of the world’s biggest tech companies, the founders saw an opportunity to create a more fluid connection between Israeli startups and the Valley. Through its three month program, UpWest Labs selects five to seven promising Israeli startup and brings them to Palo Alto to live together in one house — an experience fit for reality TV. Unlike other American accelerators, UpWest typically likes to keep its batches small, focusing on companies that have already built some traction in Israel but are looking for exposure to American investors and customers. UpWest’s job, Galili says, is to help facilitate that connection. Read more »
Smartphone Breathalizer Tells You When Not to Drive Home
To help prevent drinking and driving, a new keychain-sized breathalizer that snaps into your smartphone will tell you when it's safe to head home. Called the Breathometer , the $20 device plugs into your iPhone's headphone jack. It's currently campaigning for funding on Indiegogo.com and has raised more than $17,000 in one day. It launched on Wednesday morning and is just shy of its $25,000 goal Here's how it works: After downloading the accompanying app and securing the device, you blow into the Breathometer to register your blood-alcohol concentration. If you're over the legal limit, the app pulls up alternative transportation nearby. Read more »
Hinge Helps You Find Dates Based On Your Mutual Friends
Anyone who has tried online dating knows that it can be a challenge at times Hinge , one of the 2013 SXSW Accelerator finalists is one of several companies at SXSW this year trying to make that process easier. In the case of Hinge , the app helps you meet people to date through mutual Facebook friends. “We’re like the best host at the biggest cocktail party you’ve ever been invited to ... every day,” Hinge CEO Justin McLeod told Mashable . Each day at noon the app gives you a new group of friends of friends to check out on the service and rate. Read more »
Couples Apps, Please Stop Mating And Start Consolidating
Someone please make them stop. I know it’s nearly Valentine’s Day, but, couples apps: Enough already. You’re making me want a divorce, and I’m not even married. There aren’t enough lovelorn long-distance teenagers in existence to sustain the rampant reproduction of these private sharing apps that encourage partners to whisper sweet pseudo-SMSes into each others’ phones. And fire forth ”heartwarming” real-time digital notifications. And make beautiful lists together. Private sharing? Really? I guess kids today haven’t heard of email… If there isn’t an app for it, it doesn’t exist right Read more »
Hands-On With The Week’s Top Apps
This week brought with it some fantastic apps. Both GetGlue and Stitcher Radio released significant updates this week, and EA brought The Simpsons to Android in the form of a SimCity -style game. MoviePass, the app that lets you see a movie at the theater everyday for a single monthly price, finally launched for Android. And the BBC made it easier to keep up with all your favorite sports with a new app for iOS. Curious what these new apps really look like? Check out the video above for a visual run-through of some of our favorite apps of the week. Have you given any of this week's top apps a try? Tell us in the comments about your favorites Read more »
Can a Smartphone App Really Detect Skin Cancer?
Your smartphone may be great for getting the latest movie listings and even providing directions to get you to the theater, but how well can it help you detect skin cancer? Not so well, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh. Their study, published in JAMA Dermatology , found that "the performance of smartphone applications in assessing melanoma risk is highly variable, and three of four smartphone applications incorrectly classified 30% or more of melanomas as unconcerning." The researchers say relying on the app instead of having a medical consultation often delays the diagnosis and can potentially harm users. They looked at four smartphone apps that evaluate melano… Continue reading... More About: apps , cancer , medical technology , study Read more »
This App Turns Your Phone Into a Virtual Urgent Care Center
It's flu season and chances are you know someone who's coughing and sneezing their way through it right now. For many people, especially those who are away from their regular doctor for whatever reason, diagnosing symptoms can become a scary thing. We know many people self diagnose using the Internet. A recent Pew research report found eight in 10 online health inquiries start at a search engine. But what if you need more info or want to have a medical consult? Read more »
Withings Smart Activity Tracker Is First to Record Heart Rate
Smart fitness technology company Withing announced a new product at International CES 2013 -- the Smart Activity Tracker. The little device can fit into your pocket or attach to the included belt clip or arm band. Using Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart technology, the tracker communicates with the Withings Health Mate app. The front of the tracker has a touch surface on which you can navigate from various screens. Simply press your finger to the back of the device to record your heart rate. This is the first time we've seen a pulse measurement on a tracking device. So in addition to monitoring your steps, distance, calories, strides and quality of sleep, you'll be able to read your heart… Continue reading... More About: apps , CES 2013 , fitness , fitness tracker , health and fitness , Withings Read more »
7 Apps for Creepers
1. Sneakypix Ever been waiting on the train platform, minding your business, only to glance to your left and find yourself face-to-face with a grown-up nose picker? In this day and age, our first inclination is to snap a discreet photo. Sneakypix makes it appear as if you're on a phone call, but instead, aim your camera lens at the nasal aficionado and the app will fire off a series of stealth photos or video. Price : $0.99 Click here to view this gallery. Do you have a smartphone? Then chances are you've been a creeper Read more »
TigerLogic Acquires Storycode For Up To $7.25M To Bolster How Brands Reach Mobile Users
TigerLogic , a company with a market cap of about $56 million that provides data management and app development solutions for enterprises, said it agreed to acquire Portland mobile developer Storycode for up to $7.25 million in cash and stock today. The Irvine-based company says it will integrate Storycode’s technology into its social visualization platform called Postano . Yes, “social visualization” platform is a little vague, but basically Postano lets brands embed widgets with content from social networks on their sites. They also offer an internal dashboard that lets clients monitor what people are saying about them on Twitter or Facebook, and they can also help with creating custom Facebook tabs and apps. Storycode has a mobile app publishing platform that media companies like Thomson Reuters, USA Today, NBC and CBS use to create iPhone and iPad apps. The mobile publishing platform will plug right into TigerLogic’s Postano product. Read more »