Pittsburgh, U.S.A. — The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is developing a free mobile application to be used in Pittsburgh’s parks. Funding is being provided by UPMC Health Plan and the app will be designed by the Pittsburgh-based firm Deeplocal. The app will provide information to help users navigate and enjoy Pittsburgh’s five largest city parks: Schenley, Frick, Highland, Riverview and Emerald View. The app will be in the testing phase this fall and winter, and is expected to launch in spring of 2013.

The app will make Pittsburgh’s parks more accessible and user-friendly, especially to those who are not experienced park users. “The main goal behind this exciting new app is to engage more people in our large parks,” said Meg Cheever, Parks Conservancy President and CEO. “Trails and heavily wooded areas offer some of the best park experiences and opportunities for exercise and enjoyment, but these areas can also be the most daunting for someone not familiar with our large urban parks. We see this mobile app as a real game changer in that regard.”

The app is being funded by UPMC Health Plan as an extension of the Parks are Free advertising campaign, an initiative launched by the Health Plan, Parks Conservancy and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl in 2009 to promote healthy lifestyles through park use. The marketing effort is based on the common belief that active park use leads to a healthier lifestyle and healthier communities.

The partnership between UPMC Health Plan and the Parks Conservancy promotes the City’s parks as a resource for improving the health of the Pittsburgh community. Through this mobile app, the intention is to have a positive impact on increased physical activity and appreciation for Pittsburgh urban green spaces.

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy surveyed its members while creating the concept; information collected drove early functionality of the app. When asked how respondents would use an app in the park, more than 90% of the respondents indicated park trail information and navigation were priorities, making it the app’s main feature. Other desired features include finding restrooms, learning about events in the parks, and reporting park problems.

Teams of Parks Conservancy volunteers are going beyond directional navigation and distance by offering first-person trail descriptions, such as unique views and features, and whether trails are appropriate for bikes or strollers.

City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl stated, “Our parks are one of the main reasons we have been named a most-livable city, and I am excited about this effort to engage more residents in the health benefits our parks offer. Additionally, the free park app is another example of a strong local partnership doing great things for Pittsburgh. The partnership between the City, the Parks Conservancy and UPMC Health Plan benefits residents as well as visitors to Pittsburgh.”

Deeplocal, a Pittsburgh-based innovation studio that has received international recognition for its work, is designing the mobile app. Deeplocal is internationally known for such unique projects as the Nike Chalkbot, and locally known for projects such as the ParkPGH app, which helps drivers find open parking spaces Downtown.

The Parks Conservancy is offering the public a chance to choose the name of the application by voting for their favorite app name or making a suggestion. The contest is being hosted on UPMC Health Plan’s Facebook page and voting is open until November 15. Participants will be entered to win an iPad with the winner selected by random drawing. To vote, go to UPMCHealthPlan’s Facebook Page.

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New York, U.S.A. — Deloitte has been named to CIO magazine’s 2012 CIO 100 list for its innovative mobile app suite, EDGEfolio. Designed for its highly mobile workforce, the app empowers Deloitte’s client service practitioners to be better informed and more connected in the marketplace.

“EDGEfolio is an enterprise mobile platform that drives real-time workflow through a high fidelity, consumer-grade user experience,” said Keith Strier, managing director, office of technology innovation, Deloitte LLP.

The EDGEfolio platform supports various dimensions of mobile workflow, including a corporate travel app that visualizes a user’s trip itinerary combined with their Outlook meeting schedule. It also has a social intelligence app that lines up executive bios and identifies common themes of people users are meeting. Uniquely, EDGEfolio is highly integrated with Microsoft Outlook using a proprietary plug-in that personalizes the experience around a user’s schedule. The results for Deloitte practitioners are increased collaboration and productivity, and strategic competitive advantage.

Larry Quinlan, chief information officer, Deloitte LLP, said, “Since our client service practitioners are highly mobile, we are constantly looking for ways to increase their productivity and add time to their day. EDGEFolio is an excellent example of this, and being recognized as part of the CIO 100 for all of our hard work on this app is extremely rewarding.”

“For 25 years now, the CIO 100 awards have honored the innovative use of technology to deliver genuine business value,” said Maryfran Johnson, editor-in-chief of CIO magazine & events. “Our 2012 winners are an outstanding example of the transformative power of IT to drive everything from revenue growth to competitive advantage.”

Read more about the 2012 CIO 100 awards at www.cio.com

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Orlando, U.S.A. – AAA‘s newest app, AAA Mobile, bundles services for motorists, such as mapping and gas price comparison, as well as member-exclusive benefits including roadside assistance and discounts.

The new app available for iPhone and Android-compatible devices combines the AAA Discounts, TripTik Mobile and Roadside apps into one app creating the perfect companion for any motorist. AAA Mobile delivers a complete mobile experience for members; centering around help at the roadside, travel plans and getting the latest discount at your favorite store with AAA’s Show Your Card and Save program.

“AAA is dedicated to evolving with our members by providing them with the latest ways to stay informed and access all their AAA membership provides,” says Marshall L. Doney, AAA National Vice President, Automotive, Financial Services and e-Business. “We are very pleased to be able to provide this new app to our members and future members. The new AAA Mobile app will provide a convenient solution to those members looking to maximize their membership benefits on the go.”

Available now for free in iTunes and Google Play app stores, the AAA Mobile app features include:

• Road Service Request (app identifies location)
• AAA member discounts
• AAA Approved Auto Repair locator
• Gas station locations and updated gas price information
• Diamond Ratings for AAA Approved hotels and restaurants
• Hotel booking capability powered by Travelocity
• Listings for AAA Approved attractions and campgrounds
• AAA branch office locations
• TripTik® travel planning with interactive maps and directions
• Instant battery replacement quotes
• Electric vehicle charging station locations
• Join AAA

AAA Mobile is available to all mobile users; however some services and benefits are only available to AAA members such as roadside assistance and discounts. The app was launched as an update to the current AAA Discounts app in the iTunes and Google Play (formerly Android Market) app stores.  Any user who has the AAA Discounts app downloaded on their phone should have been notified that an update was available.

When updated, the AAA Mobile app will replace AAA Discounts on their phone.  The current AAA Roadside and AAA TripTik Mobile apps will soon be updated to display a message that these apps have been replaced with AAA Mobile, download the new app, and delete AAA Roadside and AAA TripTik Mobile apps.

Smartphones with mobile applications are valuable tools before a vehicle is in motion; however, they greatly increase motorist distractions when used while driving.  Distracted driving can have deadly consequences.  AAA urges motorists to minimize distractions behind the wheel by not using wireless devices, such as cell phones with mobile applications, while driving.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Members and non-members can visit AAA on the Internet at AAA.com.

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Ann Arbor, U.S.A. – A new free app developed at the University of Michigan Health System allows users to create a photographic baseline of their skin and photograph suspicious moles or other skin lesions, walking users step-by-step through a skin self-exam. The app, UMSkinCheck, sends automatic reminders so users can monitor changes to a skin lesion over time, and provides pictures of various types of skin cancers for comparisons. The app is designed for iPhone and iPad and is available to download on iTunes.

“Whole body photography is a well-established resource for following patients at risk for melanoma. However, it requires a professional photographer, is not always covered by insurance, and can be an inconvenience. Now that many people have digital cameras on their phones, it’s more feasible to do this at home,” says Michael Sabel, M.D., associate professor of surgery at the U-M Medical School, who was the lead physician involved in developing the app.

More than 2 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, and some 50,000 will be diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious kind. Regular skin checks can help people discover melanoma in its earliest stages.

The app, a collaboration of the University of Michigan’s technology and clinical expertise, guides users through a series of 23 photos, covering the body from head to toe. Photos are stored within the app and serve as a baseline for future comparisons. The app will create a reminder to repeat a skin self-exam on a regular basis.

If a mole appears to be changing or growing, the photos can then be shared with a dermatologist to help determine whether a biopsy is necessary.

“We recommend skin self-exams for everyone in order to detect skin cancer at the earliest stages, when treatment is less invasive and more successful. If you have fair skin or burn easily, have had sunburns in the past or used tanning beds, or have a family history of melanoma, you are considered high-risk, and so it’s even more important,” Sabel says.

Not sure if you’re at high risk of skin cancer? The app includes a risk calculator that allows you to input your personal data to calculate your individual risk.

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Fiksu (www.fiksu.com), the industry’s first mobile app user acquisition platform spanning the entire mobile ecosystem, reported that the swell of new iPhone 4S users, combined with iOS 5 app updates, generated escalated app discovery activity and peak download volumes for the top 200 apps.

The Fiksu App Store Competitive Index (which measures the average aggregate daily download volume of the top 200 free U.S. iPhone apps) continued its upward trajectory initiated during October when the iPhone 4S launched. The Index peaked at 5.65 million downloads per day in November; a 15 percent increase over October’s previous record high of 4.91 million daily downloads.

By comparison, app download volumes in November 2010 were 83 percent lower, illustrating the enormous demand for and growth of mobile apps in just twelve months. The Fiksu Cost per Loyal User Index remained steady in November, down just four cents to $1.43 from October’s $1.47.

“Unlike October‘s intermittent spikes in downloads and costs, November saw a steady increase in demand for app downloads without any notable fluctuations in mobile app marketing costs – even overThanksgiving weekend,” said Micah Adler, Fiksu’s CEO. “Signs indicate that app marketers have become savvier about planning and executing their ad spends during seasonal periods to avoid paying premium prices for acquiring users.

In fact, November presented them with a somewhat unique opportunity to add more users at costs that were actually below October’s.” The Fiksu Indexes measure monthly fluctuations in competition for rank in the app stores, and the cost to acquire loyal users(1), helping mobile app marketers benchmark their performance against industry averages.

For Fiksu’s full analysis, visit http://www.fiksu.com/resources/fiksu-indexes#analysis.

Data for the Fiksu Indexes was sourced from more than 7.6 billion mobile app actions – such as app launches, registrations and in-app purchases – and more than 156 million downloads recorded by apps marketed via the Fiksu for Mobile Apps user acquisition platform.

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Postcard on the Run (POTR), a mobile app that allows users to take a photo from their smartphone and send it as a high-quality printed postcard anywhere in the world, announced today that actress and singer Selena Gomez has joined the company as an investor and will play an active role in creative development as it continues to expand.

Additional investors in the company’s Angel round of $750k include Crosscut Ventures, Mike Jones, Kamran Pourzanjani, Yves Sisteron, Aber Whitcomb, Brian Fitzgerald, Ryan Steelberg, Colin Digiaro, Brian Lee,Chris DeWolfe and Jarl Mohn.

“I’ve always loved the old-fashioned touch of sending real postcards, but I never have time anymore with my busy travel schedule. Now it’s easy with Postcard on the Run,” said Gomez. “The one thing that I always have with me is my smartphone. In just seconds, I can send personalized photo postcards to my family and friends right from my phone. It’s a new way to stay in touch the old school way.”

“Selena’s ‘girl-next-door’ sincerity and jet-setting lifestyle sync with the vision of Postcard on the Run. Just like Selena, we deliver heartfelt expression with a new, cutting-edge style,” said Josh Brooks, CEO and founder of POTR. “We are honored to have Selena as part of the Postcard on the Run family. Her entrepreneurial sense and cultural instincts will help take us to the next level.”

Smell Mail

Postcard on the Run today also launched “Smell Mail”, an innovative feature allowing users to add fun “Scratch’n Smell®” scents to their postcards for an additional 50 cents. The aromatic additions will help bring the postcards to life by creating emotional connections to people’s favorite scents which include Baby Powder (perfect for pictures of little ones), Holiday Spice, Pine, Fresh Flowers, Chocolate, Popcorn, Mint, Bubble Gum, Suntan Lotion, Ocean Breeze, and even Teen Spirit.

Smell Mail joins several other proprietary POTR features including:

• Postal Gopher – A patent pending built-in address retrieval service that makes it seamless to get a contact’s mailing address, saving senders the hassle of contacting the recipient or searching for the information.
• Signature – By using a finger as a pen to write or draw a signature or message, every POTR postcard has a personal touch – quite literally!
• GPS stamping –Places a mini GPS-enabled map or point of interest on the back of the card to easily identify the senders’ locale.

John Steel/ Shutterstock.com

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