11 posts tagged “cool”
Nimbuzz just launched a comprehensive mobile VoIP and IM solution, and brings voice to social networks (yay!)!
Application connects mobile, online communities, social networks – all in one place
Nimbuzz (www.nimbuzz.com) today announces the UK launch of an application to provide mobile users and online communities with “free calls, chat and more.” Nimbuzz offers an all-in-one solution for free mobile VoIP calling, conference calling, instant messaging, chat and group chat, and photo and file sending across multiple IM communities, including Skype, MSN, Google Talk, Yahoo!, AIM, Jabber and ICQ, plus 23 social networks, including Facebook and Myspace.
Once users download the Nimbuzz application for the mobile and register as a new user, contacts from their selected IM communities are aggregated into a single contact list with icons indicating real-time “presence” - which contacts are online or offline and from which communities.
“Everyone loves Skype (on the PC). But when it comes to the mobile, we believe we offer a better solution,” said Tariq Dag Steinberg Khan, the London-based Chief Marketing Officer for Nimbuzz. “Nimbuzz works across all the major communities and on more than 500 handsets worldwide. With this new release, we now also have a genuine free mobile VoIP solution that works on more than 90 handsets including Nokia, Samsung and LG.”
The new Nimbuzz mobile VoIP application works worldwide on Nokia Symbian Series 60 devices when connected using a 3G or Wifi network (with a Windows Mobile offering for release in June). For GPRS/EDGE connections, or when using Java-enabled phones, Nimbuzz also offers its “hybrid-VoIP” solution (as used by Skype) – for making international mobile calls at local dial-in cost – in as many as 50 countries.
Nimbuzz is free to download and easy-to-use, but data usage is subject to network operator rates when used on the mobile, unless using a flat-rate data plan.
“The good news is that mobile data costs are coming down dramatically. Flat-rate data plans didn’t exist last year (in Europe), now they’re everywhere. This makes using Nimbuzz the closest thing to free communication there is,” explains Tariq. “Apps like Nimbuzz are accelerating the uptake of mobile data plans. This is a big win for consumers and network operators alike, and as such, a big focus (for them going forward). As a result, we are in the process of building some important win-win relationships with forward-thinking operators and strategic partners across Europe, and would now like to do the same here in the UK.”
On the social networking front, Nimbuzz is breaking new ground by bringing voice and mobile chat to social networks. The new six-button Communicator widget brings free calling, chat, text and voice messaging and file sending to social networks, email signatures and personal websites or blogs. Also introduced is the unique “buzz” feature which alerts your friends “offline” to join you online for a call or chat.
“Our users drive our development – so even with what we think is a great product, it always feels like we’re in beta. The truth is, we wouldn’t be innovating fast enough if we weren’t,” adds Tariq. “With users from 176 countries – or 90% of the world – it’s easy to see why. There is remarkable consumer appetite out there, worldwide, and the industry tailwinds are picking up pace. We are grateful for our pre-launch momentum and look forward to announcing some exciting new products, features and strategic partnerships with key operators and social networks over the summer.”
My own widget is already on my Facebook profile page here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=564440964
I could play this game for hours on end. It is quite simple actually, you collect the flags with little red balls. You move the red ball by drawing shapes around it and using gravitational force to push it around. Why wasn't this invented when I was younger? Try it for yourself here.
Interesting video from Cool Hunting about Bruce Shapiro from the Bay Area about his "Art of Motion Control". Bruce basically programs his art and is creating some pretty neat stuff.
Wanted to let everyone in on a new cool (ok, it's my geeky side) service I found using Wiffiti.
When you send a text message (SMS) to Wiffiti, you text a place instead of a person, as they say on their site.
Wiffiti screens are hung in public places, and plotted . Feel free to send a message to my screen by following these quick instructions:
- Send all Wiffiti messages to 25622 (this also spells 2LOCA).
- Start your message with the at sign '@' and the screen code, for example
- After you txt to my screen, you can leave off the screen code and all your messages will keep going to it until you txt a different screen code.
- To sign your messages, txt name YOUR NAME any time, and it will remember your name.
As promised, please find the second part of this years Maker Faire video footage (supplied by Cool Hunting) below. It features Mister Jalopy,
a potential a brilliant marketer, who shows us his urban guerrilla
movie theatre. A homemade DIY portable projector, Jalopy can take the
movies anywhere with his trusty tricycle. Also check out the serious
robot battle at the end! (Thanks Ami!)
Techcrunch
had this really interesting posting today about 3D virtual world and
real world crossover applications and what they allow users to do.
I was amazed when I saw the Photosynth video of Blaise Aguera y Arcas during his TED Talk, see below.
The
idea is to take many pictures of a given thing or area and combine them
into a 3D image. Fly around it, zoom in whatever. The results are
jaw-droppingly beautiful. The BBC also just announced a partnership
with Microsoft; they’ve launched a new site
using Photosynth technology that will show 3D photographic
representations of historic sites around the UK (Ely Cathedral,
Burghley House, the Royal Crescent, Bath, the Scottish Parliament
buildings and Blackpool Tower Ballroom). For now, though, Photosynth
only works on Windows machines.
Thanks Techcrunch! And make sure to check out the awesome BMW commercial at the end of the
video showing the brilliant, zero emission, no compromise, production
ready Hydrongen 7 Series!
I was really lucky to be working on helping the Maker Faire happen this year, and our friends at Cool Hunting just finished a brilliant piece of documentary footage that I am proud to be able to share with you (thanks Ami!).
Check it out, because this is an awesome event, and MAKE also just won "Best Special Event" Award from Folio Magazine! Congratulations!
Stay tuned, Part 2 is coming soon ...
wanted to share this latest find with everyone: Mark Jenkins, who does Tape Scuplture and Street Installations has an overview of all his awesome work right here on his website: http://www.xmarkjenkinsx.com/index.html
It is pretty amazing stuff and there is a huge amount of pictures of his work to go through on the site.
Videos with people's reactions to some of the installations here: http://www.xmarkjenkinsx.com/video.html
Enjoy and spread the love! I sure hope he is coming to San Francisco soon :)
Supermarket chain Tesco in the UK (voted us Britain's favourite supermarket in 2006, Best Online Retailer at the 2006 Grocer Gold awards) gave out little guides to their "older" employees in order to better understand and communicate with their "younger" colleagues and customers. The guide is being tried in 1500 stores nationwide and is an incentive from Tesco's PR department that, if it goes well, will be implemented in all stores.
It's a lesson for all of us, and key phrases in the guide include:
Bad: Good (but this can also mean bad. When in doubt, just nod).
How’s it hanging’?: How are you today?
Laters: Cheerio, goodbye.
Minging: Ugly, unattractive.
Phat: Wicked (in the good sense), cool.
Slammin’: Pleasing to the eye.
Talk to the hand: I’m not listening.
Wack: Weak, boring.
Cheerio!
