Category Archives: Entertainment

Wonder Painter – Tech Podcasts Network Best of CES 2020 Award



Wonder PainterThe Tech Podcasts Network team awards its TPN Best of CES 2020 Award to Wonder Painter.

As a kid, almost everyone imagined themselves as the protagonist in their favorite stories. Heck, most adults do it when they read. However, those picture books never actually feature your face, right? Wonder Painter has created a technology that can directly bring any drawing or photo to life. The technology can allow publishers to use the reader’s drawing or photo as an integral part of their storytelling experience.

Imagine a story about two kids going on an adventure – it’s a fairly standard kids book concept. However, using Wonder Painter’s technology, that story can feature you and your best friend as the kids going on said adventure. During the story, the two of you need a horse to get across a large field. Simply draw your own horse and the drawing comes to life as your transportation. This is nearly every kid’s dream scenario and it is now a possibility.

The company has published a few demo apps to the Apple App Store to show off the basics of what their technology can do. While these demos are a ton of fun, the really important part is the technology. It is available in a platform-agnostic way, making it possible to build for the web, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, macOS, and more. The company licenses this technology to content creators to allow them to make their own products and services more interactive. They are currently working with LG, Baidu, Alibaba, and more to make interactive applications a reality.

If you want to see the technology in action, check out the Wonder Painter apps in the App Store or the company’s website. You can also learn about the SDK, Cloud service, and ask for a private demo of the development tech.

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MicroVision – The Gadget Professor (TPN Picks Best of CES 2020 Award)



MicroVisionThe Gadget Professor awards his TPN Picks Best of CES 2020 Award to MicroVision.

Over the past few years, the cost of projection technology has come down significantly. That has been paired with the size of the technology getting smaller. On Black Friday 2019, we saw pico projectors being offered for less than $100. However, these devices don’t provide a lot of value for most consumers. That’s because the way we interact with our computing technology has changed, as well.

Most people expect the screens in their life to be touch. Nearly all laptops, definitely all phones and tablets, and even a lot of desktop (all-in-one) computers offer touch input. Projection screens, however, still require external input – that is until now. MicroVision has developed the Interactive Projection Engine – a very small hardware array that allows developers to produce devices with touch-enabled projection.

The demo device we got to see allowed for nearly any standard video input and computing output to connect to a device. We saw the projector connected to a phone with impressive touch recognition capabilities. But, the possibilities are endless, especially when connected to a computer. Even in our portable broadcast studio, this projector would make traveling easier, because it would eliminate the need for monitors.

Imagine being a business traveler, maybe you’re a salesperson. You don’t know what your client might have in a conference room. You don’t want to pack a full projector, but the pico projectors tend to be too dim. This technology, however, is laser-powered, making it possible to use it in standard lighting. We even saw it on our wall in the studio with our lighting and the light of the convention center.

The demo device is available for developers through an application. The company is working with manufacturers to produce commercial products based on the technology.

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Drinkworks – Geek News Central (TPN Picks Best of CES 2020 Award)



Drinkworks by KeurigGeek News Central awards its TPN Picks Best of CES 2020 Award to Drinkworks by Keurig.

Nearly everyone knows who Keurig is. Their pod-based coffee makers changed the way homes and offices make coffee. You can purchase Pods directly from the company, or from a variety of companies who all make Pods for their own style of coffee. No longer do people have to portion out the right amount of grounds for a single cup of coffee, or even worse, make a full pot.

Last year, the company announced a new product with a similar goal – Drinkmaker from Drinkworks. Rather than focusing on coffee, like the standard Keurig devices do, Drinkmaker is a pod-based bartender. The Pods that you purchase won’t come with coffee grounds, but will instead come with all of the ingredients to make an alcoholic drink. The variety of drinks available is already impressive, with everything from a Cosmopolitan and White Russian to Peach Sangria available on their website.

Like the standard Keurig product, you simply place a Pod of your choice into the machine, press the start button, and it will produce the drink. The biggest benefit of the device is that the drink will always be properly proportioned with quality ingredients without any work on your part. It’s perfect for when you have friends or family over and don’t want to spend your time bartending but instead socializing.

At CES 2020, the company showed off the final product and announced general availability. Drinkmaker is available now for $299 with free shipping. Because of certain restrictions, shipping is only available to certain states, but the company is working to expand its availability as quickly as possible. Drink Pods are available now starting at $9.99 and ranging to $15.99.

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Nicole Holland is all about connecting the right people together



Nicole Holland - Traffic Generation RockstarOne of the most fun aspects of Collision Conference is getting to interact with the other press and influencers in the Media Village. We get to meet people from the big publications who are always interested in our indiscrete studio setup, and we meet influencers who are looking for contacts and pointers. This year, we got the opportunity to speak with Nicole Holland, a “traffic generation rockstar.” She sat near out studio and started talking with the staff. During a break, I had the opportunity to talk with her and she did exactly what her title suggests – brought traffic to others. She lined up our interview with GenM and worked to bring us others.

But, the reality is, Nicole is an interesting person with a very positive personality. She is always looking for ways to connect people, which is a trait that our team admires because it is something that we try to do as well. It’s no wonder that people can connect with her easily and listen to what she has to say. That is the at the core of being a successful influencer in the modern age. If you can genuinely connect with people, they will trust your recommendations.

One of her big topics is podcasts, which is a perfect fit for us. She facilitates inspiring success stories, gives tips and tricks, and more on her show. She also helps others get started in telling their own brand stories through podcasting. Right now, podcasting can be a great way to reach your audience, either through your series or by guesting on someone else’s. Nicole Holland can help you use this medium to grow your influence.

To learn more about Nicole, hear her podcast, or engage her services, head on over to her website.

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Grabbing pick up game has never been easier than with Javelin Sports



Javelin Sports Game FinderSo many of us live for sports. We love to watch and cheer on our favorite teams, and we also love to play. Getting out and active is important for so many reasons. It helps to keep us fit, of course, but it also keeps us engaged in social settings with like-minded peers. The benefits of getting out there and staying active are important to our physical, mental and emotional well being. So whether your favorite sport to play is basketball, tennis, soccer, baseball or any/all of another myriad of athletic choices out there, you’re going to love this next app.

Maybe you are new to the city and don’t have your usual crew to meet up with for a quick game. Or maybe your work schedule has changed and that is keeping you from being as active as you would like. Justin Ford, Founder and CEO of Javelin Sports has just the solution that will bring you closer to your goals and will connect you with players of any sport you wish. Javelin Sports is a mobile application designed to help users find sports leagues as wells as pick up games in their area to fit their busy schedules.

Justin discusses how he felt it was becoming more and more challenging to stay active playing the sports that he had come to fall in love with. He decided to work with his co-founder, Coleman Chan to develop an easier way to keep up with your active life with an easy outlet to join leagues and meet sports enthusiasts in your local community. Javelin Sports includes cool features such as being able to chat with your teammates, receive game notifications, schedule your games on your own time, as well as sharing your experiences with your friends that may want to play.

Javelin Sports is currently live in Toronto, Canada on the Apple App Store or the Google Play store. To find out more about this application, you can visit their website.

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PromSocial reduces the stress of planning your perfect prom date



PromSocial High School Prom PlannerIn the past few years, the world surrounding the high school prom has changed significantly. While it was once a school dance and a right of passage (for some), today it has become almost as involved as a wedding. There are dresses to buy and suits to rent or buy, limos to rent, flowers to buy, parties to plan or attend, and that’s after you’ve got a date. Just asking someone to the prom has become a production on the level of a marriage proposal, even being called a “promposal.” This would be intimidating for an adult, let alone a high school student. Fortunately, PromSocial is trying to make this a less stressful experience.

PromSocial is a platform that brings the difficult parts of prom under one roof, minimizing the “running around” aspect of planning. Currently, the app allows students to look for a date to their prom, in a similar fashion to a modern dating app. You can see profiles, indicate interest, and communicate with people you match with. When you’re ready, the platform also allows you to plan and execute your perfect promposal. You can also plan your after parties, whether that be in a limo or elsewhere. It also is a full social network, with the ability to chat with others going to prom, share your outfit, and post pictures of before, during, and after prom.

In future updates, additional features will be introduced. The primary new feature will be a marketplace of products and services specifically for prom. You’ll be able to buy or rent a dress, suit, or limo, or purchase flowers. Being able to find the local shops or online stores that provide the services you need in one place will take even more stress out of the process.

The app is available now for both iOS and Android. To learn more or download the app, head over to the website.

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DaDJ App is bringing awareness to smaller musicians and their music



If you are a fan of a mainstream musical artist, it is really easy to follow their career. If you want to see them perform live or listen to their sets, it is as simple as opening a streaming app or checking a ticket site. However, if you’re a fan of a smaller artist, it can be really difficult to follow their career. Sometimes they post on Facebook, sometimes on Instagram, sometimes on Twitter – and sometimes they don’t post at all. How can you find out where your favorite DJ will be this weekend? DaDJ App is the answer.

This platform has a couple of purposes, but primarily, it is an opportunity for DJs to get their name and their music out to the world. For fans, it creates a more direct line of communication. The DJs can post where they will be playing, whether it is a public or private event, and can even make tickets available for their shows – all in one place. They can even make a selection of their music available for fans to enjoy.

On the other hand, the platform also gives DJs a way to interact with venues and event promoters to find new places to perform. Whether you own a bar or club or are hosting a private event, you can find a DJ for your purposes. Because the DJ posts their music, you can get an idea of the type of set that they perform. Because they post where they are playing, you can go see them live to ensure their stage persona matches your needs. Then, once you find your match, you can hire them right on the platform. If you’re hosting a public event, the DJ can then sell tickets for you.

DaDJ App is in public beta right now, with an overhaul coming in December. To get more information about the platform, check out the company’s website.

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EMOTAI is using biofeedback to improve competitive videogaming



EMOTAI Gaming Performance EnhancementOver the past few years, the technology behind brain tracking has gotten better. As the tech has improved, the usage has gone from toys and gimmicks to real-world problem-solving. We have seen drones controlled by thoughts and we’ve seen dream and mood analysis technology come to market. Now, the technology is being applied to videogame performance by tracking response during gameplay, thanks to EMOTAI.

This team of biomedical engineers came together to use biofeedback to analyze and improve performance for professional and semi-pro competitive gamers. Using a headband with 5 sensors and screen scraping on the videogame, the company can determine the gamer’s mental state during each phase of gameplay. By combining this data with artificial intelligence, the system is also able to make determinations to help improve your state during those situations.

The prototype that Carolina Amorim, the CEO of EMOTAI, brought with her is similar to the hardware that will come to market next year, with one major difference. Heart rate is being moved from an ear clip to the forehead so that the device does not add any additional issues to your gameplay. With an ear clip, it could get in the way of headphones, which are essential to competitive gameplay.

While the technology is currently being applied to videogames, the company is aware that it could be adapted to other areas as well. Some of the industries that have been interested in their technology have been professional sports and racing. Bringing the tech to new industries would require a new set of AI training, but it is on the roadmap for the future.

If you are interested in getting your hands on the EMOTAI headband, they will be offering a preorder opportunity with hardware set to launch in 2020. To get more information or to sign up for notifications about the preorder process, head over to their website.

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Take the headache out of getting a babysitter with lliTTLE bUNNY



Little Bunny Babysitter FinderOf all of the services that we hire out in our lives, there is none more important than childcare. After all, there is nothing more important than the safety and wellbeing of our children. That being said, it can also be a huge hassle to find good babysitting services, especially for those last-minute needs. Jean Baptiste Mbaya, founder of Millennial R&D which developed liTTLE bUNNY, made some time to come speak with us at Collision Conference 2019.

liTTLE bUNNY is an on-demand babysitting app that is powered by AI to make childcare very affordable, easy and reliable. They take away the hassle of trying to find a good childcare provider. We’ve probably all been in a situation where last-minute plans come up, or maybe the babysitter that you have had scheduled for weeks calls and cancels. Trying to call somebody up to fill in for the evening can be frustrating and can also get quite expensive if you can even get somebody on shift notice.

The sitters are thoroughly vetted in advance and also come from your same community. So it’s not meant for somebody who lives far away to come into your neighborhood, as with rideshare, grocery and food delivery services. They are people nearby that you may already know either directly or indirectly. And allowing the ability to read ratings and testimonials from other parents provides an added layer that provides more peace of mind. Parents will also get to choose whether the babysitter comes to their house, or they take the kids to the sitter’s home. Getting onto the platform is easy and there are no signup fees for either the parents or the babysitters. It’s also affordable because on average, their prices are lower than traditional childcare costs. Prices are set automatically based upon specific economic factors in each geographic area. And hourly rates get even lower when the parent is requesting service for more than 1 child.

So many areas of our lives are now made easier with the help of mobile apps and community sharing services. It only makes sense that this technology is now being applied to more things, like babysitting. After you watch Jean’s full interview, make sure to also check out their website.

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Event Realms is bringing new technology to the event experience



Event Realms Event TechnologyIf you have attended a big event in the past few years, you know that the level of technology in use has increased dramatically, but the types of technology haven’t changed much. For example, stages no longer have printed backdrops, having been replaced by large LED walls or projection screens. However, it’s still mostly audio and video support, screens, and internet that dominate the event supply catalog, even though there are many new and emerging technologies for events. That is exactly the problem that Event Realms is hoping to solve.

When looking around the Collision Conference itself, Kevin Halfpenny, CEO of the company, has some small but impactful upgrades that he would recommend. While the event’s app is spectacular, getting basic information while on the show floor can be a challenge. Where on the show floor is a particular company? What day are they exhibiting? Where’s the closest bathroom? These questions seem trivial, but they are asked hundreds of times per day, oftentimes to people without the answer, like security. A few interactive informational kiosks, spread throughout the floor, could make the problem a thing of the past.

That is what Event Realms brings to its clients. They know the industry and they know the new technology, and they bring those two aspects together to enhance events for those in attendance and those who are remote. One of the technology categories that he sees as a huge opportunity for events is for making remote attendees feel as close to being there as possible. At a recent conference, he saw a remote presence experience in action that he claims was almost as good as being there.

If you are involved in an event and want to make the experience better for everyone involved, you can reach out to Event Realms on their website.

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