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ClarityLife C900 mobile phone for seniors now available

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Clarity, a supplier of communications solutions for older Americans, has released the ClarityLife C900, an easy-to-use amplified mobile phone that doubles as an emergency response device. The cell phone, now available for $269.95 online at ClarityProducts.com, is designed specifically for seniors to stay connected with loved ones and the peace of mind to know that help is just the push of a button away.

The ClarityLife C900 is available “unlocked,” which means it can be used on any GSM network, such as T-Mobile and AT&T.

One of the most talked about features of the ClarityLife C900 is the amplification. The phone can amplify incoming sound up to 20 dB and is one of the first cell phones designed for the millions of seniors with hearing loss. It is hearing aid compatible, features a strong vibrating ringer, a flashing orange LED to signal incoming calls and a helpful flashlight.

Additionally, the ClarityLife C900 features an Emergency Help Button. Located on the back of the phone, the one-touch, heart-shaped button calls and sends text messages to five pre-programmed numbers, such as those of family, friends, neighbors or emergency personnel. It cycles through the five contacts until someone is reached.

Seniors can simply place or receive calls with the ClarityLife C900 by using four oversized buttons on the front of the phone which allow them to easily navigate their top contacts. They also can use a full slide-out keypad with large numbers. Furthermore, the C900’s screen is twice the size of a normal phone with magnified text and bright back-lighting.

Originally posted on November 10, 2008 @ 5:02 pm

Send real drinks for just $1

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BarTab, a new Facebook application that gives users the ability to send real drinks to friends for $1, announced their official and exclusive launch in Arizona. The BarTab service turns Facebook virtual drink icons into real drinks, redeemable by cell phone (electronic coupon) at participating bars in Arizona. To date, more than 100 bars have agreed to participate in the program with many more lined up statewide. BarTab will host a kick-off party this Thursday at 8:00 pm at Scottsdale’s Salty Senorita, where guests will be able to demo the new application live.

Developed by Nick Stewart and Matt Smith at the University of Arizona’s McGuire Entrepreneurship program, the application provides obvious user benefits through the experience and enjoyment associated with the social interaction of giving and receiving drinks. In addition, BarTab acts as a customizable marketing service for participating bars and restaurants.

The launch of the new application follows a recent endorsement from Facebook where BarTab was selected from 600 competing companies to receive a $25,000 grant.

This is how it works:

The service allows users to turn a digital drink icon into a real drink redeemable by cell phone. Upon visiting the designated establishment, the BarTab user simply presents a text message-based mobile drink coupon (received upon purchase/gift) in exchange for a drink.

For the partnered bar, BarTab’s pay per customer model is a unique component of the service, and provides a means of risk-free advertising. Partnering bars only incur costs when customers are successfully attracted to the bar. Participating bars and restaurants give away a drink to attract a customer. The bars have control over the number of drinks they give away, the type of drinks given away and even the time periods in which the drinks can be redeemed.

The Arizona-launch represents the first step in the launch process prior to taking the application nationally and internationally. BarTab is currently in its second round of funding. Beginning today, Facebook users will have the ability to login and vote for their favorite application out of 25 apps finalists in the fbFund Round 2. Depending upon the number of votes received, the company may be eligible for further Facebook awards of up to $225,000 that will allow the company to begin migration from a product serving the local community to a broader national and eventually international network.

Originally posted on November 10, 2008 @ 11:47 am

Meebo releases IM app for Android

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Meebo has launched Meebo for Android, an instant messaging application that brings free and open communication to T-Mobile’s G1, the world’s first Android-powered mobile phone. Meebo for Android provides a simple “on the go” instant messaging experience for anyone with a Meebo account, or an account on one of the popular IM services.

The application will be available as a download through the phone via the Android Market.

Meebo for Android includes:

  • Access to all of your IM accounts through a single login and single buddy list.
  • A fun and simple IM experience that’s similar to using meebo.com on your PC.
  • Real-time notifications! Alerts of new IMs are pushed to the status bar even when Meebo runs in the background.

    • Originally posted on November 7, 2008 @ 9:16 am

    Peperonity.com gets its own web interface

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    The world’s largest mobile site building community peperonity.com now officially presents a completely refurbished version of its web presence to the public, making mobile social content available to the broad mass of fixed-line PC users even better.

    Users can now navigate through the pages and content very easily. The current features and menu items from the mobile experience have been preserved in full, however were emphasised even more with new buttons. This makes the service more apt to the needs of the ever-growing mobile social networking area.

    The site peperonity.com is completely user-centric. Categories like “Newest pics” and “Newest videos” show what content has just been uploaded by users. The home page also features an area from which the “Most visited pages”, the “Site of the week” and “Recently modified” can be invoked as well.

    Originally posted on November 5, 2008 @ 11:31 am

    BrowserMedia releases iPhone app for LivingSocial

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    BrowserMedia announced that it has released an iPhone application for LivingSocial, a social discovery and cataloging network that allows more than 6.8 million users to review and share their favorite movies, books, games, music, restaurants and beer.

    BrowserMedia worked closely with the LivingSocial team to develop an iPhone application front-end to their existing social networking platform. Features of the application include account integration via webservices, the ability to review, rate and share, the ability to take and upload photographs, the ability to search and browse reviews, integrated recommendations, and the ability to browse friend profiles and review feeds.

    Originally posted on October 27, 2008 @ 3:22 pm