901am

New Media News Every Morning

Answers.travel launches to answer travel-related questions

By

Answers Corporation announced the launch of Answers.travel, a tool that enables users to search the top 20 travel web sites such as Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Priceline, Kayak, HotWire, SideStep, and other major travel websites at the same time with one click without having to search each website individually. The site also vows to answer any type of travel related question. The company has trained travel agents across the globe that are able to answer most questions within 72 hours.

Answers.travel has found the solution for travelers that are tired of searching over a dozen travel websites looking for bargains. A tool that enables users to enter their travel and flight information once and have the results pages of the major travel sites placed on one screen. The company also features a service whereby users can ask any travel related question such as “I am going to Argentina in March, do I need to bring warm clothing?” An Answers.travel representative will research the question and promptly answer it within 24 hours.

Originally posted on March 26, 2008 @ 10:39 pm

RSS to MMS tool for mobile RSS Feeds launched by Cellyspace

By

Cellyspace.com has launched an RSS to MMS publishing tool for content providers to automatically convert and deliver syndicated RSS feeds directly to mobile subscribers’ messaging in-boxes using Cellyspace’s MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) technology.

According to the company, auto-conversion of RSS content will make mobile syndication easier and more readily available and by delivering multimedia feeds rather than short, text-only feeds subscribers will be more fully engaged in the content.

Also, with RSS to MMS technology, the feed can be viewed without a subscriber first logging onto a mobile web site or launching a feed reader application. Instead, subscribers are alerted on receipt of the feed and can view it immediately or whenever most convenient since it’s stored in their messaging in-box.

Originally posted on March 26, 2008 @ 5:43 pm

Canada’s online community for booklovers poised to 100,000th member

By

Indigo Books & Music Inc., Canada’s largest book retailer is poised to acquire their 100,000th Online Community member by March 31st. In celebration, the lucky 100,000th Canadian member will win a prize of a $1000 gift card. The site currently boasts just over 97,000 members and offers Canadian booklovers an online destination to connect and share a passion for books, authors and reading and has been so popular that Canadians have been signing up at an average rate of one new member every three minutes since its initial launch in October.

Combining social networking and content tools designed with the booklover in mind, the Indigo Online Community has something for every inspired reader offering capabilities ranging from organizing bookshelves and recommending new reads, to getting the local book club on track. With just an email address and password customers can navigate through this easy-to-use new experience; build a profile and from there:

– Create a virtual shelf filled with books, music and DVDs
– Build a network of friends
– Recommend their favourite reads
– Start or join a book club or other group
– Read and write reviews or post their thoughts
– Create and share top 10 lists

Originally posted on March 27, 2008 @ 8:05 am

Filed Under: Web

CBS, Aggregate Knowledge partner to offer discovery and recommendation tech on mobile web

By

CBS Mobile and Aggregate Knowledge are teaming up to offer first-of-its-kind discovery and recommendation technology on mobile web sites. By drawing on the collective wisdom of mobile web users, CBS will be able to deliver consumers better targeted and relevant content, thereby making the experience more user-friendly.

Aggregate Knowledge and CBS Mobile will allow any user visiting the CBS Mobile News web site to see and receive content recommendations based on what is being viewed, clicked and read – anonymously and in aggregate – by mobile users with similar interests.

Originally posted on March 26, 2008 @ 9:16 am

Vivendi Games Mobile’s Surviving High School franchise amasses 7.5 million downloads

By

Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, revealed that the original episodic mobile game franchise, Surviving High School – a story-driven simulation game set in a typical high school – had a breakout year in 2007 with a remarkable 7.5 million episodes downloaded. The volume of game and episode downloads qualifies the Surviving High School franchise as the most successful original IP in mobile gaming history.

The Surviving High School mobile game was originally released in 2005 and its sequel, Surviving High School ’07, was released two years later, boosted by the distribution and marketing resources of Vivendi Games Mobile which acquired the game’s original developers, San Mateo-based Centerscore, in September 2006. The sequel built on the early critical and commercial success of the first title, building out the game’s episodic format and refining its story lines. 2007 also saw the game promoted via a range of Web 2.0 campaigns and viral marketing initiatives. The franchise has become
so popular that fans have created their own Surviving High School group on Facebook.

Originally posted on March 25, 2008 @ 10:33 pm