Teenager’s App for Lonely Teens

Posted on September 18, 2016 at 4:23 pm

NPR reports on an app created by a teenager to help other teens with one of the most agonizing challenges of middle school and high school — finding a place to sit at lunch.

She told NPR

Pretty much, kids can sign up as ambassadors for a Sit With Us club and agree to post open lunches so that anyone who has the app and has nowhere to go can find a table and, hopefully, make some new friends….This way, it’s very private. It’s through the phone. No one else has to know. And you know that you’re not going to be rejected once you get to the table.

App — A New Movie to Watch With Your SmartPhone On

Posted on May 4, 2014 at 8:00 am

It was only a question of time. If people are going to check their phones while they’re watching a movie, then why not make an app specifically designed to accompany the movie? The movie is called (of course) “APP.”

By downloading “Iris-App the movie” from the app store (iPhone or Android devices only) or texting “IRIS” TO 97-000, one can access a piece of software that syncs with the audio of the movie and displays additional material designed to enhance the story. It’s important to note that the app for “APP” has been engineered as a supplementary ingredient, not an essential one, intended to punctuate certain moments rather than adding a wealth of new information. While it invites an engaged viewership, it’s not required, an outcome bound to please the community of academic theorists and forward-thinking creatives who have been tossing around the possibilities of transmedia storytelling for over a decade….

The app, called “Iris” like the evil artificial intelligence in the movie, offers no interactive components. However, it’s not exclusively time-based. Users launching it in advance of the movie are greeted with a launch page and a start button, which you’re encouraged to press as the movie begins. But unlike the famously trippy “Dark Side of the Rainbow” experience—the syncing of “Wizard of Oz” to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” which has provided the centerpiece for countless stoned dorm room soirees—the app actively engages with “APP” by synching with its audio. Similar to the way the “Shazam” app recognizes songs by processing audio files in real time, Iris anticipates certain moments in the movie’s plot and displays additional footage that fleshes out some of the details.

Related Tags:

Understanding Media and Pop Culture

Cowabunga, Dude! TMNT App

Posted on April 21, 2013 at 3:59 pm

Nickelodeon has introduced its first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles iPad app — Rooftop Run.

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Internet, Gaming, Podcasts, and Apps

App to Identify Those Face-is-so-familiar Actors

Posted on April 3, 2013 at 3:55 pm

Do you wish there was a movie and television version of Shazam or Soundhound, those apps that identify songs? It’s here. Amazon has X-Ray for movies and television, an app that works on its Kindle Fire series and lets you ask about an actor while you are watching. Now if they only had an app to do that with people in real life….

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Internet, Gaming, Podcasts, and Apps

Reading Rainbow is Back — As an App

Posted on June 22, 2012 at 3:30 pm

One of my all-time favorite television shows for children was the PBS series “Reading Rainbow,” with LeVar Burton and a bunch of kids talking about the books they loved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6j8EiWIVZs

It’s back, now as an app that encourages kids to read and provides them with access to e-versions of some of the best in children’s literature.

Designed for children 3-9 years of age, the App delivers a library of hundreds of curated books and all new videos presented in a world of adventure and discovery. Traveling to themed islands, such as Animal Kingdom, My Friends, My Family and Genius Academy, kids find a variety of books and videos customized to their age and interests. The App brings together books from numerous acclaimed children’s publishers. Each book comes alive with audio storytelling by celebrity actors, including spoken word Grammy winner Burton himself, and features light animations and related activities to enhance the story. Similar to the original series, children journey with Burton on exciting real-life adventures. These in-app video field trips connect the stories children read to the world they live in and use a combination of newly produced video as well as classic segments from the TV show.

The App’s many features include a reward system in which children earn digital stickers to motivate a continued exploration of books and frequent reading. For parents, ReadingRainbow.com offers a companion website and dashboard to get updates regarding time their child spent reading, books read and suggestions for new stories based on the child’s interests. “Family Reading Time” hints provide opportunities to discuss themes and lessons explored in each book.

At launch, the App will include 150 books and 16 video field trips. New content will be added to the service on a regular and frequent schedule expanding the library, themes and topics children can explore.

“We’re excited to offer a safe experience designed just for kids,” notes Asra Rasheed, RRKidz CEO. “We’ve created an easy-to-use subscription service for parents, allowing them to unlock the extensive Reading Rainbow library books and videos without the worry of approving and purchasing each item separately.” The Reading Rainbow App is free for download on the iPad and includes the ability to fully explore the App, the islands, videos and to select one book to read. The subscription is now available for a limited-time introductory price of $9.99 a month or $29.99 for six months at the App Store.