Archive for the ‘App Review’ Category
Fan of Drake’s (@drakkardnoir)? Get the app!
posted by Michael Arcand
Just in time for summer…it’s the official Drake app!
Aubrey Drake Graham, better known simply as ‘Drake’, is a Canadian recording artist whose latest album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. However, his first claim to fame came as an actor on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He officially signed with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment in 2009 and his first studio album, Thank Me Later, was released earlier this month.
So far, Drake has worked with quite a few recognized names in the hip hop industry besides Lil Wayne, including Jeezy, Kanye West, Eminem and Jay-Z. Drake was also nominated for a Grammy Award and was selected to perform at the 2010 Grammy Awards based on the success of an earlier mixtape that was turned into a successful EP, So Far Gone. He won Best New Artist and Rap Recording of the Year at the Juno awards earlier this year.
Now, with his new official app on the Mobile Roadie platform, you can be the first to hear brand new music, news, tour dates, photos, and more features available anywhere else!
Download the new Drake app for free here: http://road.ie/drake-app
Announcing the @DJShadow App
posted by Michael Arcand
Joshua Paul Davis, otherwise known as DJ Shadow, has been at the forefront of instrumental hip hop and turntable sampling since the early 90s. His first full-length album, Endtroducing, was hailed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the first completely sampled album. His work is exceptionally varied, featuring elements of funk, rock, hip hop, ambient, jazz and soul; all from his collection of over 60k album titles. The Mobile Roadie staff is a big fan of his work, and we’re proud to be able to present his work in a mobile platform supported by our very own CMS. In addition to being the first app to use our new API, the DJ Shadow app is also the first to use Soundcloud integration and custom theme. It’s perfect timing too, with a tour coming up in just a few days and brand new website that just launched today.
I recently had a chance to catch up with Michael Fiebach from Reconstruction Productions, who is the project, marketing and merchandise manager for DJ Shadow. We had a great discussion about the new Official DJ Shadow app and what the future plans are for this new mobile tool.
First, I asked Michael why they decided to get a mobile app and what he thought it brought to their business model. Among the reasons he mentioned is the fact that it’s another important way to build the fan base. They already have a huge email list and a website that gets good traffic, along with an online store. Push notifications are also important to the team, because it represents a new type of email list, to push information out to the fan base. They know it’s important if you have your own business, to have an app. As Michael said, a mobile app is like the new website. Every business these days has a website, and within 3-5 years he believes it will be the same way with mobile apps.
The app contains streaming bonus tracks, but in addition it features the Shadow radio show within the app. These are hour-long radio sets of DJ Shadow mixing unique and obscure music. The app currently has six shows listed, so there is already over six hours of music on the app, with plans to continue updating these sets moving forward.
The team’s promotion of the app thus far has been interesting and unique. In addition to promoting the app via the website, DJ Shadow plans to utilize a visual screen during his shows to engage the audience and encourage people to download the app and to share photos of the event they are attending. It also promotes the DJ Shadow website, so those without an app can participate. Then the app syncs the content between the app and the website, so people can access it using either method.
As for why they decided to go with Mobile Roadie, it was access to the API that made the deal. The new API allows them to engage fans, show comments and sync everything to the website, which helps drive people to the site. Michael indicated that they couldn’t find another company that had a system in place that was as easy as Mobile Roadie. For them, consolidation of these points was key.
The show pages that sync with the Mobile Roadie API can all be viewed at djshadow.com/tour (click on a corresponding show link to see that show’s page, which utilizes the MoRo API). Notice you can check in, comment and add photos from a show; all of this content is shown in the app and at the djshadow.com show page.
After our conversation about the DJ Shadow app, I asked Michael what he thought about Mobile Roadie’s services. Here’s what he had to say:
“I think MoRo is a great company and that they offer anything anyone would need in terms of mobile apps. They have great plans for the future and plans to engage customers and I’m really looking forward to working with them as this market expands and evolves. I encourage anyone looking to get a mobile app to check out Mobile Roadie and if you like good music, download the DJ Shadow app.”
You can download the DJ Shadow app here: http://road.ie/dj-shadow
International Spotlight: Lena Meyer-Landrut App
posted by Michael Arcand
With so many new Mobile Roadie apps from around the world going live every day it can be hard to keep track but once in awhile we see stand-outs that have extensive adoption very quickly.
Lena Meyer-Landrut’s app is the perfect example. If you haven’t heard of Lena, and if you’re in the U.S. odds are high you haven’t, she’s the most recent winner of the 55th annual Eurovision Song Contest 2010 (think American Idol) that involved representatives from 39 countries vying for the top spot. She represented her home country, Germany, and snagged the title, a huge honor, as it’s the country’s first win in 28 years and only its second since the contest’s inception.
Lena released her first album this past May, which debuted at number one in German album charts. She also set an all-time chart record with three songs appearing simultaneously in the top five of the German singles chart. Her Eurovision winning song, Satellite, debuted at number one in Germany and has been certified triple gold since. Not bad for a musician with no formal voice training!
Her popularity on the charts is clearly reflected in the adoption of her app. In under two weeks it’s already been downloaded over 67,000 times.
Currently the app is only available in Deutschland. If you’re a local there check it out for yourself. Get the app at: http://road.ie/lena
New App Spotlight: Seven Venues, Sydney Party, iShade, GirlGamer & ADA
posted by Michael ArcandEach week the number of Mobile Roadie-powered apps continues to grow, and with that growth comes continued diversity. In the last two weeks alone we’ve seen apps created to help users find parties, locate cool destinations within a particular city and share their experiences, and a girls’ gaming portal. But it’s not all fun and games. We’ve also seen apps designed particularly for a professional group, as well as a medical association’s upcoming event. Check out these unique apps below, and think about what a Mobile Roadie powered app could do for your city, group or business!
SevenVenues: This app is all about the city of Norfolk, Virginia. Released on June 7, this app allows visitors to find shows for Chrysler Hall, Harbor Park, Attucks Theatre, Harrison Opera House, Wells Theatre, The Scope, and the Prism Theatre at The Scope Arena. In addition, app users can get concert updates and discount tickets to events as well. It’s a must-have app if you’re planning a recreational trip in Norfolk.
Dowload the SevenVenues app here: http://road.ie/sevenvenues
Sydney Party: Sydney Party is all about, you guessed it, Sydney, Australia. This one isn’t from the chamber of commerce though, and is actually a crowd-sourced app where users can provide feedback and ratings for clubs and party locations listed. Stay up-to-date with all the happening things around Sydney. If you plan on partying in Sydney, this seems like the app to have.
Download the Sydney Party app here: http://road.ie/sydney-party
iShade: This mobile app ties in with the iShade website, providing a new community model for the accounting profession. iShade is a business networking web portal developed exclusively for the accounting industry where you can build and manage your online identity as a CPA or Chartered Accountant. If you are an accountant, this specialized app and community is just for you. I think this is a great example of the range of diversity from which mobile apps can be utilized.
Download the iShade app here: http://road.ie/ishade
GirlGamer: Well, the title says it all. Girl gamers rejoice! This site (and app) are all for you. The site features news, reviews, profiles, forums, blogs for female gamers, and the app allows users to keep in touch with the blog and the latest videos, editorial, live casts, and giveaways. I have a few female friends who will probably be interested in this one!
Download the GirlGamer app here: http://road.ie/girlgamer
ADA: As a newly-diagnosed diabetic myself, this app was of particular interest to me. However, it’s not about information for the general public, but rather it’s going to feature information from and about the American Diabetes Association 70th Scientific Sessions taking place June 25 – 29, 2010, in sunny Orlando, Florida, at the Orange County Convention Center (West Building). Bottom line here is that if you are a diabetic professional involved in research or care, this app is for you. This is another one that falls under the category of an event app, yet the target user is much different than we’ve seen in general for other event apps. I think this shows the continued expansion of app adoption in the fields of professionals.
You can download the ADA app here: http://road.ie/ada
Media Temple iPad Contest Promotes New Community App
posted by Michael Arcand
Do you know Media Temple? Maybe you’ve seen this – (mt) – on one or two wristbands at any of the 20-30 events they host a year. Or maybe you own one of the 600,000 domains they manage, making them one of the top 25 hosting companies in U.S. and top 50 in the world. Whatever the case, (mt) has quite the client roster and fan base.
The (mt) Community app went live recently and to promote it they’re holding a contest (ends tomorrow!) to win a year of hosting or an iPad or iPhone 3GS. Here’s how to enter (full details on their blog):
1. Download the (mt) Community app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Go to the “Feedback” area in the app (via the ‘more’ tab).
3. Leave a comment letting them know what you think of the app . You’ll need to login via your Twitter or Facebook account.
We love the creative approach they’re taking to promote their app and get their audience engaged straight away. We caught up with Ryan Goodman (@ryangoodman), brand manager at (mt), to learn more.
(mt) has a history of being a first mover with technology, especially mobile. They were the first hosting company to build a dedicated web app tailored to the iPhone upon first release and they’re one of the first to have a native app to communicate with customers and that offers capabilities to manage their hosting accounts, get support and buy domain names through the (mt) AccountCenter.
When we asked him why they decided to build a native iPhone app Ryan told us they saw it as a useful way to get customers engaged in a different channel and have a presence in app store.
“We’re a very open company in terms of communication which is why we decided to initially focus the app on our community to give them a way to keep up with everything we’re doing in one place.”
I don’t know if you know any (mt) customers but they tend to be a rowdy and fun bunch. Ryan said that their customers range across verticals and in size but they’ve always paid close attention to the creative community since day one.
“We get a lot of support from the creatives (designers, artists, developers, media, music.) There are a lot of designers who were fans of our company and service when they were young (company was founded in 1998) and have since become creative directors and decision makers. We’ve also seen the developer crowd increase a lot.”
The app has only been out about a week and already it’s had well over 1,000 downloads. And people are using it too.
“Initially we weren’t sure how people would use the fan wall but it’s been really cool. We’re seeing people post questions and users answering and helping one another.”
Want to see it for yourself? Get it!
You can find them on Twitter: @mediatemple and the ole Facebook.
Ryan also mentioned they have a staff of people available 24/7 that is dedicated to responding to every Twitter mention…must be in part why they get so much praise for their customer service…
Victor e Leo’s Mobile Roadie App Wins Award
posted by Michael Arcand
Released on December 18, 2009, the Victor e Leo app recently won an award in Brazil at the Tela Viva Mobile Awards, in the music category. We are always glad to hear about the successes of our customers, and wish to congratulate Sony Music Entertainment Brazil and Victor & Leo on this accomplishment.
The application contains excerpts from all of the tracks on the band’s album “Live and in Color,” as well as news, photos, and YouTube videos (which have already received over 45 million views!). In addition, the app also features a link to an online store, discography information, music lyrics, biography / release info, links to the main channels of the band, and a channel called “Fan Wall”, which allows users to post comments and interact with each other by connecting their accounts Twitter or Facebook. The app recorded over 15,000 downloads in the App Store, with over 3,000 video views through the application, and another 181,000 songs played via the app.
This app shows what can be done in another language other than English, using Mobile Roadie’s unique CMS with foreign language support. This particular app appears in full Portuguese, which is the native language spoken in the band’s home country.
Don’t put a limit on what you can do with a mobile app, and we won’t either.
You can download the Victor e Leo mobile app here: http://road.ie/victor-e-leo
Announcing the Toby Keith App
posted by Michael Arcand
Mobile Roadie is proud to welcome Toby Keith to the family of Mobile Roadie apps. This is Toby Keith’s official iPhone app, and it’s just in time for his Ford Trucks sponsored American Ride Tour, which kicks off June 19th.
Toby Keith has been among the top musical performers in any genre throughout this decade, and is ranked among the top selling artists in all-genres at #3 on Billboard’s Top 200 Artists of the Decade. He was also named Billboard’s #1 Country Artist of the Decade and #1 Country Songwriter of the Decade, and was honored by Nashville Songwriters Assn. International (NSAI), which awarded him its prestigious Songwriter/Artist of the Decade Award.
He is also a three-time BMI Country Artist/Songwriter of the Year with his catalog generating more than 65 million performances. Keith’s business empire is as expansive as his hit making ability, encompassing restaurants, movies, a dclothing line and his own record label. In this decade alone, his singles have spent more than a year at No. 1 on the charts.
As for Mobile Roadie, we’re totally excited to add Toby Keith to our lineup.
“The country music fan audience is unlike any other we’ve seen. They tend to have a higher level of engagement between artist and fan and consume a lot of content. We’re excited to add Toby Keith to our line-up of A-list artists using app technology to further engage with their audience.” – Michael Schneider, Mobile Roadie, CEO
Through the application, fans will be able to listen to tracks, view show schedules and purchase tickets, access the official store and engage with other fans who’ve downloaded the app via the Fan Wall. It also features news, music, photos, videos, & more! Keep up with the Big Dog Daddy and get all of the latest updates from Toby Keith directly on your iPhone.
You can download the Toby Keith iPhone app free at http://road.ie/toby-keith
Spotlight: Conversational Marketing (CM) Summit App
posted by Michael Arcand
We’re pleased to announce that Mobile Roadie is powering the official CM Summit app. CM Summit: Marketing in Realtime is a two day conference produced by Federated Media and targeted at executives in the digital marketing and publishing arenas. The conference is taking place next week, June 7-8, 2010 during NY’s Internet Week. However, one of the goals of the team using a mobile app is to keep the community engaged throughout the year. We hear this often from our customers who are involved in annual events of various types, whether they are conferences such as this, or music festivals. All want to keep people engaged throughout the year so they are not “out of sight, out of mind.”
With the CM Summit app, users will be able to access conference information such as speakers, sponsors, and agendas. It will also help conference attendees to keep track of everything going on during the event, as well as in the industry itself. It includes information on attendees who participate in the interactive portion of the app, as well as Twitter streams, news, and even pictures and videos from the conference. Even if you can’t attend the conference, using an app like this could be the next best thing to being there. The app is available for free on both the iPhone and Android mobile platforms, with a basic version also available on the web to BlackBerry Opera users.
Download it here: http://road.ie/CM-Summit
Spring Apps Round-up
posted by Michael ArcandWhile we have dozens of apps that get approved each month using our CMS, we don’t often get to showcase a variety of these projects. In an effort to share some of the great apps that we see every day, we thought it might helpful to showcase a few of these apps, and also inspire some of you to see apps in a variety of businesses. These examples just go to show that in almost any business imaginable, a mobile app provides a great way to interact with customers and push information directly to them.
PCMS - The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society’s app is the best way to follow PCMS concerts, get to know the world’s top chamber and recital musicians, and access unique content including videos, podcasts, and recordings.
Media Temple (mt) – (mt) Media Temple, Inc. is a web hosting and virtualization service provider. Existing users can also manage their hosting accounts, get support and buy domain names.
Heartland Church – Heartland Church in Tracy, California is a member of the Christian Reformed Church in America. This app is designed to help you connect with the church and to provide you with resources that will impact your life.
National Arts Festival – The National Arts Festival is an annual celebration of the best in South Africa’s rich and diverse arts world. Download the app to stay up to date with all the latest programme information, news, pictures and video from the Festival.
HealthiYou - The Video Toolkit for a HealthiYou app from HealthiNation provides video tips, important health alerts, and helps you get ready for your next doctor’s visit.
Condley Banking – The Condley Banking app from The Condley and Company Banking Services Group keeps users current with community banking news, both locally and nationally by featuring access to their blog, as well as Google news items related to community banking in and around Abilene.
IvanExpert - IvanExpert is the Mac support resource for small businesses and home users in NYC, and this is their official app. App users can access news, tips, and tricks on all things Apple, Mac, iPhone, and iPad, as well as info on events in the New York City area.
Music Matters App w/First Ever BlackBerry Web View
posted by Michael Arcand
The official Music Matters 2010 app was officially released on April 27th, in plenty of time for the three-day conference taking place in Hong Kong this week. Of particular note with this app is that it is the first one with a BlackBerry-optimized web view. This means that smartphone users BlackBerry and other select phones, who normally can’t access apps because they are in the iPhone or Android stores, will be sent to a webpage that simulates the app experience for them, right in their browser.
Music Matters 2010 is an Asian-themed music conference, focusing on new business opportunities as the world’s economies continue to move into positive territory. The three-day sessions will include face2face sessions, high-powered discussions, keynote presentations and in-depth analysis along with networking events including Asian music showcases, parties, lunches and sector-themed breakfasts. The event will culminate in the first ever Music Matters Live music festival, featuring up and coming independent bands from around the world.
Our own co-founder and CEO Michael Schneider will be speaking during the Music Matters conference on a panel at 11:00 a.m. on May 28th. Discussion for the panel will focus on mobile apps and other new technology in the music industry. He will also be presenting and demoing the official app to the conference delegates on the first day of the conference.
