Category: Smart TVs

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Alexa Amazon Echo App Everywhere B2B Apps Connected Car Google Home Mobile Apps Smart Home Smart TVs Voice Commands

Tech 248 Recap & Key Takeaways

On Tuesday, July 31st we hosted our first in house event, partnering with Tech248! We offered networking and refreshments while our executives gave brief updates on 2018’s mobile trends.  We couldn’t be more excited to see over 80 local business people attend our first event!
In case you missed it… here’s a little recap of the presentations and their key takeaways!

Apps For Business

Our COO, Bob Kernen gave an incredible presentation about apps for business. Bob refers to apps as a dynamic business tool. “We tend to think of apps as consumers – apps are these little tools people use to get us through our day. In reality, they are the most valuable real estate a marketer can have, and most importantly… ALL companies can participate.”
An app is self-contained piece of software that is designed to serve a discreet function and work on a specific type or types of devices. It leverages the power of your smartphone or tablet, way beyond the ability of a mobile browser. Mobile apps can be designed to help facilitate instant communication with customers.
App features an include: 

  • Real-time updates on product availability
  • Ability to request a quote or place an order
  • Provide login, video, and PDF sessions for education
  • Host an ultra-categorized, user-friendly product catalogue
  • Connect users with particular departments or teams instantly
  • And more!

With that being said…“There’s an app for that!” Did you know 81% of American adults use a smartphone… and mobile usage has surpassed desktop usage!

Media Consumption Trends

Our President, Paul Jacobs, gave great insight about the Media Trends in 2018. Paul touches on the results from Techsurvey 2018.

  1. We can definitely see a generational shift when it comes to media, as shown survey results, we see millennials and boomers both have the highest population dealing with media consumption.
  2. Here is the 2018 media pyramid representing media consumption, devices used, and trends between millennials and boomers: 
  3. In 2018, Techsurvey proves that audio streaming is still on the rise, and is quite balanced between male and female consumers. If your business has audio content to put out there – keep doing it!
  4. Lastly, in-car audio provides many different sources for content. The AM/FM radio is still standard but audiobooks, podcasts, streaming providers, and XM satellite are all sources for content and advertising if your business is trying to reach consumers on the go.

Now how do we here at jācapps relate to that? jācapps App Everywhere® provides solutions that encourage communication across all devices. We incorporate your brand through mobile phones, the connected car, smart TVs, smart speakers, tablets, and wearables.

Smart Speaker Update

Our Director of Business Development, Sari Zalesin, gave a great presentation about smart speakers! If you don’t know already… Alexa dominates the smart speaker space! Looking at smart speaker owners, 75% own Amazon Alexa only, 19% own Google Home only, and 6% own both Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
When it comes to business, Amazon Alexa skills need a strategy behind them. Creating “skills” is easy, but voice is actually something much larger! Voice is actually a whole new user interface, and more and more devices will be controlled by the human voice. With that being said, consider your business and how you might interact with users through voice. What content do you want delivered, and to whom? Do you have news, announcements, or recurring content? Or are you focusing on set database questions and answers?
Amazon Alexa has skills for all different industries, some of the hot industry skills around the US include; Healthcare, Automotive, and Food & Beverage.
Here are some great examples from her presentation: 

  • Healthcare –
    • Carolinas HealthCare created an Alexa skill where consumers can simply ask “Alexa, what is the nearest Carolinas urgent care or hospital?”
  • Automotive –
    • Ford and FCA partnered with Amazon to connect their cars to Alexa voice control for commands relating to appointments, trip management, and engine starting.
  • Food & Beverage –
    • TGI Friday’s created a skill allowing fans to place orders and make reservations with Alexa voice technology.

Overall, smart speakers are here to stay! Every business needs a voice strategy!

Thank you to all of the attendees and we hope to see you at future events!
We would also love to thank Farmington Brewing Company and Plum Market for catering with the best refreshments! The beer and food were a hit…we look forward to working with both companies for future events!
If you are interest in us, the apps we’ve built, or a product of your own, contact us at sales@jacapps.com or (248) 353-9030

Categories
Alexa Amazon Echo App Everywhere B2B Apps Connected Car Google Home Mobile Apps Smart Home Smart TVs Voice Commands

Tech 248 Recap & Key Takeaways

On Tuesday, July 31st we hosted our first in house event, partnering with Tech248! We offered networking and refreshments while our executives gave brief updates on 2018’s mobile trends.  We couldn’t be more excited to see over 80 local business people attend our first event!

In case you missed it… here’s a little recap of the presentations and their key takeaways!

Apps For Business

Our COO, Bob Kernen gave an incredible presentation about apps for business. Bob refers to apps as a dynamic business tool. “We tend to think of apps as consumers – apps are these little tools people use to get us through our day. In reality, they are the most valuable real estate a marketer can have, and most importantly… ALL companies can participate.”

An app is self-contained piece of software that is designed to serve a discreet function and work on a specific type or types of devices. It leverages the power of your smartphone or tablet, way beyond the ability of a mobile browser. Mobile apps can be designed to help facilitate instant communication with customers.

App features an include: 

  • Real-time updates on product availability
  • Ability to request a quote or place an order
  • Provide login, video, and PDF sessions for education
  • Host an ultra-categorized, user-friendly product catalogue
  • Connect users with particular departments or teams instantly
  • And more!

With that being said…“There’s an app for that!” Did you know 81% of American adults use a smartphone… and mobile usage has surpassed desktop usage!

Media Consumption Trends

Our President, Paul Jacobs, gave great insight about the Media Trends in 2018. Paul touches on the results from Techsurvey 2018.

  1. We can definitely see a generational shift when it comes to media, as shown survey results, we see millennials and boomers both have the highest population dealing with media consumption.
  2. Here is the 2018 media pyramid representing media consumption, devices used, and trends between millennials and boomers: 
  3. In 2018, Techsurvey proves that audio streaming is still on the rise, and is quite balanced between male and female consumers. If your business has audio content to put out there – keep doing it!
  4. Lastly, in-car audio provides many different sources for content. The AM/FM radio is still standard but audiobooks, podcasts, streaming providers, and XM satellite are all sources for content and advertising if your business is trying to reach consumers on the go.

Now how do we here at jācapps relate to that? jācapps App Everywhere® provides solutions that encourage communication across all devices. We incorporate your brand through mobile phones, the connected car, smart TVs, smart speakers, tablets, and wearables.

Smart Speaker Update

Our Director of Business Development, Sari Zalesin, gave a great presentation about smart speakers! If you don’t know already… Alexa dominates the smart speaker space! Looking at smart speaker owners, 75% own Amazon Alexa only, 19% own Google Home only, and 6% own both Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

When it comes to business, Amazon Alexa skills need a strategy behind them. Creating “skills” is easy, but voice is actually something much larger! Voice is actually a whole new user interface, and more and more devices will be controlled by the human voice. With that being said, consider your business and how you might interact with users through voice. What content do you want delivered, and to whom? Do you have news, announcements, or recurring content? Or are you focusing on set database questions and answers?

Amazon Alexa has skills for all different industries, some of the hot industry skills around the US include; Healthcare, Automotive, and Food & Beverage.

Here are some great examples from her presentation: 

  • Healthcare –
    • Carolinas HealthCare created an Alexa skill where consumers can simply ask “Alexa, what is the nearest Carolinas urgent care or hospital?”
  • Automotive –
    • Ford and FCA partnered with Amazon to connect their cars to Alexa voice control for commands relating to appointments, trip management, and engine starting.
  • Food & Beverage –
    • TGI Friday’s created a skill allowing fans to place orders and make reservations with Alexa voice technology.

Overall, smart speakers are here to stay! Every business needs a voice strategy!

Thank you to all of the attendees and we hope to see you at future events!

We would also love to thank Farmington Brewing Company and Plum Market for catering with the best refreshments! The beer and food were a hit…we look forward to working with both companies for future events!

If you are interest in us, the apps we’ve built, or a product of your own, contact us at sales@jacapps.com or (248) 353-9030

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Android Auto App Everywhere Apple CarPlay B2B Apps Connected Car Mobile Apps Mobile Web Radio Smart Home Smart TVs

Mobile Developer Aims for Growth As It Serves New Industries

Recently, Bob Kernen and Paul Jacobs spoke with Crain’s Detroit Business about investments, growth, and the mobile revolution. In great summary, we are ready to hit some goals this year! Being in the emerging mobile application sector, we topped $1 million revenue in 2017, and we expect that to double this year!!
Alright, so let’s check out what we shared with Crain’s, and how we plan to reach these goals!
We are a software company founded by former WRIF 101.1 FM Program Director Fred Jacob. He is helping companies create efficiencies through mobile applications. Jacobs started the tech firm out of a storage close in his Jacobs Media Strategies offices in Bingham Farms months after Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple Inc. launched its App Store in 2008.
We started out with four employees building apps for radio clients including WRIF, WDET 101.9 FM, Michigan Radio and WMGC 105.1 FM to stream radio content to listeners.
“Smartphones have been the transformative device of our lifetime. It creates an unbelievable way to connect businesses to their customers, such as through push notifications,” COO Bob Kernen said. “The average person has about 30 apps on their phone. Once a company can get an app on a customer’s phone, it can become the best marketing tool for them.”

Realizing that other businesses and organizations could benefit from the mobile industry that has now reached nearly every corner of society, we began diversifying our client base in 2013.
Our company picked up a private investor in 2016 to help grow its staff to nine and moved into a new headquarters across the street from the old Jacobs Media at 30300 Telegraph Road, Bingham Farms. jācapps has a six-year lease with Bloomfield Hills-based JFK Investments Co. LLC.
Our workforce grew to 22 in 2017, warranting a $70,000 investment to tear down a wall and nearly double the space to 7,500 square feet this past March.
“We saw the opportunity to become a full-fledged mobile software provider,” Paul Jacobs, Fred’s brother, said. Paul, who also worked for WRIF as a salesman, is now president of the software company. “We broadened out our skill set and found growth in construction, health care, wellness and other businesses that realized that they needed a mobile strategy.”


Since then our company has taken on clients in Partha Nandi, M.D., of the medical TV show “Ask Dr. Nandi,” and Ireland-based building material supplier CRH plc, including two of its subsidiaries in Canton Township-based Cadillac Asphalt LLC and Monroe-based Stoneco of Michigan. Cadillac Asphalt has contracts to rebuild some of the crumbling roads in metro Detroit, including the 696 freeway.
“In the case of Stoneco and Cadillac, what’s important is communication to their customers and employees” for process efficiency, Paul Jacobs said. “Our clients at Stoneco told us if we can get the message out to contractors, they could come pick up more loads and that makes all the world to their business. These are tools that are all about creating efficiencies for the people on the move.”
Because software is constantly changing, Jacobs said the firm is continually investing to keep up with the times as operating systems are constantly changing and new technologies emerge. One of those investments include building an analytics department to allow customers to better utilize their apps.
We are also working with Dearborn-based Ford Motor Co. to build programs for mobility and focusing on other products including smart TVs and smart watches, Jacobs said.
Last year, we saw 30 percent growth, topping $1 million in revenue, Jacobs said. He expects to double revenue this year as the company capitalizes on investments made over the past two years.
Lastly, we would love to thank Crain’s Detroit Business for the support! Click here to read more about how we plan to double our growth this year!
If you are interest in us, the apps we’ve built, or a product of your own, contact us at sales@jacapps.com or (248) 353-9030

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps Smart Home Smart TVs

jācapps Continues to Grow Into the New Year

Business people shaking hands, finishing up a meeting

BINGHAM FARMS, MI – January 30, 2017 — As the mobile application space continues to grow, our team grows as well. We have recently brought in a few new employees to help strengthen our mobile solution abilities and reach beyond our current industry base. Dante Ciullo, Senior Android Developer, brings with him 20 years of software development and 5 years of mobile app development experience. Jacquelyn LaFrance, Marketing Manager, is on course to ramp up our Marketing efforts, define our mark in the business and attract diversity in the industry segments we pursue. Marty Watson, Business Development Manager, will help to expand our mobile solutions beyond the Detroit and media industries. We are very excited to have our newest employees on the jācapps team and anticipate valuable insights from each of them.

We’ve officially begun the expansion into the office space next door!

Along with our team expansion we are also in the process of expanding our office space! We have acquired the office space next door to house our Development and Production teams and give them space to grow their departments. This expansion would not be possible without the hard work put in by all of our employees, but our fantastic clients as well. Without you, none of this would have been possible.
We also want to highlight our entire team for their amazing volunteer work at the end of 2017. In honor of Thanksgiving, we adopted a family to provide them with a Thanksgiving dinner. To celebrate the holidays together, our team also volunteered for Project Remodel to help remodel the previous Durfee School in Detroit, which will open as the Community Innovation Center. We are so excited to watch our team grow and continue their work in the local community.
To learn more about how mobile apps can benefit your business, reach out to us at 248-353-9030 or marketing@jacapps.com we love talking mobile!

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps Smart Home Smart TVs

Reinventing Legacy Brands

By: Bob Kernen
Among all the enormous city state-sized displays, and scrappy start-up booths, one of the things that caught my eye at this year’s CES2018 in Las Vegas was the presence of brands that have been around for a long time, but are hardly associated the cutting edge.
From Blackberry and Kodak to Polaroid and Sylvania, they were all there, some in better shape than others. What was clear is that while there is undoubtedly value in a recognizable name, consumers’ associations with that name are what really matter, and changing those associations is really difficult.
Some of these brands are truly “legacy” and their products have changed little from their pre-digital heydays, others are playing the “retro” card, while a few have truly reinvented themselves.
Companies like RCA and Sylvania are largely in that first category. While their products may be modernized, upon closer inspection they are haven’t really changed that much. RCA showed off a number of pretty standard-looking TVs, and even a portable media player that had a slot for a DVD (kinda retro, right?). Sylvania still makes lightbulbs, they’ve just gotten a little “smart”-er.
The “shake it like a Polaroid picture” guys had a colorful, brightly lit display. And while it had a number of interesting digital elements, the center of attention was the old school polaroid camera, now dubbed the OneStep 2. The camera is still the same boxy shape as it’s been since the 1970s, and it still spits out your picture (on actual photographic paper) from the front. Polaroid has embraced its retro, analog past with gusto, and is trying to make it relevant to a whole new generation of Millennial and GenZ hipsters as the new (old) way of enjoying instant photography. And it just might work: if you use Instagram, you’ve probably noticed that their icon on your phone borrows heavily from the original Polaroid camera. How it ultimately works out for Polaroid is hard to say, but people at CES were definitely enjoying taking their pictures, albeit digitally, sitting on the giant Polaroid camera at the entrance to the booth.
Some of those legacy brands, however, have transformed themselves into something entirely new. Rand McNally, the map people for those of you old enough to remember, has completely changed their business. As printed maps have been almost universally replaced by Google Maps, Rand McNally has morphed their business into one that could be described as a “data” business. They use their massive store of mapping data to drive a number of new products, most of them targeted at a very specific audience segment: truckers and trucking companies. Among their products are digital driver logs, and purpose-built tablets for helping truckers turn any truck into a connected vehicle.
Also in this category is Blackberry. Even though they were arguably among the first smartphones to market, they were overwhelmed by the innovations that came from Apple and Android to the point that their handsets went from being ubiquitous to punchlines. Their devices may have faded in popularity, but at heart Blackberry was always a software company. Now their software operating system QNX has become a popular OS for a variety of embedded systems, including dashboards, where real time processing and high security are important. The “crackberry” may be extinct, but Blackberry has successfully transformed itself into a robust software company.
I was most surprised by the Kodak booth, where I found not a single role of film, but instead drones, solar panels and smart lightbulbs. All of these new products were found beneath the familiar red and yellow “K.” The company even made an announcement about a new crypto-currency (think Bitcoin). Not exactly the Kodak of the flashbulbs and film era. But as a company that has always relied on technology, Kodak was perfectly positioned to put its legions of scientists and engineers to work on new problems. It may be a smaller, more focused company, but Kodak is still in the game, in new games, and it’s got a real shot at redefining this century old brand.
All of these established brands prove that while brands can be durable, the technology world never stands still. Brands must work hard to constantly evolve and redefine themselves for consumers, lest they be consigned to the attic of nostalgia.
To learn more about how mobile apps can benefit your business, reach out to us at 248-353-9030 or marketing@jacapps.com we love talking mobile!

Categories
Connected Car Mobile Apps Smart Home Smart TVs

CES 2018

Next week, jācapps will be at the Consumer Electronic Show 2018 in Las Vegas. CES 2018 is a must for anyone wanting a glimpse of the newest gadgets, toys, car tech and more. As you’d expect, AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) will be hot topics of conversation.
Smartphone technology, as always, will be at the center of much of the technology exhibited at the show. Smart speakers, the hot gift to give of this holiday season, and the voice control technology behind them will be another theme of the show.
Not only will we be exploring what the future of technology holds, our sister company, Jacobs Media, will be leading a select group of radio industry leaders on an exclusive tour of CES. We are looking forward to next week’s event and hope to see you there!
Our founder, Fred Jacobs, talked to the CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, Gary Shapiro, about this year’s show. Check that out here.
To learn more about how mobile apps can benefit your business, reach out to us at 248-353-9030 or marketing@jacapps.com we love talking mobile!