Virgin America helps travelers to connect with others

19-2-2014

  • Virgin America

Airline Virgin America has launched a new social network app, the ‘Here On Biz’ app. The app connects people on the plane or at the airport through their LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Travelers can make contact with people on the same flight or another Virgin America flight, people at the airport or with people at their destination. The airline wants to reinvent the flying experience for their customers and the app is part of the campaign.

Leave a message to the farmers

19-2-2014

  • fairtrade

Consumers often do not know where their food comes from. Cisse Trading Co, a company that focuses on Fairtrade chocolate bakes and drinks, gives consumers the opportunity to send a message to the farmers. There is a QR-code at the packaging of the food that can be scanned by the customer. The consumer is linked to the Facebook page where they can leave a message to the farmers. So there is more transparency and it creates a connection between the farmer and the consumer who buys their products.

Pay a KLM booking through social media

14-2-2014

  • social media

Now KLM Royal Dutch Airlines makes it possible for customers to pay their booking through social media. Consumers are already able to book extra services through social media, such as a seat reservation or extra baggage addition, but they can now pay their booking via Facebook or Twitter as well. KLM will send the customer a link in a private message on Facebook or Twitter, consumers can choose the method of payment and complete the transaction. A KLM service agent receives a payment confirmation and sends a message to the customer. KLM is the first airline that makes it possible to pay through social media.

Bidroom alternative booking websites

5-2-2014

Bidroom is a commission free booking website where hotels can offer rooms via a reversed auction. The guest selects a city and a room (3 to 5 stars and choice between single, double of triple) and within 24 hours hotels can make an offer, while the prices of competitors are visible. In the future Mark Bradshaw (CEO), Michael Ros (COO) and Casper Knieriem (CFO) want to generate revenue from advertisements.

Aloft Hotel introduces virtual key

31-1-2014

  • aloft hotel

The check-in process at a hotel can be long and often much paperwork must be filled in. The Aloft Hotel in Manhattan has a solution: a digital key to open the hotel room. Guests receive a virtual key through the Starwood app, compatible with both iPhones and Android devices. The Bluetooth enabled system will open the door. With this technical development the hotel chain wants to attract young people and offer an additional service.

Pay your snack by mobile

30-1-2014

It might be possible to pay a snack at snack bar Febo by mobile soon. You need to scan a QR-code and the payment goes through a personal code on the mobile. After that the locker can be opened to grab the snack. To develop the app Febo started a collaboration with èM!payment.

Vending machine with salads

24-1-2014

We already have seen a number of vending machines, but mostly with unhealthy products. The vending machine of Farmers’s Fridge sells healthy, fresh packaged salads, fruits and breakfast. The company prepares the salads made of organic, local en fresh produce early in the morning and delivers the packed salads to the vending machines by 10AM. The unsold salads from the previous day will be donated to the local food bank. The vending machine has a touchscreen and is made of wood and recycled materials. Farmer’s Fridge currently has vending machines in the Chicago area.

Ad that can only be seen by night

17-1-2014

  • mcdonalds

This ad from McDonald’s in a bus shelter in Sydney is only fully displayed when it is dark. During the day it seems like it lacks the half of the famous ‘M’ , but as soon as it gets dark the entire ‘M’ appears in the reflection of the glass. This ad is part of the new campaign by McDonald’s to announce that the fast food chain is open all night.

Handy cooking videos without a mess

14-1-2014

  • handy

For anyone who cooks along with a youtube video, dirty fingers on the screen of the laptop or tablet are very recognizable. The video goes to fast, you need to pause it every now and then. The website ‘Handy’ by Flore avoids this problem. You can upload a youtube video on the site and it is played in full screen mode, while the webcam is activated. When you wave your hand from left to right the video will play, whilst a right-to-left wave will pause it. Additionally you can save the videos in an online cookbook.

Your own 3D pasta

2-1-2014

Italian pasta maker Barilla wants guests to design their own 3D pasta in a restaurant within a number of years. Barilla started a collaboration with TNO Eindhoven, that develops a 3D food printer. Barilla wants to equip restaurants with a 3D pasta printer, so guests can bring their own design on a USB stick and get their own designed pasta served on plate. The Italian pasta maker is interested in the delivery of the pasta dough that the 3D pasta is build layer by layer. However, the study of the 3D food printer is still early.

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