Uber-calendar-shortcut

When you’re rushing to make it to an event, every moment is critical. Uber has made travel much easier, but the process of searching, copying and pasting an address remains a hassle. There are too many potential obstacles such as low battery, poor service or glitches.

To avoid this issue, Uber has implemented its new Calendar Shortcut feature. Aiming to offer optimal speed and instant accessibility, Uber now allows users to be en route to an event with just one tap. Smart data detectors pull the exact location included in the event, saving users the trouble of manual entry. Once synced to a calendar, location recommendations will appear automatically.

Once a user has given the Uber app integrated calendar access, destinations are recommended based on scheduled meetings and events, given they include specific locations. The event destination will appear as a one-tap icon on the main screen. This function is very similar to the already established “Work” and “Home” presets. The calendar location icon is located right next to those. The shortcut can be enabled by going to Uber’s settings section, then navigating to Calendar Events. Simply authorize the app to access your calendar. Once this is confirmed, the tool is ready for immediate use.

Even though this new feature helps streamline schedules, there are a few concerns. Depending on the individual, allowing Uber to access more personal information could be unsettling. It should also be noted that proper use of the function relies on having an organized calendar. To fully enjoy the function, a user’s calendar should be detailed, update-to-date and well-managed.

Calendar Shortcut was first introduced in November during Uber’s major redesign presentation. Recently, Calendar Shortcuts became available for iOS users. Soon it will be available on Android devices. Since Uber is constantly becoming more intelligent, it might be a good idea to regularly update the app.

Online retail giant Amazon is now making a foray into the world of virtual meetings and video conferencing. It’s a realm with major players such as GoToMeeting and Skype for Business, but Amazon believes Chime, which allows users to hold high-quality audio and video meetings, has unique features that will enable it to compete. Specifically, Chime has positioned itself as a “unified communication service” that makes meetings easier by having everything you need in one place.

These are a few of the features Chime offers:

1. Join a meeting with one click
Instead of forcing attendees to dial into meetings and enter passwords, Chime alerts users when the meeting starts and makes it possible to join with just one click or tap.
2. Easily view meeting roster
Chime makes it easy to see all of the attendee information you need, including a visual list of attendees, late-comers and no-shows. All users can see the meeting roster for full visibility.
3. Use on multiple devices
With smartphones and tablets more common than ever in offices around the world, a good virtual meeting tool needs to be mobile compatible. Luckily, Chime was built specifically for mobile use. Of course, it comes with apps that run on desktop devices as well. Chime has made it seamless for users to join a meeting from one device and switch to another one.
4. Share seamlessly
Chime allows meeting participants to share screens without having to request permission first. In the app’s chatrooms, users can work together and create a shared chat log. Meetings can also be recorded with one click.
5. Integrate with conference rooms
Amazon boasts that its calls deliver noise-cancelled audio and high-definition video that is compatible with most user devices and conference room video systems.
6. Make meeting appointments with Outlook
Chime appointments can be fully integrated into Microsoft Outlook by simply installing an add-on. Invites can be created in the same way as usual.
7. Create your own chatrooms
Similar to Slack, Chime allows users to create their own long-term chatrooms to converse with team members.

Amazon Chime is available in three tiers: Basic, Plus and Pro. The Basic edition is free and allows users to attend meetings, make one-on-one video calls and use chat features. The Plus edition costs $2.50 per user per month and includes user management of email domains, 1 GB of message storage per user and use of Amazon’s Active Directory service. The Pro edition of Chime costs $15.00 per user per month. For the extra cost, users will be able to host meetings for up to 100 people. Amazon is currently offering free 30-day trials of Pro.

Editor’s note: We’re trying something new! We handpicked a few of our stories from the March issue and decided to give you a sneak peek. You can expect the entire issue online the first week of March. Enjoy!

G. Spotting

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s company, Goop, recently launched a new travel app, G. Spotting, which provides users with a closely curated guide to 25 cities around the world, from Los Angeles to Paris and Detroit to Hong Kong. The app delivers recommendations for restaurants, hotels, art museums and other services, recommended by the Academy Award-winning actress, her friends and her Goop team.

The app isn’t just geared toward tourists. Noora Raj Brown, vice president of communications at Goop, explained that it is also built for locals looking to test out a new spot for dinner in a different neighborhood. Other celebrities lent their preferences for certain destinations. For example, Reese Witherspoon, Karen Elson, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill provide Nashville recommendations.

Detour

Andrew Mason, the former CEO of deals site Groupon, recently launched a travel app of his own, Detour. The app offers hourlong audio tours of certain neighborhoods in major cities such as New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.

The fun part of the app is the narration. Audio tours are given by some familiar names and voices—such as filmmaker Ken Burns, Broadway legend Joel Grey and local radio personalities—designed to make users feel like they’re getting a tour from a local celebrity.

Detour is a free app for Apple and Android devices, and the tours sell for $4.99 each. The free group audio sync feature allows one paying customer to share a Detour with friends, turning the tour into a group activity.

ChefsFeed

Can you think of anything better than getting advice about where to eat from famed culinary heavyweights?

The ChefsFeed app does exactly that by providing curated, chef-recommended guides that include exclusive details about where and what you should eat.

Travelers searching for late-night bites in Chicago, cheap eats in Austin and the best burgers in Denver will all find expert answers.

The app lets users search by dish and location, and recommends not only restaurants, but also specific dishes. Members of the chef community who provide feedback range from big names such as Wolfgang Puck to esteemed local chefs from around the United States, including Paul Berglund of Nordic-influenced Minneapolis hot spot The Bachelor Farmer and Texas pitmaster Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue fame.

organization apps

Organization can be hard to maintain when planning a big event. With so many contacts, meetings, calls, deadlines and services to keep track of, it’s probably best to invest in something a little more advanced than the average calendar and notebook.  Elevate organization to the next level with these apps—keep track of every moving part and make sure you never miss a beat in the process.

1. KanbanFlow

Purpose: Time management
Rating: 4.6 stars on Chrome Web Store
Price: Free membership or $5/month per user
Compatibility: Web browsers and Google Chrome extension

Promising “lean project management, simplified” on your desktop, tablet and smartphone, KanbanFlow is used for live collaboration. KanbanFlow maximizes time management by using the Pomodoro time tracking technique, a special method of allocating specific times for tasks, so no time is wasted. As team members work on projects, their adjustments and comments appear instantly. Projects are also organized by status for clarity, and may have a list of sub-tasks to further simplify the workload.

2. Wunderlist

Purpose: Collaborative project planning
Rating: 4.8 stars on Apple App Store
Price: $4.99 a month through an auto-renewing subscription
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch; Android smartphones and tablets; Windows and MacOS.

On Wunderlist, users may create many types of sharable lists with reminders, deadlines and notes. Action items can easily be transferred from emails and manually added on the website. Best of all, the app can be accessed from nearly every smartphone or tablet available on the market.

3. 24me

Purpose: Tracking and completing all tasks, both work and personal
Rating: 4.6 stars on Apple App Store
Price: $3.99 a month or $8.99 a quarter or $29.99 a year through an auto-renewing subscription
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Android devices

As a self-proclaimed “Smart Personal Assistant,” 24me is about more than in-office work. The app will streamline all aspects of life including managing social networks, service providers, errands and finances—with the promise of top cyber security throughout the process. A considerable number of tasks may also be completed directly from the platform.

4. IFTTT

Purpose: Task Automation
Rating: 4.2 stars on Apple App Store
Price: Freemium subscription, which means the app comes with ads
Compatibility: Web browsers, iPhone, iPad and Android devices

With new services added weekly, IFTTT makes it incredibly easy to manage all of your programs in one place. More than 360 apps can be integrated with IFTTT. Some big names include, Twitter, Instagram, Email, Google Drive, Amazon Alexa, EBay, FitBit, Skype, and Evernote When enabled, IFTTT can automate many daily tasks, such as opening your garage when your car enters the driveway, providing a weather update at a certain time each day, and even posting your Instagram photos on Twitter.

5. Quip

Purpose: Team communication and collaboration
Rating: 4.9 stars on Apple App Store
Price: $30/month for a team of five, an additional $10/month per extra team member.
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, Android devices, MacOS and Windows

Quip offers a variety of document sharing services. If you are using Dropbox, Excel, iCloud and Gmail, contacts can be imported instantly. With its real-time messaging feature, communication is always up-to-date and straightforward, saving users time. Quip’s spreadsheets also offer more than 400 functions and customizable mobile keyboards.

6. SimpleMind

Purpose: Boosting ideas and brainstorm sessions
Rating: 4.6 stars on Apple App Store
Price: Free version, $4.99 for Android devices, $5.99 for iOS, $29.99 for MacOS and $35.66 for Windows.
Compatibility: Android devices, iPad, iPhone, MacOS and Windows.

SimpleMind allows users to easily map their brainstorming sessions and idea collections via an innovative thought-structuring device. The app has organized sections for advancing an idea, with templates for analytics, media, notes and presentations.

7. Timepage

Purpose: Travel Planning
Rating: 4.4 stars on Apple App Store
Price: $4.99 for iPhone and $6.99 for iPad.
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

Timepage is ranked as the No. 1 productivity app in more than 25 countries. Moleskine, famous for its notebooks, has created a new product that matches its impressive standard. The app neatly and intuitively maps out upcoming events. Estimated travel times and maps also provide intelligent calculations which account for necessary factors such as weather conditions. Practical notifications, such as reminders when it’s time to leave, are also a handy feature of the app.

travel apps

It can be difficult to decide which apps are worth downloading. There are simply too many available options and more are being released each month. These seven new travel apps stand out because they cater to a modern audience. With their focus on current trends such as the sharing economy, customization and convenience, these seven apps should be on your radar.

1. Airmule

Using the app, users can list available luggage space and actually get paid to carry items onboard. Travelers are paid once the package is picked up at the destination airport. It might seem like a strange service, but Airmule partners with TSA certified shippers, and 100 percent of shipments are screened, inspected and verified. Travelers can earn up to $300 per flight.

2. As You Stay

Say goodbye to rushing out of bed. As You Stay gives travelers the ability to customize arrival and check-out times, and more importantly, only pay for those hours used. The app partners with Hilton, Marriott and other major hotel chains. Whether you need to regroup, sneak in a last-minute shower or find a quiet workspace, users can book a stay for one to 24 hours and are billed accordingly.

3. Bizly: Meetings on Demand

Got a last-minute meeting? Bizly provides instant booking for meetings in major cities. The app lets users browse curated, local hotel venues as well as choose food, beverages and other amenities for groups of up to 40 people. The app offers already-negotiated prices and same-week bookings. With this app, phone and email inquiries are a thing of the past!

4.  ChatnBook

ChatnBook is basically the Tinder of hotel booking. Users input the destination, number of travel companions, dates and particular preferences (such as the need for free Wi-Fi), and then browse hotel images, ratings, stars, prices, amenities and maps. Much like Tinder, the user swipes right if interested, resulting in a chat with the hotel to arrange the booking.

5. Cool Cousin

Cool Cousin provides trustworthy and unbiased reviews, something that may have been lost on platforms such as Yelp. The app does this by matching travelers with locals who can provide unique insights on area attractions. Once matched, the traveler can access the local’s reviews and list of favorite spots. Travelers may also use the app to message their match for advice  throughout their trip.

6. Freebird

If a flight is affected by weather, air traffic or any other inconvenience, users will receive a notification and a list of alternative flights on Freebird. With a tap of a button, users can make new arrangements free of charge.

7. SkipLagged

SkipLagged is a fantastic service, mainly because it is the first to simplify the “hidden city” trick that travelers in-the-know have long used. The strategy involves booking a flight with your actual destination as the layover city. As advertised on its website, the app is “so good” that United Airlines sued the company, although Skiplagged maintains that its practices are completely legal.

Eventforte

Editor’s note: This is a sneak peek from the upcoming May issue. You can expect the entire issue online next month.

New technology always aims to improve experiences and add convenience. This is certainly the case with EventForte, a pioneer in the event planning and hospitality industries.

Max Landaw, director of strategic partnerships at EventForte, emphasized the groundbreaking nature of the products.

“It segments the whole event planning process into its core components,” Landaw says regarding EventForte’s app. “A theme that we’re always thinking about is how communication and involvement could be better for the industry. From our experience, there are many different people you deal with when planning an event. “

EventForte is a cloud-based event management solution for organizers, venues and attendees. With top customization, management and visual options, planning technology is seriously kicking it up a notch. EventForte launched its app in August 2016 and released its new product at the Oculus store this past March.

Eventforte

EventForte is the first major event planning platform to offer virtual-reality features. Landaw says its main goal has always been to have an all-in-one app on one convenient platform. However, an even bigger goal is to make the experience more realistic in order to fully showcase plans and reduce extensive event research.  The main obstacles EventForte encounters is figuring out what people in the industry want from the virtual reality experience.

Eventforte

Recalling the experience of testing EventForte’s new product at IMEX America 2016, Landaw says, “It was fun seeing what people thought. We got a lot of interest, which inspired us to be the best that we could. I was surprised how people of every age and demographic took interest. You expect it to just be appealing for young people but everyone is interested in how it could help their business.”

Eventforte

The meeting and event planning industry is amid a big move towards virtual reality. It can facilitate the planning process and entertain during events. Even though the technology is not mainstream yet, the new influx of revolutionizing products, including EventForte, point to this ultimately being the norm. More virtual reality tools will emerge, but it remains to be seen how they will be used and what the new process will look like.

Regarding the future of EventForte, Landaw expressed the company’s desire to eventually reach other virtual reality platforms.

hyatt streaming

Guests who stay at participating Hyatt hotels will soon be able to access their favorite television shows, movies and personal content on TVs through a secure mobile app.

Hyatt is partnering with Sonifi Solutions to deliver video-streaming service to guests at 14 participating hotels, the companies announced. Hyatt selected Sonifi’s Staycast technology to integrate with in-room TVs at participating hotels using Google’s Chromecast system.

Chromecast is powered by a small device that connects to TVs and enables users to watch content from subscription-based providers, including Netflix and Hulu, as well as YouTube videos and more than 1,000 additional apps.

“This industry-leading collaboration is one more way World of Hyatt builds experiences with an understanding of what’s most important to our community of travelers,” said Debbie Goetz, senior vice president of corporate marketing for Hyatt. “Today’s traveler often has one or more streaming subscriptions, and now they can view their favorite content on the big screen when they’re on the road, too.”

Staycast has been integrated with Hyatt’s mobile app to allow guests to watch movies from subscription-based accounts without being charged by the hotel. In fact, Hyatt guests don’t even need to enter a code or personal credentials on the hotel TV, according to the company.

“Hyatt’s forward thinking approach has pushed, motivated and mobilized our respective teams to deliver an experience that is quite personal and simple for Hyatt guests around the world,” said Sonifi CEO Ahmad Ouri.

In addition to watching movies and TV shows from Hulu and Netflix, hotel guests can access and stream personal photos and videos, music channels and business presentations.

Hyatt’s press release did not include a list of all 14 participating hotels. The hotel’s secure-streaming system was first implemented in 2015 at Hyatt Regency San Francisco, and later at Hyatt’s Andaz 5th Avenue in New York City. The in-room streaming service is now available at Hyatt Regency New Orleans and Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans.

The hotel’s mobile app can be downloaded from world.hyatt.com.

Know your audience. That’s the most important element of posting online videos from live business meetings and corporate events.

Ultimately, there is no technology that can replace being at the event. The key for planners is to know what videos people actually watch and find useful. Most of the cool technology that exists today helps event planners figure out what their audiences like, want and need.

Technology companies like FreemanXP and Glisser offer audience-engagement software that measures how people respond to corporate video postings on social media sites like YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Edward Perotti of VMware says the company’s in-house events are focused primarily on people.

“You need to use technology based on the culture of your audience,” says Perotti, senior director of global meetings, events & travel for the Palo Alto, California, computing company.

People are often most attracted to videos with interesting speakers, Perotti notes. They generally get bored with slides, especially those containing still-photos and bulleted text.

“At VMware, we want our people and culture to connect on a human level,” says Perotti, who manages about 2,100 worldwide VMware events annually. “We drive content to inform employees and educate them.”

When VMware events or portions of company meetings are videotaped, the focus is on those speakers who engage and connect emotionally with their audiences.

“I err on the side of not making text the focus,” Perotti says. “People don’t want slides. They like visuals—if they tell stories.”

His advice to event planners who want to leverage videos from corporate meetings online is to research how television showrunners entertain audiences with short attention spans. Perotti recommends answering these three questions:

1. How long does TV content play before cutting to a commercial break?
2. What backgrounds do professionals use to keep the audience from being distracted?
3. Is the camera moving around, or is it fairly stable and focused on one person?

Perotti recommends that planners who post business videos on social media sites become involved in the content-planning stages of their events. “We should be in the same room during the content development meeting. I partner up with the [communications] team, so if you’re shooting live with a webstream and you have a script, you focus on it.”

Planners who follow the presentation script will know all the “juicy parts”—the portions audiences respond to emotionally. That saves time when it comes to figuring out what to post online. It can also result in lots of clicks.

More than 250,000 companies—in more than 239 countries and territories – have signed up to use Airbnb for work, the San Francisco-based website says.

The number of business trips it booked last year tripled, says the home-stay travel company, although exact figures were not revealed.

Currently, the company says, nearly 10 percent of all trips on Airbnb are for work— totaling 8 million business guests, based on 2016 Airbnb bookings.

Airbnb rolled out several improvements recently to attract your business travel. And it promises more in 2017.

Already in place are:

-A third-party booking tool: This allows the employee managing travel and the employee taking the trip to book, make changes to a reservation and message the Airbnb host with questions about the listing or neighborhood.

-Business-travel-ready listings: Listed homes with the amenities and services a business traveler needs, such as Wi-Fi and laptop-­friendly workspaces, have grown to more than 150,000 globally. To use the new search function, you’ll need to register as a business traveler and have your work email address linked to your Airbnb account.

-Self check-in filter: As a business traveler, you can now filter search results for those listings where you can get into your reserved Airbnb accommodation after your designated check-in time using a key lockbox, smart lock, keypad or doorman.

-Business-friendly receipts: They are used to streamline the submitting of travel expenses.

-Integrations and partnerships: They are made with travel management companies and “duty of care” providers.

In the pipeline this year, says Airbnb, is integration with corporate travel-booking tools. This promises to make it easier to rebook the listing you absolutely loved, and to offer easier access to amenities such as gyms and co-working spaces.

“In the past, the Airbnb experience has been designed primarily for leisure travelers,” stated an Airbnb press release. “Not anymore. Business travelers come to Airbnb already knowing where they want to stay, and with less lead time. They want speed, convenience and reliability.”

photo editing app

When you’re on the go, it can be difficult to keep up an eye-catching social media feed. Want to quickly produce compelling infographics and post photos that look like they were shot by a professional? Bring out your inner artist and create captivating social media posts with these easy-to-use apps.

1.  Snapseed

Available On: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android

Purpose: Photo editor

Snapseed makes it easy for users to enhance their photos and apply quick adjustments to make their photos pop. Produced by Google, the app features an easily maneuverable layout with titles of filters that present a straight-forward approach to what you will be doing to your photo. Users may choose from preset filters or a feature that allows for adjustments to be made to only one area of the photo.

2. Phonto

Available On: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android

Purpose: Add text to images

The simplicity of Phonto makes it a great app for on the go social media users. Once you’ve imported your image, tap the photo and begin adding text. Phonto gives its users freedom to add and use fonts as they like, with 400 fonts to choose from.

3. Over

Available On: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android

Purpose: Creative photo editor

Over is an all-in-one photo editing app, making it easy for users to edit their images, add text and caption pictures. Previously a text on top of photos app, Over now offers users the ability to create atheistically-pleasing social media posts that go beyond simply adding text to photos. Over has unique features, such as the nudge option, which allow users to perfectly place artwork, text or an image.

4. Quik

Available On: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android

Purpose: Video creator

The makers of GoPro have made it incredibly fast and easy to produce videos for users to share online. Quik transforms the clips and photos you select into professional-looking videos. It adds transitions and effects and even syncs the footage to music you have selected. With its five-star rating, you are unlikely to be let down with the outcome.

5. Canva

Available On: Web, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

Purpose: Graphic designer

Canva offers users a plethora of templates to choose from to create graphics for social feeds. The easy-to-use interface will first prompt you to select what you would like to create: a Facebook post, Instagram post, Pinterest graphic, LinkedIn header and many more. Once you begin designing, navigating through the sidebar is a fast and easy process. All your designs can be saved to your account for future reference or to be finished later.

6. Easel.ly

Available On: Web, iPad

Purpose: Infographic maker

Users can quickly create powerful infographics with this app. Once on the website, you can begin without having to enter any information. Simply scroll through and select a template to start creating your design. The icons across the top of the page simplify the infographic process, making it incredibly easy to use.