PopTech Releases Free “World Rebalancing” Application for iPad
App Uses Interactive Data Visualizations as New Form of Storytelling
NEW YORK – October 20, 2011 – PopTech, in collaboration with five distinguished partners, today announced the release of its first application for the Apple iPad called PopTech: The World Rebalancing. Now available in the Apple App Store, the free application takes full advantage of the form and functionality of the iPad by providing users with four unique ways to explore global shifts: users can build personalized media maps, view interactive global data, visualize business insight, and carefully curate a catalog of inspiring videos from the PopTech network. The five partners include Hot Studio, Jana, PwC, UN Global Pulse and The New York Times R&D Lab.
The world is rebalancing — economically, culturally, demographically and geopolitically — and the October 19-22, 2011 PopTech Conference explores related implications and opportunities. The PopTech: World Rebalancing app provides visual and data-based information on these shifts, while exploring fresh approaches to storytelling in a new medium. The PopTech: World Rebalancing app was designed by Hot Studio; was supported by data and expertise from Jana, The New York Times Research and Development Lab and UN Global Pulse; and was made possible by generous support from PwC.
The PopTech: The World Rebalancing app allows users to do the following:
Follow a guided, yet personalized, tour of The New York Times Research and Development Lab’s Media Memory Map, which asks users to input basic personal information in order to gain access to a personalized visual tour of their lifetimes, as presented by articles, images, and other content from The New York Times.
Compare personal responses to a global survey on jobs, health, the economy, and technology — with thousands of people surveyed on their mobile phones from around the world.
Glimpse what the world’s CEOs and business leaders are saying about the future of the global business landscape.
Watch inspiring videos from the PopTech archive, demonstrating the powerful ways that members of the PopTech community are generating lasting and impactful change around the world.
“We at PopTech are delighted to present this app, which shows the power of collaboration among world-class partners,” said Andrew Zolli, Curator and Executive Director of PopTech. “We harnessed our expertise in bringing people together from very different organizations to create a stunning application with important implications for design, publishing and data exploration.”
“PwC is delighted to partner with PopTech in developing innovative new ways to visualize how the world is rebalancing,” said Tom Craren, Partner at PwC. “Today’s business leaders are preparing for the future, and this app helps present their insights in an entirely fresh way.”
“We at Hot Studio are especially proud of this work, which truly demonstrates the power of interactive design to share new ideas,” said Maria Giudice, Founder of Hot Studio.
“The Memory Map reflects the R&D Lab’s passion for unique expertise in data visualization, and illustrates the incredible potential of The New York Times archive,” said Michael Zimbalist, Vice President for Research and Development Operations at The New York Times Company.
The application also features custom research undertaken by technology company Jana, in which mobile phone users in developing countries were asked dozens of questions about their general well-being, and responded in real-time. The questionnaire was reviewed by UN Global Pulse, as part of a larger initiative to explore the new potential of worldwide data gathering via mobile devices.
“Jana’s mobile phone technology provides a quick and efficient way for any organization looking to understand what is happening all over the world at a moment’s notice,” said Nathan Eagle, co-founder and CEO.
“This visualization allows us to imagine the enormous potential uses of real-time data and global surveys, from observing critical trends to forecasting future crises,” added Robert Kirkpatrick, Director of UN Global Pulse.
PopTech: The World Rebalancing app for the iPad is available now from the Apple App Store. For more details and to see more about the PopTech: The World Rebalancing app, visit http://www.poptech.org/app. To download images of the app, visit: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12819312/media/PopTechWRiPad_Photos.zip
About PopTech
PopTech is a new kind of innovation accelerator — a community of cutting-edge leaders, thinkers and doers from many different disciplines who come together to explore the social impact of technology and the forces of change shaping the future. PopTech’s one-of-a-kind network includes innovators in wide-ranging fields such as science, technology, green energy, sustainable ecomaterials, violence cessation, design, and the corporate, entrepreneurial and social sectors. PopTech’s mission is to accelerate the positive impact of world-changing people, projects and ideas and to foster unconventional collaborations that tackle some of the world’s most significant challenges and lead to real and lasting change. PopTech is a non-profit 501©(3) organization. Please visit HYPERLINK “http://poptech.org/”poptech.org for more information.
About Hot Studio
Hot Studio is an award-winning experience design company with offices in San Francisco and New York City. Dedicated to creating elegant solutions for complex design challenges, we collaborate with business leaders, innovative organizations, and emerging companies to create breakthrough products and services that have global reach and local impact. Founded in 1997 by Maria Giudice, a pioneer in the field of information design, we started out small. There are now more than 80 seasoned, multidisciplinary professionals working at Hot.
Visit hotstudio.com for more information.
About Jana
Jana’s proprietary technology empowers global organizations to engage directly with emerging market consumers in over 85 countries via their mobile phones. More than 2.1 billion targeted consumers can gain much-coveted free mobile air time in exchange for completing surveys or purchasing products. Visit HYPERLINK “http://jana.com/”jana.com for more information.
About PwC
The PricewaterhouseCoopers network provides solutions in the fields of assurance, tax, human resources, transactions, performance improvement, and crisis management. It also deploys this experience to help educational institutions, the government, nonprofits, and international relief agencies address unique business challenges. Visit pwc.com for more information.
About UN Global Pulse
Global Pulse is an innovation initiative of the UN Secretary-General, harnessing new data and emerging technologies to gain a real-time understanding of changes in human well-being, particularly in response to global crises. Visit unglobalpulse.org for more information.
About The New York Times Research and Development Lab
The New York Times Company Research & Development Lab works to innovate around new technologies, anticipating consumer behaviors and building new interfaces for news. We “look around corners;” identifying, explicating and demonstrating the impending changes in media technology that will impact the Company’s business and the customers we serve, and assist in product development across the Company.