What’s harder to get? Beyonce or #NYTM tickets? Both. Each sold out in 2 minutes but I got both, tweeted @SuzanBond. Yup, it was the usual packed house at the May meetup and as always, it’s all about the tech…
The preliminary announcements included a message from TEALS, a program focused on bringing computer science lessons to NYC public high schools.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE STARTUPS
Centrallo
A life management app, Centrallo organizes information overload into a set of “lists,” which can contain anything from notes to links or videos. Lists can be shared with other users for collaboration, thus turning Centrallo into a productivity app. Your email can be integrated into Centrallo as well, to keep everything organized in one place.
Stray Boots
A fun experience that’s part scavenger hunt, part tour, you can also create personalized (Google) maps that can be shared with anyone, dropping custom pins with notes and recommendations. Generate links to your maps (private links coming soon) and any other users can check them out.
Everplans
Let’s face it: you’re not going to live forever, and you have to deal with it eventually. An online resource for everything related to death, Everplans (which we’ve covered in this publication before) helps users prepare for when the moment comes and it’s time to clock out. Get personalized guidance and a list of everything you need to do, according to a few questions the site asks upon registration. Users can also name people entrusted to access certain sections of their accounts, and documents can be scanned and backed up to the site.
Poncho
A personalized weather forecast through daily emails, Poncho gives users a friendly message (written by a real human) detailing the weather for the day ahead. It can also include information concerning commutes and travel times, since it’s currently available in New York and Boston, it not only has personality: sometimes it gives you a bit of attitude, too. The company is a NYTM alum as well.
Lifedots
Create photo albums through aggregated social media streams such as twitter and Instagram, and collect them with simple swipe controls into your own collection. Edit and share your albums, and explore other peoples’ albums as well. The app can also be used as a streamlined Instagram viewer, showing nothing but photos and removing the clutter of comments and likes, for those times when all you want to do is connect your own dots, without the editorial asides.
Endless TV
Get free personalized TV through your smartphone, with mobile-centric channels you can add and organize. No video ads play in between clips, and swipe to change videos. The app also provides personalized recommendations, and can be set to preload videos on wifi for offline viewing. Did we just make your day, sports fans?
Pagevamp
Have a facebook page for your brand? Use it to create a website in a few simple steps, just by pasting in the page URL. Sites are created through many templates and can be easily tweaked or customized, along with optimization for mobile browsers. Updates you post to the page automatically synchronize with the site, so maintaining one takes care of both.
Heat Seek NYC
A means for lower-income New Yorkers to fight back at their slumlords, Heat Seek NYC is a program that provides them with wifi-enabled thermometers, which keep track of the heat levels in their apartments. Graphs and tables are generated with the data collected, and compared to the legal limits and regulations set for NYC apartments. This group was the hack of the month, working on reducing winter deaths in NYC by bringing the internet of things to local advocacy groups.
Qvit
This is the first online boutique that gives you a virtual dressing room, Qvit stands out by giving shoppers avatars so that they can virtually try clothes on and see if they fit. The avatars that shoppers create are representative of their measurements, and details such as tightness and space within the item are viewable as well. Ovit also plans to allow users to personalize their avatars using their own headshots.
Hackhands
Your SOS button for instant coding support, HackHands offers live programming help available 24/7, You know, coders hours. Hackhands is a source for frustrated programmers to broadcast their requests to online registered programmers. They can then video chat with users and paste the code into a shared editor, with collaborations viewable in real time. Users can add former tutors to a preferred list, and work with them again. Ruby on rails is currently supported, with python and iOS coming soon.
