Insurer’s Latest Innovation Puts Health Care in the Palm of Your Hand

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 29 /PRNewswire/ — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. (BCBSF) puts health care in the palm of Floridians’ hands with the launch of its new mobile website. The company’s latest innovation is designed to help consumers save time and money, and can be accessed from any Smartphone including the latest Blackberry, iPhone, Droid and even the iPad. By simply typing www.bcbsfl.com into their mobile browser, members and non-members can easily get important health information and tools, as well as details about their plan and coverage benefits.

“BCBSF leads the industry in the creation of tools and services to help Floridians become more engaged in their health care,” said Craig Thomas, chief marketing and strategy officer for BCBSF. “The mobile website is just one of many ways we’re connecting with consumers. We want them to be able to reach us anytime of the day at their convenience – in person at our Florida Blue centers, by phone – calling a Care Consultant, online, and now, from their mobile phone. We want to have an active partnership role with our consumers in their health care decisions–helping them to access services, manage health conditions and stay healthy.”

Now with just one click members can view their ID card and get instant snapshots of their plan benefits, Health Savings Account (HSA) balance and more.  Members can also utilize the mobile website to find a doctor based on their current GPS location, review details for that provider such as office hours, language spoken and map directions to their office. If a member leaves the doctor’s office with a prescription in hand, they can save money by comparing drug costs at local pharmacies.

Non members can use the mobile website to shop for insurance, get a quote and select a plan.

Both members and non members can utilize the mobile website to get weather forecasts combined with weather-related health alerts such as pollen, air quality and UV levels along with tips for managing their asthma and allergy symptoms. The site also offers all users real-time information on Florida Blue center health events based on GPS location, “did you know” health facts that users can share with family and friends via their personal Facebook and Twitter™ accounts, free ringtone downloads and monthly sweepstakes.

With a goal of giving Floridians fingertip access to health care information and tools wherever they go, BCBSF focused on simplicity and value when designing the mobile website. The company leveraged unique mobile features such as GPS location and timely delivery, and created an advanced and classic view to ensure the ultimate user experience across most devices and platforms.

“We’re the only health insurer to make health information via a mobile website available to everyone –members and non members,” said Adriana Murillo, director of strategic development for BCBSF. “This is the first of many mobile solutions to be brought to Floridians by BCBSF. Later this year we’ll launch our first iPhone application, as well as a text messaging program designed to help members improve their health.”

To find out more information, view the online demo from a desktop computer at www.bcbsfl.com/mobile.

Celebrating 65 years as Florida’s leader in the health industry, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is mission-driven to improve affordable access to health care. BCBSF is a not-for-profit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., BCBSF is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information concerning BCBSF, please see its Web site at www.bcbsfl.com or to listen to Floridians speak out on health care issues visit www.thepowerofthehumanvoice.com

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida

Back to top RELATED LINKS
http://www.bcbsfl.com

Toronto has become a hotbed of app development for mobile phones, churning out everything from productivity apps for businesses to sports and entertainment apps. The iPad’s bigger screen opens up even greater possibilities and Toronto developers are eager to seize the opportunities. The city is well-placed to do so. Its bustling film, Internet, design and creative industries have merged around the city’s universities and institutions to create an ideal ecosystem for app development, says Krista Jones, who heads the information and communication technology division at the MaRS Discovery District, a small business incubator. “Toronto is an app hub because we have deep roots in both the creative and design industries, and the technical industries,” she says. “It’s the perfect mix for apps.”

Ameet Shah, Jeff Zakrzewski, Oliver Tabay and Troy Hubman of Five Mobile Inc., have developed apps for Sony, Disney and mapquest and are currently developing new apps for the iPad. They are seen outside their Toronto office on May 28, 2010. JENNIFER ROBERTS FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Five Mobile Inc.

Founders: Troy Hubman, Ameet Shah, Oliver Tabay, Jeff Zakrzewski

No. of employees: 35

Most popular creation: The Score Mobile for BlackBerry

Shortly before Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy in September, 2008, the financial giant pulled the plug on one of its many investments: Tira Wireless, a mobile app developer with a large office in Toronto. Five of the employees started the aptly named Five Mobile and never looked back. “When we started the company we had our first four contracts waiting to be signed as we were waiting for our incorporation papers,” says Ameet Shah, a Silicon Valley veteran. The company has grown to become one of the city’s larger developers. From NHL games for simple cellphones, the firm went on to create a popular BlackBerry app that aggregates sports results for The Score television network, as well as apps for Walt Disney Co., Sony Pictures Entertainment and MapQuest.

[Read the full article here]

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release

Sun Media’s new and free news streaming iPhone application ranks Top 5 in Canada’s App Store

Montreal, March 4, 2010 – The free news streaming application developed by Sun Media and Five Mobile for Apple’s iPhone has seen rich success thus far. Launched in December 2009, the application is now one of the Top 5 most downloaded applications in Canada. Simple to configure, it brings users exclusive news from Sun Media’s network, including Toronto Sun, Ottawa Sun, Winnipeg Sun, Calgary Sun, Edmonton Sun and London Free Press.

With this application, readers receive personalized news on their iPhones in real time. From monitoring stock prices to viewing various photo galleries, readers can choose the news that interests them. The application is always available for download via the App Store. or from any Sun Media newspaper website.

“This new application allows us to provide relevant content to our readers anywhere, anytime. It’s been designed with the end-user in mind, making it the most user friendly and customizable app out there. With our customer-based approach, the application quickly became a favorite, standing out from the competition, says Francis Beaulieu, Director of Mobile and User Identity Products. The application was developed in collaboration with Five Mobile Inc., its expertise has largely contributed to the success of the application.”

Ameet Shah, VP, Sales & Business Development, Co-Founder of Five Mobile Inc., says “working closely with Sun Media, a leader of Canadian information and content, has enabled us to develop a simple, effective and exclusive application that attracts people eager for up- to-the-minute news.”

Sun Media’s mobile strategy will soon cross another milestone when it launches an application that streams news and information to the BlackBerry network. This launch is expected in March 2010.

Sun Media Corporation

Sun Media Corporation, a division of Quebecor Media, is Canada’s largest newspaper publisher, with close to 15.0 million copies published each week. With 42 paid-circulation and free dailies throughout Canada, all with their own dedicated websites, and more than 220 community newspapers, shopping guides and other specialty publications, Sun Media Corporation’s English and French language papers are leaders in providing local news and information. Sun Media Corporation aggregates the activities of Canoe.ca, an integrated company offering e-commerce, information and communication services. It owns the Canoe Network, which attracts 9.2 million unique visitors per month in Canada, including more than 4.1 million in Quebec. Sun Media Corporation is also involved in the operation of SUN TV, a general interest television station in Toronto, and provides a range of commercial printing and related services as well as distribution for newspapers, flyers and magazines. For additional details, visit our parent company’s website at www.quebecor.com.

Five Mobile

Five Mobile creates interactive mobile applications and websites, working with many of thetop brands and enterprises in the space. Five Mobile takes mobile ideas from concept to completion and simplifies the creation and optimization of solutions across all mobile platforms. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. For more information, please email info@fivemobile.com or visit www.fivemobile.com.

Contacts:
Sun Media
Francis Beaulieu
Director Mobile and User Identity Products
Office: 514.504.2796
francis.beaulieu@canoe.ca

Five Mobile
Ameet Shah VP, Sales & Business Development, Co-Founder
ameet@fivemobile.com

This is somewhat old news, but Five Mobile and Poolhouse are happy to announce the launch of DogBook and Catbook! See the press release below.

Dog book
Following the popularity of the Dogbook Facebook application, Poolhouse has launched the Doghouse iPhone application, which is now available as a free download on the iTunes store. Check out the video as well!

“The Dogbook iPhone app is an evolution of the Facebook application,” says Alexandre Roche, Dogbook co-creator. “Having Dogbook on your iPhone allows you to always have your dog with you, connect with other dog owners and gives you constant access to a number of resources like finding a dog park nearest to you.”

Features of the application include photo uploads, list other Dogbook users who are near you and locates nearby dog parks no matter where you are in the world. Lost a dog? You can use the application’s “Arf Alert” to send a message to all Dogbook users within a 15-kilometre radius with a photo and your contact information. Found a dog? Call the happy owner right from your phone.

“Posting your lost dog’s photo on a telephone pole is now a thing of the past as a way to find your favourite friend,” says Geoffrey Roche, Dogbook co-creator. “Posting a photo on ‘Arf Alerts’ takes all the great features of the iPhone, like GPS, and combines them with our two million strong user base to save the day for your dog.”

Dogbook is the creation of Canadian father and son team Geoffrey Roche and Alexandre Roche. Poolhouse developed the Dogbook iPhone application in conjunction with Five Mobile. The Dogbook Facebook application has over two million users and has been featured on ABC World News, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Times and BBC.

About Poolhouse
Poolhouse produces other popular Facebook applications such as Catbook, My Babybook, Horsebook, Ferretbook, Rodentbook, Fishbook and Birdbook.

About Five Mobile

Five Mobile creates compelling, robust and scalable mobile applications for brands and enterprises across a multiple of different platforms and handsets.

Check out the press release here. Exciting news on the home automation front!

Check out the press release.

The folks at Globe & Mail did a nice piece on The Score Mobile this morning. Check it out below.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/blackberry-wired-to-thescore/article1347673/

RESTON, Va. & TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ZoomSafer, the leading provider of patented solutions to prevent distracted driving, and Five Mobile, it’s Toronto-based software development partner have created an innovative application for BlackBerrys that offers Canadians a simple and
inexpensive way to comply with Ontario’s new hands-free cell phone law.

“Driving a car is difficult enough without the distraction of talking on a phone,” said David Kelly, former Acting Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and President of Storm King Strategies, a safety consulting company. “We need to do everything possible to have people put down the phone and make law enforcement’s job easier.”

“ZoomSafer is hands-free software for BlackBerrys that automatically injects context into the driving experience and helps motorists make better decisions,” said Matt Howard, CMO and co-founder of ZoomSafer. “By using ZoomSafer motorists in Ontario can eliminate the temptation to text and email while driving and still use their phones to make and receive hands-free calls.”

“As a Toronto-based software development company we’re thrilled that our efforts with ZoomSafer are enabling our neighbors here in Ontario to be more focused and less distracted while driving and to comply with the new law,” said Ameet Shah, Vice President of Business Development at Five Mobile.

Watch this video to see how ZoomSafer works. Register here to try
ZoomSafer FREE.

About ZoomSafer Inc.

ZoomSafer is patented software for mobile phones to prevent distracted driving and help motorists make better decisions, reducing accidents, saving lives, and saving money. For more information, please visit www.zoomsafer.com.

About Five Mobile

Five Mobile creates compelling, robust and scalable mobile applications for brands and enterprises across a multitude of different platforms and handsets. Five Mobile helps take your idea from concept to completion, leveraging extensive experience and proprietary processes. Visit Five Mobile at www.fivemobile.com.

According to Distmo, The Score Mobile for BlackBerry was the top downloaded application in BlackBerry App World for the month of September, beating out popular applications such as Facebook and Pandora.

We expect October to be a great month as well, with the start of the NHL and NBA season!

Innovative Mobile Software Prevents Distracted Driving and Uniquely Compliments Safe Driving Laws

Reston, Virginia – July 1, 2009 – ZoomSafer, an innovative provider of mobile software and services to prevent distracted driving, has partnered with Five Mobile of Toronto, Canada to develop custom software for multiple smart-phone platforms as well as a web-based user registration and management portal.

“Five Mobile is the perfect software development partner to help us prevent distracted driving,” says Michael Riemer, Co-Founder and CEO of ZoomSafer. “Not only do they have deep experience across a full range of smart-phone platforms, but they have a deeply practical approach to building applications that people will actually use in the real world.”

Based on the ZoomSafer patented design, the development effort will uniquely integrate multiple technologies including location services, call management, voice services, and social media in the context of a users driving experience.

“ZoomSafer is an incredibly compelling and timely application. The need is obvious to anyone and everyone who has a phone and drives a car. We’re looking forward to partnering with ZoomSafer in support of this important and ground breaking effort,” says Ameet Shah, Co-Founder, Five Mobile Inc.

Distracted driving is an increasingly dangerous epidemic with current studies showing that texting while driving is more dangerous than drunk driving. In response to these disturbing trends US and Canadian legislators are moving quickly to pass new safe driving laws.

“Although legislation is an important component of any solution, laws alone are not the answer,” added Mr. Riemer. “At ZoomSafer we’re dedicated to preventing distracted driving by delivering solutions that people will use, not because they have to, but because they want to.”

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About ZoomSafer Inc.
ZoomSafer provides innovative mobile software and services to help people drive safely, have fun, and stay connected. Uniquely designed for today’s highly mobile, text-happy, and hyper-connected society – ZoomSafer offers solutions that prevent distracted driving for young drivers, prosumers, families, enterprises, and government organizations. For more information, please visit us on the web www.zoomsafer.com.

Visit ZoomSafer Blogs:
www.iDriveFocused.com
www.BerryFocused.com

Follow ZoomSafer:
Twitter @idrivefocused
Facebook (People Against Distracted Driving)
Linked-In (People Against Distracted Driving)

About Five Mobile
Five Mobile creates compelling, robust and scalable mobile applications for brands and enterprises across a multitude of different platforms and handsets. Five Mobile helps take your idea from concept to completion, leveraging extensive experience and proprietary processes. Visit Five Mobile at www.fivemobile.com.