Apple

^5/23/2011

by Holly Fink, Ruckus Media Staff Marketing Consultant

One of the best parts of developing our new Rainforest Survival Challenge App is getting to know our partners at Stepping Stones Museum for Children (located in Norwalk, CT) and Rainforest Alliance. We are thrilled to be involved with these two important educators and advocates.

We’ve decided to feature information about each organization in the upcoming week.  First we sat down with Kim Kuta from Stepping Stones.  Kim is the museum’s Director of Evaluation and Grant Research.  Kim was integral in the development of our new app and has a lot of knowledge about the Rainforest Adventure exhibit, which leaves the museum to tour the country next week.  She was able to utilize this knowledge in the creation of the app which we’re all very proud of.

Ruckus: Can you give us a brief overview of Stepping Stones?

Kim: At Stepping Stones,  play is serious business!  Our mission is to broaden and enrich the educational opportunities for children ages ten and under and to enhance their understanding of the world.  We thrive on building strong community collaborations and creating experiences that inspire life long learning. 

Ruckus: Tell us a little bit more about Rainforest Adventure.  How is it interactive?  How do the kids learn (without even knowing they’re learning?)

Kim: Rainforest Adventure is a multi-sensory exhibit that introduces children to tropical rainforests around the world.  Through creative, imaginative and graphically clever design elements, children can experience the challenges facing these unique ecological wonders and learn that people of all ages can make a difference.  Children can role-play as researcher assistants, put on research vests, use binoculars, climb a kapok tree, crawl through a fallen log and explore four different rainforest regions around the world.  They can search for animals, colors and familiar objects from rainforest cultures; study a gorilla nest, explore plant life in the layers of the rainforest; weave on a traditional weaving loom and discover products that come from the rainforest—all just by playing and having fun.  The exhibit also introduces visitors to children who live in rainforests around the world and shows them how rainforest children and their families help protect the rainforests

Ruckus: What if our readers are outside of CT and the greater NYC area – how can they enjoy the exhibit?

Kim: Rainforest Adventure will be leaving Stepping Stones Museum for Children in May 2011 to embark on a national tour.  The first stop will be at the Crown Center in Kansas City, MO until September 2011 where it will then travel to the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul until December 2011.

Ruckus: What kinds of resources do you have for families and teachers?  Are there additional materials that would help a teacher round out their curriculum?

Kim: The Family and Teacher Resource Center contains books, periodicals, online resources, games and apps.  It’s open any time the museum is open and is a great way for families and teachers to explore a variety of topics and activities.  Visit in person at the museum or check out the resources online.  Our staff members will help teachers locate materials and activities to fit their curriculum needs.  The museum also offers plant and animal workshops for schools.

Ruckus: If fans of our app are looking for more materials and ways to learn about/engage in rainforest activities, do you have online resources to give them extra information/activities?

Kim: We created this exhibit with the Rainforest Alliance—they are an excellent resource for all things related to rainforests.  Fans can also visit the Stepping Stones Family and Teacher Resource Center page (online) or call/visit to speak with a staff member.

Rainforest Survival Challenge is currently available on Apple's iTunes app store for only $0.99 until Sunday.  A portion of the proceeds from app sales will go to support education initiatives at Rainforest Alliance and Stepping Stones Museum for Children.

by Rick Richter, CEO

4/8/2011

Wow!  What a week at Ruckus.  We landed and announced a really terrific deal with our friends at Hasbro.  We received final builds (versions) on two new terrific apps due out in the next couple of weeks.  We had a really satisfying call with APPLE, and then with another interested investor.  We sat in the offices of one of the most respected CEO’s in children’s media, and he treated us like we actually knew something he didn’t know.  The office is humming.  People seem happy and they are working hard.

The thing about start up companies is that if you aren’t very careful, you can start to believe your own hype.  I ran across a posting from a very smart person, Fred Wilson from Union Square Partners, and the advice in his blog was – “focus on solving real problems for real people – do that and you’ll have a business”.  

I think everyone here at Ruckus understands we are trying to build a community where the quality of what we make, what we stand for and who we are counts inside and out.  We’re trying to build a company that we would all want to work at and that parents might want to be a part of in some way.

As a CEO of a start-up company, I’m pretty used to worrying all night, often arriving and leaving when the parking lot is empty.  The long walk to the car as the day is getting dark is my time when I take stock.  Did we make money today?  Well, maybe not so much.  Did our staff appear to be having fun and were they engaged?  Mostly yes.  Did we do something that we can be proud of, and that matters?  Certainly.  Did some little kid, somewhere, go to sleep in their parent’s arms with a Ruckus story in their heads?

I sure hope so.

by Holly Rosen Fink, Ruckus Media Staff Marketing Consultant

03/25/2011

Last week we were thrilled to bits when our very own A Present for Milo won the About.com Reader's Choice Award.  We beat some of the best apps for kids on the market, and it was a very intense competition from the start to the finish.  How could it get any better than that?

Well, it did.  Only a few days later, we were alerted to the fact that our beloved app won the Mom's Choice Award® for Best In Family-Friendly Products (or Services).

The Mom's Choice Awards® (MCA) is an awards program that recognizes authors, inventors,
companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media, products and
services.  Parents, educators, librarians and retailers rely on MCA evaluations when selecting quality materials forchildren and families.  The Mom's Choice Awards® seal helps families and educators navigate the vast
array of products and services and make informed decisions.

We knew that we had a terrific app in Milo, but it's nice to know that everyone else agrees.  With more than 80 tap-interactive objects that initiate more than 125 animations just right for active young fingers and minds, this interactive exciting cat-chases-mouse story is ideal for pre-readers and young readers alike. With simple vocabulary and sound-out words, this original app provides a fun, engaging read-to or read-aloud experience at a terrific value.  Toddlers and pre-schoolers can't get enough of Milo, we have seen them in action!

So, head over to the iTunes store to pick up a copy of our award-winning A Present for Milo!

by Holly Rosen Fink, Ruckus Media Staff Marketing Consultant

03/01/2011

What mom or dad wouldn’t want to see their child featured on a web site?  Now you have the opportunity.  Enter the Ruckus Media photo contest featuring your own children!  We’ll put your photo directly on our web site as part of a slide show where it will be placed amongst the other winners. 

All entries automatically qualified to win the Grand Prize:  a a pre-loaded iTouch  featuring 15 apps from the Ruckus library, including our critically acclaimed A Present for Milo, Andrew Answers and all the Rabbit Ears titles, including The Velveteen Rabbit told by Meryl Streep and Goldilocks told by Meg Ryan, among others. 

We‘ll be posting the photos on our web site as the photos are received.  Submit your entry from March 1^st, 2011 through March 15th, 2011 at midnight.  The grand prize winner will be chosen randomly.

You must read the following rules, terms and conditions before submitting any photos:

• The contest is open to participants in the U.S. only.
• You must be at least 18 years-old to enter.
• Photo captions must accompany all submissions, and should include the subject of the image and the name of the child.
• You grant Ruckus Media a nonexclusive right, in perpetuity, to:

-          Publish the images on the Ruckus Media web site (www.ruckusmediagroup.com).

-          Use, in connection with the Photo Contest, your full name promotions.

-          Keep the files provided, and to archive the images on CD or in other electronic                    forms, so that your photos can be properly credited.

-          Use in all social media that Ruckus Media utilizes.

So how do you qualify for the grand prize? To be included in the drawing for a new pre-loaded iTouch, you must do the following:

• Sign up for the RSS feed on ruckusmediagroup.com and submit a photo of your child using one of our apps (on an I.O.S. device such as iTouch, iPhone or iPad).
• Send it to us directly at photocontest@ruckusmediagroup.com.
• Include  photo, name, email address and contact phone number with your entry.
• You may enter more than once. 
• In addition to emailing, leave a comment below, telling us who will be getting the iTouch should you win.
• For a second entry, you may follow us on Twitter and then tweet about this contest with a link back to this page. Or, you can copy and tweet the followin “Enter to win a pre-loaded iTouch with Ruckus apps from @Ruckusmedia http://bit.ly/gmNEBk”.
• Make sure to leave a second comment with a link to your tweet, or it won’t count.
• Join our Facebook page and let us know in the comments below.

So, there are a number of ways you can win!  This contest will close at midnight on Tuesday, March 15th and the winner will be chosen randomly.  The winner will have 24 hours to accept the prize.

So, good luck and get your camera out!  We can’t wait to see what pictures come!

by Holly Fink, Ruckus Media Staff Marketing Specialist

12/9/2010

Welcome to our new weekly feature where you can sample our new, forthcoming and sometimes tried-and-true bestselling apps with first-come, first-served samples (each week we’ll be offering between 25 – 50 freebie download codes).  It’s simple:  

- If you have an Apple mobile device and want to receive a complimentary copy of our weekly featured app title, simply agree to write a brief review right here at our blog. Tell us what you loved about the app (or not) and why (or why not).

 - Just click on the "Order your reviewer's copy now" section of each post and send an email with your name; we’ll send you a download code -- and off you go.  Then we'll eagerly await your review.

-  Please post your review directly on this site: just click on the "comments" link at the bottom of the title's post. (If you’re a blogger or have an e-newsletter, feel free to post your review there too!)  We can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

OUR FIRST OFFERING:

A PRESENT FOR MILO by Mike Austin

Ages 2-5

FOR iPAD ONLY!

Story: With over 80 tap-able objects that initiate more than 125 animations just right for active young fingers and minds, this interactive exciting cat-chases-mouse story is ideal for pre-readers and young readers alike.  With simple vocabulary and sound-out words, A PRESENT FOR MILO provides a fun, engaging read-to or read-aloud experience at a terrific value ($1.99). 

Who’s knocking on the mouse hole? When mouse peeks out, he sees M lo…and off they go!  Down the hall…through the kitchen…up the stairs…across the piano…around and around and around and around—Milo and mouse turn the house upside down as they scamper, pounce, jump, and bounce through every room. It’s a  spirited chase right up to the exuberant surprise ending! 

• Perfect for pre-readers and young readers—all animations, narration, and sound effects are activated by a simple finger swipe or tap.

• Includes read-along text (that repeats when tapped) and comical narration by the author.

• Each screen draws the reader into the story, opening with slapstick chase animations that repeat (and sometimes change) when you touch the main characters.

• Users get to join the fun in Milo’s topsy-turvy world: touch objects in every room to see over 125 animations—dozens of hidden surprises on every screen!

• Hours of fun with a thoroughly engaging story, animations, tap-able surprises and silly sound effects—a perfect digital storybook.

Story behind the story:  “We’re especially proud of A PRESENT FOR MILO because the design is intuitive, anticipating where the young child will want to interact with the story,” says Rick Richter, CEO, Ruckus Mobile Media. “It’s the perfect combination of a high quality story, told just right for 2-5 year old set, that fully engages the child on mom’s or dad’s lap as well as the independent reader. And it’s this synthesis that caught the attention of a top children’s book publisher and led to our first app-to-children’s book deal.” Based on the storyboards and app design, literary agent Rubin Pfeffer sold a 3-book deal for MILO and creator Mike Austin to Blue Apple Books.  If that’s not proof of the right-on quality of this app, what is?

ORDER YOUR REVIEWER’S COPY NOW. 

by Jill Smokler of Scary Mommy, Ruckus Media Contributing Writer

10/28/2010

Hello, everyone! My name is Jill, but I'm better known as Scary Mommy. My son coined the phrase during a short-lived phase when he was terrified of absolutely everything. He's better now, but the name stuck. I blog over at Scary Mommy and am thrilled to be posting weekly here, as well. Please, leave your thoughts in the comments, along with any ideas for future posts. I'm excited to get to know you all!

I've been involved in a love affair with my iPhone for the last 2 years. It's cute, it's convenient and it fits so nicely in my back pocket. My whole world of social media is just a click away at all times. It's the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning and the last site I see before my head hits the pillow. It's true love.

Up until a few weeks ago, I had successfully kept my children away from my beloved phone. They knew it was off limits, and that was that. They had their toys and I had mine. Period. Until the moment of weakness I had during my middle son's endless soccer game. My oldest and youngest child were bored to tears and starting to get really antsy. With an hour to go, I was desperate. I pulled out my phone and downloaded my very first app geared towards children. Not surprisingly, it was love at first sight for them as well. They were enraptured.

That one afternoon led to another and another and now I basically share custody of the phone with all three of my kids. It's frequently misplaced, often low on battery and always covered in a variety of fingerprints.

It's not without some merit, though. When mornings are hectic and I need to get them out the door, I lure them with a game. When I just need a shower in peace without the faces of three children plastered to the glass, it's a God-send. And, those times when three stories aren't enough for the kids and I'm sick of reading, the iPhone can take over. Frankly, Meryl Streep reads The Velveteen Rabbit a million times better than I ever will. She can read me to sleep any night. It's kind of a miracle. What on earth took me so long?

What about you? Do your kids use your smart phones? What have your experiences been?

10/19/2010

Giving Kids What They Like Most in an App
Jim Young, Chief Operating Officer

Great stories, told well, is an art form that has endured the test of time. That’s why we’ve joined forces with Rabbit Ears Entertainment for our initial launch.  They share the belief that quality entertainment can enhance a child’s appreciation of literature, art and music while also having fun.  By combining today’s most well-known, talented celebrities with great musicians and beautiful animation we can inspire children to appreciate and learn to love classic tales, art and music as much as we do. 

The apps that we've launched include all of these ingredients, and many more. They are classic stories like The Velveteeen Rabbit and Pecos Bill whose magic is enjoyed by adults and children alike.  Our apps are extremely unique as they combine a celebrity telling the story with wonderful animation and music.  In addition, these apps include additional features in which you can read the story, watch the video or record your own voice.  I am blessed to have two wonderful and curious kids.  They can’t keep their hands off of my phone or ipad.  But kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy the features of our apps.  Our app's record-your-own voice option allows parents to stay close to their children even when they are far away. For me this is really a nice feature.  Whether I am off on a business trip, working late (often lately) or just out to dinner, I am still able to tell my two children a bedtime story. 

We’re lucky to have the original executive producing team from Rabbit Ears, Mark Sottnick and Doris Willhousky, working with us to maintain the original works and content but to help transform them into a ground-breaking, new experience.  Together, we’re making sure not to let the technology drive the original works, but rather enhance the story and reading experience through a smart phone or tablet’s touch screen and recording capabilities.

We’ve retained the original video, illustration and narration and re-formatted it for the iPad,iPhone, iPod and soon to come, the Android.  This has enabled us to give kids what they like most in an app, entertainment and interactivity. 

Here’s the really fun stuff, our original storybook apps, soon to be released, incorporate even more features that kids love – hot spots, gaming, painting and story creation.  We have partnered with many New York Times Bestselling authors (including Jon Scieszka, Rosemary Wells, Andrew Clements, Alan Katz and David Carter, to name a few) in agreement to develop original works. Unlike many children’s apps where touch screen technology is used as an add-on to the story, we at Ruckus believe the story comes first and the technology is used to propel the story.  We even have an app where your child has to “drive” to another part of the story using the iPad’s accelerometer funcitionality.  How cool is that!  Our exclusive partnerships allow for terrific storytellers to develop and enhance their story even further, through technology and interactivity.  And this is just the start!

This new art form marries and leverages todays everyday mobile devices so children can interact with a story in new and exciting ways.  So, go ahead and check out our apps that launched this weekend in the iTunes store.  We look forward to your feedback!

by Holly Fink, Ruckus Media Staff Marketing Specialist

10/15/2010

Hear that noise?  Yes, it’s champagne corks popping here at Ruckus Media headquarters!  Apple has just flipped the switch and our apps are live! 

Head over to the store now to find one these digital classic stories: Pecos Bill, Johnny Appleseed, and John Henry. Look out for The Velveteen Rabbit and Tom Thumb coming up soon!

Then join us on Twitter, YouTube, Flickr or Facebook and let us know what you think.