Vancouver Green Tech Start-Up 3rdWhale Announces Launch of LBS-Enabled iPhone Application
Written by 3rdWhale
Saturday, 24 January 2009
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - 3rdWhale, a Vancouver-based green
technology start-up with offices in Sunnyvale, California, released an
application today aimed at inspiring green living.
Through the use of the iPhone's built-in Location Based Searching (LBS) and 3rdWhale's proprietary database of 10,000+ green business listings, consumers now have an easier way to find green businesses while on the go.
"We're very excited about launching this iPhone app today. The response from users has been overwhelming," said 3rdWhale founder and Chief Beluga Officer, Boyd Cohen. "As green consumers, we know how challenging it can be to make sustainable decisions on a daily basis, but we believe that given the choice and easy access to information, most consumers would rather live in a more sustainable manner."
3rdWhale celebrated the release of the application by hosting an Inauguration Party for President Barack Obama. More than 200 people attended Ceili's Irish Pub in downtown Vancouver to watch a replay of the Inaugural speech.
As America's first green President, Obama has pledged support for the creation of millions of green jobs and a doubling in the production of renewable energy in three years. Obama's campaign expertly used social media tools to mobilize his supporters on the ground and to raise the largest amount of campaign funding in the history of American politics.
The 3rdWhale iPhone app will initially support Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and San Jose; followed by Boston, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, San Diego and Santa Barbara in the months ahead. Worldwide support is planned gradually over the next few months, in large part through the introduction of advanced user-generated content tools that allow users to quickly add their favorite green businesses.
"We are pleased to be an innovator in combining the power of the global positioning function of the smart phone with the needs of the green consumer," said Cohen. "We anticipate that with the economic downturn 3rdWhale Mobile will be of great value to businesses that have embraced sustainability and consumers who are looking for them."
Known mostly for the Greenest Person on the Planet competition held in 2008, 3rdWhale has quickly evolved into a digital media company focused on the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market segment, which includes approximately one third of all North Americans.
Support for other smartphone platforms, such as Google Android, Blackberry and Symbian, are currently in development and expected to launch in the latter half of 2009.
About 3rdWhale: 3rdWhale.com is a digital media company focused on providing tools, resources and innovative projects that help individuals the world over live a greener and healthier lifestyle. With offices in Vancouver and the Silicon Valley, 3rd Whale is privately owned. For more information, visit www.3rdwhale.com.
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