Two Foodie Apps Win CE Week’s Mobile Apps Showdown

by

By the end of 2013, the total number of mobile app downloads is expected to reach 70 billion. The Mobile Apps Showdown singles out the most promising and cutting-edge apps destined for download fame, amidst this extremely crowded marketplace. Last week’s Mobile Apps Showdown at CE Week gave us a look at some of the newest mobile app concepts. Contestants were pitted against each other online and in front of a live audience, in the hopes of being crowned the best of the best.

By online vote, the winner of this CE Week’s online competition is eMeals, an app that makes meal planning easier, healthier and cost effective while answering the age old question, “What’s for dinner?” eMeals, an app for Android and iOS devices, allows users to select their meal plan according to their eating style, family size and even their favorite grocery store. Every week, emeals serves up tailored recipes along with a grocery list coordinated with weekly sales. The eMeals app syncs to the user’s eMeals subscription so they can directly view their breakfast, lunch and dinner plans via the app. They can also organize their grocery list and mark purchased items. Eating out one night? Skip a meal and it removes the items from the shopping list.

MyCheck, an app that allows users to skip the paper check and pay with their mobile devices, wowed the audience of industry professionals at the live event during CE Week, taking home the title of “Mobile Apps Showdown winner.” MyCheck, an app for Android and iOS devices, allows users to check in when they arrive at a restaurant, bar or nightclub and receive a four-digit code to share with the maître d’, waiter or bartender. They order as usual, but when they are ready to leave all they need to do is press “PAY” on the app and the bill will instantly appear. (No more waiting for the paper check or credit card signature slip). The app allows friends to split the check, add a tip, sign the screen authorizing a transaction, and check out without the fuss.

Other finalists showcased at the Mobile Apps Showdown at CE Week NYC included cool apps for workouts, baby minding, and video:

ActiveBudz from GOTRIbal: An app that uses a survey of your workout style with geolocation to match you with workout buddies wherever life may take you.

DISH Anywhere from Dish Networks: With the free DISH Anywhere Mobile App, you can manage your DISH DVR and even view live TV and DVR content. The app incorporates Sling technology and works anywhere you have Wi-Fi or 3G/4G connection. Watch all of your content both in-home and on- the-go.

VidLasso from WoRM Inc.: VidLasso captures video from thousands of phones and tablets, and pushes it to the cloud for automated processing and organization. Companies’ brand managers use a simple admin panel to review, authorize, and send video to editors, social media managers, partners or anyone else.

THX tune-up from THX Ltd.: THX tune-up is an affordable, easy-to-use, interactive app that lets consumers use an iOS device to adjust their TV, projector and speakers, to get the best performance from their entertainment system – regardless of brand and price. Through step-by-step instructions via narration and text, the app uses custom video test patterns and carefully selected photos and tutorials to make adjustments (aspect ratio, brightness, contrast, color and tint) and confirm the best picture settings based on room lighting.

CrowdFlik from Crowdflik Inc.: Great for public events like concerts, wedding and sporting events, CrowdFlik lets you post and share video clips to a single location. The clips are time and location stamped. Users can play director and compile their own movie at an event.

News Republic from Mobiles Republic: News Republic is a leading app that gives you timely news, personalized to your interests, viewable from anywhere on the go – all in an elegant format on your smartphone or tablet.

Mommy Nearest from Mommy Nearest: Pinpoints your location and directs you to “mommy friendly” stuff from changing tables to playgrounds.

Photo fx Ultra from The Tiffen Company: Fabulous digital optical filters for your photos from Tiffen, makers of fine photo filters.

NQ Family Guardian from NQ Mobile: Can pinpoint location of your family members in a private network just available to you and family members.