WhatFinger


Company committed to voice activated and audio delivered information

AskKinjo now automatically detects your location to provide faster, more accurate information



Toronto, Canada – February 26, 2009 – AskKinjo Inc., Canada’s first provider of free and personalized location-based services (LBS) in audio format, continues to expand its service in the Greater Toronto Area with features that make it even easier to use for people on the go. Bell Mobility,TELUS, Koodo and Solo, Rogers, Fido

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Mobile phone users who subscribe to Bell Mobility,TELUS, Koodo and Solo will no longer have to state their location verbally when they dial #KINJO to access AskKinjo’s services. AskKinjo has supplemented its speech recognition system with an automated location feature. Automated location is available immediately for Bell and Solo users; while TELUS and Koodo users will enjoy this feature by March. This new feature ensures users can access AskKinjo’s location-based information faster and more accurately than ever before. It works on any phone, without GPS (Global Positioning System) or the need for a data plan. Simply by dialing #KINJO (#54656), users can access a range of free location-relevant services, such as the nearest station with the cheapest gas, real-time traffic updates, and the nearest fast food outlets, coffee shops, parking lots and ATMs. An additional feature, called "Tomorrow’s Gas Price Today," provides the next day’s forecast price of gasoline and diesel every weekday after 5:30 p.m. Rogers and Fido users dial 647-476-6468. Thanks to #KINJO’s speech recognition system, drivers across the GTA can search for information easily and still comply with the Government of Ontario’s intention to ban holding or dialing a mobile phone while driving. They just have to talk and listen. Users pay nothing for AskKinjo’s services. During the 10 to 12 seconds while their real-time information is being retrieved, they hear a short audio advertisement they can act on, if desired, to take advantage of special promotional offers or to visit the advertiser’s nearest location. "We are singularly focused on continuously improving and expanding our services to consumers," said Stephane Attal, AskKinjo’s CEO. "The automated location feature demonstrates our commitment to providing voice activated and audio delivered information, and represents a major step forward in our plans to take this service to other cities." Since the cellular network employed by Rogers and Fido does not yet support AskKinjo’s new automated location feature; the company is taking steps to ensure these mobile phone users can also benefit. AskKinjo is creating customized GPS applications that can be downloaded and installed on a mobile phone. The first such application, for the Apple iPhone, is already available for free download at the Apple iTunes Store under "kinjo." AskKinjo is developing similar applications for other phones, which will be available for free as well in the near future. To deliver its automated location feature, AskKinjo has partnered with LOC-AID Technologies Inc., the premier provider of location aggregation platforms and services. The agreement makes AskKinjo one of the first companies in Canada, outside of the carriers themselves, to offer location-based services with automated location finding "We were impressed by AskKinjo’s unique model for providing location-based services to cell phone users for free while opening up a new channel for advertisers to reach their audience," said Vanessa Nightingale, Director of Developer Relations for LOC-AID. "At LOC-AID, we’ve long recognized the vast potential offered by location-based services to engage in more meaningful interaction with consumers and develop new and innovative revenue models for service providers." AskKinjo’s new automated location feature ensures full privacy and protection. A user’s location is not tracked and the information is not shared. #KINJO is only aware of the user’s location for the duration of the call. Once the call is completed, #KINJO is no longer aware of, or connected to, the user. #KINJO users can always opt out of the automated location feature.

About AskKinjo

AskKinjo was founded in 2006 to deliver a superior customer experience to users in search of relevant location-based information services, and to provide a new channel for advertisers to reach a mobile audience. The company’s patent-pending technology platform integrates context-based advertisements with value-added location-based services delivered free of charge to users. Upon dialing #KINJO, opt-in users are presented with an interactive audio advertisement tied directly to their interests, information request, time and geographical location. Once the ad is heard, the user can listen to the requested content. AskKinjo overcomes the many issues hampering the embryonic mobile-advertising industry, such as little free content, costly platform dependence, difficult human interfaces and privacy concerns.

About Loc-Aid Technologies

Loc-Aid is an award winning privately owned company, backed by Tier 1 venture firms, that specializes in location aggregation platforms and customized wireless mobile data solutions. Our technology integrates wireless location information into any service/application, making it easier to deliver location into any development and help optimize and monetize LBS revenue. [url=http://www.loc-aid.net]http://www.loc-aid.net[/url] To learn more, visit [url=http://www.askkinjo.com]http://www.askkinjo.com[/url]


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