Apps With Sass
The app, launched Sept. 13, offers a game where a sword must be correctly aimed down a swallower's throat and a way for the user to simulate swallowing a sword using augmented reality (AR) technology. "The … camera interacts with a sword so you can simulate swallowing a sword yourself," Deska says. "To our knowledge, we were the first to use AR in an app in this way."
The company's UK editorial team worked closely with app developer Conjure Ltd. to ensure brand relevance. In addition to the games, the app also features content from Ripley's books and video about the company's museums.
Takeaway Tip: A fun app that's aligned with your brand is great for title marketing and awareness.
Dark Eden
Developer: PC Studio Inc.
Price: Free, with in-app purchasing for additional content
Availability: iPad (custom version), iPhone, iPod Touch, Android and Nook
Young adult fiction writer Patrick Carman is no stranger to multimedia books, having made a splash a few years ago with the "Skeleton Creek" book and video project for Scholastic. For his latest book, "Dark Eden" (HarperCollins), Carman raises the bar. The accompanying Dark Eden app gives young readers an absorbing, serialized way to experience a creepy, suspense-filled story the author describes as "Shutter Island for teens."
The movie analogy is no accident. "It's almost like we made a book and a movie," Carman says. "It's a media-driven version of the story, so it's like, 'Hey, I love the book—I want to experience the app too.'" The app certainly works in tandem with the book, but it stands on its own as well, offering the entire story in 14 installments. With the free app, readers get the first part; subsequent episodes are 99 cents each and appear weekly between now and Christmas. Users can also buy all 14 in advance for a discounted $9.99.
