Pop-up dining takes residency atop major European landmarks

Regular readers of Springwise will already be familiar with many of the recent innovations taking place in the world of pop-up dining, from the beautiful such as Buitengewoon In Het Land, to the unusual such as the Roving Mammoth. But a recent collaboration between household appliance specialists Electrolux and architectural designers Park Associati has spawned a portable restaurant experience which is a little bit of both. READ MORE...

CNN 'Open Stories' combine citizen journalism and professional reporting

Citizen journalism has been shaking up the news industry for years already, and CNN's iReport section is one of many efforts by traditional news outlets to include citizen voices. Earlier this month, however, CNN launched a new effort, dubbed “Open Stories ”, that aims to take that concept a step further by crowdsourcing coverage of important topics through a combination of citizen and professional journalists. READ MORE...

In Florida, Dell laptop designed specifically for Spanish-speaking users

It's one thing for a U.S. manufacturer to package, label and offer instructions for its products in Spanish as well as English. It's quite another, however, to offer fully Spanish versions of those products, particularly when they're relatively big-ticket items like computers. Sure enough though, that's just what Dell is doing in Florida, with a laptop in its Inspiron line that's customized for Spanish-speaking users. READ MORE...

Site rewards users for 'check-ins' on product discussions

We've seen sites such as RedesignMe for collecting customers' ideas for improving less-than-satisfying goods, and we've seen Hollrr, allowing satisfied customers to express their enthusiasm. Our latest spotting? The Chicken, a German site that applies a Foursquare model to product and brand discussions. READ MORE...

Charity gaming center targets disabled players

Much the way video games can help the elderly retain the sharp visual-processing skills necessary for driving, so they can offer the disabled a variety of benefits including socialization, rehabilitation and entertainment. Aiming to bring those benefits to more disabled people, UK charity SpecialEffect recently launched a video gaming center with specialized technologies designed specifically for handicapped users. READ MORE...

Online marketplace for office space by the desk

We've already seen a few examples of online services that help freelancers and other small businesses find a place to work. Now joining the ranks of Desk Space Genie and iStopOver, for example, is Desktime, a web app that helps connect those in need of a desk to work at with those who have one to spare. READ MORE...

Dating site features a different single man each day

No end in sight to the applications of the “deal a day” concept! The virtual ink had barely dried on our story about Philanthroper — which uses that model to encourage micro-donations to charity — when we got word of eDealduJour, a French site that applies it to dating instead. Specifically, eDealduJour features a different single man each day, giving interested women a limited time to respond. READ MORE...

Shoe-shopping perk for Virgin Atlantic's first-class fliers

Brand butler offerings can be an effective way to show potential customers that you care — see, for example, Toyota's “glass of water” mobile app designed to help consumers reduce their emissions. However, when offered only to your best customers, such extras can allow a brand to express true appreciation. Visa undertook such a strategy when it sponsored luxury loos at a music event and reserved them exclusively for the use of its Signature cardholders. It's also what Virgin Atlantic has recently done for its upper-class passengers through a partnership with The Left Shoe Company, a bespoke men's footwear brand. READ MORE...

Lottery offers participants a chance to win startup's stocks

Regular readers of Springwise may remember MatchFounders, the site that paired startups with potential investors or buyers in a manner similar to many online dating sites. Rather than using a match-making format, we now see Denmark-based startuplotto.com hoping to boost entrepreneurs’ businesses and investors’ profiles using a lottery-inspired mechanic. READ MORE...

Snap a photo of a bill, then click to pay

Online payments may be easier to make than their offline counterparts in general, but there's still at least some pain involved in entering account numbers and other information. Aiming to push the convenience up another notch, Danish Danske Bank now lets consumers snap a photo of their bill and then simply click to pay. READ MORE...

App provides real-time instant messaging translation service

Back in 2008 we wrote about SpeakLike's real-time translation service for web-based instant messaging, and recently we came across a like-minded contender offering a similar service as a mobile app. US-based TNT Creations' TransFire app provides real-time instant messaging translation in more than 50 languages for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. READ MORE...

Platform helps connect brands with sustainability experts

There's no doubt that brands large and small can benefit by incorporating sustainable practices into their business strategies; what's not always clear is how that's best achieved. That's where OpenEyeWorld comes in, with a platform designed to help brands and sustainability experts connect. READ MORE...

App instantly prices cars from registration plate photos

Car buyers around the world have long been able to tap into online databases for the latest valuations. However, aiming to let soon-to-be car owners do a little of that research on the move, a new mobile app from bilpriser.se can provide the estimated price of a car from a photo of its registration plate. READ MORE...

Nightly email for busy workers sums up each day

With so many demands for our attention, both online and off, many of us lack the time to stay fully on top of the news and events happening each day. That's where SignOff comes in, with an end-of-day email that summarizes everything that has taken place over the previous 24 hours. READ MORE...

Schools constructed from discarded plastic bottles

If discarded plastic bottles can be turned into countertops, bedding, graduation gowns, and athletic apparel, then why not a school? We've come across numerous instances of schools made from plastic bottles lately, including one in the Philippines and several in Guatemala. READ MORE...

Mobile service connects users with help during emergencies

Hard on the heels of our story about Bluelight earlier this year comes word of another mobile app focused on personal safety. Guardly is a new service that lets users in emergency situations connect with family, friends and authorities at the touch of a single button. READ MORE...