Coolgorilla was one of the earliest software developers that created 3rd party native applications for Apple iPod devices. Coolgorilla was an early adopter of using a sponsorship business model to enable mobile applications to be given away freely.[1]

Coolgorilla developed a series of Talking Phrasebooks for iPods in 2006. They partnered with online travel company lastminute.com who sponsored the applications enabling them to be made available to download completely free of charge. As mobile devices became more sophisticated, Coolgorilla developed the Talking Phrasebooks for Sony Ericsson and Nokia Mobile Devices which at the time were considerably noteworthy since the applications used real voice audio translations.[2]

With Apple's introduction of the iPhone in 2007, Coolgorilla developed a Web App before having four of the iPhone Talking Phrasebooks available to download from Apple's App Store on the day it opened in 2008.[3]

Almanac in Chronological Order

On 23 December 2005, CoolGorilla, a new start-up, launched a trivia game for the iPod. It was titled “Rock and Pop Quiz”. It was a quiz game that tested users’ knowledge on bands such as U2, Metallica, Beyonce, and the Beatles. The quiz contained twenty megabytes of audible trivia questions. The free game was compatible with 3rd, 4th and 5th generation iPods, iPod mini and nano.[1][4][5]

In March 2006, Coolgorilla released “Movie Quiz for iPods” with a price of $5. It was an audio game narrated by New York's DJ Thomas, a radio and television host, voice over artist and event Master of Ceremonies. There were questions on Star Wars, Spiderman, The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, The Matrix, James Bond, and others. The user could keep track of their score. The game included a secret code for players who answered all questions correctly which enabled users to enter their name on the Coolgorilla Hall of Fame.[6][7]

In May 2006, Coolgorilla launched a World Cup Encyclopedia which was released prior to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It had information on the World Cup schedule, details of every player from every team, every score from every world cup game ever played, stadium details, and manager profiles. It was a free download.[8][9][10][11][12]

In June 2006, Coolgorilla released a series of iPod Phrasebooks in German, Greek, French and Spanish. They were sponsored by lastminute.com and were free. The phrasebooks included common words and phrases for tourists with 750 sound files. They were accessed through the iPod's Notes feature.[13][14][15][16][17]

In April 2007, Coolgorilla released a downloadable version of the Talking Phrasebooks for Nokia and Sony Ericsson mobile devices. French, Spanish, German, Greek, Italian, and Portuguese were produced. The application provided real voice translations. They initially sold for £3 but 3 months later were offered for free. The branding was lastminute.com branding.[2][18][19]

Apple's iPhone was released at the end of June in 2007. Soon after, Coolgorilla released an online all-in-one version of their Talking Phrasebooks for iPhone (Web App). The Phrasebooks were made available online in the form of a web app as iPhone did not yet allow for the download of additional apps. The app provided both text and audio translations in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, and Greek. The iPhone translated the phrases using the recordings of real, native voice-over artists. A text translation on screen was also displayed.[20][3][21][22][23][24][25]

Apple's App Store opened in July 2008 with approximately 500 native apps available.[26] Four of these Apps were Coolgorilla's Talking Phrasebooks for iPhone (Native Apps). There was  French, German, Italian, and Spanish. These Apps carried lastminute.com branding and were available for free download.

In the first three weeks following their release, the phrasebooks had over 350,000 downloads. Subsequently, Dutch, Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese were also released.

In October 2008, Coolgorilla released an iPhone London Travel Guide.[27]

Coolgorilla featured on NBC News in August 2009.[28]

In 2010, FIAT used the Italian Phrasebook to help promote the release of their FIAT 500 in the USA.[29][30][31][32]

There's been no further activity since.

References

  1. 1 2 "Free iPod Game from Coolgorilla | News | iPodObserver". www.ipodobserver.com. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Help at hand for tongue-tied tourists". the Guardian. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Talking Phrase Book for the iPhone | Mobile Marketing Magazine". www.mobilemarketingmagazine.com. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  4. ↑ "iPod Rock & Pop Quiz from Coolgorilla". MacTech.com. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "MacNN | iPod rock and pop quiz, contest". 22 October 2006. Archived from the original on 22 October 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ↑ "CoolGorilla offers iPod movie quiz game". 16 March 2006. Archived from the original on 16 March 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  7. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20060320132525/http://www.coolgorilla.com:80/ipod/movietrailer.mp3. Archived from the original on 20 March 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ "CoolGorilla Gives Away World Cup Guide For iPod | News | iPodObserver". www.ipodobserver.com. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  9. ↑ "Germany 2006 World Cup Guide free for Apple iPod". MacDailyNews. 3 May 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  10. ↑ "World Cup guides for iPod available". Engadget. 8 June 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "Newsbytes: Go bananas | Slim and black | Net goes Asian ..." the Guardian. 11 May 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  12. ↑ "World Cup guides for iPod available". finance.yahoo.com. 8 June 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  13. ↑ "Insult German footballers using free iPod software". Macworld. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "Coolgorilla offers free iPod French Translator". Macworld. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  15. ↑ "Free French, Greek language packs made for iPod". Macworld. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  16. ↑ "Coolgorilla releases iPod Spanish Translator". Macworld. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  17. ↑ "Coolgorilla Offers Free iPod Spanish Translator | News | iPodObserver". www.ipodobserver.com. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  18. ↑ "Lastminute to offer pocket interpreters". IT PRO. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  19. ↑ "Talking Phrase Book Giveaway | Mobile Marketing Magazine". mobilemarketingmagazine.com. 3 July 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  20. ↑ "Apple - Web apps - lastminute.com Talking Translator". 13 October 2007. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  21. ↑ "Lastminute.com talking iPhone translator released". MacTech.com. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  22. ↑ "LastMinute launch iPhone talking translator". Mobile Industry Review. 1 August 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  23. ↑ "'iPhone Translator' offers foreign phrase books". Macworld. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  24. ↑ "First Look: Ten must-see iPhone apps". Macworld. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  25. ↑ "iPhone: Madrid through the mini screen". www.telegraph.co.uk. 10 November 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  26. ↑ "Jobs: App Store launching with 500 iPhone applications, 25% free". Engadget. 10 July 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  27. ↑ "iPhone Gets London Travel Guide | Mobile Marketing Magazine". mobilemarketingmagazine.com. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "Top iPhone language translation apps". NBC News. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  29. ↑ "Fiat Offers English-to-Italian Phrasebook App for Free..." Fiat 500 Forum. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  30. ↑ "Phrasebook Downloads a Success in Anyone's Language | Mobile Marketing Magazine". mobilemarketingmagazine.com. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  31. ↑ "Learning a language the Web 2.0 way". TechCrunch. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  32. ↑ Flyingfish (3 September 2008). "Flying With Fish: iPhone 'App' Of The Week : Coolgorilla's Talking French Phrasebook". Flying With Fish. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
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