Tech Tuesday: Scentee

Tech Tuesday highlights some of the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!

Choosing the right alert sounds for your phone can be pretty difficult. Some people like the longer tones, others like shorter ones. Some people like classical music tones, others might like a simple beep. Well, the days of hearing these alerts may soon be long gone. Thanks to some creative minds in Japan, they’ve come up with a device that releases different scents for each notification your phone receives!

This device, cleverly named Scentee, plugs directly into the headset of any smart phone. It works in conjunction with another app that tells it to spray a scent when the notification is received. There’s already a ton of scents available with the device such as lavender, mint, and rose, to cinnamon roll, corn, and even Korean BBQ!

Users can customize when the scents will be emitted too. It can be programmed to go off according to texts, alarms or Facebook alerts. Each model of Scentee is said to have 100 bursts of scents with only $5 refills. The company’s latest video features this device in a typical Japanese soap opera style. Watch it below and let us know what you think! Leave us a comment or visit us on Facebook & Twitter.

Startup Monday: Attendify

Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events.

The great thing about attending events is the ability to meet all kinds of people. However, sometimes networking isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Some have the ability to dive right in and come out with five new clients and a new gym buddy. For the rest of us, we end up with some awkward and monotonous small talk! Luckily, one of San Francisco’s newest start ups, Attendify may be able to help with that.

Attendify is the newest private social network for event planners and attendees. Users can create their own profiles and then manage their accounts. This app is also great because people can express their personal objectives, which makes it easier to connect with other people with similar goals. It can also be used to replace printed brochures at events, because it allows the user to upload schedules, speaker times, and maps!

A big bonus of Attendify is the way it combines social media tools and a management control panel. Users are able to see a live timeline, just like on Twitter, where people can post their status and pictures. They can also message one another to keep a conversation going. Event planners can monitor these messages by moderating the content and sending push notifications. If you want to learn more about Attendify, be sure to check out their video!

Let us know what you think about this app. Would you try it?! Leave us a a comment below or on Facebook & Twitter!

ABCey’s Weekend Lineup: 11.8.13 – 11.10.13

Congratulations, you’ve made it over the hump! Now, you’ve got only a couple more days before you can really let loose. Whether you’re looking for an amazing all night DJ set, or family game day, ABCey has hand-picked some stellar events for you to check out!

FEATURED EVENT: The One Series presents SFO005: Simon Shackleton | Saturday, November 9 | 12am – 6am | Location: TBA | He’s back at it again! Simon Shackleton, aka Elite Force is bringing down the house with an awesome 6 hour long set (Yes, 6 hours)! For those that attended last year, you know how great this event will be. With amazing visual installations from All Of It Now Visuals, attendees will be left with a fun and unforgettable experience.

1. Sean Hayes | Friday, November 8 | 9pm – 12pm | The Independent | This San Francisco based songwriter is making an appearance this weekend for his adoring fans. Taking inspiration from Otis Redding and Nina Simone, Sean Hayes’ warm and vibrato voice is sure to leave fans wanting more. So much more, that they even added a second show for him on Saturday. Get your tickets now before it’s too late!

2. Star Trek Convention | Friday, November 8 – Sunday, November 10 | Hyatt Regency SFO Airport | Yup, you read it correctly. The Star Trek Convention is back in full swing, so all you Trekkies can rejoice! It will definitely be a star-studded event with William Shatner & Jeri Ryan set to attend.

3. LAUNCH Hackathon | Friday, November 8 – Sunday, November 10 | Friday 5pm – Sunday 9pm | Metreon City View | It’s back, bigger & better. LAUNCH Hackathon #2 is offering a grand prize of $100k investment or $10k cash, awesome food, VIP service for all participants, massages, additional prizes from API partners, and all participants get a free LAUNCH Festival 2014 pass. The best part? It’s free!

4. The SnowBomb Ski & Board Festival | Saturday, November 9 – Sunday, November 10 | 11am – 6pm | AT&T Park | Get ready for the winter season at the 2013 Snowbomb Ski and Snowboard Festival with two full days of ski resort exhibits, gear booths, free lift tickets plus a BMX and skate showcase with X Games alumni showing off their skills on the halfpipe. This is a great chance to speak directly to ski, snowboard and travel experts with season pass deals and show specials!

5. Come Out & Play Festival 2013 | Sunday, November 10 | 11am – 4pm | Mission Recreational Center| Think urban spy games, giant capture the flag games, as well as brand new creations and iterations like Capture the Tag. Come Out and Play offers the public new ways to enjoy and experience their city through games played in public spaces. It remains a leader in identifying trends in public gaming and an inspiration for games festivals worldwide. Bring the whole family for this fun event!

Do you plan on attending any of these exciting events this weekend? We’d love to know. Leave us a comment below or on Facebook & Twitter!

Tech Tuesday: Pro Party Planner

Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!

If you’ve ever planned an event, then you can understand that it’s a massive undertaking. There are literally hundreds of things to organize, plan and create before the actual event. Here at ABCey, we’ve stumbled upon a new party planning app, Pro Party Planner that may help make this process a bit easier.

Regardless if you’ve ever planned a party or if you’re a professional, the Pro Party Planner App is an amazing tool. It helps keeps track of your guests, budget and logistics. Once an event is added, you can begin adding people to the guest list. The best part is you can add guests directly from your contact list or Facebook.

There are many other great features that come with this app such as a planning module that allows you to edit the menu, entertainment, and party favors. You can design a venue floor plan with drag-and-drop seating charts for attendees or delegate important tasks to your organizing team. There’s also a helpful party timeline that provides alerts and reminders as the event approaches and includes a unique Augmented Reality module that will let you visualize all your information directly on the location’s pictures!

With all these amazing features, it’s hard to believe this app only costs $4.99 at the Apple app store. Go ahead and give it a try! Leave us a comment below or on Facebook & Twitter. Tell us how this app worked for you!

Startup Monday: Transit & Trails

Some people get so involved with the hustle and bustle of San Francisco that oftentimes they forget about the beauty of this city. When you look past the busy streets, tall buildings and city noise, there’s a whole other world waiting to be discovered. Anytime you’re looking for a quick getaway, Transit & Trails can help get you there.

The Transit and Trails app lets you find nearby trails or parks you may not know about. What’s wonderful about this app is that it helps you find, plan, and even share your adventures with others. Once you find a trail, you can then find public transportation or directions through the app. Also if planning a trip is too difficult, you can use an existing trail that has been saved on the website.

Nowadays, what’s exciting about an adventure if you can’t share it with others?After your trip, you may use the app to post on Facebook or Twitter. There’s also a fast growing community of users on the Transit & Trails website. This allows users to share pictures and experiences with others about their recent adventure. If you want to learn more about how they work, check out the video below!

Which trails do you like to hike? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!

ABCey’s Weekend Lineup 11.1.13 – 11.3.13

Happy Halloween folks! We hope your costumes and candy are ready for tonight. Unfortunately some of us still have work tomorrow, but thankfully there’s only one day left of the work week! Check out ABCey‘s Weekend Lineup for more Halloween festivities that will carry you through the weekend.

1. Creature Double Feature | Friday, November 1st | 6pm | Great American Music Hall | Don’t feel like partying out on the town? Well luckily we’ve got a few scary movies to keep your Halloween spirit alive. Head on down to the Great American Music Hall to watch not one, but two films! They will be showcasing the classic horror films, The Shining and The Haunting.

2. Above & Beyond Halloween Group Therapy | Friday, November 1st | 7pm – 1am | Bill Graham Civic Auditorium | Have a post Halloween celebration with trance music’s most revered trio! Above & Beyond’s immense and ambitious live performance is sure to keep you entertained all night long.

3. Lights Down Low | Saturday, November 2nd | 9pm – 2am | Mezzanine | Come out to Mezzanine to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos and the ending to another great Halloween weekend. Some of the hottest DJs will be in-house, so come dressed with your best face paint and dance the night away!

4. “Carrie” The Musical | Saturday, November 2nd | 2pm | Victoria Theatre | Based on Stephen King’s best-selling novel, Carrie has been reworked and remade into the newest Broadway show. See what happens when a high-school outcast discovers her chilling powers, and what she decides to do with it.

5. Free Dive Bar BBQ | Sunday, November 3rd | 3pm – 7pm | Bender’s Bar & Grill | Did I hear someone say free and BBQ in the same sentence? Sign us up! Considering Sunday is the only day the kitchen is closed, come take advantage of these offerings. If that’s not enough, they’ll have a special for their beers and margaritas. There’s also an awesome juke box and pool tables to keep you entertained all day long.

Do you plan on attending any of these events? Let us know where you’re headed by leaving a comment below or on Facebook & Twitter.

Tech Tuesday: Memory Meld

Thanks to mobile technology, almost anyone can act as a photographer using their phone. People can easily post pictures all over Facebook, Instagram, or share in their personal group chats. With so many different platforms, it’s sometimes difficult to capture all of your photos in one spot. Thankfully, a new app called Memory Meld may be able to help!

Memory Meld allows users to capture, preserve, and share their memories safely. All pictures are uploaded directly to a private event page where guests can either upload more photos, or download ones already posted from others.

This is especially great for event organizers so they don’t have to bug everyone individually to send their photos. All the organizer has to do is visit Memory Meld and create a new event. Once an access code is created and shared, users are free to upload whenever they want.

The app works well for weddings, birthday parties, family gatherings, concerts, sporting events, and work outings. Be sure to give Memory Meld a try at your next event! Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!

Startup Monday: Karma

Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past that we would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events.

A perk of being an event planner is having the ability to be invited to so many great events. What better way to thank your host, than to give them a gift? Instead of giving a box of chocolates and flowers, let San Francisco’s newest start-up company Karma help you make things more personalized.

Founded in 2011, Karma is the newest social mobile gifting service. It lets you give gifts to others just by using a mobile device. First, pick a card to go with the gift. Then the recipient will be notified via Facebook, email or text. You don’t even need to bother them for their address. When the gift is finally received, the recipient can choose which color, flavor, or style of gift they want.

Another great thing about Karma is that recipients have the chance of swapping a gift or donating to charity. You can consider this the gift that keeps on giving. I know what you’re thinking, “I don’t want them to know that I exchanged or donated the gift”. Don’t worry, Karma doesn’t tell if the recipient does either.

The Karma app is currently available at the iTunes app store and Android market. They have also partnered with great companies like, Domaine Chandon, Kate Spade, and Magnolia Cupcakes.

Next time you gift, have Karma help you decide what to send! Let us know if you’ve tried this service in the comments below, or on Facebook or Twitter!

ABCey’s Weekend Lineup 10.25.13 – 10.27.13

Can you believe it’s already Thursday? That means we’re only one day away from getting our weekend started. Let ABCey help you decide which event to attend. We’ve got everything from a roller skating DJ party to a pet costume contest!

1. Final 2013 Off the Grid Party & Masquerade | Friday, October 25 | 5pm – 10pm | Fort Mason Center | Embark on a mobile food adventure with 32 other food trucks at Fort Mason. It is the last one scheduled for this season, and they’ll be celebrating it in style. So don’t forget to bring your masquerade mask! The event is totally free, but don’t forget cash for the food trucks. Also make sure you visit the witches bar and try some amazing Pumpkin Ale. Let us know how you like it!

2. Friday Night Outdoor Roller Skate DJ Party: “Midnight Rollers” | Friday, October 25 | 8:45pm | Ferry Building | If you’re looking for a unique way to experience the night life around San Francisco, this is perfect for you! Skaters meet up outside the Ferry Building then go on an awesome 10 mile skate tour around the city. Some stops include Pier 39, Palace of Fine Arts and AT&T Park just to name a few. So come bring your skates and ditch your usual Friday night gym routine!

3. Noe Valley Harvest Festival | Saturday, October 26 | 10am – 5pm | 24th St. and Sanchez St. | It’s a family affair at the 9th annual Noe Valley Harvest Festival! There will be non-stop entertainment for children and adults. They’ve got live bands playing all day. There will also be a pumpkin patch, a dog costume contest, dunk tanks and more. Make sure you stop by and bring the kids!

4. Wharf Fest 2013 | Saturday, October 26 |11am – 830pm | Fisherman’s Wharf | Just because there’s no fleet week this year, doesn’t mean we can’t have our own fun at the wharf! Enjoy a chowder competition, craft beer tasting, and a free screening of award winning film’s from last year’s San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival. Then top off your evening with an amazing fireworks show!

5. Pet Pride Day 2013 | Sunday, October 27 | 11am – 3pm | Golden Gate Park | Don’t think costumes are only meant for humans! Come out to Golden Gate Park and take part in the pet costume contest. If you don’t have a furry friend to dress-up, then maybe you can adopt one. There will also be a ton of pet vendors, as well as a pet trick competition. Come down and showcase your pet’s best costume!

6. A special event, Evening of Hope | Saturday, October 26 | 6pm – 11pm | Metreon | This year featuring Heklina as our Misstress of Ceremonies, is San Francisco’s must-attend fête complete with cocktails, culinary delights. There will be gorgeous models wearing fashion with a message – one-of-a-kind Condom Couture designed by local and national designers. They will also have an auction with great prizes, such as a classic San Francisco night at the Four Seasons, a chartered cruise on the Bay, and so much more!

Where do you plan to be this weekend? Sound off in our comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!

Startup Monday: Speakeasy

Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past that we would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events.

Planning an event involves many different elements. One of the most important and also challenging, can be the venue. Any experienced planner knows that the venue can really make or break an event. Speakeasy is a new startup that helps people find and book a space for their upcoming events!

The best part about this company is that it works hand-in-hand with venues and event planners. You can use Speakeasy’s website to search and filter by type of venue, location, price, etc. After finding the perfect venue, you can then request a quote for free! Speakeasy can also help with listing your venue to help attract new customers!

Speakeasy is a perfect site for event planners and venue owners to come together. Each company works independently and can charge their own rates. With its headquarters located in Oakland, they are set to help the Bay Area become a more fun and social place.

How do you find and book your venues? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!