Say hello to PaperKarma, a new app for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone that is here to “get rid of junk mail and save the earth – all from your phone.”

The app claims to work by a user taking a picture of the junk mail that they’ve been sent. The team behind it will send a request on your behalf to the offending companies so that you’ll be added to their block list.

The app claims that it’s able to stop magazines, catalogs, coupon books, fliers, credit card offers and the white/yellow pages.

I’ve downloaded the app to see how it works myself. The app first asks you to sign up either via an account with them or through Facebook. If you go through Facebook, you can “share your environmental good deeds” through the social media service. From there, you enter your address so they know which address to tell companies to stop sending mail to.

Now you’re ready to start taking pictures. Just take a picture of the offending mail and upload it to their servers. From there, the team will search for the company and send a message on your behalf to them. From there, you should stop receiving junk mail from the companies in question.

They list more detailed information on their blog about how the app works. They also list proof from companies that have stopped sending users junk mail.

I don’t really get annoyed by junk mail, but PaperKarma is all about cutting down on the amount of paper companies use. It’s a good cause and worthy of checking out.

With over 1.5 million votes cast and a record number of nominations, 148Apps, creators of the Best App Ever Awards, announced the 2011 winners on January 27, 2012 at MacWorld/iWorld Conference in San Francisco, CA. For the first time since the inception of the awards in 2008, Android applications and games were included in the contest. For each category two winners were named: one for iOS and one for Android.

A team taking third place at Microsoft’s Imagine Cup 2011 produced Lifelens, an app that helps detect malaria much better than traditional means.

Lifelens introduces an innovative point-of-care smartphone application to address child mortality rates caused by the lack of detection and availability of treatment for malaria. The solution has immense potential to reduce the cost of diagnosis and enable children around the world to be treated with the current amount of funding.

The Lifelens team states that child mortality rates “remain unacceptably high” on their official Web site. They go on to say that there are over 1 million deaths a year attributed to malaria.

The current test for malaria, the rapid diagnostic test, is highly inaccurate. The incidence of false positives sit at 60 percent. Each false positive results in medication being delivered to somebody who does not need it – wasting a dosage.

Lifelens was built to combat that through a “robust mobile diagnostic solution” for malaria patients. The app aims to “digitally characterize anemia, visualize blood cell rupture and parasites, and provide three dimensional modeling of cells through single image acquisition of low-volume blood smears by peripheral finger pricks.”

In short, as explained by Neowin, a blood sample is placed on to a dye that only malaria parasites can absorb. The Windows Phone then steps in to take a picture with a 350x modified lens. The app analyzes the sample using the team’s algorithm to determine if the person has malaria.

They claim that Lifelens can be operated by anybody with a basic knowledge of cell phones. This way, they can send devices to people in afflicted areas who have no special training or language skills.

Microsoft awarded the Lifelens team $75,000 to continue their work. The money will also help the team make sure the devices get delivered to the areas that need them the most.

Within apps alone, you can do your banking, queue up (or watch) Netflix choices, edit HD photos, learn to play guitar, or buy anything on Amazon and track the UPS shipment.

With some simple accessories that plug in to the iPhone, you can record in stereo, take telephoto lens pictures, and swipe credit cards.

So, why hasn’t some enterprising developer come up with this career-saving add-on yet? I’m sure there are lots of young, upwardly-mobile professionals who would appreciate someone, or something, having their back on a Saturday night. For company-issued phones, it should be installed by IT before ever being put into anyone’s hands.

In fact, if RIM makes it to this first, it might just be the biggest comeback story of the year.

Jetpack Joyride beat 19 other competitors to take the top prize. While most of the other apps in the category are games, many are not. This year also marks the first time that Android apps have been included in the competition. Of the 20 apps in the category, 10 are Android apps – including Angry Birds, Evernote, and Google Maps. All three of the top apps are iOS apps, however.

Jetpack Joyride is a universal iOS app available for free from the App Store, as is Temple Run. Tiny Wings sells for $0.99. While Jetpack Joyride took the top award overall, there were over 100 categories in which apps could compete. There were several overall categories including Most Innovative App, Most Useful App, and Best Time Killer. There were also more specialized categories, including Best Social Networking App, Best E-Reader App, Best Mobile Office App, and many more. You can check out the full list of categories and winners on the Best App Ever site.

Medical Genomics looks to inform the masses, with a major step being the release of an iPad app which will inform users of their research. What are they researching? They’ve been sequencing entire cannabis genomes and mapping them for research. Their app will feature a wide array of functions, which you can read about below. If you decide to download the app, it will set you back $1.99.

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. – January 12, 2012 – Medicinal Genomics, a pioneer in the genomics of medicinal plants, today announced the availability of Jane-Ome, an application designed for Apple’s iPad tablet, which offers a science-based dissection of medical marijuana.

Jane-Ome provides a gateway to the Cannabis genome project led by Medicinal Genomics, which in August 2011 sequenced the entire genome of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica, assembling the largest known gene collection of this therapeutic plant.

“Medicinal Genomics is excited to roll out Jane-Ome to help make sense of the extensive datasets created by the Cannabis genome project,” said Kevin McKernan, founder and head of scientific operations of Medicinal Genomics. “The company’s hope is that Jane-Ome will help make that data more relevant to the public and serve as a conduit for future Cannabis genomes.”

Jane-Ome provides users with continuously updated, exclusive genomic information on various Cannabis genomes. In addition, the app provides users with access to several scientific news feeds that explore the science of medicinal Cannabis, making Jane-Ome the nerve center to explore the plant’s therapeutic potential.

In addition to its encyclopedic information about the bleeding-edge science of Cannabis, Jane-Ome users can compete in Cannabis related trivia to earn the right to guide future sequencing efforts. Users can also explore never before released blueprints for the equipment used to crack the human genome project, as well as access videos which explain the impact DNA sequencing and genomics have had on the world. Furthermore, Jane-Ome provides users with access to never before seen videos documenting the history of the human genome project, as well as commentary from members of that scientific consortium explaining how research has led them to aim their sights on unlocking the genome of Cannabis.

One of the more interesting reads from their press release is the medical benefits they list from cannabis use – “Ongoing scientific research suggests that the Cannabis plant harbors beneficial compounds as it pertains to cancer apoptosis, antiemesis for HIV and chemotherapy patients, reduction of muscle spasms for multiple sclerosis patients, as well as the treatment of glaucoma, inflammatory diseases, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, among other health conditions.

Of the 85 identified Cannabinoids in the plant, only one is independently psychoactive. The other 84 appear to be non-psychoactive and are still powerful therapeutics. Many Cannabinoids have been bred to low expression levels over the years but are excellent small molecule therapeutic drug candidates for cancer and inflammatory diseases. The genome sequence can be utilized to design breeding strategies to resurrect these nearly extinct pathways. In addition, Cannabinoids have also been shown to have a very favorable therapeutic index making them a unique class of anti-cancer compounds because the lethal dose is much higher than the effective dose. Furthermore, Cannabinoids are less addictive analgesics than opiates, and target different pain pathways in the body.“

With this app Boxee combines two popular services that have been separate until now. Devices – Roku and Apple TV, most notably – offer a similar array of internet streaming options, and services like GetGlue allow you to share what you’re watching with your friends. Boxee’s Facebook app, though, marks the first time these two activities have been integrated. While GetGlue provides a “second screen” experience for users who want to share their viewing preferences, Boxee now allows them to do so in one smooth process.

Here’s a video from Boxee’s blog showing how the posts will show up on Facebook. Friends who click the links Boxee posts will be taken to a page giving more information about the show you’re watching.

It is unclear whether this will work with all video viewing on Boxee, or just their new Live TV device (set to ship later this month). The Live TV serves as a bridge between users’ HD antenna or cable box, and lets them watch live broadcast content through their Boxee box. Boxee’s announcement on the Facebook app only mentions it working with Live TV, suggesting it may not work with ordinary streaming content. Several commenters on the blog post asked whether the app would post the content they stream via the internet, but have not yet received a response. An email sent to Boxee PR along those lines has also not been answered.

Of course, Boxee is aware of privacy concerns regarding Facebook, and has made the sharing feature opt-in, meaning that it is turned off by default, and users have the choice of whether to enable it.

[Source: Boxee Blog]

When Spotify first rolled out, I was excited. I got an invite, downloaded it, and went full-bore with a Premium subscription so I could go mobile.

I use Spotify all the time. I have a grandfathered-in unlimited data plan on AT&T, so I play the thing while driving, all over the house, etc.

People who have Spotify love Spotify. Detractors seem to always mention one thing: It isn’t Pandora.

Of course, what is awesome about Pandora, is that you get to discover new music. You start with something you already like. You listen to recommendations and you tweak as you go (thumbs-up, thumbs-down). Soon, you have a whole station of stuff you like, and you’re discovering new songs in your taste range.

Spotify did not have this. There were third-party sites that kinda-sorta approximated it, but it was certainly not mobile.

Until now.

Spotify recently opened its API for developers. The first to jump into the fray is an app called SpotON. SpotOn combines the Spotify and Echonest APIs for this project. SpotON is for Spotify Premium users and promises to offer you suggestions for new music based on what you are already listening to. Sound familiar?

Guess what has two thumbs and just downloaded SpotOn from the Apple App Store? Let’s fire it up. I should interject here that I will be intentionally testing this out in 3G, not on Wi-Fi. If you’re going to pay for Premium and go mobile, you need to know if this thing is up to the task.

Lately I’ve been playing lots of Cake, Lou Reed and Rush. Don’t ask me why. These things have a life of their own. Right off the bat, SpotON reads this activity and creates 3 “stations” to start me off. I also have the option of creating a new station. Let’s try the Cake station they pre-rolled for me.

After a couple of false starts (likely 3G issues), things are rolling. The Cake station pitched me They Might Be Giants, POTUSA, and Camper Van Beethoven. 90′s stuff. I can see where they are going with this.

The Rush channel, however, hit a snag. I ended up with a recent Pitbull tune, featuring David “Rush”. Hopefully there is more to this than a text string result. Thumbs down for bad result (though I do like the track) and see what’s next.

Spock’s Beard. Now we’re in line with the Rush-esque results I had hoped for.

The Lou Reed channel starts feeding me Iggy Pop.

I like the track and want to “star” it. SpotON offers me the chance to add the track to any existing Spotify Playlist I have previously created or to share on Facebook.

But, there is no choice to simply star it, nor to create a new playlist. That’s a problem for me. I commonly star Spotify tracks for later listening to see if they grow on me. I have my “starred” tracks set to sync offline so I don’t need an Internet connection to play them.

Let’s hope that the absence of starring capability changes soon.

Next offer from this “Lou Reed” channel: David Bowie. Good deal.

Let’s try to create a whole new station.

There’s an option to choose from my own top artists, expanding the list of the first three that what we have already done. Nice.

I can also browse the top 100 artists on Spotify. And, of course, search for something else entirely. Let’s do a search for “Florence + the Machine”.

The artist is found. I click on it to create a station. Similar artists are searched. A Florence tune starts things off: “What the Water Gave Me”. Nice. Let’s thumb it up and see what else we get.

Ah, Bat For Lashes. Makes sense. Thumbs up. Next… PJ Harvey. So far, so good. And then… Lykke Li. I am happy.

The interface looks sweet. No apparent broken stuff. The only things that I feel are missing are the aforementioned inability to “star” tracks and the inability to create new playlists. Other than that, looks like we have a winner.

I’m looking forward to seeing updates on this app and also seeing others take advantage of the Spotify API.

Those are the fatality numbers. The number of close calls will probably never be known. In the past 5 years, I have personally known of 1 fatality but 3 close calls. Those “close call” parents were not abusive or neglectful. And they live every day now, occasionally seeing a news story about an infant death or near-death, thinking to themselves, “There but for the grace of God…”.

Those of us who have been touched by such a tragedy want to help. We want to get behind an effort. We want to discover or invent something that will stop this.

For a while now, the options have been limited. There are some common sense tips and tricks, such as putting your briefcase or purse in the backseat with your infant so you are less likely to forget.

There have been devices that alert you when an infant is in the car seat after the engine is shut off. But, there has been no clear winner in terms of a device that was affordable, easily transferable from car to car, and got the job done well.

Earlier today, I reported on a new device released by Cobra Electronics at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. In this particular application of that product, it just may be a game changer.

The folks at Cobra and Phone Halo have designed the Cobra Tag G5 to be aimed at the huge market of people who lose things. That’s pretty much everybody. You attach a key-fob device to any valuable you wish. If you walk away from your keys, purse, etc., your phone will alert you. There are GPS and fine-point Bluetooth tracking elements to the device. Attach the fob device to your keys, your purse, your laptop, your wallet, your kid’s stuffed toy. Anything you need to keep track of, you can.

What about your kid?

Let me posit a scenario that is very realistic:

Mother leaves for work one morning. She puts her baby in his car seat, in the back, facing rear, just as she is supposed to do. She sets off on her daily route, which usually takes her by the daycare first, then on to work where she parks her car and goes inside for four hours before leaving for lunch.

On this particular morning, she is running a little late, only a few minutes. Her phone rings and she answers it, using a hands-free device, being safe. Her usual route to work is blocked by a traffic tie-up, so she makes a change. As she talks on the phone, helping a workmate find an answer to a pressing question, her baby falls asleep in the back.

Her detour takes her out at a point on her route past the daycare. On autopilot, she blanks on the daycare stop, and turns the wrong way. She rushes to the office parking lot, swings into her usual parking spot. She heads toward the air-conditioned office, happy she will not be out in the heatwave coming today.

Her phone chimes an alert.

In a split-second, she recognizes that unique tone. That fob is attached to her baby’s diaper bag. This family has just been spared a horrific tragedy. It literally is as simple as losing your keys. It happens to good families and loving parents every year. But, this time, it did not.

The Cobra Tag system is slated to retail for $79.95. I think it would make an excellent baby shower gift. Go in with a friend or relative if you need to. And, don’t worry about any perceived insult to the parents. If my wife and I got this as a shower gift, it would be one of the most prized items we could get. And, once the child is big enough to not require it, you pop it on your keys and go right on using it. Or, clip it on your kid when they go out to play.

Or, pass it along to another parent. We’re saving lives here.

The company looks to expand their mobile scope, as they announced today they are releasing apps for Android, Amazon Kindle Fire, and Windows Phone. The apps are free on their various marketplace services. The app will be compatible with devices running Android 2.3 (and above), Amazon Fire, and Windows devices running Windows Phone 7.5

The app will have all the features enjoyed on the iPhone and iPad, including:

- Uploading videos in HD

- Sharing videos on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, WordPress, Email, and SMS

- Utilize the community features on Vimeo; liking, commenting, and adding videos to your “watch later” queue

Joe Schmitt, lead mobile developer at Vimeo, said this of the announcement, “With the widespread accessibility of high-quality video on mobile devices and high-speed mobile Internet access, people use their mobile devices not only to watch video but to shoot and then upload video to share online“, continuing, “With mobile devices making up approximately 15 percent of our site traffic, we recognize the importance of expanding our platforms to allow people to access Vimeo from as many devices as possible.”

As an aside, Vimeo has a pretty cool contest running right now. It’s called their 5×5 Project. Users submit a 25 second video clip, comprised of individual 5 second clips which reflect on everyday life. They’re taking submissions until the 10th. Here’s an example from one of their staff.

Morning / Commute / Distinction / Platform / Celebratory Pizza! from Thomas Riggs on Vimeo.