PixelMEDIA Inc.

Often times when we think of location based technology on our smartphones, the “check-in” is the first thing that comes to mind. Over the past year though, some great apps have come about that go beyond telling our network where we are, to applying services and functionality to our location that make our lives easier. Here are four mobile apps using location based technology that are worth checking out:

Uber: Ever tried to hail a cab in Boston after 11pm, or when it’s raining? It’s always the time that you need a taxi when there seem to be none available. Here’s where Uber comes into play. Uber is a luxury car service where the user arranges to be picked up by using a map on the mobile application. You can see where the drivers are in the area, and how long they will take to reach your pick up location. Text messages are sent to your mobile device confirming when the driver is en route and when they arrive at your specified location, and no cash is exchanged as a saved credit card is charged. While Uber is slightly more expensive than a standard taxi fare it can be great for special occasions, when you’re in a jam, or when you just don’t feel like jumping through hoops to hail a cab. Read More…

Ever since I started working at PixelMEDIA, there has been chatter in my department about “Cherpumples.” What is a Cherpumple? Glad you asked. It’s a dessert of mammoth proportions; it’s an apple pie baked into a vanilla cake, stacked on top of a pumpkin pie baked into a spice cake, stacked on a cherry pie baked into a chocolate cake, smothered in frosting. Three pies inside of three cakes? You can see what drew us to it.

Every month or so the Cherpumple pops back up into conversation. People always talk about making one, but doing so is no small task, and it is hard to find the time to commit to the project. Then, last week, I was trying to figure out what to do with my Saturday, and the Cherpumple came to mind. So I made a store list and went shopping.

• 11 eggs
• 1 box vanilla cake mix
• 1 box spice cake mix
• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 can pumpkin pie filling
• 1 bag macintosh apples
• 3 pie crusts
• 2 jars vanilla frosting
• 3 tin foil pie pans

Due to the number of desserts that I’d have to prepare to finish this project, I opted to take the easiest route out for each one (except for the apple pie, I enjoy making a good apple pie). If I had to make everything from scratch it would have taken way too long.

First step, Pies! All three pies needed to be completely prepared and baked off before the Cherpumple could really start to take form. 1 hour of prep and 2.5 hours of baking later I had three gorgeous, fresh pies sitting on my kitchen counter. The magic couldn’t start quite yet though, I needed to prep the pies a little before really diving into forming the Cherpumple. First, the pies must be completely cooled and solidified before they can be submerged in cake batter. So I threw the pies in the fridge over night. Secondly, the outer edge of the pie crusts needed to be trimmed off so that the pies would be small enough to be completely surrounded by cake batter when in the cake pan.

Once the pies had been cooked, cooled, and trimmed, the fun really began. I mixed up the first cake mix and poured 1/3 of the batter into my thoroughly greased and floured cake pan. Then I popped the first pie out of its tin foil pie pan, held my breath, and ever so carefully lowered the pie into the cake pan. Once the pie was down in one piece, and my hands out from under it (knuckles covered in cake batter) I poured the rest of the batter over the pie. Then I threw the cake into the oven. An hour later it was done, and I did it all again for pie #2, and then again for the 3rd pie.

All that was left to do then was to let the cakes cool, cover them in frosting, and stack them on top of each other. And then of course the fun of presenting my creation to PixelMEDIA!

Results? The general consensus seemed to be at first “hey this is actually really good!” and then after 30 minutes “I need a nap … or maybe I need to go run around the parking lot for an hour… I can’t decide” My personal thoughts on it are that it was better than I expected, the edges of the cake were too dried out from the long baking time, and it was a crazy amount of sugar to put into my body, but it was tasty, exciting, and most importantly it brought the entire office together for a few minutes of fun. Would I make it again to serve as a dessert after dinner? No. Would I make it again to serve as a source of excitement and conversation? Absolutely.

Quick Stats:

• Total bake time: 5.5 hours
• Total prep time: 3 hours
• Total calorie count (estimated): 21,000 (equivalent to 30 Big Macs)
• Height: 7 inches
• Weight: 10 lbs
• Number of people fed: 25 (840 calories per person on average)
• Cost: $25

Prior to the launch of the re-designed Mass Save website in 2010, a wide range of Massachusetts residential energy efficiency programs were spread out over six separate websites. The programs were sponsored by nine gas and electric utilities and energy services companies serving the state in conjunction with initiatives from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). Through incentives and education, customers were encouraged to lower their overall energy consumption and, as a result, save money and reduce the demand for fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases into the environment.

The sponsors and DOER asked PixelMEDIA to consolidate the 6 separate websites into one site and to create a single branded user experience: Mass Save.

Success Factors

Mass Save’s strategic objective was straightforward: to encourage residents and businesses to be energy efficient through increased awareness and through direct energy-saving incentives offered by the Mass Save sponsors. PixelMEDIA identified three key project initiatives to achieve this goal: Read More…

As one of the world’s leading not-for-profit genetics research institutions, The Jackson Laboratory maintains a website dedicated to helping non-scientists and the general public understand the impact of the laboratory’s work: Genetics and Your Health. In 2011, the lab asked PixelMEDIA to develop a pilot online campaign to determine if banner advertising would be an effective medium for raising awareness and driving traffic to the website.

Success Factors

Banner advertising on websites that included AARP and WBUR (Boston) would drive traffic to landing pages that featured a series of video interviews with people who had been affected by cancer. The landing pages were Read More…

In 2010, Vermont-based PKC was in the final stages of realigning its business offering from a consumer-focused product to a business-to-business OEM solution. That required a radical change in the company’s value proposition, message architecture, and website, with a focus on the business benefits of incorporating the PKC medical informatics technology into healthcare information systems, including clinical decision support, online medical records, and patient portals. PKC asked PixelMEDIA to develop a new approach the company’s messaging and website. Read More…

In 2011, Massachusetts-based Empirix Technologies was in the middle of a transformation. The company was moving away from a product-focused business model and embracing a solution-based approach that leveraged the company’s network testing and quality assurance products and technologies. A redesigned Empirix website was seen as a critical tool for explaining the company’s solution architecture and communicating its new identity. Empirix asked PixelMEDIA to help define and shape the new user experience.

Success Factors

Empirix had a solid internal working group in place to drive the messaging and content of the new website, including the re-alignment of its extensive product offerings with its new solutions framework. In addition, Empirix was developing a new logo and brand identity elements that would be incorporated into the new website. PixelMEDIA identified 3 key elements needed for a successful outcome:

Read More…

Prior to the launch of the Mass Save website in 2010, customers had to visit multiple websites to learn about energy- and money-saving opportunities. The programs were sponsored by nine gas and electric utilities and energy services companies serving the state, with goals and guidelines set by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). Because the design and navigation of each site was different, customers had to learn multiple ways to find information and application forms for energy-saving incentives.

Success Factors

The sponsors and DOER asked PixelMEDIA to consolidate the 6 separate websites into single Mass Save website and to create a unique brand identity. The new brand would serve as a recognizable focal point for a wide range of online and traditional marketing activities, and having a single brand would reduce the cost and complexity of maintaining multiple marks and identity systems. PixelMEDIA identified 3 key elements needed for a successful outcome: Read More…

Governor Lynch stopped by PixelMEDIA on Tuesday afternoon for a tour of the office as well as talked with many employees and CEO Erik Dodier.  It was great honor to have him visit.

For more pictures, visit our Facebook page.

Boston, MA- PixelMEDIA took home top honors in the Mobile category at the 16^th Annual MITX Interactive Awards for their text message auto responder “Bzzy”. The event, which is touted as “the largest and most prestigious awards competition in the country for interactive and web innovations”, recognizes the creative efforts of New England based companies. Read More…

On Monday, PixelMEDIA earned a coveted “silver medal” in the annual “Best Small Company” review by Business NH Magazine. The company was cited in the December 2011 edition as one of the Best Companies To Work For in New Hampshire.

This is PixelMEDIA’s second straight year on the “Best Company” list, which is high praise considering the number of great companies competing for the honor. Business NH Magazine’s Best Companies to Work For competition recognizes businesses that go out of their way to create fun and beneficial workplaces for their employees. This year’s second-place finish in the Best Companies to Work For review exemplifies how developing a respectful, creative and supportive corporate culture can help a company stay focused and succeed in an uncertain economy.

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