Ratio Wins Third in AT&T’s 2014 CES Hackathon With iBeacon SmartPostr Solution

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Hackathons are true to our philosophy at Ratio. Short Sprints, fast idea formation, quick progress and breakthrough experiences for our clients.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) January 16, 2014

Sponsored by some of the most prominent and influential technology companies in the world such as Ericsson, Samsung, Intel, Qualcomm and Phillips, AT&T’s CES Developer Summit Hackathon is a chance for developers and creative minds from around the world to come together for an intense 24-hour competition to turn ideas into reality. Ratio, a multi-screen agency specializing in creating cutting-edge experiences across major consumer platforms, sent a four-person team to compete in the 2-day event and is proud to announce that it placed 3rd in a field of 116 teams and over 400 participants.

Team Ratio’s winning app was its SmartPostr concept – a creative concept to drive deep consumer engagement via the standard "static" poster by extending it via integration with a number of key technology ingredients. Using emerging technologies such as Qualcomm’s Gimbal Beacon and Vuforia image-recognition services, low-energy Bluetooth (BLU) and AT&T’s payment API, Ratio’s SmartPostr app enables customers to get proximity-based notifications, respond to specific calls to action and make purchases directly onto their cell phone bills.

"It was an honor to be a part of AT&Ts event, and compete with so many great companies," said Russ Whitman, Chief Strategy Officer at Ratio. "Our team quickly took a unique idea from concept to delivery and through the use of a number of cutting-edge technologies created an experience that creates new value and possibilities for consumers. Hackathons are true to our philosophy at Ratio. Short sprints, fast idea formation, quick progress and breakthrough experiences for our clients!"

The idea behind the SmartPostr application was one conceived in no small part by volume of signage at CES 2014. People are exposed to traditional static signs every day; however, there is no way to track if people are actually paying attention to them, and if they are, who they are and what they’re actually interested in. Digital signage is becoming more and more prevalent but are expensive to implement and maintain. With recent developments in beacon technology and Low Energy Bluetooth (BLE) Ratio’s team saw an opportunity to make static posters "smarter" and meet the needs of advertisers with a cost effective and interactive solution.

The SmartPostr app is a great example of Ratio exploring new frontiers like beacon technology by leveraging its deep mobile expertise while using new tools supplied by companies like AT&T and Qualcomm. AT&T runs approximately 30 Hackathons annually with the CES Developer Summit Hackathon being the largest every year.

About Ratio:

Ratio is a leading multi-screen agency that partners with global brands to create seamless experiences across all platforms. We deliver multi-screen apps that provide consistent and optimized user experiences across the web, mobile, tablet, Connected TV, and most recently the console ecosystem specifically using our CypressX Xbox product which allows media brands to launch differentiated apps quickly on the Xbox LIVE platform. Ratio’s specialized team combines product strategy with compelling design and deep technical expertise to deliver award-winning applications for our clients that include AT&T, Condé Nast, Intel, Meredith, Microsoft, NASDAQ and Time Warner. Founded in 2001, Ratio is privately held and headquartered in Seattle, WA. To learn more about Ratio, visit http://www.WeAreRatio.com or follow the company on Twitter @teamratio

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