myGengo Opens $45,000 API Lab To Support Third Party Developers

Having raised $585,000 in angel investments this summer, Tokyo-based human translation start-up myGengo has set aside $45,000 to support third-party developers with their new API Lab. The API Lab is a place for developers to experiment with the myGengo API, build plug-ins for third-party platforms, and win cash prizes. While myGengo has offered crowd-sourced translation through their homepage – the plug-ins developed by the API Lab will allow consumers to translate their content from within their own platforms. myGengo is offering up to $1,400 for the first working plug-ins on over 40 platforms including WordPress, Facebook, Salesforce, and iPhone.

According to myGengo CTO Matt Romaine, “We’re excited about the ‘API Lab’ initiative because it’s a fantastic opportunity to reward the developers who are building connections to the myGengo translation API. Developers are working with the API in all kinds of contexts — e-commerce, blogging, Twitter and more — and we want to support these grass-roots efforts. Over the next year, we expect to see hundreds of applications using the API, many of them using the foundations created through the API Lab program.”

The API Lab represents an effort by myGengo to scale their service capacity while making it easier for end-consumers to use. As the crowd-sourced translation space is becoming increasingly crowded with competitors like OneHourTranslation.com, or Conyac.cc in Japan, myGengo is trying to tackle some larger issues in a more multi-lingual web, like this API Lab initiative or their String feature which Asiajin has previously covered.

Interested developers can find more detailed information by visiting the API Lab. (English/Japanese).

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TechBeat 2: No more secrets

TechBeat is the podcast hosted and produced by John Lim that brings together tech journalists and opinion-makers to talk about the latest news surrounding technology and media through a Malaysian perspective. Panelists for this episode are  APAC Social Media practice Lead for Text100 David Lian, ZDNet contributor Edwin Yapp, and blogger Colin Charles, and they discuss:

1) The iPad has arrived in Malaysia several months later than most countries, but that hasn’t stopped the masses from gathering in Apple stores. We also touch on what the latest rumours are for the iPad 2.

2) The damaging ramifications of the Malaysian ISP Liability Act, which is backed by the Recording Industry of Malaysia, if Parliament passes it.

3) WikiLeaks: what is it good for besides closed-room gossip?

4) YTL Communications saying sorry for their horror debut weekend of its Yes4G service by giving out 10GB of free data downloads to early subscribers.

5) TIMEdotcom’s new end-to-end fibre service that can provide up to 50Mbps connectivity for home users.

Download here, subscribe using iTunes, using the RSS Feed, or stream below:

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Mashup Awards 6: Doting Father Develops Social Web For Recording His Daughter’s Growth

The award-presenting ceremony of the Mashup Awards 6[J], an annual web service development contest organized by a bunch of Japanese web companies, took place in Tokyo yesterday, where the venue was packed with hundreds of presenters and an audience.   This contest literally aims at letting participants compete their skills in developing a web service by using public third-party APIs selected by the contest organizer.    222 APIs were allowed to be used to develop a mash-up service, and 544 web services have been submitted for the contest during the two months of the application period.

Let’s see some of excellent services that have won awards.

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Emiri System (The Grand Prix) [J]

Emiri System was originally developed by Tetsuro Ueda a.k.a. Emiri Papa for recording the growth of his daughter Emiri.  It became a social network for sharing updates among nursing parents about their child-care, children’s growth and development.  It has engaged 3,300 users from 23 countries, stored 1.33million-day dairy updates, 3.7 million pictures and 60,000 videos.  In order to enhance the convenience and allow the users to enjoy the experience anywhere at anytime, he has integrated it with many web services.

Using third-party APIs: AdobeAir, Applicast (an widget for Sony’s LCD TV), Web Payment Standard API, Yahoo Japan’s OpenID

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Get-Relief Rader (Excellent Award)

Get-Relief Rader was a location-based iPhone app developed by Tokyo-based tech-startup Kayac (related Asiajin stories) several months ago. By Establishing a pair with someone else using the app (via Bluetooth), a user can find where the other of the pair is located very roughly without launching the app (running on background).   Using the app between a couple may contribute to affair proof their marriage.

Using third-party APIs: Google Maps API

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Tag Tansu (Excellent Award) [J]

Tag Tansu is a closet that allows you to upload pictures of your clothing only by hanging a piece on a hook and sort it out.   It’s invented by tsuka_pan & sgss who has won the juries’ special prize with Cast Oven at the previous event.  An RFID tag embedded on the neck of the hanger tells the sensor what kind of clothing and the pictures will be tagged with the category automatically.   By integrating with a social network, you will be allowed to ask your friends about which clothing you wear, and it prevents you from buying something similar designed to what you have because you can check your collection with your cellphone at boutiques.

Using third-party APIs: Adobe AIR

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Teritori (Excellent Award) [J]

Teritori, which is named after territory, is a social game in which the aim is to occupy the other’s home base by using location profiles.  It is a web app and can be used on the iPhone and the Android 2.x handsets.   You can found VIRTUALLY your own lands on the game at your REAL favorite spots, and fight against the others by infiltrate spies and reconnaissance activities.

Using third-party APIs: Google Maps API

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Twiccha (Excellent Award) [J]

Twiccha, named after Twitter and chat, is a web service literally that allows you chat with someone only with your Twitter account.  You can keep chatting while watching NHK’s news clips[J] and satellite broadcaster BS Japan’s TV show “Deki-Biji[J]” and reading Yahoo Japan news in the chat room.  Developed by Tokyo-based tech start-up Crossfader[J].

Using third-party APIs: Twitter, YouTube, Ustream

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There were too many awards presenting in each category of web services, we can’t cover them all in this single post. You can check all 544 entries through this link[J].

See Also:

• MA5: Mashing Up A Variety Of APIs Makes A Lot Of Fun

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