DogVacay: Online pet boarding company DogVacay of Santa Monica launched daycare for dogs. The service helps pet owners find a local sitter to watch their dog while they are at work. The pet sitter will watch, walk, treat and play with the dog during the day.
Campus Steps: College search website Campus Explorer of Santa Monica spun off a unit called Campus Steps. The independent business is backed with $2 million from its parent and $1 million from other investors. It is a network of college counselors designed to prep students for school.
Zig Zag Zoom: Mobile game developer Zig Zag Zoom of Los Angeles launched Tree Story, a game that rewards players for nurturing virtual trees by planting real trees. Gamers will give their virtual trees water, sun and food until they are grown and then organizations will plant real trees in locations of the gamers’ choice.
Apple Watch App Launches:
Fandango: West L.A. online movie ticking company Fandango launched an Apple Watch app that displays ticketing information including a scannable bar code, a countdown-to-showtime clock, theater directions and seating information.
Wallaby Financial: Pasadena payment app company Wallaby Financial added an Apple Watch app to its suite of smart watch apps. Users can make payments, manage their finances and watch their credit via the smart watch app.
Mattel: El Segundo’s Mattel launched a Magic 8 Ball app for the watch. Based on the shake-and-see predictions toy, users can verbally ask questions of the app, shake or tap the Apple Watch to get answers and share results on social media.
Heal: Medical house call app Heal of Los Angeles has launched an Apple Watch app. The app allows users to book appointments, track doctors en route and rate their service. Doctors show up in less than 60 minutes for about $100.
Best Fiends: Mobile game developer Seriously adapted and launched its Best Fiends game for the Apple Watch. Players can bring back points to the iPhone version of the game after earning them in mini-games played on the Apple Watch platform.
Technology reporter Garrett Reim can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @garrettreim for the latest in L.A. tech news.
