Much like Silicon Valley, Israel is filled with startups and there is a strong focus on mobile innovation. And much like Silicon Valley, many startups are doing the same thing, whether it is photo sharing apps, location-based solutions, or social-based innovation, not that there is anything wrong with any of those...
Tawkon, an Android app that was personally rejected by Steve Jobs himself from the App Store is doing something completely different, and one might say, much more important.
Tawkon is a mobile application that helps users talk responsibly. It is the seatbelt for the mobile phone. Using state-of-the-art technology, Tawkon continuously measures the user's exposure to mobile radiation (SAR - Specific Absorption Rate, a universal measure for the amount of radiation being absorbed by the user). It then notifies the user how to avoid increased radiation, in real-time. All this, so the user can "talk on."
Now, before you start yelling, the company makes it very clear that the effects of mobile radiation are still being assessed, and they are in no way implying that they have the answer. What they are saying is "If there are long term implications to being exposed to mobile radiation, why not take preventative measures now?"
The app has been around on what was the Android Market (Now Google Play) for over a year but the team recently took a good look at their user-base and made the difficult decision to pivot ever so slightly in order to attract a different crowd.
While the app is super technological, the company found that, generally speaking, "geeks" or early adopters would prefer not to know about the amount of potential radiation they are exposed to from their mobile phones. That is of course not true for all technology lovers, but the app did not resonate well with the hardcore tech user, and understandably so.
So the company decided to abandon the app's geeky design and techie marketing strategy and go for a more "Lifestyle" and "Health-conscious" look and feel.
Well, once again, the pivot paid off and Tawkon is now trending in Google Play as I write these words. The new app and site (Tawkon.com) are designed to perfection with vibrant colors and nice social features such as the ability to monitor the potential radiation that your family and friends are exposed to.
As for the app itself, once installed, it monitors the user's calls and when the phone has to work harder to communicate with the cell tower, it notifies the user to distance the phone from their head by using a headset, the speaker, or various other suggestions.
When does the phone have to work harder to communicate? When the call is being placed in a location that has poor reception like an elevator or a room with thicker walls. The worse the reception, the more effort the cellphone's radio has to apply, and the result is increased radiation.
All in all, Tawkon, the company is a small startup with three young entrepreneurs, all with rich technological backgrounds. The app itself is a result of years of research and development, and is well deserving of all the success and traction it is now receiving.
You can download Tawkon from Google Play here.