To get an idea about the Zoobe team and our work, we would love you to meet our Lead UI Designer Pathie!
Read on to find out more about Pathie and her job at Zoobe.

What’s your role at Zoobe? What exactly are you doing and what are your responsibilities?

As User Interface Designer I’m working on the “face” of Zoobe. Whenever you open Zoobe, you get in touch with what I and the Product Team do all day. Whenever you are pressing a button, textlink or icon on the screen, you can be sure we thought about the positioning and appearance in detail. 
My first big task at Zoobe was the total redesign of the app. We decided on a new design approach and on flow changes to make the app easier to use. In addition, I came up with a new colour palette, worked on individual screen layout changes and an icon set was included.

On daily basis, I try to design whatever it takes to make Zoobe a better experience for users. That includes concepts and placement for the new features – such as user profiles for example. That means preparing sketches of screen layouts or build little prototypes. We test these prototypes out in the streets (e.g. at our favourite coffee places The Barn or Zeit für Brot) to verify if people understand our concepts. Later, I’m communicating with the developers, to make sure functionalities are implemented as close to our concept as possible.
My desk after a brainstorming session: sheets full of scribbles. Coloured pens. Conceptional flow ideas. Screenlayouts. Devices with prototypes. I love it. 

What is special to you about working at Zoobe?

…all my work is directly going into Zoobe and will be visible live in the app 2 – 4 weeks later. That’s really rewarding! Also the Zoobe team has a lot of great talents and the atmosphere is very authentic. We’re a very international team and it’s great not only stick to German habits. With very different backgrounds at Zoobe all come together and work on the same thing. In general, working for an app that wants to put a smile on someone else’s face – that’s awesome.

When did you start working at Zoobe and how did it come? What did you do before?

I’m part of the Zoobe team since one year now. My background is Graphic and Game Design. I published a little book for sailing beginners (“Mein Optibuch”), worked as graphic designer in the small advertising agency Terz and in a game company as well. My interest for User Interface Design derives from my work at the Creative Media research group of the HTW Berlin. Since then, I’m excited about the mixture of conceptional and creative work in User Experience Design. I joined Zoobe on a recommandation of my friend Pauline – one of Zoobes amazing 2D / 3D artists.

Where are you from and where have you lived?

Berlin is my home town, actually. I’m one of the rare original “Berliner”. I’m born and raised here, lived in Paris for one year after graduating and came back for studying Graphic Design. Occasionally, I’m leaving Berlin for travelling (e.g. 6 month through Asia).

Bagan

What are you doing, while you aren’t at work? What are your favorite activities/things to do?

In summer, I’m sailing, biking, swimming or playing volleyball. While in winter, I do love to knit, ice-skating & chocolate with almonds. Hanging out with friends, food, travelling, exhibitions, cinema, series, tinkering (little sketch-books) and snapshot photography are my all time favourites. 

Could you imagine staying in Berlin your whole life? What are your plans for the future?

I can imagine to stay in Berlin, yes. I really do love “my” city. Obviously, it has all that I need: green woods, many nice lakes, a lot of cultural offers, party life, an authentic atmosphere and my loved ones for sure. I can go out super posh or just in a cozy sweatpants here and won’t feel displaced – that feels authentic to me.
I’d also be happy to live somewhere else for a certain time because I appreciate the new experiences time abroad always implies. But I’d always come back. Berlin is special to me.

Tell me anything interesting about your life.

Before starting at Zoobe, I travelled through Southeast Asia for about 6 months. Most of the time, I travelled alone and had to decide which places to go to, organise transfers from one place to another, keep it all to my budget, deal with bedbugs, blocked bank accounts and so on. Still it was a such great adventure, I saw a lot of amazing places and I had a lot of luck. The most amazing experience were the people I met. While travelling, friendships are short  but still intensive because you share very special moments together. I still have moments back here when I suddenly remember a special place, person or atmosphere I saw while travelling.
Check my photos on tumblr if you’re interested: http://patsasiatrip.tumblr.com/

Gili Air (Indonesien) #2

Driving a scooter round Ulu Watu… #1 (Bali – Indonesien)

Cao Dai Temple – New Year Prayers (near Saigon)

Which type of music do you like? When do you listen to it?

Mainly, I listen to indie, singer songwriter and rock music, I suppose. I grew up with music as my dad is very into music. He used to play in a punk band and did electronic music by himself. Besides, he is a big collector of music and floods me with USB sticks full of music or concert tickets. Last weekend we joined the crowd for Berlins Independent Night. These days, I hear music of BOY, kettcar, Gaslight Anthem, Itchy Poopzkid, Hudson Taylor or Quiet Company while cycling to work, working itself or doing sports.

If you would have to take a one way ticket to somewhere, where would you go to?

While travelling through Asia, I saw a lot of beautiful and unique places – Gili Meno, Seoul, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kyoto, Okayama, Hue, Ha Long Bay, Xian, Bali. I wish I could show them to my friends and family. But the only city I’d chose with a one way ticket stays Berlin. Here’s where the heart is. 

Xi'An – Old Mosque (China) #02

Seoul (South Korea) #07

Inle Lake #02

Phi Phi Island (Thailand) – Longtail boat trip to Ma Ya Bay (film “The Beach”)… #02

Thanks so much to you Pathie, for giving us an idea about yourself and your work at Zoobe.

You're welcome, catch you later!

Soon you'll find out more about other team members of Zoobe!

Did you know that singing has actually been scientifically proven  to be good for you? When you sing, musical vibrations work their way through you and alter your physical and emotional landscape. Singing lowers the level of cortisol  which means lower stress, it releases oxytocin  which not only alleviates anxiety but also enhances feelings of trust and bonding. Belting out a tune also releases endorphins , a hormone associated with feelings of pleasure. And the good news is you don’t even have to be a good singer to reap the benefits, one study has shown that singing “can produce satisfying and therapeutic sensations even when the sound produced by the vocal instrument is of mediocre quality”, hooray!

Have you ever sat and watched a musical  and wished life could imitate art ? Do you wish that you could really just burst into song at any given moment? Do you ever sit at home and watch the Grammy’s  or the MTV Awards  and fancy yourself as a bit of a Rihanna , Beyonce  or one of the guys from One Direction ? Well with Zoobe, anything is possible and we have seen some amazing musical messages created by our users. Whether it’s a romantic ditty to woo a potential suitor, a hilarious comedy tune to cheer up a friend or a huge power ballad   to show off your impressive pipes to all and sundry, there’s no end to the musical possibilities you can create.

We love it so much when we see the characters from our awesome app spring to life through the medium of song so let’s take a look at some of the fantastic tunes created by you. Warning, you’ll be humming these hits for the rest of the day!

What better way to send your birthday regards to loved ones than singing Happy Birthday. Even if your tones aren’t quite as dulcet as this angelic voiced bunny, receiving a personal birthday song is always a great way for any one to start their special day.

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Fancy yourself as a bit of a Snoop Dogg , Eminem  or Nicki Minaj? Why not rap your message, the results can be hilarious!

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Got a message you want to share with the world? Why not belt it out in song like Prince Puffy

Who could resist this creative way of asking someone out for dinner?

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If this sexy song doesn’t get you excited about your vacation , nothing will!

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Plucking up the courage to tell someone you like them can be nerve-wracking but you’ll be sure to win them over with a musical message like this.

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Let your loved ones know how you feel, whether you’re in a long distance relationship , trying to get back in to the good books after forgetting a birthday   or simply just wanting to send some love.

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Does your family member, friend or partner have a filthy habit  that you want them to stop? Singing them a cheeky tune to remind them how gross it is might just do the trick.

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Reveal your inner gangsta  by rapping out some profanities! 

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Invite your friends and loved ones on to the dance floor with a belter like this one.

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Show your gal pals support and remind them just how strong they are with songs of encouragement.

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Let your best friend know just how much they mean to you with a cool rap from a bunny!

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Have one of the Zoobe characters sing an iconic song from your favourite TV show

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For the ultimate Valentine message, say it with Whitney 

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Surrender yourself to your perfect partner with a simple declaration

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Let that special someone know just how much they mean to you

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Don’t be afraid to get all sentimental and send your favourite love songs   to the man or woman of your dreams

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Let the object of your desire know exactly what they’re in for with a saucy message like this.

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Combine sass and politics with a musical offering such as this

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Get festive with a seasonal sing along like so

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Feeling patriotic? Let your buddies know you’re proud of your roots with a cheerful tune.

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It seems music really is the language of love and we here at Zoobe are certainly feeling in the mood. We can’t wait to see what you come up with next. Now to get that song out of our head, la la la la la la la……

There’s nothing better than a good old laugh is there? Anything from a slight snigger to a little giggle to an uncontrollable belly-aching guffaw, they all feel fantastic and smother a great big smile across your face. It’s contagious  too,  have you ever watched someone else in a fit of giggles and even though you don’t know what they’re laughing at, you’re soon doubled over in hilarity also? Pure bliss! But did you know that there is actually more to a cheerful chuckle than just a couple of minutes of feel good fun? Laughter therapy  is a pretty big deal and can boost your health in a variety of different ways. Let’s take a look shall we?

LAUGHTER IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEART

According to research made by heart specialists at the University of Maryland people with heart disease  are 40% less likely to laugh at a range of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease. Laughing helps the blood flow round your body and therefore reduces the risk of heart disease. According to the research, 15 minutes of laughter a day is as important for your heart as 30 minutes of exercise   is three times a week.

LAUGHTER HELPS WITH WEIGHT LOSS

Can it really be true? We can actually shed the pounds by having a good old chuckle? We sure can, laughing raises your heart rate and speeds up your metabolism so alongside eating well and exercising why not send a few funny Zoobe messages to your friends and laugh yourself into those skinny jeans  you can’t quite get into!

LAUGHTER IS A NATURAL WAY TO EASE PAIN

A good old giggle has been proven to relieve symptoms of pain as it releases endorphins in to your system, plus it distracts you from the pain. Next time you have an ache or pain, put the Paracetamol  away and just flick through some of the hilarious Zoobes on the inspiration list.

LAUGHTER IMPROVES YOUR SOCIAL LIFE

Everyone loves a Joker and if you make your friends laugh it not only brings them joy, it makes you feel great too. People with a good sense of humour  are far more likely to be productive too which means you’ll achieve more at work, be a better communicator and team player. Most of the things that we laugh at aren’t actual jokes but comments in our everyday conversations with friends, family and colleagues etc, laughter is as much about social relationships as it is about humour. 

LAUGHTER HELPS RELIEVE DEPRESSION

Laughing reduces tension and stress whilst lowering anxiety and irritation, all key factors in depression  and SAD

LAUGHTER IS A GOOD WORK OUT

Hooray! A night in with some friends having a good old laugh sounds so much more fun than slogging it at the gym, so it’s great to know that laughter exercises the diaphragm  whilst contracting your abdominal muscles  and working your shoulders. According to studies, laughing 100 times is the equivalent to 10 minutes on the rowing machine  or 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Better get sending some hysterical Zoobes to your pals quickly so you can tone up before the weekend!

LAUGHTER BOOSTS YOUR RELATIONSHIP

If you’re on the look out for a new partner then laughter will certainly help you find your new mate. Research shows that women love a man that makes them laugh and men love women that laugh in their presence. If you’re already in a relationship then a shared sense of humour is hugely important in keeping it fresh.

LAUGHTER BOOSTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Research has discovered that laughing actually increases the number of anti-body producing T-Cells, making it less likely for us to catch coughs and colds. A giggle a day keeps the doctor away!

Here at Zoobe we are lucky to have some extremely funny comedians who write and record messages for our app, allow me to introduce you to our hilarious voices

TIERNAN DOUIEB

TIERNAN DOUIEB IS A STAND-UP COMEDIAN, WRITER, PROCRASTINATOR AND PROFESSIONAL BEARD WEARER. HE PERFORMS COMEDY ALL OVER THE UK AND WORLD AND SPENDS FAR TOO MUCH TIME ON TWITTER. YOU CAN FIND HIM THERE @TIERNANDOUIEB, ON FACEBOOK AT HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/TIERNANDOUIEB AND HIS OWN WEBSITE FULL OF STUFF ATWWW.TIERNANDOUIEB.CO.UK.

31070 views

HIGH RANKIN

HIGH RANKIN IS A DJ AND COMEDIAN WHO HAS WRITTEN SKETCHES FOR BBC RADIO ONE AND HAS YOUTUBE VIDEOS WITH MILLIONS OF HITS. HIS BRAND OF SATIRICAL AND AT TIMES UNASHAMEDLY PUERILE HUMOUR IS KNOWN AND LOVED WORLD WIDE! CATCH HIM ON TWITTER AT OR FACEBOOK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HIGHRANKIN 

25086 views

JASON BOWMAN

A MAN OF MANY FEW WORDS. HE ENJOYS TALKING INTO MICROPHONES AND PRETENDING HE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON A REGULAR BASIS. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, HE EQUALLY ADORES RELAXING IN HIS OWN, CUSTOM MADE MEAT SUIT WHENEVER POSSIBLE. HE'S BEEN LIVING IN BERLIN SINCE 2007, ALL THE WHILE SOAKING IN THE WONDERFUL MELODIES OF THE CITY AND BASKING IN THE BEAUTIFUL SKYLINES OF GENTRIFICATION.

So as you can see the benefits of a righteous chortle are HUGE and thanks to you guys, we at Zoobe are never without a smile on our face due to the HILARIOUS messages you create. There was even an article in Buzzfeed  recently about the pant wettingly funny Zoobes that people are making. So keep them coming guys, tell a joke, send a joke because laughter really is the best medicine.

A new update for Zoobe is now live for all users on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store: we've improved the Zoobe community features to make it possible for you to receive notifications when someone likes your Zoobes and also to tap on a username and see the full profile of another user.

This means you will see a new tab in your profile called "Notifications". Under it, a list will displayed with all other registered users in Zoobe that found your videos awesome and gave them a like. You will also receive push notifications as soon as your likes pile up!

On top, we improved the Popular list so now you can tap on the creator's username of a specific Zoobe. You'll be able to see his or her profile, published videos, likes received and watch all their videos to give away more likes to his or her creativity.

What do you think about these changes? Leave us your comments below!

It's that time of year again, the leaves are falling from the trees, the skies are changing from blue to black before you've even got home from work and you've swapped your light summer jacket for a duffel coat with scarf and gloves. Yes the Autumn is well and truly here and that can only mean one thing- HALLOWEEN!

We at Zoobe just lovely this creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky and all together ooky holiday as there are so many choices of characters to choose from to create Zoobes with,  and now, thanks to the new popular list we can all share in the fiendish fun together. 

Let us introduce you to some of our spooky friends...

Meet Uncle Frank from Hotel Transylvania 2, he just can't seem to keep his head on his shoulders!

Mavis from Hotel Transylvania 2 just loves Halloween, want to go trick or treating with her?

Meet Enchanted Eve, she's flirty, she's saucy and she comes with two backgrounds to choose from. 

Invite your friends to your awesome Halloween party using Stay Puft from Ghostbusters

Everyone loves Slimer from Ghostbusters so why not send your buddies a hilarious Halloween Zoobe featuring your favourite bright green ghoul

We here at Zoobe wish you a very happy Halloween and can't wait to hear your menacing messages so stay safe and whatever you do, HAVE FUN!

We just had an amazing week in Dublin together in Web Summit with the one and only Donald J. Trump! It’s been a blast from beginning to end: starting with the talks and selfies with Donald in our booth and of course throughout the long line of parties we attended in the city of cozy pubs and great beer. Check the pictures below!

Zoobe is joining this week Web Summit 2015 in Dublin, both in the BETA track and with Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und...

Posted by Zoobe - say it with character on Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Thanks to the support of Berlin Partner, we exhibited during the whole 3 days of the conference, so we had time to spread the word about Zoobe’s amazing string of characters, including the likes of Slimer and Stay Puft from Ghostbusters, Mavis and Frank from Hotel Transylvania 2, The Smurfs, Angela Merkel and many more. Both attendees and media found Zoobe an excellent way to express your emotions in your private conversation and also an opportunity for brands and businesses to be part of people’s conversations with those they love. 

Kept that one quiet. Last minute guest speaker for #websummit (-@zoobeapp) pic.twitter.com/qiZYtuoAys

— Adrian Weckler (@adrianweckler) November 4, 2015

In our mission to be seen and heard in one of the biggest tech conferences in Europe, we filled the halls of the RDS and the pockets of Web Summit attendees with Donald Dollars, which quickly became the most beloved currency around.

Always fun to bump into the @zoobeapp crew. Thanks @meinike for the ridiculous Trump swag! #WebSummit2015 pic.twitter.com/wjLtstuzSA

— Matias Castello (@imatias) November 3, 2015

@zoobeapp 👏💥⚡️🚀 such an insanely great app to make your own 3D video messages! pic.twitter.com/IrOciVgZKB

— WAASTAA (@YoWAASTAA) November 4, 2015

Second day and @TheDTrump already became the King of #WebSummit! #WebSummit2015 pic.twitter.com/uE0lv1XL8V

— Zoobe (@zoobeapp) November 4, 2015

Many Americans joining the conference had strong feelings about our Donnie, but they definitely could see how to channel their anger through Zoobe’s newest character. All in all, the crowd seemed to love Zoobe’s Donald and no one could resist the temptation to take a picture with the man that’s bringing politics to new show business heights.

NR @meinike of @zoobeapp and @taravanzyl of film startup Seamless #websummit #doingbusiness pic.twitter.com/QDt2j8U9pr

— Eddy Carroll (@eddycarroll) November 3, 2015

How great to have @donalscannell at the @zoobeapp stand @WebSummitHQ #websummit #zoobe #@TheDTrump #Trump pic.twitter.com/Bk9t51EXED

— nr. meinike (@meinike) November 5, 2015

We even pitched Zoobe on the Audi stage and we conquered some hearts... thank you all for your support!

Thanks for having @zoobeapp at #AudiPitch on stage #websummit love to see your votes 👍👍 #Zoobe pic.twitter.com/v8vHGnhkjv

— nr. meinike (@meinike) November 3, 2015

We met @zoobeapp at @WebSummitHQ and we already love them. https://t.co/KK5nDg45cC Vote 4 them @audipitch #websummit pic.twitter.com/Iv0Xnyi3cS

— Nuuk Digital (@NuukDigital) November 3, 2015

In the evening we joined the SXSW gathering at The Grand Social and also together with Berlin Partner the Dutch party at The Globe. The beer flowed, the talks got louder and the party started: we definitely had a blast at Orderella’s big celebration at Copper Face Jacks and at Movember’s in Barber Shop. Our only regrets are missing Braintree’s Brain Blast and well, the Fish and Chips at Lido. More reasons to visit again Dublin!

But the enjoyment didn't finish on Thursday, when the official conference ended. Zoobe stayed in Dublin for a weekend of fun, talks and surfing during the Surf Summit! Thank you Sligo for an amazing experience!

Biking in this amazing area of #Sligo can not be better. @surfsummit #SurfSummit an nobody is using a smartphone 👍 pic.twitter.com/gY1atXbznt

— nr. meinike (@meinike) November 7, 2015

Water temp. 11 degrees but tech entrepreneurs don't stop 🏄 @surfsummit #SurfSummit #sligo @Niall_OGorman @Tray_Scan pic.twitter.com/bPm7xNAndk

— nr. meinike (@meinike) November 7, 2015

Random shots with @PerfectDaySurfn at @surfsummit #sligo #SurfSummit pic.twitter.com/OGKb3dGv2X

— Niall OGorman (@Niall_OGorman) November 7, 2015

Big hands for @fintangillespie and @surfsummit team for creating great moments again #sligo #SurfSummit @Easkeysurf pic.twitter.com/mdQRCH28nO

— nr. meinike (@meinike) November 8, 2015

We loved Web Summit so much that we got ourselves tickets already for Web Summit 2016, next year in Lisbon. We are rather sad to say goodbye to the most amazing taxi drivers ever, the more than friendly Irish staff at the conference and in general one of the kindest people around the world. We’re sure though that Lisbon will come with many more surprises!

The Movember Foundation is a fantastic charity that are committed to men living happier, healthier and longer lives by raising money and awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health issues and physical inactivity. Men across the globe start the month of November clean shaven then grow and groom their moustaches for 30 days and get their friends and supporters to sponsor them. As well as growing your Mo, people can also take part in a 30 day physical activity challenge in order to raise money and awareness. 

We here at Zoobe just love a good cause and so we have created a Mo Bro character for you to record your Mo messages. You can send them as support to your fellow Mo Bro's and Mo Sistas or to raise awareness amongst your friends and get a conversation about men's health started, it all helps!

Check out our talking 'tache here

Check out how Mo Sista's can get involved too

We have set up our own Zoobe MoSpace so head over to mobro.co/zoobe for more information and to make a donation.

Every November, the US celebrates Thanksgiving Day - a national holiday when families come together to share food, enjoy parades and watch American football. 

Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November. This year that falls on Thursday, November 26th.

Most government offices, businesses and schools close on Thanksgiving Day - with many closing on the Friday after, too, giving their employees a four day weekend.

The traditional Thanksgiving meal revolves around turkey, stuffing and vegetables including sweet potatoes or yams. Yams are a starchy root vegetable widely grown in the Carribean. The meal is traditionally rounded off with a pumpkin pie.

Many big cities and towns hold a Thanksgiving Day parade, the most famous of which is the Macy's parade in New York City.

The three-hour event features floats, costumes and huge helium balloons in the shape of cartoon characters including Mickey Mouse and Felix the Cat. 

Playing and watching American football is one of the longest held Thanksgiving traditions. NFL, college, high school and amateur teams have played over the Thanksgiving weekend practically since the game's invention, and it's one of the biggest days in the football calendar.

The celebration of Thanksgiving is a feast to give thanks for the fruits of the previous harvest.

In America specifically, it dates back to the 1600s. There's some dispute over when the first Thanksgiving was, but many think it dates back to 1621, when the harvest was celebrated by the Pilgrims - Dutch settlers of the Plymouth Colony in what's now called Massachusetts.

It spread through the new country and was celebrated on different days in different commmunities until, in 1789, George Washington declared the first national Thanksgiving Day.

We at Zoobe love a good celebration and Thanksgiving is no exception. Many of our users get creative this time of year when sending Thanksgiving invites or Happy Holiday messages to their friends and loved ones and we can't wait to see what you'll come up with this Thanksgiving. Check out some of the Thanksgiving messages from within the Zoobe family.

And a big thankyou to YOU for letting Zoobe be a part of your lives.

Black Friday is here, the day where bargain hunters across the  world try to grab themselves great shopping deals heading into the christmas period.

Black Friday was originally an American tradition that took place on the day after Thanksgiving each year. Retailers offer huge discounts on masses of products in an attempt to persuade shoppers to spend their hard earned money in the run-up to Christmas. But retailers across the world have jumped on the bandwagon in recent years so bargain hunters all over get the chance at some festive deals.

The name 'Black Friday' originated in Philadelphia in the early sixties, where it was used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving. 

In America, the day has a reputation for turning usually rational, mild-mannered shoppers into crazy bargain hunters! Fights frequently break out and extra security is required.

Of course no fighting will be necessary when ordering your Black Friday deals online which is why we're delighted to announce that all our Zoobe packages are completely FREE on the 26th and 27th November so be sure to stock up now on all your favourite characters in time to send the perfect christmas messages to your loved ones.

Creating your own Zoobe message just got even more exciting with our brand new Animation Picker feature. Here's how it works... 

Once inside the Zoobe App you'll notice the brand new home page which features all our awesome characters. If you are on Android, you'll be receiving this new feature in the next week and if you are on iOS will come to you in the next 10 days. Once you do, you'll be able to scroll down and see all the characters and animations available, with the "Crown" symbol marking Premium characters.

If you're looking to create a joyful message, click on the 'Happy' icon and you'll be taken straight to all the cheerful characters in the app. Feeling grouchy and want to send a moody message? Click on the 'Angry' icon and you'll be directed to our furious friends! Have fun exploring where each icon will take you. If you regularly use the same characters you can even click on the 'Recent' icon and it'll take you straight to the last characters you used!

Once you've chosen your character we will show you other characters who are similar that you may want to try later. Then simply hit record and get creative with your message.

Once your message is recorded, give it a title and hit save.

Now it's ready to share with the world! Hit the sharing icon on the bottom left and discover so many ways to share your Zoobe. You can put it straight on to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and send it direct to your friends via email, WhatsApp or text. 

Be sure to hit the 'Z' icon and upload the message straight to your Zoobe profile for all our thousands of users to enjoy. The more likes you get the higher your video will climb up our Popular List. Sending messages has never been more fun! 

We're delighted to introduce you to one of our most active Zoobe users, Sam Beman! He kindly agreed to do an interview with us so we can get to know more about the man behind these fabulous Zoobes!

Sam is an actor, DJ (Smooth-B) and comedian. In March 2015 he married his wife Sarah after his proposal at Disney World! Sadly, only one month later he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease Lymphoma Stage 4. Let's find out more about Sam, his story and his variable voice.

Hey Sam! How are you doing? Let's start with a little introduction of yourself. Tell us a bit about your life.

My name is Sam Beman and I was raised in the South of the United States. I've been into voices for a long time. Back to when I was 12 years old, that's when I really started mimicking other people that I would hear, such as friends and famous celebrities. The friends part always got me in trouble, because they often did not find it so flattering!
I went on to do voices over the years. When I was 19 I got into acting at the Spring Opera House in Columbus, Georgia (US). From that moment on up until last year (2014), I've basically introduced new characters, voices through everything that I have done such as musicals, drama and comedy,

How did you respond when you received your diagnosis of cancer? How did your family and friends react?

I got married in March and the very next month I got put into the hospital because I was in a critical condition. The doctors did some blood tests and said that something was wrong. I didn't know that my kidneys were shutting down the night that it happened. Through a lot of extensive tests they found out that I had Hodgkin's disease Lymphoma stage 4 and that I could have died. My family were devastated but they were also hopeful because they knew that God was still in control and he was still good. It's been a painful journey but also a blessing. Every time I go into the cancer centre to get a chemo treatment or infusion shots, I would just say: "God, please help me to be a blessing to anybody I come across." I was able to use my voices to try to entertain them. That was my stage. I went from being on camera to being in the hot seat getting some sort of infusion or injection and just trying to bring some joy to somebody with the voices that I do.

When did you start using the Zoobe app and how did you find out about it?

A couple of months ago, when Zoobe was aired on the Today Show I started using the Zoobe app. The Today Show has been a daily part of my routine since I've come out of the hospital. Every morning I watch Al Roker, Matt Laurer, Natalie Morals and so on. That day Al was showing off his Zoobe voice through a smurf and I was thinking "I'm gonna get this right now!", so I immediately downloaded the app and started using it.

Spotted: Papa Smurf, #Slimer & Tipsy Bunny were the stars at @TODAYshow! http://t.co/DcbGPJ2Bcy #zoobe #ghostbusters pic.twitter.com/VLPx1VlT90

— Zoobe (@zoobeapp) 4. September 2015

Which are your favourite Characters?

It's funny, because there are a lot of characters in there, that I don't even know who they are, but my step children do!
I like the little dinosaur, Tyranni. Every character I come across I try to give some type of personality. I just look at it and think about what this character would be like and I start creating it. Tyranni to me is a poet, so I do these little poems with the particular voice.
There are so many characters and I've used a lot of them. As I'm a big Ghostbusters fan, I really love Slimer too.
Another one I got the other day is the viking, I'm looking forward to using that one.

Would you like to have other characters in the Zoobe app?

OH YES! Yes, there are a few. Number one, which I know is tough because of copyrights, is Mickey Mouse. I do his voice already and it brings people joy. I've noticed that out of all voices that I do, kids to grandparents enjoy Mickey Mouse and his voice but unfortunately I can't do it right now with the Zoobe app, which is a little sad.

 I know again it's Disney's property but Yoda would be HUGE,because everybody can have a good time with Yoda and it's probably one of the top voices that I do. Also I would love to see more male characters,

Where do you publish your Zoobes?

I typically share on Facebook and the videos are addressed to anybody, the voices that I do are people of all ages.With the four children that are under my care, I've noticed they love the voices and things I come up with. The subject matter can hit them and older adults enjoy them as well.
I also sometimes share them on Twitter and sometimes I send them through text.
I did upload them to YouTube, but I had too many videos so I need to create my own Zoobe channel because I've got a variety of other videos that people want to watch as well.

Which settings do you use?

I do like the ability to switch the background, that's nice. Sometimes I'll look at the animation and think "oh, what if he or she was here?" and nearly everybody who uses this app thinks the same thing. I have seen some videos where it hasn't been thought about what background to use as there was a random photo of a face, it's funny. But for me I typically take my camera out and shoot a setting. 
I never do the voice pitch, I personally don't do that as I can control my own pitch. 

What kind of feedback do you get?

I noticed on Facebook, there will be a number of likes and occasionally people will comment "Lol, that was so funny.","This made me laugh., "I needed this today!" or "That made my day". It makes me happy when I touch people through my voices.

When is your high time producing Zoobes?

I usually produce Zoobe videos in the morning, as it is the only time of the day where it's just me. After 12pm it seems like the rest of the day I'm busy with family and so on. In the morning I'm the most creative and I create 3 to 5 videos a day. 

What is special to you about the Zoobe app?

Just giving me the freedom to put my voices into work in a sense is awesome because it allows you just to be creative. For people who do voices it's a dream come true!

Have you got any tips for beginners or other Zoobe users on how to create wonderful Zoobes?

Think out what you want to say first! I've even let the kids use the app and they love it! What ends up happening is that I'll hit record and then they start talking for 5 seconds and they are done. Don't you want to say anything? They haven't really thought it out. I usually rehearse, I'll practice what I'm going to say and then I record. I've noticed there are a lot of people who don't even use their own voice, instead they use the radio to record a popular music song. But I would say think about what you want to say first. And of course, if you want to change the background, think that one through. Where would this character be, where do you want them? If it's the little tiger do you want it in the microwave? Then it should be inside the microwave! Whatever you want to do, just make it look interesting and compelling and have fun with it. 
Try new voices if you can! Experiment! Everybody has at least one impersonation, a dialect, or something that they can do, just be yourself.

Thank you Sam, it was a pleasure talking to you, keep up the great work! We wish you all the best!

You're welcome! I'm looking forward to the new characters and functions that you will come up with in 2016! See you.

To find out more about Sam, check out his website and Twitter account:

www.sambeman.com

twitter.com/Sam_Beman

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Gossip Pig is our celebrity gossip correspondent who keeps us up to date on all the goings on in the lives of the A listers! He always speaks his mind on current celeb events and what he has to say isn't always too kind! Here Gossip Pig tells us a bit about himself

Let's have a look back at some of Gossip Pig's reports on the stars

Getting personal on the grooming habits of the controversial pop star!

Red carpet casualties, Gossip Pig will let you know who looked great but his main focus is who looked disastrous!

Those troublesome housewives are always full of gossip!

From blonde to pink, Gossip Pig will let you know what he thinks of a new celeb hair don't!

Front row at fashion week makes Gossip Pig feel like a kid at christmas!

There's nothing Gossip Pig loves more than a celebrity feud!

Kanye always was a newsworthy controversial star and then he married a Kardashian! Gossip Pig could hardly contain himself (although was bemused at his lack of wedding invite!)

Gossip Pig will always keep you up to date with news on your favourite TV shows

Who was wearing what (and why???!)

Gossip Pig always likes to keep on top of what's happening over at Buckingham Palace!

Sports suddenly become a lot more interesting to Gossip Pig once there's a bitch fight going on!

Gossip Pig is always happy when the next generation of celebs start making their way into the world!

You can also follow Gossip Pig on his Twitter and Facebook pages to hear his latest ramblings and you can download his character from the Zoobe app to create your very own Gossip Pig messages. Once downloaded, simply insert a photo of a celebrity or even a friend or family member and let the gossiping commence!

The festive period has drawn to a close and everyone is feeling full and sluggish. Waistbands have expanded and bags have appeared under eyes from late nights and too much partying. Well, no more! We at Zoobe are going to show you how to kick start your 2016 in a healthy way and you'll soon be fighting fit, full of energy and raring to go! 

DAY ONE

Dancing Bunny explains the benefits of exercise

DAY TWO

Diddl Mouse gives tips on how to quit smoking

DAY THREE

Dennis from Hotel Transylvania offers advice on outdoor activities

DAY FOUR

Lady Pink tells us why we should be eating for energy

DAY FIVE

Burger Boi explains the benefits of cutting back on alcohol

Follow these tips and you'll be in for a great year ahead! Remember, all the characters in our Detox videos are available in the Zoobe app so you can create your very own messages and send them to your loved ones to inspire them to get healthy! Here's to a fabulous 2016!

The Zoobe community is growing wider and wider and now with the new 'follow' button it's just got so much easier to connect with other Zoobe users. Now you can keep up with your friends and even make new ones by filling your personal feed with Zoobes from your favourite users. Whether you're  scrolling through the New List at all the hilarious new videos made by users from all over the world or perusing the Popular List at all the most loved Zoobes, you can view the user profile of anyone who takes your fancy, hit follow and hey presto, you're connected! Here's how.....

1. Flick through the new list and popular list

2. Discover a Zoobe that you particularly enjoy

3. Click on the user profile

4. Click the 'Follow' button under their profile picture

5. Click on 'Followers' to see who else is following them 

6. Click on 'Following' to see who else they're following

7. Head back to the Zoobes section and click 'My Feed' and you will be kept up to date with all the Zoobe messages from all the users you are following.

You can also head to your own profile page and hit 'Followers' to see everyone who's following you or 'following' to see a list of everyone you've followed. And if if you no longer want to see the videos from a particular user in your feed, head to their profile and click 'un-follow'. It's as easy as that!

You just need to update NOW to the latest Zoobe version and let us know what you think about the new  'Follow' option in the comments below.

Hi Greg! How is it going? First of all, please introduce yourself and tell us about your life. 

Hi! Everything is going well. I am a middle aged man from West Bloomfield, Michigan, USA. I am a professional garden designer and live in a house on 2 acres of land with my 2 friends, 2 dogs and 2 cats. I have no children to boss around so I do much of the work myself. I enjoy a happy life and try and find the humour in everything.

How did you find out about Zoobe? When did you start using the Zoobe app?

I was in the Google Play store and came upon the Zoobe App and was intrigued by it so I downloaded it and have been enjoying it since spring of this year.

Which are your favourite characters and why?

My favourite character is the male Giraffe... Oh wait, he’s not been created yet! I love the pig, mine stutters and becomes very excited about everything! Drunk Bunny (because she reminds me of my own drunken grandmother) and most of the animals, particularly the leopard cub that everyone calls a tiger! I favour so many because I look for the ones that best fit into the story I am trying to tell.

Which other characters and features would you like to have in the Zoobe app?

There is a long necked, gentle beast, called a giraffe. I think the design team are aware of this and are torturing me by avoiding it!. As far as features go I think it would be fun to create a personal video to use as a background. Your team comes up with so many great new features that I just wait to see what’s new.

Where do you publish your Zoobes? Do you send them to your friends via private chats, too? What’s your target group?

I publish in the Zoobe app, of course and also to YouTube (and to the United Nations Newsletter’s comic section!) I send my Zoobe’s to many friends using emails and texts. My target group is anyone with the sense of humour to enjoy sarcasm, slightly adult humour and the ability to know when someone is teasing about a subject. I find that many of my “likes” are from young adults and I think it’s great when they “get” the joke.

What are your Zoobe videos about? 

My Zoobe videos are about making you smile. Making you laugh. And leaving you with a smile. I think about my subject for a while. Try different ways to interpret it and often redo it until it’s just like I want it. I try not to hurt anyone with cruelty, and only swear when it’s (god damn) necessary!

Which settings do you use for your videos?

I almost always use my own photography as backgrounds. This personalizes the video to whomever I am sending it to and it makes it my own. Every character I use has their own voice pitch and characteristics. My pig has a terrible time with stuttering and over excitement.  Drunk Bunny always has hiccups, giggles, and occasionally burps. (But everyone knows a lady bunny never farts!)

What kind of feedback do you get? Do people reply to your video messages with Zoobes?

I only send my videos to get a laugh or smile and that is usually the reward I DO get. And yes, quite a few friends and recipients have GOT to know how to do it and have since become Zoobites themselves. 

When is your high time producing Zoobes? How many do you create in general?

I have created 100’s. But published only 19. Certainly Christmas was a busy Zoobe time, but really any occasion is the right time. I have a few friends text me and tell me they “need” a Zoobe from me to cheer them up. (Since I am not a paid therapist, I let them suffer a while before taking their mental care into my hands!)

In general, what is special about the Zoobe app to you?

The App is a riot. The characters are well thought out and their movements so interpretive of the voice message being sent. The fact that they can be personalized in so many ways always surprises the recipients and I have had many people question me as to how I get them to move that way! And I  would be remiss if I did not add that you, Lotta, and Monica, Inês and a wonderful team make it a pleasure and easy to communicate with.

Have you got any tips for beginners or other Zoobe users for best results?

My tips would be to experiment. Over and over. Have fun. Try different voice pitches, your own backgrounds, make the characters your own. It’s always fun to see how a character acts in another person’s video. And spend some time thinking it out if you’re going to put it out there for the world to see. Be different! Be you! (And pray that you’re worthy enough to be a Zoobite.)

Thanks so much Greg, for telling us so much about you and the background of your funny videos! Talk to you soon.

It was nice to talk about my Zoobe life. Catch ya later!

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Tech minds think alike, and when a problem arises, usually the obvious answer is not the best. Here's how we solved a big Zoobe office pain with the help of Slack, probably the best thing to happen to teams since Google Docs.

Tuesdays we share a salad lunch together at Zoobe and on Wednesdays, we start our day with a healthy smoothie prepared by Monica. In order to get your Salad and Smoothie you had to register through Monica and pay a little fee for registration. But the problem was people always forgot to register on Monday. That’s when Monica suggested having an automatic reminder. And since we depend heavily on Slack for our internal communication, we thought of implementing a Slack bot which had a single task of reminding people if they are interested in joining the Salad and Smoothie event for the specific week. That’s when Lucy was born; our lovely little Slack bot.

Few days after writing Lucy and making sure she is reminding people in a proper manner, I came across this blog post about some friends who are opening their office doors with a Slack bot. This blog post absolutely inspires us to do the same thing, because we have a slack bot ready, so why not extend its tasks? Plus, it definitely felt like a cool thing to be having at the office!

Then we started connecting Lucy to our door. Now at Zoobe, we do not talk through the door intercom but we literally talk directly to the intercom! :D

Before Lucy

Door intercom before Lucy

After Lucy

Door intercom after Lucy

So now, for a Zoobe employee, you do not need a key for the downstairs door but all what you need to do is text "door" to Lucy directly in a private conversation to open the door for you.

Lucy in action

Lucy in a GIF

Demo

Technical Details

If you are curious how the door feature is implemented, this is the right place. Let's start with a final overview on how the extra door feature looks like physically.

Intercom uncovered

On the hardware level, it was quiet simple. We just used a Raspberry Pi that fits perfectly in the intercom box connected to the intercom circuit through a simple relay circuit. The raspberry Pi is running a simple Python server connected to our local network through an internet cable. The other cable you can see in the picture is just the power source for the Raspberry Pi. So its as simple as that; a raspberry pi (can be replaced by any micro controller available), two cables and a relay circuit.

On the software level, a simple Python server is always running and listening to any HTTP Get request on a predefined port. This Get requests calls the Raspberry Pi to fire a signal from PIN 11 for the relay circuit which results into connecting the door pins inside the intercom board resulting into an open door.

As for Lucy, she is running on a node server on our staging environment, if she ever listens to a 'Door' string she will simply send a Get request to the raspberry pi on an agreed IP and port number.

We had to test how sound the system is; and here is the reaction of our first user.

Monica's reaction on using the Lucy door extension for the first time.

That's simply it. Now you can start hacking your intercom too!

It's that time of the year when love is on everybody's minds and with all the romantic characters we have in the Zoobe family, you can be sure to send your sweetheart the perfect message this Valentine's Day! Let's take a look at all our loved up characters.

Your loved one will find a cute message like this irresistible! 

Declare your undying love with a bold message from Bunny!

Let Papa Smurf tell your sweetheart just how much they mean to you !

Let Paddington Bear speak the language of love for you!

You'll win your loved ones heart all over again with a sweet message from Om Nom!

Sing your way to romance with a musical Zoobe like this one!

Serenading your loved one with a romantic musical Zoobe will surely earn you some brownie points! 

Why not ask someone new to be your Valentine with a cute message like this one

Why not spice things up with a saucy message from night Kitten!

We hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day whatever you do, whether you're loved up in a relationship or single and fabulous, there's nothing but love for your here at Zoobe!

The entries are all in for The Z Factor and it's over to our fabulous panel of judges to decide who will become Official Voice Artists for Zoobe. Allow me to introduce you to our judges, they've all recorded a special message for the contestants before the big reveal on Monday!

Prince Puffy The Hornless Unicorn

Bunny

Gossip Pig

There's been some fabulous entries sent in and we wanted to share some with you. Feel free to send us your feedback, who do you think has The Z Factor?

These impressive impressions were sent in by Zoobe user Sam Beman

This inventive video was sent in by Zoobe user ToriAnn

Irada Malikova sent this video in from Azerbaijan

This Bunny video was sent in by Callum Greenall

Meet Nicky (the adorable but slightly annoying endangered animal) sent in by Chris Heady

This is just a small selection of the submissions you've sent so, as you can see, the judges have certainly got their work cut out for them! We will be announcing the winners on Monday so watch this space!

Connecting with your friends has just become even easier with Zoobe thanks to the new FIND FRIENDS feature. Here's how it works:

Simply log into your Zoobe account and click on the FIND FRIENDS section in the sidebar menu.

There you can choose whether to look for your friends within the Zoobe app by searching for their username, search for your Facebook buddies that are already Zoobe users as well or to invite your friends to join Zoobe.

When clicking the INVITE FRIENDS button you are then given the option of inviting them via email, WhatsApp and various other channels.

Building your online community has never been such fun and with the new FIND FRIENDS feature you can be sure everyone you know will be having a Zoobe kind of day!

Hillary Clinton formally announced her candidacy for the presidency in the 2016 election on April 12th 2015. She already had a campaign-in-waiting in place, including a large donor network, experienced operatives, and the Ready for Hillary and Priorities USA Action political action committees. Clinton's campaign focuses on raising middle class incomes, establishing universal preschool and making college more affordable, as well as improving the Affordable Care Act. 

On "Super Tuesday", Clinton won seven of eleven contests, including a string of dominating victories across the South. She has maintained this lead in subsequent contests, with a consistent pattern through the year being that Bernie Sanders has done better among younger, whiter, more rural, and more liberal voters, while Clinton has done better among older and more diverse voter population. 

We've so enjoyed watching the countless videos you've created using our Donald Trump character that it only seemed fair to have the Democratic front runner join the Zoobe family and she's already causing quite a stir! Check out some of her videos below.