Revelers Across The Globe Will Ring In The New Year Via The Free Official 2013 Times Square Ball App

NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- This New Year's Eve, revelers from around the world will experience the live global celebration via free official 2013 Times Square Ball App, now available from the Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment, organizers of Times Square New Year's Eve, along with their partners, Toshiba and Livestream (http://timessquareball.net/app/).

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121220/NY33376)

Designed for Apple and Android mobile devices, the app features a six-hour commercial-free mobile stream hosted by national television and radio personality Allison Hagendorf (Fuse TV, The CW's "The Next") and will cover the action and excitement in Times Square including the Ball Raising at 6 p.m. EST, performances by star-studded musical artists and hourly countdowns as the anticipation builds towards the midnight countdown and the famous Ball Drop. Additional show features include interviews with revelers who made the journey to Times Square to experience the iconic global celebration, behind-the-scenes interviews with the producers of New York City's largest annual celebration, a live chat with viewers around the world, the story of how the party started in Times Square in 1904, and a special debut performance on the NIVEA Kiss Stage by an unsigned artist whose rendition of the hit pop song, "This Kiss," received the most video views in a contest to support aspiring musical talents.

Toshiba, the Times Square New Year's Eve official Countdown Sponsor, provides app users with the opportunity to see their photos on the giant Toshiba Vision sign directly below the Times Square Ball on New Year's Eve. Last year, nearly 60,000 photos were submitted via the Times Square Ball App during the six hour celebration (i.e. approximately 10,000 photos per hour). These photos were also shared across users Facebook and Twitter accounts, and the photos with the most likes were presented on the giant Toshiba Vision sign at the top of each hour.

The Official Times Square Ball App, which has grown in popularity since it was launched two years ago, was downloaded more than 296,000 times across 200 countries, within a two-week period last December.

"The app gives revelers around the world the chance to experience the action and excitement of New Year's Eve in Times Square, capturing the infectious energy of the live performances and crowds as well as the magic of the Ball Drop and tons of wishfetti that descends on Times Square at midnight," said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance.

"In response to the tremendous worldwide enthusiasm," added Jeffrey Straus, president of Countdown Entertainment, "we are providing a unique second screen live viewing experience for users of mobile phones and tablets to interact with the Times Square Ball and the world's most famous New Year's Eve Celebration."

"We're thrilled to be introducing the next edition of the Times Square Ball app," said Eddie Temistokle, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications & CSR, Toshiba America, Inc. "Wherever you are on that special night, in the heart of Times Square or anywhere in the world, count on this app to put you in the middle of the New Year's Eve experience."

"New Year's Eve 2013 marks the fourth year Livestream brings the celebration in Times Square to revelers around the world in real-time," said Max Haot, co-founder and CEO of Livestream. "Our partnership with Toshiba and Times Square New Year's Eve enables us to connect people with a mobile device to this one-of-a-kind moment through the Times Square Ball App."

The Times Square Ball App is now available worldwide for free download through Apple's iTunes Store and via Google Play for mobile phones and tablets. The app can be found in Entertainment, Travel, and News categories.

 The Official 2013 Times Square Ball App features include:

• Watch the live Times Square for New Year's Eve 2013 webcast on mobile phones and tablets with host Allison Hagendorf, featuring top musical performances, celebrity appearances, hourly countdowns, and the famous midnight Ball Drop.
• Submit your New Year's photos for friends, family and other revelers to vote on via the app, on Facebook and Twitter. The photos with the most votes will be showcased on the giant Toshiba Vision sign atop One Times Square directly beneath the Waterford Crystal New Year's Eve Ball on December 31 each hour from 7-11 p.m. EST for the world to see.
• Discover everything you need to know about the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration, including the history, photos and live show schedule.
• Send New Year's Eve cards with personalized greetings and photos from the app to friends, family and followers on Facebook, Twitter and via email (for Apple users).
• Customize your Toshiba Countdown Clock on your app's home screen with your time zone.

The Times Square Ball App was produced by Monday Sessions Media, developed by HAAS/crea, and streaming components developed by Livestream LLC. Device requirements:

• Apple products: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad. Requires iOS 5 or later. 12MB (size of App)
• Android products: Required Gingerbread 2.3 or later. 12MB (size of App)

App images, demonstration video, and download available at: http://timessquareball.net/app/

To join the Times Square New Year's Eve conversation on Twitter, follow #BallDrop.

For more information about Times Square New Year's Eve, visit www.TimesSquareNYC.org.

About Times Square New Year's Eve
The Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment are the organizers of Times Square New Year's Eve. The Times Square Alliance works to improve and promote Times Square – cultivating the creativity, energy and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture and urban life for over a century. Countdown Entertainment represents the owners of One Times Square and the New Year's Eve Ball.

About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world-leading diversified manufacturer, solutions provider and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products and systems. Toshiba Group brings innovation and imagination to a wide range of businesses: digital products, including LCD TVs, notebook PCs, retail solutions and MFPs; electronic devices, including semiconductors, storage products and materials; industrial and social infrastructure systems, including power generation systems, smart community solutions, medical systems and escalators & elevators; and home appliances. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 550 consolidated companies, with 202,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.1 trillion yen (US$74 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.com.

About Livestream
Livestream's mission is to connect people and live events. Livestream offers event owners a complete set of hardware and software tools to share their events with a growing community online. More than 30 million viewers each month watch thousands of live events from customers including The New York Times, Facebook, ESPN, SpaceX and Warner Bros. Records. Founded in 2007, Livestream is headquartered in New York with offices in Los Angeles, Ukraine and India. www.livestream.com

SOURCE Toshiba