May 2, 2012
Nicholas Deleon | The Daily

If you’ve got your smartphone with you at all times, why not use it to live a happier, more fulfilling life?

Developed by Seattle-based Mindbloom, Bloom (free, iPhone) helps users create beautifully designed reminders, called blooms, that can either be seen privately or shared with the wider Internet. Paul Ingram, Mindbloom’s creative director, said the app makes wellness an everyday part of users’ lives. Read this article

April 30, 2012
Anna Wilde Mathews | Wall Street Journal

In the effort to make workers healthier, employers and insurers have dangled carrots. They’ve threatened with sticks. Now, they are trying games.

A growing number of workplace programs are borrowing techniques from digital games in an effort to encourage regular exercise and foster healthy eating habits. The idea is that competitive drive—sparked by online leader boards, peer pressure, digital rewards and real-world prizes—can get people to improve their overall health. Read this article

April 27, 2012
Alan Henry | LifeHacker

iOS: Fans of the previously mentioned Mindbloom Life Game, which rewards you with levels and points for doing healthy, positive things for yourself, will love the Bloom app for the iPhone, which helps you stay motivated on the go, get quick activities to help you keep going through a tough day. The app picked up a major update today and now allows you to use your own music and photos to build custom reminders to eat lunch away from your desk, connect with your loved ones, relax and destress over the course of the day, and more. Read this story

April 11, 2012
Dean Takahashi | VentureBeat

Insurance firm Aetna plans to give away the premium version of the Mindbloom Life Game to employees and healthcare customers for free.

The gesture is aimed at driving healthy habits through the “gamification of health.” Seattle-based Mindbloom has created a game that helps us remember the important parts of life: having a healthy mind, body, and soul. In the game, you get reminders known as “blooms” that offer inspiration. They could include photos, videos, messages, music, and your own voice. Read this article

April 7, 2012
Anna Wilde Mathews | The Wall Street Journal

Your health insurer wants to play games with you—and they might involve actual prizes.

As insurers try to get members to take better care of themselves, they are turning to tactics from the world of digital gaming. They’re using methods including team competitions forged through online communities, virtual and real-world rewards for those who make moves to improve their health and the potential for raffle-style prizes. In addition, they’re working with games for consoles such as Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect that involve physical activity. Read this article

March 3, 2012
Big Think | Max Celko

Mental health and self-improvement services are increasingly accessible via mobile apps. The newest crop of these apps increasingly integrates Artificial Intelligence capabilities similar to Apple’s virtual assistant Siri. These intelligent systems will make our devices come to life, taking on new functions as our personal virtual ‘psychotherapist’ or life coach. Read this article

February 1, 2012
LifeHacker | Alan Henry

Many of us at Lifehacker are big fans of video games. Our esteemed Editor-in-Chief, however, is skeptical that gaming holds anything of value beyond simple entertainment, and more often than not, believes that games are a dangerous time sink. In this post, I hope to convince him—and any of you who may feel the same way about video games—otherwise, arguing that aside from being a great form of entertainment, video games can also relieve anxiety, teach new skills, and help you stay motivated. And I’ve got science to back me up. Read this article

January 26, 2012
PSFK | Sam McNerney

With a host of new personal technologies and interactive platforms to help users track and improve their individual health and wellness hitting the market in recent months, entrepreneurs and software designers are jumping on board the ‘Quantified Self’ bandwagon. The movement, which believes in the idea of better living through data-driven insights, has shown growth beyond stat geeks and early adopters and seems poised to break out beyond its niche beginnings. Read this article

January 18, 2012
MakeUseOf | Saikat Basu

What exactly is Mindbloom? Is it a mind mapping application? Is it a goal-setting motivational tool? Is it a social network? Or is it a game? By the time we finish this article, let’s hope we can swap all these questions with a few exclamations. Read this article

January 8, 2012
LifeHacker | Alan Henry

Whether you’ve made fresh resolutions for the new year or you’re just looking for a tool that can help reinforce your existing commitments, the web is full of goal tracking apps and systems. Here are five of the best of those services, based on your nominations. Read this article