Emotional Twitter Client ‘Feel On!’ Releases English-Supported Android App

‘Feel On!‘ was introduced as an iPhone app last year, and it allows you to see someone’s tweet with an emotion by using a cartoon illustration according to the context of the tweet (some readers may recall that we’ve previously wrote about the app back in April). There has been no version so far for tweets in a non-Japanese language, but finally the English version of the app for Android was introduced last week, and it is available for download on Google Play. The English supported iOS version will be coming up very soon.

The app was created by Tokyo-based startup L is B Corporation, whose name stands for ‘Life is Beautiful.’  The startup’s CEO/founder Taisuke Yokoi was previously working with Just Systems which is known for having developed one of the most used pronunciation-based Chinese character input systems for the Japanese language. His experience at that company contributes a lot to developing the SEE (social emotion engine) which makes it possible for the app to understand what kind of emotion a user has by analyzing the words in his or her tweet.

The engine previously could only handle Japanese tweets, but to tackle the English language, the startup set up a new lab in Montreal, Canada, a city that sits on two language communities in English and French.  With the English version, they are planning to expand their business in the South East Asia region, and I’ve heard that Mr. Yokoi would like to set up another local office in Singapore to develop a Chinese version which may attract the large number of Twitter users in the region.

Last year in June, Feel On was given the first prize at SF New Tech Japan Night, which is a one-night pitch event in San Francisco for Japanese startups who want to be more global.

Note: Mr. Yokoi’s father passed away last week. Our thoughts are with him and his family.