News

Cameo’s New Feature Allows Live Calls With Celebrities

Celebrity video message app that lets users send their friends a greeting from a famous celebrity is expanding to allow live two-way video chats.

Published

3 years ago

August 19, 2022

Nour Nasir

Cameo

Have you ever wanted to sit down for an intimate chat with your favorite celebrity? Imagine being able to quiz your favorite musician about their guitar technique, or ask an actor about their experiences on set. Well, that just became a reality with the recently announced Cameo Live.

Cameo is an app that already allows you to request personalized pre-recorded video messages from celebrities by paying them a fee. Although the platform does have a direct messaging system, Cameo has recently upgraded its service with 10-minute live video calls.

Users can request a callback around their own schedule, and the sessions also allow an option to include more than one person to listen in. Here’s a breakdown of the features from Cameo itself:

Book the 10-minute live video call with one of the thousands of athletes, actors, musicians, comedians, creators, reality stars, and other pop culture personalities.
Opt for a one-on-one conversation, invite up to nine friends and family members to join you, or gift the call to a loved one.
Propose three date/time options that work best for you, giving you more schedule control.

Although the idea sounds promising, it’s difficult to see how users won’t abuse the new feature. Cameo seems to have thought of that very eventuality and put specific measures in place.

“Cameo uses technology to auto moderate the chat function of Cameo Live to protect against things like profanity and hate speech,” says Brandon Kazimer, Cameo Spokesperson.

Also Read: Intro Platform Connects Users To Celebrity Experts

Celebrities can decline calls if they feel threatened, as well as terminate chats mid-session if things go wrong. Concerns aside, the new feature does sound like a lot of fun, though depending on the celebrity, it could be pricey to set up a chat.

So who would you like to book for a celebrity chat? With prices anywhere from $100 to $900, you’d be well advised to make notes to ensure you get your money’s worth!

News

Saudi EV Adoption Accelerates With BYD Expansion & Tesla Launch

Saudi Arabia’s EV market is gaining momentum as BYD plans major showroom growth and Tesla establishes a foothold in Riyadh.

Published

2 days ago

July 16, 2025

Nour Nasir

saudi ev adoption accelerates with byd expansion and tesla launch

Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a regional hub for electric mobility are drawing greater investment from global automakers. As part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom is targeting 30% electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the capital, Riyadh, by the end of the decade — an objective that’s now shaping the strategic interests of international EV brands.

Chinese manufacturer BYD is planning a substantial thrust into the Saudi market, building on its current footprint of three showrooms. According to Jerome Saigot, BYD’s managing director in the Kingdom, the company aims to open 10 showrooms by the end of 2026.

“Saudi Arabia is a complex market. You need to go fast. You need to think big,” Saigot recently told reporters. “We are not here to stay at 5,000 or 10,000 cars a year”.

The announcement follows Tesla’s entry into the Saudi EV space, with the US automaker opening its first showroom in Riyadh in April. Tesla joins early players like BYD and Geely in what remains a nascent but strategically important segment for the Kingdom.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has also ramped up its electric mobility agenda. Its efforts include major investments in Lucid Motors, the creation of local EV brand Ceer, and support for the rollout of national charging infrastructure.

Also Read: Twitch Launches Arabic Right-To-Left Interface For Web & Mobile

However, electric vehicles still only account for just over 1% of total car sales in Saudi Arabia, according to data from PwC cited by Bloomberg. Key challenges include high upfront costs, limited public charging access, and the added complexity of operating in extreme heat conditions.

In spite of those hurdles, Saigot views Tesla’s entry as a net positive. “The more Tesla communicates on marketing, the better it is for us,” he said. Saigot joined BYD in April, having previously held executive roles at Nissan and Great Wall Motor.

With multiple brands scaling up activity in parallel — and government-backed infrastructure investment underway — Saudi Arabia’s EV sector appears set for rapid acceleration over the next few years.