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

4 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

Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

4 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

Also Read: This UAE Platform Wants To Replace Fashion Photo Shoots With AI

The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.