ABC13 launches new alarm clock app!

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We are excited to tell you about a first of its kind tool from ABC13 that can wake you up with one of your favorite Channel 13 anchors, and that's just the beginning.

The ABC3 Houston Alarm Clock app will also bring you an instant snapshot of the news, weather and traffic before you even roll out of bed.

For a growing number of people, the smart phone is waking them up, so we wanted to give your alarm clock a boost by getting you the information you want to see in your hand the moment you wake up.

The new ABC13 Alarm Clock app will show you the weather forecast, hour by hour, before you even roll out of bed; a useful tool according to Donna Gilbert.

"It helps, it will help," Gilbert said.

The app also includes instant traffic updates so you can see where the traffic is building before your first cup of coffee. Renee Rector likes that.

"That would be convenient for me, just push a button," Rector said.

The app includes the latest news from overnight, but the most entertaining feature is the way in which it wakes you up.

"That's pretty cool," Deborah Douglas said, when we told her ABC13's Don Nelson can wake you up in the morning.

The app lets you set Don or any of the other Eyewitness News morning show anchors as your morning alarm. It's already got a big fan.

"Now that is inspirational. That's, that's what starts a day off for those who did things like invent Facebook and stuff like that. I wonder if (Mark) Zuckerberg is going to use mine," opined Don Nelson.

The ABC13 Alarm Clock app is the first of its kind from a TV station in the nation and is designed to give you the exact information you want as soon as possible.

"People can use this throughout the day. We update it throughout the day. Our weather is updated throughout the day. Our news headlines are updated throughout the day, and if you wanted to use it as a reminder, you can do that as well," said Randy Klein, ABC13 Digital Manager.

More on the ABC13 Houston Alarm Clock app

There's no need to go searching for the news that happened while you were sleeping -- now news, weather and traffic are all right there for you with a few taps.

Just set the alarm to start your day and get a special wake up call from Tom Koch, Sharron Melton, Casey Curry or Don Nelson on Eyewitness News this morning. Then instantly check the news that happened overnight.

Or you can check out the hour-by-hour weather forecast to plan your day and the 7-day forecast to plan your week.

In addition, before you leave home, you can also get an update on traffic.

It's the new ABC13 Alarm Houston Clock app, and it's free right now at Apple's App store. Just search 'ABC13 alarm' to download to your iPhone and iPod Touch. You must have iOS version 5.0 or higher.

Hear Don Nelson's wakeup message

Hear Casey Curry's wakeup message

Hear Sharron Melton's wakeup message

Hear Tom Koch's wakeup message

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Technology News »

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Local woman launches national non-profit program to help kids with autism

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- New research shows the number of children being diagnosed with autism and mental illness is going up. Therapy would help many of them, but few families can afford it.

Now, a Houston-area woman has launched a national non-profit program to provide financial help for those families, and she has made sure the money is easy to qualify for.

Three-year-old Yakser Syed's parents noticed when he was about two that his speech was delayed, and he wasn't properly responding to their calls. Still, they were surprised when he was later diagnosed with autism. Now he's seeing a behaviorist at the Varidian Center and making huge strides, but at an enormous cost.

"It's over $2,000 a month that I'm having to pay out of pocket, and so it's definitely been a big hit on us financially having to provide for this type of therapy but the progress that Yasker has made with it, it makes it so worth it," said his mother, Saba Syed.

The Syeds did get some financial help for their son's therapy from Dr. Layla Salek, a behaviorist who herself grew up in a home with a mentally ill parent. So she says she understands how deeply the wounds reach when autism, mental illness or other issues aren't properly assessed and treated with occupational therapy, speech remediation, and family education and support.

But it was quite by accident that she found a way to link her hobby with her work.

"I just serendipitously one day started talking pictures of toys in my daughter's playroom and I loved them and I sat there and tried to figure out what can I do," Dr. Salek said.

What she did was turn the photos into clothing -- onesies and T-shirts made of organic cotton -- which she sells in a few Houston-area stores and the proceeds fund her charity, Susie Bean. Susie Bean selects behaviorists with proper certification and training to partner with them by referring clients who need help. One hundred percent of the profits are made available to clients. Erin Breen is one of four service providers in our community linked with Susie Bean.

"It was such a simple process. I just filled out the application, talked to the family and she sent me the check and so it was absolutely wonderful," Breen said.

Dr. Salek hopes to make financial help available in cities all over the country. Her organization is on the forefront addressing a national challenge.

"Autism is on the national epidemic list, so for insurance just to decide they're not going to cover this that's huge. And these families really need help and if we don't pay for it while they're little then we're going to pay for it as a society later on," Dr. Salek said.

The Syeds offer their story as proof of the potential therapy offers.

"Since he's so young and he has so much potential I want him to live a full, normal, independent life where he can take care of himself," Syed said.

If you would like to be a part of Susie Bean's fundraising efforts to help families, or if your family is in need of help, you can access their website.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Houston launches bicycle program at solar kiosks

  HOUSTON -- A Wisconsin company will install three solar-powered bicycle kiosks in downtown Houston as part of a program designed to cut greenhouse gas pollution in one of the nation's most industrial cities.

The Houston Chronicle reported Saturday (http://bit.ly/usXJEl) that the Houston City Council awarded the $105,000 contract to B-Cycle LLC, a company that has installed a similar system in San Antonio, Chicago, Denver and other cities.

The Houston program will begin with three kiosks and 18 bikes. Residents, visitors and commuters will be able to hop off a bus or light-rail and complete their downtown journey on a bicycle. The idea is to generate enough interest to expand the program to more locations.

In San Antonio, about 1,000 residents have purchased annual memberships since the program began.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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