The logo for the new Israeli app EZ CPR, which provides instructions on how to perform CPR. Photo: EZ CPR.

JNS.org – EZ CPR, an Israeli smartphone app that was launched this week, provides instructions on how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in emergency situations.

Eli Beer, president of the United Hatzalah emergency response organization, teamed up with the ESC BAZ technology solutions company to create the app. Users are given step-by-step instructions on how to administer first aid to people who lose consciousness, as well as how to use a defibrillator. Additionally, users can press an emergency button that notifies emergency medical service providers of the user’s location.

In the coming months, the app—which is currently only available in Hebrew—will roll out English, French, Spanish, and Russian versions, and will include an additional feature for instructing users on how to resuscitate babies. The app can be downloaded from the United Hatzalah Facebook page, the www.ez-cpr.com website, Google Play, and the iTunes store.

Another new Israeli app, called ZCast, enables users to record and stream group conversations with up to 1,000 people listening in.

“Our end goal is for anybody who wants to create content to seamlessly connect audio content,” said Hillel Fuld, chief marketing officer for ZCast’s creator, the Zula start-up.

Fuld said ZCast is similar to the Google Hangouts platform, and that the app is still working on ways to integrate features such as subscribing to receive automatic downloads. For now, users must listen through the Web or the smartphone app, which became available through the iTunes stores on Thursday.