It's absolutely necessary that more connections are made between the players in the web 2.0 sphere (a.k.a. next generation web apps & services) and what some Mobilists are calling mobile 2.0. What we mean by 'mobile 2.0' is another (r)evolution, already started, that will dramatically change the web and the mobility landscape that we currently know. The idea is that the mobile web will become the dominant access method in many countries of the world, with devices that become more hybrid and networks that become more powerful - everywhere in the next decade to come.
The rapid penetration of Wireless Broadband Access (WBA) technologies such as 3G/UMTS, the migration of traditional telecom networks to internet technology, the availability of affordable and functional Wi-Fi and dual mode Wi-Fi/mobile phones... will all boost VoIP over broadband internet and ultimately blur the distinction between fixed and mobile services, since both become wireless and IP based.
I often ask myself the question of whether it'll be easier for web 2.0 apps to go mobile, or easier to create a mobile-specific web app or a service that can be easily connected with a web service? The answer is of course that both have a good chance to become even more important aspects of tomorrow's Web than they are now. Why? Well Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, put it very well in a Financial Times article in May this year (subscription only):
"Mobile phones are cheaper than PCs, there are three times more of them, growing at twice the speed, and they increasingly have Internet access. What is more, the World Bank estimates that more than two-thirds of the world's population lives within range of a mobile phone network. Mobile is going to be the next big Internet phenomenon. It holds the key to greater access for everyone - with all the benefits that entails."
Friday, September 28, 2007
Understanding Mobile 2.0
DoubleClick announces the launch of DoubleClick Mobile
New York -- DoubleClick Inc., the premier provider of digital marketing technology and services, today announced the launch of DoubleClick Mobile, a new solution for media companies to extend their digital advertising business to mobile. The solution integrates the operational processes for scheduling, targeting, selecting and delivering ads on mobile web pages with that of existing digital channels. As a result, media companies can now use DoubleClick's publisher solutions to sell and manage inventory across online display, rich media, video and mobile.
The integration of DoubleClick Mobile with DoubleClick's DART for Publishers (DFP) platform means everyone involved in managing digital advertising campaigns -- ad sales staff, ad operations staff, account managers, traffickers, metrics analysts, campaign specialists and others -- can easily support mobile advertising responsibilities within their current role. Across roles and responsibilities in a publishing organization, the familiar DART interface makes managing mobile campaigns as simple as managing any other type of campaign. For example traffickers upload mobile creatives, set the duration of mobile campaigns and designate targeting criteria much as they would for a rich media or display campaign.
DoubleClick enters the market with a solution that meets mobile-specific needs including:
* Automatic ad selection matches mobile ads to the screen size and capabilities of each device, ensuring that the ad with the best fit is delivered
* New mobile ad formats bring combination ads, road blocked ads and jump pages to mobile devices
* Third party impression tracking provides agencies access to performance data within their own analytics systems
* Device preview enables viewing ads on virtual handsets before the ad goes live
* Powerful handset capability targeting to serve ads to devices with specific capabilities
"Publishers are starting to see mobile as an exciting revenue growth area as budgets move from experimental to mainstream. Our clients want to take on this opportunity and sell mobile display advertising directly," said Ari Paparo, DoubleClick's vice president of rich media and emerging technologies. "As media companies begin to offer integrated digital ad packages to advertisers that include online display, rich media, video and mobile, everyone wins. The launch of DoubleClick Mobile marks an important step in bringing mobile into the mainstream digital advertising ecosystem."
DQ&A, a European leader of ad operations, operates in six countries and manages the entire operational process of online media campaigns for its customers. Heleen van Oord, Managing Partner of DQ&A, said, "Being the first organization to implement DoubleClick Mobile, we believe that 2008 is going to be the year that monetizing mobile channels through an ad-supported model becomes a strategic priority for our customers. We're excited by DoubleClick's ability to couple their understanding of digital marketing with the unique needs of mobile."
source : DoubleClick
Apple says unlocking iPhone can cause irreparable damage
Cupertino -- Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone's software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed. Apple plans to release the next iPhone software update, containing many new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store (www.itunes.com), later this week. Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones. Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty. The permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone's warranty.
source : mobiletechnews
Thursday, September 27, 2007
New Nokia E-series model
Nokia has unveiled the E51model in the E-series for the Indian market, offering seamless integration to key applications.Showcasing the seventh model in the series, Mr Chakrapani G.K., Country General Manager of Nokia Enterprise Solutions, said the product comprises a browser that acts as a gateway to a variety of Internet services, including interoperability with Windows Live. It offers a ‘conversational view’ of messages, allowing the users to see a number of messages related to each conversation at the click of a button.
The model was priced at €300 in the European market. The company is yet to fix the price for the Indian market.
source : the hindu
Title: EMEA Mobile Advertising Guidelines Now Available
Aimed to enhance consumer experience and make mobile advertising campaigns a lot easier, The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) has recently released its Mobile Advertising Guidelines specifically designed for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region (pdf). Info included deals on how to use Mobile Web Banner, recommended file sizes, and other technical specifications.
"The MMA EMEA Mobile Advertising Guidelines launch is a landmark event in our mission to establish a consistent approach for mobile marketing. The guidelines will play a critical role in ensuring all players in the ecosystem see mobile advertising as a natural option for brand communication as a means to deliver targeted, meaningful and rewarding connections with consumers," said said Laura Marriott, President, Mobile Marketing Association, in a press release
Source : mobile weblog
Kingfisher to offer mobile and Internet
OnAir announced at the recent Aircraft Interiors Expo Asia in Hong Kong, that it has been selected by Kingfisher Airlines to offer its passengers a full range of passenger communication services. Starting in 2008, Kingfisher Airlines’ long-haul passengers will be able to use Webmail OnAir, Webchat OnAir followed in 2009 by Internet and Mobile OnAir to access the Internet during flights, as well as send and receive emails and make and receive phone calls.
OnAir's services will initially be installed on five new Airbus A330s and five new Airbus A340s with plans in place to install the system across its entire longrange fleet. Kingfisher Airlines will use its A330s on routes to Europe and Asia, while the A340s will service longer nonstop flights, such as to the USA. Hitesh Patel, Executive Vice President, Kingfisher Airlines, said, “We pride ourselves on our high levels of service, including state-of-the-art inflight entertainment and Live TV at every seat. Being the first, not just in India but also in the world, to offer our guests all of OnAir’s communications services, is truly a great opportunity.” Benoit Debains, CEO of OnAir, said, “We are pleased to be selected by Kingfisher airlines, a leading airline in passenger service and comfort. This decision is setting a new standard for air travel in one of the most dynamic regions for air travel and telecommunications.”
The OnAir Internet services enable airlines to increase the value of the experience they offer to passengers. Business travellers can take advantage of flight time to stay in touch with their office, to catch up with email and to work using their corporate network. Leisure travellers also have the option of staying in touch by phone, and of checking personal email and “chatting” with friends and family through the IFE system.
The service is based on an onboard server, and is connected to the ground infrastructure through SwiftBroadband, Inmarsat’s broadband satellite infrastructure. Fees will be based on data download for Internet usage, and per flight for webmail and instant messaging, and for Mobile OnAir the cost will be similar to international roaming rates, with passengers being billed by their operator on their regular bill.
source: Thinkingaloud.in
Going green and mobile
Have you done anything lately to save the environment? Adopting mobile technology is a great way to conserve natural resources.
Softcopy, not hardcopy: Why print and carry hardcopies of documents when you can transfer your documents to your mobile device and read them anytime anywhere? You can read PDF documents on your mobile phone by installing Acrobat Reader for your phone.
Paperless newspapers: Stop newspaper delivery and subscribe to online newspapers instead. I subscribe to this online newspaper.
Telecommute: With pervasive wireless technologies like WiFi, 3G and GPRS, you should be able to work just about everywhere. So just stay put and work, cut down on travelling time, expenses and greenhouse gas emissions.
Switch off your chargers: When your phones and PDAs are fully recharged, unplug your devices and switch off your phone and PDA chargers.
Recycle your batteries: Lithium ion batteries are recyclable and should be recycled. They should never be incinerated since they might explode. Most places that sell rechargeable batteries will also accept them back for recycling.
What else can you do to save our Earth?
source : The M Files
Multichat IM for your iPhone
Amid the growing group of instant-messaging solutions for the IM-less iPhone, Mundu (a Webware 100 winner) has just released a new contender that handles four of the most popular chatting protocols with a fantastic interface. If you're an iPhone user, just navigate your Safari browser to http://iphone.mundu.com, which takes you to a log-in screen with access to your AIM, Yahoo, MSN, .Mac, and Google Talk accounts. You can log into all of them simultaneously, although there's no master password system like you get with Meebo.
Each client gets its own buddy list, and any additional conversations get their own tabs. To start a conversation, just tap a user name of one of your friends who is logged in. There's a simple form that pulls up the iPhone's keyboard when clicked. Similar to the iPhone's built-in SMS app and iChat, conversations show up as color-coded speech bubbles that can be scrolled back and forth with your finger. The refresh rate is also instantaneous, so you don't have to keep reloading the page to see new comments from your friends.
The whole app has a very organic feel that's just right. It's one of the few IM apps I've used on the iPhone where it doesn't feel like you're fighting an interface to make it feel like a desktop app. I also have to give Mundu credit for creating a neat bubbly effect on the chat tab when you've got an unread message. Sometimes it's just the little things that make Web apps more fun to use. In this case, the function is just as good as the form.
Mobile Phone Pictures as Art?
A newly launched social network came to my attention today. The service, Pixophone, allows people to share the photos they took with their mobile phone camera. This isn’t a new idea, but Pixophone is trying to differentiate itself by claiming a more artistic content. Pixophone promises that in the near future it will provide prizes for the best photos it posts. This started me thinking about art and whether mobile phone pictures can be art or not.
Defining art may be a fool’s errand, but I need some kind of starting point. Art can’t be for a purely commercial purpose. Soup can labels aren’t art but a painting of a soup can label may be. An art piece requires some sort of craft. A random pile of beer cans isn’t art, although an artist who intentionally piles the same cans with intent can be art. And finally, art should evoke some sort of insight or emotion. It needs to tell a story. Sometimes the story stimulates the intellect and sometimes it touches the emotions. A piece of art that can juggle all these things well is good art.
Pictures taken with a mobile phone camera can be art, given the parameters I set above. But can a Site like Pixophone gather enough artistic photos for a gallery? None of the pictures I saw posted showed much craft or stimulated me in anyway. To be fair, it just launched, so in the future some great photos may be posted. But I’m not convinced the general public has enough artistic education to create pictures worthy of being called art. I may sound snobbish and so be it. That’s what I think. There are some online galleries that require the artists to pay a fee to post their work. Pixophone is going in the opposite direction and I predict that almost all of photos sent to them will only be interesting to the people who took them.
If you think you are an artist with a mobile phone camera, post some stuff on Pixophone. Prove me wrong. You may win a prize, get discovered, and end up in a New York or Paris museum of art. Remember, as technology marches along, it pushes the edges of artistic expression into unforeseen territory.
source : mobilecrunch