Opinions, ideas and new thinking
CategoryVirtual sociology goes mobile in the real world
There are numerous companies trying to understand how the growth of social networking through web and mobile channels can be monetised. The evidence of consumer enthusiasm for these services can be found in successful and oft-cited ventures such …
Examining mobile search trends
Two research students working with Google, Maryam Kamvar of Columbia University and Shumeet Baluja of Carnegie Mellon University, have written a paper which provides an insight into users’ mobile search behaviour. I’ll talk about some of the part…
Softbank commits for customer first policy
I couldn’t help feeling Vodafone’s troubles in Japan were due in no small part to the pressures of aligning the business with its global strategy. Japan is a market with many unique characteristics and Vodafone’s control of J-Phone turned a pione…
Something for the weekend
Infolust
I thoroughly recommend you read this excellent and well-researched TrendWatching.com article on ‘Infolust’. It explores consumer addicition to information and goes into particular detail on how this is driving mobile applications whic…
What comes after thin?
Thin sells. It has worked for Motorola, helping the company to increase handset shipments at a 40 percent annual rate last year, against a backdrop of overall market growth of around 20 percent (source: Strategy Analytics). By offering the thinn…
4 trends from CTIA
CTIA, the US mobile telecoms tradeshow, has produced a deluge of announcements this week. I’m going to pick out four which represent strong trends within the industry.
1. Industry adopting scalable, vector-based engines for interface and appli…
Frustration over centralised control
I chaired an evening seminar for the NOC and 160characters.org yesterday. The London event was entitled: “Who will save the mobile industry from itself?” Mike Grenville at 160characters.org and Andrew Darling of the NOC had asked for my input be…
Jitterbug brings individualism to seniors
Following-on from my earlier article entitled ‘Segmentation is a step, individualism is the goal,’ I was delighted to discover a new service called Jitterbug which embodies this approach. Jitterbug is a telephony service aimed at seniors requirin…