GoMo Mobile Search News

GoMo News: Spice Girls vs iPhone

Rating: five vs one

Posts haven’t been flowing on GoMo because we have been testing phones, services and partying left right and centre. We must thank Dee from Liberty and the whole Liberty Communications PR team for inviting us to Liberty Lunch (drinks for journalists, analysts and bloggers) in London on Friday. We had a great time! Annie has been several times but it was my first time and it was also nice to meet my peers in the mobile industry. I kept on wanting to leave but somehow I managed to stay all night!

Anyway MyStrands’ Gabriel emailed me this morning he has done some testing of the phone here….http://blog.mystrands.com/

But the point of this blog is that the iPhone news on line is amazing, rich and everywhere but on the TV in the UK – the Spice Girls reunion got a lot more coverage and I timed SKY News. iPhone got 90 seconds and Spice Girls got 4 minutes.
Q: What does this mean?
A: iPhone: talk to the hand

iPhone

Rating: yes we are at it too

GoMo has a man on the ground in the US with a Gold Amex and yes – even we want one…

Here are two blogs from guest blogger Ken Young from the UK Mobile Report.
iPhone queues? Pah... get someone to do it for you
The internet is the mother of invention.
Apparently all you have to do if you want an iPhone is go onto Craigslist.com and find yourself a professional queue-person. They are calling themselves iWaiters, because for $100 to $200 they will queue up for a few hours for you to get one of the precious little gadgets as they go on special sale tomorrow.
I think I'll put this post on Craigslist:
Fancy your very own iPhone? UK-based iWaiter available for UK buyer. For only 1000 bucks I will fly over to the US, queue up for eight hours, buy you a phone, and bring it back to blighty. You won't be able to use it unless you are spending time over there, but think how much you will be able to impress friends and enemies over here. Priceless.
Now if I can get multiple orders, that could be a very worthwhile trip. Better still if I could do an under the table deal with a US retailer.....
Friday sees the arrival of some phone or other known as Apple iPhone. Do we care about a phone that won't even be here until year end or later? Do we care about a phone that is so overhyped that its arrival is bound to disappoint? You bet we do. But we are not going to join the cavalcade and give Apple millions more free bits of editorial coverage. Instead we're going to reflect your viewpoints.
Some firms are getting their comments in even before the launch. Very wise we say. This just in from Carsten Brinkschulte, the CEO of Synchronica (www.synchronica.com):
“For service providers (operators, ISPs, ASPs) aiming to launch a mobile Email and synchronisation service, the launch of the iPhone will not change anything, really, it is just another (very sexy) smartphone.
"The aim for service providers must remain to support as many devices from as many vendors as possible, to ensure rapid takeup-rate for mobile Email and synchronization services. Therefore, we believe that supporting open industry standards is still the right approach as it enables mobile email and synchronisation to be used on hundreds of devices from all the leading manufacturers – without installing any client software on the phone.
"According to current information, the iPhone will ship with a built-in email client that supports IMAP and mobile Push email (IMAP IDLE). This means that Synchronica’s Mobile Gateway will be able to deliver mobile Push Email to the iPhone as it already supports the industry standard that Synchronica uses.
"Other vendors that rely on proprietary clients for push Email will find it impossible to support the iPhone, because apparently it does not allow the end-user to install additional applications. So this signals another victory for open mobile standards”.
What do you think? All comments gratefully received. Phone, email, text, or meet us down the pub.

TIM launches YouTube for only 25 cents a day

Rating: that’s more like it

TIM has launched YouTube as a channel on TIM’s portal with a special promotion. There is a Tim Tribu plus Vitamine offer which will make accessing the content only EUR 0.25 all day.

Brava TIM. Great affordable cheap pricing.

Tea with Bebo’s Laurence Pichot

Rating: wow!

by Bena Roberts

The first time I met Laurence Pichot Marketing and Partnerships Director at Bebo, I didn’t know who she was. But I was completely impressed as she managed to find, grab capture and hail a limo from out of nowhere in Monte Carlo to get us to the airport on time for our flights after MEM07.
Today I met her again but this time at the Bebo offices in central London.

First of all some facts:
1. Bebo was the number 1 Google search term in the UK in 2006
2. Bebo has been voted number 3 most engaging site
3. Bebo has 33 million users globally
4. Bebo is MASSIVE in Ireland boasting penetration of 1.25 million (from a 4 million market)
5. Bebo has 7 million users in the UK – 8.5 million if the stats include Bebo15 (for the 13-15 year old market).
6. 91% of Bebo users are under 35 years old
7. Bebo has a near 50:50 gender mix
8. Bebo will be launching with Orange (and another mobile operator) soon after.
9. Bebo sponsored a tent at Glastonbury in its first mobile visionary service encouraging users to upload pictures to a Bebo channel profile.
10. Bebo’s second mobile gambit is Kate Modern and her promotion will boast a mobile component.

What next? Well I think Bebo’s mobile strategy will be unveiled in the next few months with Orange and from what I’ve seen …. Keep your eyes open.

Lunch with Orange and Abaxia

Rating: gimme gimme gimme content on my idle screen….

By Bena Roberts

Right now I am up to my eyeballs in the Idle Screen as I complete part three of my analysis of the Idle Screen for The Mobile Search Analyst. Therefore, it was interesting when the CEO of Abaxia (who forgot to introduce himself) Cedric Mangaud stood up and said Informa had said it was the market leader in a recently white paper written on the subject.

I agree that Abaxia has worked with Orange for nearly five years and the homescreen is an impressive service but I do have to contest its leadership in the idle screen space… I spoke briefly to a lady from Abaxia on this but she basically said that if Informa said it then it must be true! (We have been told). But anyway, back to the point.

Cedric spoke about its new Idle Screen services for Orange dubbed 2.5. Over the next few weeks new services such as instant push alerts on to the idle screen will be launch as mobile content search service for the idle screen is also being announced and billing information within an icon on the idle screen too.
As I am currently testing an Orange Signature Samsung i600 device, I have to say that the simplicity of the idle screen service is a given. But I was eager to see the Abaxia designed content search. I had a live demo from Orange’s Roman Sabo Head of Global Product Marketing, Device applications and he was also very chuffed with the end result.

Basically by typing in any number on to the idle screen a search box appears for finding services on the device. But it doesn’t stop there. Under the box are four icons. The icons can be easily and quickly navigated to narrow or expand the search. For example one of the searches is for content, the other for contacts the other for the open Internet (white label, Google or Yahoo! or most probably MSN) and the last box is for a general search.
Impressive? Definitely. After my poor experience with the Nokia mobile content search and my even worse experience with Mobease Find It services – I was very cautious. This was something completely different and similar to Qix and Tegic Discovery but edgier. The small icon interface simply blew me away.
I want one.
Matthias Hilpert Vice President, Device Strategy & Product Marketing at Orange who I haven’t seen for about a year was also very excited about the idle screen, orange download content and consistency in the user experience. I have his talk on podcast and as soon as I edit the noise in the background will publish it.
So I went to an Idle Screen presentation, enjoyed it but it’s the search service that has glued itself to my brain.

The best selling Mobile Search Analyst features an analysis of Qode vs Abaxia, idle screen analysis, Discovery vs Qix and lots more!

Breakfast with 3

Rating: the world is not enough

by Bena Roberts

This morning I enjoyed breakfast with mobile operator 3 and a bunch of press in central London. The small meeting was to introduce the new marketing director John Penberthy-Smith and to re-focus the vision of the mobile Internet with the X-Series. Also participating was Skype, Yahoo!, Jaiku and the London School of Economics.

The aim of the breakfast meeting was to take a closer look at the Mobile Internet.
This happened sort of – but what did become apparent is the different perspectives and ways which the mobile internet is perceived and the ways that it can progress. 3 touted some extremely impressive uptake stats of mobile Internet and IM services.

*Yahoo! 82 million page views from July 06 to Jan 07 – MSN 118 million pages sent*

Hugh Davies 3’s Director of Corporate Affairs also played moderator and kept the whole thing on its toes.
I would like to thank Carsten Sorensen (London School Economics) for taking me back twelve years to when I was doing my Masters in Economics – in the short presentation he gave I felt as though I was younger, fitter when he pulled up a slide on technology theory – quite simply overwhelmed in nostalgia.

Tony Saigh from Skype’s appearance made it clear that VoIP is still very much on the 3 agenda. We didn’t believe him when he said it was Skype’s decision to stop Skype OUT services! Later I quizzed John Penberthy-Smith on this and he agreed, even though 3 was embracing Skype it is not ready to warm to Skype Out services as this would indeed cannibalise the voice business model.

James Tipple Marketing Director Connected Life at Yahoo! did a good job promoting Yahoo! Go 2.0. I haven’t upgraded this yet – but it’s on the agenda. Someone cheekily asked him what the problems with Go 1.0 were; which brought some similes to the meeting. James did mention that Yahoo! wanted to help 3 "increase revenue" but that was the only mention of the potential of mobile advertising.

Jyn Engstrom (I really hope I have spelt that correctly) from Jaiku pushed microblogging. He was convincing but we think he is slightly ahead of the game and as consumers start to mix with IM; social networking and micro-blogging purely on mobile might be slightly advanced for the average Joe. Saying this, it’s fantastic that 3 is looking, communicating and talking with Jaiku and its just what the company needs to push its services to a new level. Also if the Jaiku service was delivered with an environment where cost or use was governed by an all-in subscription (GBP 2.50 per month for all Jaiku use) it could grow phenomenally. 3 might then actually pull of the first non-i-mode; i-mode service subscription model in the UK…. (you know what I mean!)

I enjoyed listening to the theories of the mobile Internet. Everyone that spoke; spoke passionately about individual products and services. It was extremely clear how mobile operators, such as 3, embrace the mobile Internet but it is media companies that are creating the most dynamic made for mobile services. The inclusion on Yahoo! Go and Flickr on the X-Series doesn’t only look good; the fact that searching is free and billing affordable it actually delivers an all embracing solution for 3G users. It’s the taste that might engage the consumer and actually make services mobile.

The future definitely holds more X Series type devices for 3 and 3 promoted the fact it was different and a leader in the internet space. I am an X Series fan and whoever stole mine – I hope they are happy with it!

As I await my new 3 device, one thing is clear. 3 want to be the most innovative and the leader in the Mobile Internet … it’s not a bad thing to want.

More research on the audience for mobile advertising

Rating: the richer, older minority is neglected

By Annie Turner

Mobile media publisher MoMac has published its first Mobile Advertising Attitudes report (undertaken by Tickbox), supporting the launch of its GoSell mobile ad campaign management tool. (Well, at least they are upfront about that.)

MoMac’s research emphasises the need for mobile advertising to match specific audience requirements (nothing new there).
The Mobile Advertising Attitudes Report surveyed a cross section of 1,400 UK mobile phone users during May 2007. It found:

• many as 13% of 16 to 24 year olds have already responded to or clicked-on a mobile advert – which is something of a surprise, given the limited inventory currently available for mobile advertising, and the relative rarity of mobile users being served mobile ads. The ensuing argument, though, that the figures show the potential for a significant future take-up ignores the novelty factor.
• when on mobile sites, text-based advertising links are the most popular (56%) with a female bias of 60% compared to 47% of men.
• banner-based advertising was the second most popular option, favoured by 29% overall and just under one in three 25 to 34 year olds.
• video-based advertising has a male bias with 22% of men (12% of women) stating they would be most likely to respond to a video advert. Video formats were also more popular with younger mobile users, selected by 23% of 16 to 24s, but by only 12% of over 55s.
• the ad-funded model could become dominant with younger mobile users, with 47% of 16 to 24s preferring to access content for free in exchange for viewing advertising (again, nothing new in this, after all Blyk’s imminent entirely ad-funded service and Virgin Mobile USA’s very successful incentive scheme works on this basis). Only 32% of this group opted for a pay-as-you-download (PAYD) model and only 3.9% stated they would want to pay for content via subscription.
• The PAYD method is more popular with older mobile users, with 55% of those aged 45 and older opting to pay for content on demand, and this also appeals more to women, with 54% choosing this model, compared to 41% of men who are more open to advertising.
Perhaps by the time you clear 45, you realise there’s no such thing as a free lunch and would rather pay for what you want than have to put up with stuff you don’t? The over 45s is too often a neglected sector – bearing in mind, we also have considerably more disposable income than the under 24s, and for those who went to college and are still paying off the student loan, probably for those under 35.

MoMac’s research was conducted as part of the preparation for the launch of its GoSell mobile advertising platform. See www.creation.uk.com/services/websites/gosell/ for details.

Vodafone comments on mobile Internet

Rating: interesting

I just want to highlight some great conversation going on at our sister blog www.msearchblog.com

A spokesperson for Vodafone code name Vodaguy is giving us some great feedback:

http://msearchblog.com/2007/06/26/rightmove-not-with-vodafone-as-the-mobile-internet-is-bugged.aspx#Comment

MSNBC expands with Microsoft and Action Engine

Rating: not exactly mass media

By Annie Turner

Action Engine and MSNBC (TV station NBC’s mobile offering) have, get this, “further expanded” (sounds like an inserted gusset) the number of devices that can use it and teamed up with Microsoft as an distribution channel. MSNBC.com offers access to and the option to download news, videos and pictures, free of charge (presumably apart from the data charges).

MSNBC.com has added the Microsoft Windows Mobile Website as a distribution channel for the service, adding to the download options currently available at: http://gomobile.msnbc.com. Consumers can access the service by visiting the Windows Mobile Productivity section of the Microsoft website at: https://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/domore/beproductive.mspx. MSNBC.com has also promoted the mobile service via the MSN.com Internet portal.

MSNBC.com is working with Action Engine to increase the number of devices that its service can run on. Models now include Motorola Q, HTC 8525, Palm 750 and Patch PN-820. More phones, including the new Windows Mobile 6.0 powered devices, such as the HTC Dash, will be supported in July 2007. So, not that much expansion after all, just a handful of high-end handsets. Not exactly mass media.

Key2Cell to unveil mobile ad service

Rating: me too and not even yet

By Annie Turner

Perhaps I’ve been at this too long, but in addition to almost every company I come across being a ‘world leader’ and all products are ‘major’ and significant’. Now we’re also seeing that real 1980’s phenomenon rearing its ugly head too – selling futures.

As in:

“Key2Cell is preparing to launch a radical new mobile advertising platform within weeks. The French company says the platform can send hundreds of thousands of messages in one hit and can dynamically handle the needs of different devices among the recipient base. The first campaigns are planned for October and Key2Cell believes it will send at least 12 million messages in the first 15 months.

Clients can choose whether to send messages in SMS, MMS, video and so on to an opted-in database. The flexibility of the system means they can send campaigns to a 2.5G base and don’t have to wait for 3G to reach the mass market.

Key2Cell is projecting to handle 60 campaigns between October and December 2008. It says all messages will adhere to standards or taste and decency, contain an opt-out option and offer click-through facilities.”

Anyone can play that game. I’m projecting GoMo News will have ten million readers daily by October and that every operator on the planet (instead of just the really savvy ones) will have signed up for BKI Media’s (www.bkimedia.com) publications by then too. In my spare time I’m going to have achieved world peace and stopped the ice caps melting too.

Cellfire mobile coupons

Rating: burnin’

Cellfire has been on our radar for some weeks now (see analysis of mobile coupons, qode and Abaxia in The Mobile Advertising and Marketing Analyst).

The company reports it has issued 4 million offers via mobile in the past year.
More than 2,000 shops nationwide now allow consumers to redeem coupons.
Cellfire coupon/barcode technology supports 600 mobile devices.

From the press release
"Cellfire's milestones over the past year demonstrate the enormous
popularity and market opportunity for redeeming coupons and discount offers via mobile phones," said Cellfire CEO Brent Dusing. "Cellfire's success is the result of its highly effective teamwork with its merchant and carrier partners, and it highlights Cellfire's central role in leading a market set to grow exponentially in the next 12 months."

What we think
This press release is all about self-evangelism. But its an important self-evangelism as the mobile barcode and coupon industry is going to grow amazingly. The only issue we have concerns standardisation – it’s a must sooner rather than later.

3Guppies user generated mobile content

Rating: 3G (y)uppies

3Guppies rebrands and reinvents itself today from Mixxer. The core product is a widget that enables users to send pictures and video to any US mobile phone from the Internet. This means we can’t test it here in the UK – but if anyone does want to test it – please let us know!

From the press release
"We saw a clear opportunity to apply our unique capabilities and offer users something that wasn't available before. The 3Guppies widget fills a void and enables users to download the pictures and videos that make up the bulk of the content on social networks right to a cell phone," said John Dearborn, CEO of 3Guppies. "We aim to make it as easy to share media on a mobile device as it is online. The 3Guppies brand is more fitting to all kinds of mobile media, and reflects what the experience ought to be: fun and simple -- something anyone can do."

The Company started with a $20 million investment from VantagePoint Venture Partners.

Ringtones08.com offers election 08 ringtones with MyxerTones for free

Rating: dingalingaling – tring

Our favourite election site so far has been from newsforblondes and Vote Bonnie for President but the trend for mobile services and the US 08 election is gathering steam.

This time Ringtones08.com has teamed up with MyxerTones to offer free ringtones. Users can submit their own tunes that can be uploaded, shared and virally sent around.

It’s a simple fun idea and will produce some fun user generated mobile content.

From the press release
“RingTones08.com lets someone in Utah turn a political gaffe or gem into an original ringtone that someone in Manhattan can broadcast every time their cell phone rings - in the subway, at their office, in the mall,” said Jo Lee, co-conspirator at RingTones08.com. “RingTones08.com leverages the viral quality of digital media to push user-generated content into real world venues.”

“MyxerTones is pleased to power RingTones08.com,” said Myk Willis, founder and CTO of MyxerTones. “Just as MyxerTones has democratized the mobile marketplace, making it possible for anyone to bring their content to mobile phones, RingTones08 is using that power to bring political discourse to the mobile platform.”

“We’ve been obsessed with ringtones ever since we heard about the huge impact political ringtones made in the Philippines in 2004,” said Katrin Verclas, co-conspirator at RingTones08.com. “Activists made a ringtone of a wiretapped recording of the president talking about how she rigged the vote. It wound up being one of the most popular ringtones ever and grabbed headlines worldwide.”

Indosat launches idle screen servcie i-HotNews

Rating: I HOT.. you news… baby

Cell broadcast idle screen provider Celltick is working with Indosat to create a new service called i-HotNews.

Basically the news service will be pushed to Indosat users via the idle screen – which means that users will be sent content passively and its up to them to interact with it. The aim of this is the keep the user active and involved with the mobile device, service, service provider and service offering a strong user experience. On top of all this the use of the idle screen can also drive WAP traffic.

From the press release
Guntur Siboro, Marketing Director of Indosat commented: “We are committed to provide our subscribers with the latest services and technology. i-HotNEWS is set to be a benchmark service offering the latest news, celebrity update and entertainment. We are extremely proud of the reach of our subscriber base and, with the continual innovation of our service, we are focused on boosting our position in the Indonesian market even further."

“Helping subscribers discover content which excites them is a key issue for operators. By actively promoting relevant services, it is possible to guide them through the discovery process providing the opportunity to significantly improve ARPU,” commented Stephen Dunford, CEO Celltick. "Promotion over the idle-screen is more than just a tool for increasing content revenues. Brands looking to target subscribers, using the intimacy of the mobile phone are already harnessing this medium. When used effectively, sponsored and ad-funded content provide an additional revenue stream for operators, independent of subscriber spend.”

What we think
Indosat is Indonesia’s second mobile operator with over 16 million subscribers. This is another big win for Celltick. Celltick is doing very well outside of the UK and US. Why? Find out more next week in The Mobile Search Analyst.

TomTom drums up support from Vodafone UK

Rating: playing catch-up with O2

By Annie Turner

TomTom is working with Vodafone UK to develop a new traffic information system based on its best-selling GPS technology.

The new application collects location information from the Vodafone UK network to provide real-time information on the speed and direction of cars travelling on all major roads across the UK.

This helps drivers using TomTom devices better plan their route, avoiding accident scenes and other hold-ups. The service is expected to launch in the first half of 2008 and will also be available for road authorities and businesses, who may use it for dynamic traffic control and improved fleet management.

TomTom aims to expand the service throughout Europe. It has been clear for some time that the most common GPS device will be the mobile phone within the next couple of years. Vodafone has considerable ground to make up on O2, which has pioneered the combined use of GPS and mobile, and offers a whole suite of business services. Still, better late than never and competition is a good thing all round.

No VAT refunds for 3G licences

Rating: get over it, move on

By Annie Turner
Some European operators have lost the latest round of their battle to get a refund on the 3G licence fees they paid too much for.

Court cases brought by Hutchison 3G in the UK and T-Mobile in Austria against local authorities had claimed that the licence fees paid included VAT.

Neither government was prepared to let the companies reclaim part of the licence fee as VAT, so the operators took the cases to the European Court of Justice. The EU court decided that the issuing of spectrum licences does not constitute an economic activity and, as such, is not subject to VAT under EU law.

I am somewhat puzzled by the legal reasoning, but think the result was fair. At the time of the 3G licence auctions, many of us commented on the collective madness that seemed to have seized the operators (one pundit commented she wouldn’t let them go to the sweet shop on their own). But like the gambler who loses him house in a moment of madness or those of us who spent years with negative equity in our homes when the housing market collapsed 15 years ago, operators just have to live with consequences of their actions

Affle really gets it with SMS 2.0 platform

Rating: made for mobile

By Annie Turner

Mobile phone media innovations giant Affle has announced the launch of their SMS 2.0 platform. The new platform is said to come with improved features, content, promotions and free internet search.

Anuj Khanna, CEO & chairman, Affle claimed that this launch is expected to boost a telco’s average revenue per person (ARPUs) by around 10% and that Affle is in talks with several online search engines to power its mobile search on SMS 2.0.

Khanna added in a statement: “Existing mobile phone media are merely a replication of online media. They require consumers to actively access, via a GPRS connection, made-for-mobile content that’s really just watered down online content that they pay for. SMS 2.0 is free and it is purpose-designed for mobile phones.”

Now, doesn’t that make a welcome change

Drinks with Anders Borde from Telenor

Rating: more to Norway than fjords

by Bena Roberts

Last night I met Telenor’s Anders Borde. Anders is the Project Director for new business. We met in Carnaby Street and the initial plan was to talk business for half an hour and then have a night out. Guess what happened. We sat down started talking and didn’t move for hours! Of course we only talked advertising, portals and search.

There are a lot of things that I can’t talk about but Anders new business division sound impressive. The operator strategy is set to change to embrace 2.0 and Telenor has definitely increased its position on my watch list. It was also fantastic to meet someone with a strong vision for new business and the ability to embrace the latest new services. I have spoken to a lot of mobile operators and talking in depth about the potential of search and advertising in an embracing rather than confused state is a breath of fresh air.

But what was also great is that Anders has been with Telenor in mobile portals for the last six years. He was involved in djuice and has followed the rise, fall, rise and everything else of portals and it was great sharing ideas and perspectives. I had a little demo of the Telenor portal and saw Sesam. (This was great because I am currently writing an analysis of Mobile People the search company behind Sesam so I had a quick live demo).

Anyway, meeting Anders last night was great and I’ve been invited to Oslo so if everyone else at Telenor is as impressive as Anders I’m going to have a great time!

Vodafone UK to deliver cheaper off-portal music tracks via SMS

Rating: lemme listen to your text

By Annie Turner

Groove Mobile, another company that claims to lead the world, is to trial the first direct to consumer, off-portal data service with Vodafone UK, giving its customers access to Sony BMG's catalogue of music.

Consumers will be able to access complete tracks through Over-the-Air (OTA) downloads via SMS short codes without incurring additional data charges.

This is exactly the sort of application that we here at GoMo News think will fly and have been evangelising to that effect (including podcasts via SMS) for an age. Look forward to the trial moving out of beta and into the real thing. Interesting to see how this will affect the subscription-based music service, MusicStation, also supported by Vodafone, that was announced at 3GSM and has just launched…check out our blogs on it below.

Having a ball with text-based campaigns and content

Rating: hey, pizza face

By Annie Turner

iLoop Mobile, a technology and services company for interactive, text message-based, mobile marketing and mobile content distribution, has announced that Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana, apparently) has deployed the mFinity platform. The platform is deployed and billed under a web-based application service provider (ASP) licence agreement or as a server appliance.

The university's Center for Media Design (CMD) will integrate the platform into its broader research programme to exploit its ability create, connect and control SMS campaigns and content distribution. Future research will explore advertising formats on different mobile devices, a metropolitan information alert service programme, mobile incentives and a social networking programme with Second Life.

The first Ball State research campaign using mFinity was a test study involving college students, based on a mobile coupon campaign with a national pizza franchise. I’d imagine that was a no-brainer. Do students eat anything else?

MCN-Inc and Tribeworks/ Atlas Technology sign agreement

Rating: no not maps, support, man, support

Atlas TG is to provide its network support to white label mobile search company MCN (Mobile Content Networks).

From the press release
David Kurtz, MCN Vice President of Products, states: " We are offering our customers, and their tens of millions of subscribers, an unprecedented high level of uptime and support, which is critical for us. The support experience of the AtlasTG management team, coupled with their state-of-the-art monitoring capabilities and systems, resulted in a natural fit between our companies"

Michael Murphy, COO of AtlasTG, and a former Senior Director at Microsoft, states that "MCN has the winning mobile search technology and business model, and we look forward to supporting their exciting technology, together with growing their rapidly expanding customer base".

What we think
As MCN is growing rapidly this deal is essential. Basically now all clients and users of MCN white label services or mobilesearch.net solutions will have 24x7 multi-lingual support from Atlas. A must considering most of MCN deployments are in non-English speaking countries.

Volantis, Accenture deliver 3G portal for MTN South Africa

Rating: hot air helps revenue inflate by 50%?

By Annie Turner

Volantis has issued a press release to say that some time ago, it teamed up with Accenture to deploy MTN South Africa’s 3G Service Delivery Platform now powering its Content Portal, MTN Loaded. The technology handles the web, WAP, USSD, WIG, SMS and MMS on MTN’s portal.

Furthermore, the new content platform supports subscriptions and pay per event for pre-paid and post-paid subscribers, allowing consumers to subscribe to news, sports and event-related information, such as video from SuperSports.

MTN says, “In the first six months since launch, the number of subscribers on the portal increased by 200% while content revenue for the first four months after launch was on average 50% higher than the four month period prior to go-live.”

Volantis, which modestly describes itself as the world’s leading supplier of Intelligent Content Adaptation solutions for the Mobile Internet, claims its Mobile Content Framework is the wireless industry’s most widely deployed content delivery platform.

YFonGlobal gets wynd behind it for social network with click-to-call

Rating: It’s not so lonely at the top any more

By Annie Turner

YFonGlobal has added a click-to-call feature to the social network it hosts for The Golden Key Society, MyGK, which runs on the company’s wyndstorm social network suite.

In case, like me, you’re an average idiot, The Golden Key International Honour Society claims to have more than 1.7 million members and 353 chapters in Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and the US. Membership is by invitation only and is extended only to the top 15% of students from all disciplines.

So in addition to all the other benefits of belonging to the prestigious Golden Key, its members will enjoy a free online buddy calling service between themselves. It must be tough at the top. Apparently though, this is not to counter Ivory Tower isolation, but to help online collaboration.

The click-to-call was developed through YFonGlobal’s partnership with CounterPath Solutions.

Lies, damned lies and mundane statistics

Rating: “What hit us on the side of the head” wasn’t heavy enough

By Annie Turner

Click-to-call provider Ingenio and market research firm Harris Interactive has released results of a survey of 4,123 users on their preferences concerning mobile usage and advertising. This looks very much like a game of two halves.

These are the usage highlights, hold on to your hat:

• 63% of respondents claim their mobile is very personal to them – presumably the other 27% are in a coma or work for large corporations, which sometimes amounts to the same thing;
• 49% do more than make phone calls – 36% send and receive SMS and 24% send and receive pictures;
• over the next three years 57% of respondents anticipate doing more than making and receiving phone calls. What here is described as “more advanced phone use” [yep, they do mean including SMS, which is weird as Philippino babies are pretty much born knowing how to do it] will skew heavily in favour of those aged 18 to 34 (75%) vs ages 55 and up (33%).

Then the survey makes this huge leap to talking about their ad preferences on mobile. Surely this is like progressing from the dry slope on a Sunday afternoon to commenting, with insight, on downhill slalom in the Alps?

Apparently, among mobile ad formats, 26% of respondents favoured sponsored text links that appear as a result of searches, kindly explained as ‘ads relevant to a search query’. 21% favour audio ads that play instead of ringing while waiting for a call to answer (think this means that plays while waiting for the recipient to answer their phone), followed by 20% who find text message ads acceptable.

So what does this mean for strategy development, ad placement, and the development of mobile search and advertising in general? Damned if I know.

Apparently the data is in line with previous Ingenio data that show impulse local searches (including restaurants, entertainment, and hotels) represent two-thirds of mobile Pay Per Call ad volume. The remaining third is for more considered purchases such as property (real estate) and debt management (now that is interesting – is it to avoid your other half catching you setting up a loan on the PC at home?).

Another conclusion drawn by Ingenio is that “there is no clear and prevailing ad model that has emerged”. Well, you didn’t have to ask 4,123 people who mostly use their mobiles to make calls to establish that, surely?

Ingenio chief marketing officer Marc Barach comments, “What we didn’t realise was how open the model is from a monetisation perspective. What hit us on the side of the head here was that only 30% of users could recall seeing an ad on their phone”. Maybe American operators don’t bug the hell out of their customers with unsolicited offers.

We have no clue what this paragraphs means:

“Meanwhile, Pay-per-call in particular could have a great deal of relevance for the mobile search environment - even more so than online where, by comparison, there is physical barrier between the PC and the phone. When you’re dealing with mobile technologies, ‘It is, after all, a phone,’ says Mr Barach.”

Do you?

Rightmove? Not with Vodafone as the mobile Internet is bugged

Rating: the force isn’t with you and you’re not my father…

by Bena Roberts

I received an email this morning about Rightmove.co.uk partnering with Vodafone. I usually don’t need an excuse to surf; so I thought I would give it a go.

Firstly I enter live! and I still hadn’t actually played around on Vodafone live! as a lot of my testing as been on the open Internet. So before I explored Rightmove, I played around with the new Vodafone live!

My conclusion

1. Vodafone has killed Vodafone live!
2. It’s bugged.
3. The portal keeps swapping in and out of the old and new portal.
4. Try this test: Access live on a Nokia 6880 mobile device. Hit the email box on the top right handside under live! Then scroll down and read the contents. Then press back.
5. Hey presto where am I? Yep – did it three times and all the time you are back to the old Vodafone live! Only when you click on something on this page do you get back to the new Vodafone live!

General conclusion

1. What a joke
2. If the portal is full of bugs such as these how are consumer going to take it seriously?

Still not ready to go onto Rightmove I click Vodafone News. The top story is Paris Hilton is out of jail stream or download clip. I decide to stream it. It costs 50p I click accept.
Guess what. I have paid; but I can’t access the clip. No explanation why no apologies.

Hello? Knock Knock Vodie? This is unacceptable. I WANT MY MONEY BACK?

So now its time for Rightmove.

I start on the home page and do a Google search. I get over 26,000 results for Rightmove on the web and 119 mobile ready sites. I click the mobile ready site and its an article from Earth Times with one tiny mention of Rightmove at the bottom.

Not the best start. How difficult would it be to have the mobile site first. Rightmove have obviously gone mobile – Vodafone obviously know about it… so come on, get it together … a websearch on Vodafone should make mobile.rightmove. appear at the top of the page? Obviously Google’s meta search couldn’t do this (time for a white label mobile search provider Voda…)

Acision and Colibria make it official

Rating: here’s one they prepared earlier

By Annie Turner

Colibria, developer of Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM), has announced a formal partnership with the new spin-off from LogicaCMG, Acision, on the back of providing the IM for its Intuitive Texting technology.

They have already provided the combined intuitive messaging solution is already live with TMN in Portugal, supporting the operator’s so-called Super SMS service which includes IM and presence features.

Acision is described as the world’s leading messaging company, which should surprise a number of people including NeuStar. Also makes one wonder why LogicaCMG spun it off it is such a startling asset.

3 Hong Kong chooses Miyowa for its mobile instant messaging service

Rating: give me an M, give me an I, Y, O, W, A. Miyowa!

by Bena Roberts

Another day another Miyowa announcement. Impressed? Actually yes.

3 Hong Kong has chosen Miyowa for its mobile instant messaging service. This makes 3 Hong Kong the third Asian mobile operator that has signed up for Miyowa services after Starhub (Singapore) and Fareastone (Taiwan).

3 is using Miyowa’s services to offer Windows Live Messenger on i-mode. Miyowa will provide 3 Hong Kong with a turnkey solution including billing connectivity, UI and client.

From the press release:
"Miyowa has proven track record in delivering superb universal mobile instant messaging solution in Asia. Leveraging the strong and reliable local support of Miyowa, we have achieved a fast and robust roll-out of Windows Live Messenger service for our i-mode customers." said Amy Lung, Chief Operating Officer – Mobile of Hutchison Telecom Hong Kong.

"We are very honoured to be chosen by such an innovative and global operator. One month after the official establishment of Miyowa’s permanent office in Asia, the successful launch of the service at 3 Hong Kong reaffirms Miyowa’s commitment to this strategic region of the world." said Pascal Lorne, CEO of Miyowa.

What we think
When I first interviewed Pascal Lorne he told me of his world wide travels with his backpack. He basically travelled the world with his mobile device trying to find out which services worked and what worked for the best communication experience. At the time I sniggered, passing off Pascal as an old hippy. However, I was wrong. In the past few month Miyowa has gone from strength to strength and fast deployment by mobile operators indicates that the market was desperate for an IM Java client that enables IM interoperability.

Well done.

More on Miyowa:

http://pushingthebarrier.typepad.com/pushing_the_barrier/2007/06/miyowabouygues_.html
http://pushingthebarrier.typepad.com/pushing_the_barrier/2007/05/miyowa_adds_mob.html

Swisscom introduces new Ogo IM device

Rating: designer kitchen stove? No? Oh! Mobile device?

Swisscom has introduced a new Ogo device to support instant messaging.

Apparently the Ogo is the name of a new instant messaging device available exclusively in Mobilezone and The Phone House in Switzerland. It’s a funky device with a special messaging tariff for CHF 25 per month.

Since the first Ogo was launched in 2005, Swisscom boasts 40,000 subscribers. This is great for the Swiss market

Look for a link to view the new Ogo in the press release

Cutting Edge – Podcasts to go

Rating: pod-up, man

by Bena Roberts featured in the Wireless Business Review

The mobile content market currently resembles guerrilla warfare where everyone is fighting to make money, but no-one is winning the war. Yet the argument that mobile services haven’t delivered and SMS is still the undisputed leader is suffering from battle fatigue. There is no doubt that mobile operators are being forced to rethink their mobile content strategies.

Older directors of mobile portals and multimedia strategies are being replaced by younger, messier individuals who need to tune into youth and inject up to the minute ideas into mobile portals and content.

In the meantime, user generated mobile content has become a household term, while music and gaming on mobile are starting to become trendy. Now mobile podcasts are entering the arena.

Unlike all other mobile content, which is often adapted from the web, mobile podcasting is the only true, new, made for mobile service on the market. Mobile podcasting uses audio and listening is rapidly becoming the killer app of the mobile Internet: in March M:Metrics published research showing that ownership of musicphones (defined as phones that are capable of music storage and playback) is growing rapidly across Western Europe and the US. The UK has the highest penetration of these devices at 40%, while the US lags at 17%.

Mobile podcasts can range from bursts to sustained instalments of audio content and the time is ripe for them to become very hot indeed. The biggest barrier to them becoming a mass market phenomenon, as with so very many other mobile services, is operators’ weak business models. At the moment, the most common way of charging for mobile podcasts is through subscription, which removes all spontaneity and is truly middle-aged. Alltel in the US charges USD 3.99 per month for its mobilecast service and M1 in Singapore charges 5.99 Singapore dollars per month.

In keeping with new trends in mobile, operators need to start employing younger and funkier billing and tariff setters too to ape the early successes.

The most impressive uptake of mobile podcasts has been in the US. Vendors such as Mobilcast and UpSnap are stimulating podcast sales via SMS, then enabling customers to listen to them via a phone call or voice mail. This is a simple idea – using traditional audio services as the delivery mechanism – and is especially popular with users stuck in traffic on their way to work.

Users pay per minute to listen and the charge is integrated into standard call charges. This is critical as customers use their existing voice minutes as part of a bundle or listen to free podcasts at the weekend as part of an operator package.

In Europe, which has a far higher penetration of musicphones indicating a much greater interest in audio services, operators are already in danger of fudging their mobile podcast services by opting for a streaming data transfer model, which is an untidy, unnecessarily complicated delivery mechanism, inappropriate for mobile podcasting.

The 3 network in the UK falls into this category. It is the first UK-based mobile operator to launch mobile podcasts, as part of its X-Series bundle. Audio is native to mobile. Data (even on 3G) is not. Mobile operators should be using the inherent audio stream to sell and push these new podcasting services.

By bringing data and streaming into the equation, the price of the podcasts rises and the potentially brilliant audio quality deteriorates, moving from hero to zero in one fell swoop. This is because mobile operators eager to secure return on investment (ROI) from podcasts forget about user experience and the fact that the mobile device is already an audio rich media. Or at least that’s one argument.

Another is that the early adopter mobile operators tend to mask the introduction of new data features to encourage competitors to play catch up, then them with an even better service. Certainly 3’s history reveals that it has scored several successes through this strategy.

There are several new players in mobile podcasting who are using more innovative ways of podcasting, which are also being introduced through social networks such as YouTube and Flickr. The arrival of podcast RSS will really herald the benefits of audio on mobile and demonstrate clearly how users can listen to the highlights of their favourite RSS feeds on their mobile phone instantly.

In addition, IM alerts of audio RSS could be set up to ensure that once the service is set up it will be hard for customers to resist. Audio, in the form of mobile podcasts, could be the sticky service mobile operators are desperate for.

There is still an everything to play for and mobile operators need to wake up and grind the beans. Mobile podcasting has huge potential. For these services to deliver on their potential, operators need to action now. Some slick marketing, simple to use services and transparent tariffs are the order of the day.

Podcasting and podcasters have their own community on the Internet and there is no reason why this should not be replicated on mobile. Recently AirG, Boost Mobile and West Coast Customs launched a community based mobile promotion to win a new car which caused mobile traffic to increase three fold and nearly every community member participated. These types of promotions are needed to kick start mobile podcasting.

This means positioning all new mobile services as community services and then watch their popularity spread virally via mobile. The trick is not simply to launch a mobile podcast service, but to bundle it as part of a community offer such as Kink Kommunity or Boost Mobile. This way mobile podcasts can be integrated, paid for features or self-created to gel consumers together.

This approach is simpler and new business models can be created using a sponsorship or funding through advertising. Consumers will no longer be restricted to accessing content by subscription only or through data tariffs. Instead they’ll be able to indulge in happy hours or special content subsidised by third parties.

Players to watch in the mobile podcasting space include; Mobilecast, Pod2Mob, UpSnap, Kimia, Voice Genesis and Voice Indigo.

From BKI Media - Published in The Wireless Business Review

ROK purchases data compression software company Blubox

Rating: hmmmm

After receiving an email and press release from ROK telling GoMo News about the “dynamic” impact its purchase of Blubox would have – I decided to do some investigating.

I sent a list of questions to Peter Boswell CEO of Blubox on what the differentiation of its solution is compared to rendering solutions and what the benefits would be.

Here is the response:
Bena: What is Blubox and why are you different?
Peter Boswell:

Blubox is a true digital image compression and encryption software application that utilises several compression algorithms in its design. I am pleased to inform you that Blubox does NOT employ any rendering techniques which are traditionally associated with many of the Jpeg orientated applications. Blubox has been designed to offer the user a unique software application that offers very high levels of image compression without affecting the quality of the image when either viewed or printed at the original resolution. Blubox has been designed to offer the user a fully reversible process that will return an image back to its original Hi-Resolution state if required. This of course cannot be achieved by using a rendering technique.

Bena: Let’s get technical. Data compression isn’t new is it? Images on phones are common and MMS is gradually taking off. Images on mobile are OK. What will make ROK and Blubox stand out?

Peter: Blubox uses a set of user-configurable filters to encode data stored within it. When data is imported into a ‘Box’, Blubox attempts to detect the type of data being imported and compress that data using the best suited compression technique available. After any compression takes place, the compressed data is then encrypted and written to the storage file where it remains compressed and encrypted until it is exported again. Data is always compressed before it is encrypted as the effects of encryption will counteract the effects of the compression. That is, compression works by identifying patterns within data while the purpose of encryption is to remove patterns from data.

Bena: So what happens when a file is imported?
Peter: When importing a file, Blubox will try to determine if the file is an image file or not. If it is an image file, Blubox will then use image compression on it according to the settings supplied by the user. Blubox converts all images to raster files before applying the image compression to it. All other types of files are compressed using binary compression.

Different types of compression have been developed to exploit the unique properties of multimedia data. Two primary methods of compression for image data are DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) and wavelet which can achieve more effective compression than is possible through the use of binary compression. Essentially, image compression takes advantage of that fact that an image can be altered to a certain extent and still be recognizable as the same image to another person. The altered/compressed image therefore conveys the same information or meaning as the original image.

Bena: Is this compression with strong colour?
Blubox uses a DCT-based image compression which operates by reducing a closely grouped set of pixels of a similar colour to a set of pixels of the same exact colour. By repeating this throughout an image, long patterns are formed by new blocks of same coloured pixels, thereby making the image more suitable for compression. Image compression mechanisms are often configurable to control the point at which the algorithm determines if a group of pixels is similar enough to try to lump together into a single block. A very relaxed setting allows the compression to larger, more compressible blocks while stricter controls will tend to make smaller blocks. One can actually see this effect in certain images which are highly compressed. The decompressed image will display “artefacts” appearing as blocky edges and seemingly random splotches of colour.

Simyo Germany and Yahoo! Go team up

Rating: simGo

By Bena Roberts

From today simyo users in Germany can use the Yahoo! Go 2.0 client. But simyo customers will have to upgrade their SIM card to a UMTS SIM and sign-up for data pricing which is EUR 0.24 per MB.

Instant access and more information is available to simyo clients here: http://www.simyo.de/de/informieren/yahoo_go.html

Over the past few weeks Yahoo! has been increasing its presence globally. Its now available in six new countries in Asia extending its reach to 70 million potential users. This tie up with simyo is only a very small addition with the mobile discounter – I phoned simyo and the company wouldn’t say the exact number of users it had. But it did say it was the market leader and the first to launch in Germany. (I am sure every discounter in Germany would say this!)

NRJ signs up Miyowa for instant messaging

Rating: I say NRJ, do you know me (rap it!)

by Bena Roberts

I have to admit that Miyowa is rising and rising beyond belief. What it has achieved in such a short space of time is remarkable. Now NRJ the music radio MVNO in France has chosen Miyowa for its IM platform. NRJ joins Bouygues Telecom, KPN, Cosmote, Cellcom, Wind, Base, O2 Ireland, Orange France, Orange Spain, Orange UK, Ten, FarEastone and Starhub; as another operator to use Miyowa’s services.

Why?
Miyowa’s MoveMessenger enables IM interoperability. It’s a Java based thin-client that is downloaded over the air (60kb). It allows users to send and receive messages rich with emotions and icons simply and promotes modification. For example users can manage conversations, add avatars and use emotion signs to share moods. Basically it’s an instant add- on to IM services from the mobile operator with interoperability with branded messaging services (Hotmail).

From the press release
Pascal Lorne, CEO of Miyowa said: “To be the preferred IM platform for NRJ Mobile is a great achievement in France. It is a significant brand for the youth, who is fond of new medias such as IM. Moreover, the development of a new MVNO is a real opportunity for showcasing Miyowa’s IM and blog service. We are truly happy to have NRJ Mobile among our clients. “

Jerôme Birba, Executive Director of NRJ Mobile is looking forward to bringing this new offering to the members of the NRJ community: “NRJ mobile is extremely excited at the idea of launching this mobile IM service. It will gather our 400,000 clients around a consistent mobile offering and it will give them the opportunity to experience and enjoy with their friends the NRJ rich multimedia universe! Miyowa, who is today the main European provider of mobile IM services for communities, allows us to make the link between our web and mobile worlds; this link today appears to us as necessary as it is so compelling and exciting for NRJ and its subscribers.”“

4th Screen Advertising launches mobile search division

Rating: looking back, not forward

By Annie Turner

4th Screen Advertising, the UK agency that specialises in mobile, has launched a search division, which is already working with WAP publishers in the UK. The company says the new structure will complement its established display advertising practice which creates and delivers banner advertising.

The good news kind of fizzles out there really as 4th Screen Advertising is under the impression that its relationships with Yahoo! and Google for search are a big deal. That’s so 2006, before those big Internet brands and the dimmer sections of the mobile industry realised that mobile isn’t the web on a smaller screen. Also, for god’s sake, why it is concentrating on driving traffic to WAP sites, that irritating protocol launched in the last century that’s had a chequered history to say the least.

The announcement continues, “Much like traditional sponsored search, advertisers can now develop text ad listings and campaigns for mobile and wireless devices and then bid for key words which they pay for on a pay per click basis.” Oh whoopee-do. Real groundbreaking stuff.

Amp’d lifeline

Rating: ah, ah, ah, ah staying alive!

So as we initially hoped Amp’d Mobile has signed a deal with Verizon that will help it to stay alive (source Forbes).

I recently had a chat with Medio Systems, the provider of white label mobile search and I asked the sticky question of if Medio had been paid by Amp’d and its thoughts. The general consent is that no one at all wants Amp’d to fail and it will succeed.

Quote from Medio Systems; ““Keep in mind that Chapter 11 does not mean in any way that Amp’d is out of business. Their service is still operating and Amp’d subscribers are still searching away”.

More on this in next weeks The Mobile Search Analyst

mobiK launches free/ad sponsored mobile service

Rating: K for currency?

by Bena Roberts

Its not only mginger in India that is offering sms sponsored mobile advertising its happening in Oz too. Basically mobiK has launched its own currency called K. This works as a promotions and incentive programme for consumers. Consumers receive SMS advertising and then if they rate it, use it, send it or recommend it they can get K’s (points or virtual cash) from mobiK. It’s an affiliate programme for SMS advertising.

From the press release
"mobiK is an Australian revolution," according to CEO Damian Thompson. "We are certainly the first company in Australia to work out how to provide free/ad-sponsored mobile services. We believe we are the first company in the world to deliver this service as well."

The rest of the press release goes on justifying the new service.

What we think
Its so easy to be critical of schemes such as these and GoMo News is usually the first to point out the flaws. But at the end of the day business models such as these are springing up all over the place and only time will tell if they are successful. They need to be given a chance.
But these types of services are based on building loyalty from a mobile audience that is notorious for not being loyal (high churn). Mobile users are promotion savvy and loyalty or interest is not a given.