GoMo Mobile Search News

Medio’s response on ODP vs Search Application with regards to new Medio ODP

Rating: one minute I’m pr’d the next I stand corrected

by Bena Roberts

So, as a follow on to the blog I posted below with regards to the new Medio ODP, Michael Libes, Chief Architect and co-Founder of Medio pinged me with a couple of points.

Also he sent me a screen shot - see here -
Download tzones_odp_overview.jpg

Telus introduces Qix Mobile Search and Discovery Engine

Rating: Qix I would say more a discovery tool that a search engine

by Bena Roberts

Zi Corporation’s QIX discovery tool will be made available on devices from Telus. Telus is a Canadian mobile operator that has just signed up to QIX services.

What is Qix?
Qix describes itself as a mobile search and discovery engine but I think that it’s actually a discovery tool for the device to make the UI crystal clear and intuitive. The way it does this is to reduce the number of clicks on a device so that users can navigate menus very quickly.

There is a lot of confusion about mobile search and discovery and Zi Corp's term here does not help! The same is true for an article recently featured in Totaltele. Qix is a discovery tool that faciliates users to find.

But the teacher in me is coming out -back to the information...

Medio Systems launches On Device Portal

Rating: I am sure I’ve seen this already

by Bena Roberts

Medio has launched a new on device portal and its already live in T-Mobile USA. Its pre-loaded on the Nokia 6263 and Motorola RAZR II phones. More devices are in the pipeline.

Music recommendation company Gracenote partners with Ikivo

Rating: this service is going to get even better

As a huge music fan, the moment Sony Ericsson sent me a full loaded with mobile services Walkman device the music recommendation service, was the first one I tried.

Since then (about seven months) Gracenote’s music recognition services have helped me win many a pub quiz and look like a music guru among colleagues and friends.

In a recent visit to the pub in Germany during a music quiz out of ten songs the recommendation engine from Gracenote got nine out of then right – so basically, I am a fan.

But now Gracenote has teamed up with Ikivo.

Playtxt becomes Rummble, mobile search, recommendation and LBS

Rating: link: http://mashable.com/2008/02/05/rummble/

I saw this on Mashable this morning and signed up for the Beta. I remember the founder Andrew Scott and emailed him in the past. Playtxt is a mobile social recommendation tool that is linked to location.

I can’t wait to test Rummble as apparently the service incorporates a mobile search engine. There is also a micro-blog to add notes to the location saved or area.

The Mashable author thinks that Rummble should stick to basics of the service –but actually I disagree. I haven’t tested it yet – but we are desperate for a location service in the mobile world with a tagging or micro-blogging solution that can start a new eco-system for mobile searches that are based on user generated mobile content.

Mobile Search Choice for Schibsted’s Mobile users

Rating: Sesam, up up and away

Norway's mobile search engine Sesam, has teamed up with mobilePeople to offer its users a wider choice of search options. Sesam's users can now conduct mobile searches through a new downloadable mobile search tool (java client) as well as via the existing Sesam mobile browser mechanic. Both services are powered by mobilePeople's liquidTM platform.

MobiLuck’s Patrick Lord on Mobile Search and LBS

Rating: according to everyone and their dog LBS is finally going to happen

By Bena Roberts

During the London Search and Advertising conference a few companies pushed Mobile LBS services. I shouted quite loudly – been there, done that – it didn’t work.

But when I asked the whole conference to “put your hands up” if mobile LBS will be huge in the next five years – at least 75% of the audience did.

Chat with Supratim Biswas Vice President Products and Technology Motricity (ex-Infospace)

Rating: what is going on?

By Bena Roberts

After moderating a panel at the recent Mobile Search and Advertising forum in London I made a beeline to one of my panel members – Supratim Biswas.

I have known Supratim for some time now, but I generally spoke to George Fraser when dealing with InfoSpace in Europe. So, now George has moved to the US and Supratim is the new Head of Europe.

Firstly, I congratulated him on his new position. Then I thought I shouldn’t mince my words and hit him in the jugular with the following question, “Microsoft is buying FAST – where does that leave your special partnership”.

A-Z maps brought to mobile

Rating: Ok if you live or work in and around London's environs
Tony Dennis

Don't you hate it when the popularist press carries a story about some neat kind of mobile phone service but don't give any clues how to find it?
Well, that was my experience with AZ Finder which is a freshly launched site enabling mobile phone users to take advantage of  the popular A-Z city guides in the UK. I've finally tracked it down, though.

Microsoft and Yahoo! What will it mean?

Rating: Y! becomes M!

By Bena Roberts

At the tail end of last year, I had some private conversations with Microsoft employees. Senior executives have been polite but afraid to really open up to me; as I feel corporations remain slightly nervous about talking to bloggers. So, I approached Microsoft employees via this blog. Employees that had signed up for the newsletter and asked for a “candid” chat on mobile search.

Microsoft/Yahoo will send out shockwaves

Rating: But is this a wise move, Captain?
by Tony Dennis

I didn't think I'd ever hear an acquisition by Microsoft as a "Good thing for competition", but that's exactly how some industry observers are describing news of Microsoft's unsolicited bid for Yahoo!
The general consensus is that the regulators would let the pair combine even though Google's proposed acquisition of DoubleClick is still under investigation.
The logic seems to be that Google is commanding far too great a share of the emerging online advertising market and that advertisers would welcome a strong opponent. Yeah, but Microsoft as a White Knight? Am I dreaming?

att.net powered by Yahoo! Ad-Funded content rules.

Rating: Revenue Share Wins!

Big companies are partnerng with other big companies and saving money by using the revenue share model. This way - the sales process seems to get easier and Yahoo! can win (much needed) ground on rivals.

After display ad deals in the UK and Germany (Voda and T-Mobile) Yahoo is now loving AT&T. The new portal for AT&T content att.net will be powered by Yahoo! and display adverts will fund it.

Mobile Search and advertising forum London and GoMo News Update

Rating: Oh dear

by Bena Roberts

Sorry for the lack of blogs today - I am currently at an Easy Cafe as my laptop died on me this morning as I finishing my report on Mobile SEO. Which I fear is lost.

But I didn't let that ruin my day. The only thing that I couldn't do at Mobile Search and Advertising Forum in London today was actually "live blog".

I was the chair peson and I moderated two panels - the first on "Innovative mobile search" and the second on "Making money from search and advertising".

I quizzed Google's David Thacker on Mobile SEO and I also think I managed to pull at least six new subscribers to the Mobile Search Analyst. There was one point in the forum - that I was the only one that could actually answer a question. Which proves how new the market is.

So, please bear with me - I can't do much without a PC and tomorrow I am in client sales all day - but when I see an internet cafe - or get the (laptop) fixed - I will be back!

Tony Alton is in New Zealand - Tony Dennis - if you read this please can you blog (!) and Annie is writing The Search Analyst.

More on the conference when I can but first a thank-you to organisers W2Forum.

Also companies that stood out today - Superlocal and Jentro.
Also person most impressive (huge surprise) Mandeep Mason from Nokia Ad Business who answered tough questions with conviction.
Nice new SEO friend - Charles Sword Head of Monetisation, Yahoo!

Zodiac Interactive Announces Zodigo mobile content search engine

Rating: it is in the stars

Zodiac Interactive, a multiple Emmy-nominated and Emmy award-winning developer of software for interactive television, today launched a new mobile content search engine, Zodigo[TM]. Much like a Movies-On-Demand service from cable operators, Zodigo is navigated either by remote control or by keyboard and mouse and includes revolutionary features that make it easy for consumers to discover and download mobile content instantly to their mobile phones. Zodigo is also the first and only software platform built for release on digital TV systems (cable, satellite, & telco), Blu-ray & HD-DVD players, all next-gen gaming consoles (Wii , Xbox 360 , and the Playstation® 3), as well as at Zodigo.com and many other Web distribution partners. Perhaps most importantly, Zodigo is an intelligent system that quickly and automatically learns about users' preferences, as well as their exact mobile phone type, and recommends only content that works for that phone.

Nokia and Kooxoo and mobile search?

Rating: Kooxoo?

by Bena Roberts

I hate not knowing a company even if its in China when the topic is mobile search. So I saw article on Pacific Epoch and even though I am going to be late for our local village Fasching (carnival) start party – I decided to do some digging.

Basically, it reported that Nokia is partering with Kooxoo search in China.

Kooxoo
By the looks of its, Kooxoo is a local online search provider in China. It only focuses on major cities in China and its value add is that it finds places to live – shared or private.

You can also purchase tickets and things with the search so its targeted at an 18 to 35 target market which a disposable income.

What is Nokia doing?
I think that Nokia will just add this to its local search index via its mobile search application. The Yellow Pages and all other directories are on this too.

There you go – did the earth move for you too?

Mobile Search and Advertising Forum London next week

Rating: I look forward to seeing you there and blogging it as much as possible

I will be at this W2Forum event on Monday 28th in London. I am moderating two panels and am looking forward to it!

08:30 Registration and tea/coffee
09:00 Opening Remarks: Graham Brown, CEO, Wireless World Forum
09:15 Presentation: Hugh Griffiths, Director of Mobile, MSN
09:25 Case Study Presentations
10:15 Panel Discussion “Innovative mobile search”
• Mobile search technology and applications: location-aware browsing, voice
recognition, text messaging
• How to improve the mobile search experience?
• W3C POWDER: Describing content for accurate discovery and targeting.
• Hugh Griffiths, Director of Mobile, MSN
• Supratim Biswas, Vice President - Products and Technology, Infospace

Microsoft buys Fastsearch and Transfer for USD 1.2bn – latest Mobile Search Analyst Report

Rating: first report from the Mobile Search Analyst published today.

by Bena Roberts

Norwegian company Fastsearch and Transfer is an enterprise search provider. Its focus from the start has been to provide industrial strength search technology for the mega-web sites run by the world’s biggest corporations. The company’s recognised expertise in this arena was reflected in the fact that it was chosen to power Vodafone’s mobile search in 2002.

However, as has become patently clear, being good at online search does not automatically transfer to being expert at doing the same thing on mobile...

To read more or find out more please contact annie@bkimedia.com

Next analysis on Yahoo! Go 3.0 and Uta Search out soon.

mDog Flash based search ad based portal

Rating: this looks very impressive

You have to see this demo (source here).

http://www.bizreport.com/2008/01/mdog_launches_flashmobile_platform.html

It’s a flash advertising based platform for mobile.
It looks great,
I want one.

Docomo Google for i-mode search

Rating: I thought i-mode wasn’t that big anymore?

OK, i-mode was the rage in Japan but then FOMA 3G arrived. NTTDoCoMo was the king of i-mode but since its rise uptake has stalled and is it now banking on Google to help to revive the service?

Maybe I am wrong as it seems that DoCoMo is banging the drums for i-mode with Google.

The plans are:

Chinese Search Provider Baidu goes to Japan

Rating: Big in Japan

According to Bloomberg, Baidu.com is going to Japan to launch mobile focused search services and is in talks with mobile operators in Japan.

This is the first time Baidu has moved out of its homeland China and the Japanese Baidu is the first local language service.

MCN launches allwords.net Mobile Content Advertising Network

Rating: it all the words, man

allwords is part 2 of MCN’s assault on the mobile advertising world. Part one consisted of introducing banners into the federated mobilesearch.net platform.
Part 2 or allwords is a mobile advertising manager similar to AdMob.

So GoMo News readers are switched on to know what an ad network so I am going to cut to the chase and highlight the differentiation only.

Call Genie to distribute audio adverts for Idearc’s pay for performance advertisers

Rating: pay per performance sounds like a car manufacturer?

Call Genie the voice local mobile search company and Idearc Media that hosts Superpages.com and publishers Verizon’s Yellow Pages – have signed a pay-for-performance audio ad distribution agreement.
What?

Hmm. Its sounds like a new name for the next motor oil but it isn’t. Pay for performance is an ad network bid program where advertisers pay for customer leads.

46m Americans used mobile search in Q3 2007

Rating: traction at last

By Annie Turner

Some 46.1m Americans used mobile search in the third quarter of 2007 according to The Nielsen Company. The report surveyed more than 5,700 mobile search users who use at least one mobile data service. Nielsen also estimates that:

• the most popular form of mobile search among data users in Q3 2007 was 411 directory enquiries (18.1m), followed closely by SMS-based searching, which was used by 14.1m during the same period.

• local listings were the most common reasons for searches, (27.1m), but 14.8m said they searched for information such as sports scores, news or weather, and nearly a quarter (11.3m) said they searched for mobile content.

• demographics vary by search method: 61% of those who made an enquiry via 411 were female, while 60% of WAP (or mobile web) search users were male.

•  33% of SMS searchers were under 25. Hispanic people used SMS search providers Yahoo!, YellowPages SMS and SuperPages’ services more than any other group.

Uta Search The Music Search for Yahoo! Japan screen shot

Rating: nifty
Just wanted to share the first screen shot of the recently announced MCN white label search portal with you.

More screen shots and full analysis in The Mobile Search Analyst.

Helio releases Mysto GPS mobile search services

Source: localmobilesearch

Helio has released a mobile phone by Samsung branded Mysto.

So what is so Mysto about it?

Mysto hosts the WHERE concept from Helio which also includes a service from Tellme. Basically WHERE is GPS services that are geo-tagged images that can be uploaded instantly to Flickr, YouTube, BuddyBeacon, GoogleMaps and Garmin Mobile.

Amdocs launches Search and Digital Advertising Solution?

Rating: isn’t Amdocs about billing?

Hmm. Amdocs has hooked its claws into Mobile Search and Advertising by providing a solution that is supposed to make targeting adverts – better than ever.

How?
Apparently this new solution leverages mobile operators existing valuable assets such as subscriber data to improve the targeting of the advertising.

The solution consolidates search and digital advertising – so that providers can push user data into the search results making adverts more personalised to the user.

Eye opening chat on federated mobile search with Phyllis Reuther CTO of MCN Mobile Content Networks

Rating: it’s the UI!

by Bena Roberts

In December, I wrote an article called Medio vs MCN on Federated Mobile Search. I wrote this as Medio has announced a new federated arm to the business and MCN has a pure federated solution.

Comments I got back from the article,
“I liked it”
“Well done”
“So fair, that no one is happy with it”

MCN’s CTO Phyllis Reuther then contacted me for a briefing. She felt that the MCN platform is miles better than Medio’s and wanted to tell me her thoughts on why.

We had a very interesting 30 minutes where Phyllis went into detail about indexing vs federated. A lot of this I know already, but Phyllis wanted to make the following point to contra my argument.

Stuck on GUI: Voice Search as an alternative

By Guest Blogger
Bill Meisel, President, TMA Associates

The WIMP interface (Window, Icon, Menu, and Pointing device)—the familiar Graphical User Interface, GUI—has proved effective on PCs and in Web browsers. The most powerful aspect of WIMP is its familiarity—one can usually find some feature or data eventually by navigating through windows or pages of information. “Eventually” and “usually” are increasingly becoming the operant words, however, as the number of features and the amount of information we encounter grow exponentially. The WIMP interface is over-extended even with a large monitor, mouse, and keyboard.

On a small mobile device such as a cellphone, the limitations of the WIMP approach are even more apparent. The small screen is more like a Porthole than a Window. (Does this make it a PIMP interface?) The device must be held, so text entry and pointing require two or three hands. Most user-interface designers work hard to extend what they know, with the latest attempt focusing on touch screens. Early adopters try many of these devices, but even these motivated users often give up using any advanced features or services and just become familiar with the basic features they use most. The WIMP alone can’t meet the potential of mobile devices to be all-purpose personal digital assistants.

Mobile2IP offers search possibilities

Rating: Find which business just called you

by Tony Dennis

I've just had a very interesting discussion with Shlomo Wolfman, founder of Starhome, as to how mobile operators are sitting on a form of search and advertising which they haven't fully utilised yet. In essence, it  hinges on their own directory enquiry service.

What Starhome can do is take advantage of the standard call log which every mobile phone possesses.  As an illustration, take a missed call. If the number is in the handset's own addressbook, you instantly know who's called.  That's easy.

But if it is not recognised, then why not link straight into the operator's own directory inquiry system? At a touch of button, you could discover whose call you've just missed.

Mobile Voice Search Conference

GoMo News is a media partner with the Mobile Voice Search Conference in San Diego.

Zi Corp licenses eZiText and eZiType to Trolltech

Rating: making it predictive

I have to say since Nuance purchased Tegic the predictive text market has been very quiet. I am not entirely sure that Nuance knows what to do with Tegic – but this opens a huge opportunity for Zi Corp.
ZiCorp also offers a predictive text system an its added Chinese language base for Linux based devices.

Thomson partners with Google on 411 business information

Rating: another brand under threat from Google’s influence

Sorry to sound so skeptical, but Thomson a huge brand in the phone book business has teamed with Google.

Why?
Well its for a one-touch auto-dial GOOG-411 button on to new GE-branded DECT 6.0 Interference free phones.

Should Microsoft have bought InfoSpace not FAST?

Rating: hmmm

I got an email from someone that doesn’t want to be named. Asking me “if Microsoft should have bought InfoSpace”.

This is a very interesting question. So interesting that last night I didn’t sleep that well, because sad old me was thinking about it.

MCN launches mobile search services in Finland with Elisa

Rating: FIVE deployments in FINLAND??

I have to say, I am a amazed that MCN has managed to conquer the Finnish market. MCN is now boasting its fifth deployment in Finland and it powers the search music, games and image services on the Elisa Mobile Portal.

Wapple Canvas arrives, new mobi site again

Rating: a day of mobile SEO first hand

I received an email from Wapple yesterday announcing the original Wapple portal was being phased out and everyone needed to upgrade to the all new Wapple Canvas.

So, bearing in mind we are gearing up to offer Mobile SEO services, I documented the new site creation and the ability to add links, image tags, keywords and general search optimization services.

Nuance technology in 100 consumer products at CES

Rating: it’s nonsense sorry Nuance

Nuance is promoting the fact that at CES its voice services are available in over 100 products. The three key products and mobile phones, In Vehicle entertainment and Personal Navigation devices.

Microsoft (finally makes a wise mobile search move) Buys FAST Search and Transfer

Rating: now mobile search is getting interesting

Microsoft will pay USD 1.2 billion to buy the Norwegian white label online and mobile search solution company Fast Search and Transfer.

According to this source
FAST is profitable and the buy-out is a 42% premium over the current share valuation.

Verizon Wireless Customers Search for Places to Eat, Drink and Sleep Most

Rating: another year - same search results

Verizon Wireless announced the top VZ Navigator(SM) searches of the past year. In 2007, Verizon Wireless customers using VZ Navigator made hundreds of millions of inquiries to help locate one of the 14 million local businesses and attractions in the United States, including hotels, restaurants, historical sites, and more.

CES: JuiceCaster launches Mobile Video Search

Rating: it's free!

JuiceCaster the social networking platform has launched a Mobile Video Search application.
It is a free service that will allow users to watch videos on a mobile phone by texting 84462. The search tool then send the links for the content back on the mobile device; in effect, works like an SMS video search tool. 95% of all devices are compatible for this service.

CES: Yahoo! Go 3.0, Widgets and new home pages

Rating: Don’t Go, Come back

Yahoo has announced several major changes at CES.

Why?

The company hopes to accelerate the growth of mobile.

What are the changes?

VoiceBox Conversational voice search applications

Rating: now I have heard everything…

VoiceBox Connected Services (sounds a bit like Yahoo! Connected life) is a apparently an award-winning innovator of conversational voice search?

WHAT?

The Mobile Search Analyst January 2008

Gripping new analysis on Mobile Search OUT NOW

NEW LOGIN HERE

Video search – timing is all as the ecosystem evolves
Trying to locate and watch videos on a mobile phone is yet another painful and frustrating user experience. In the first instance, various service providers do their best to limit users’ search to the material in their library that they can charge for.

Mobile search face off 2007 – Google, Yahoo! MSN, AOL vs Medio Systems, JumpTap, Infospace, FAST and MCN
Mobile search divides into two streams – the main Internet search brands and white label search providers. The former were undoubtedly the winners in 2007, continuing to gain traction within operators’ portals. However, unlike the preceding year, operators viewed allegiances with the Internet brands more as a me-too, box ticking exercise than, rather than an urgent must-have.

Google lags, ChaCha’s investors blunder
End of year figures concerning Google’s apparently unstoppable rise online make eye-popping reading.

MCN teams with Yahoo! Japan, but what are the implications?
MCN has announced that its Uta Search music service will be available for the Yahoo! Japan search service. Yahoo! Japan Mobile is a subsidiary of Yahoo! Japan, which boasts 100 million page views per day and provides mobile service to the NTT DoCoMo iMode and KDDI/au networks. The two networks collectively have 80m subscribers.

Opera Mini 4: a user’s experience
I got off to a sticky start in my trial of the latest version of Opera Mini because these are the options the site gives you when you go to install it:

Speak up its ASK Mobile Search

Rating: click to speak?

by Bena Roberts

I can’t write anymore. It’s just the start of the year and I fear that there is already too much “rubbish” coming out of the mobile search and services space. First ChaCha powered by humans and soon to launch voice and now ASK voice enabled Click to Speak mobile driving and walking directions.

ChaCha Natural Language SMS mobile search

Rating: ChaCha out of here

by Bena Roberts

I am actually quite surprised at the amount of publicity being thrown at the latest entrant into the mobile search market place. It is ChaCha.

What is it?
ChaCha is founded by Scott Jones and he hopes to provide a natural language SMS search where people can ask real question. So users can type “which petrol station offers the cheapest prices in… ?” or something similar. Questions can be left open ended for an intelligent response.

Motricity completes acquisition of InfoSpace Mobile and lands USD 185 million funding

Rating: good golly

Now, the likes of Medio and JumpTap have won funding for over 30 or 22 million. But good grief, USD 185 million. I feel like flinging my Tennis racquet across the court and screaming “you cannot be serious”.