TMSFactory Blog » Green Tech

TheTMSway Weekly Radar on Mobile Marketing and Business

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:04:33 +0000

Mobile Coupon use up 119% according to Cellfire

Cellfire has updated its top ten market data for Smart Shoppers using mobile phones to get savings on goods. Cellfire says that its new metrics on coupon use see that the uptake of mobile coupon use is up 119% over the past six months with 94% of metro areas using mobile coupons. Top 10 Markets for Mobile Coupon Usage per Capita:

Magazines use mobile to turn consumers into buyers

“Runner’s World” and “Seventeen,” both leading magazines in their categories, are the first two titles to launch iPhone applications using the NearbyNow platform. The Runner’s World iPhone application “Runner’s World Shoe Shop,” which went live on Aug. 1, includes five different shoe guides, broken out for men and women. The “Seventeen Fashion Finder” by Seventeen Magazine includes numerous features designed to appeal to teenage girls, who outnumber male teenage mobile phone subscribers and who use their mobile phones more than their male counterparts.

FCC should make public Apple, AT&T and Google responses

Has Apple’s rejection of the Google Voice application in its Apple App Store triggered the beginnings of a government investigation that promises more regulation where market forces should endure? A simple reading of the Federal Communications Commission’s three letters to the Apple, AT&T and Google over this affair is enough evidence of official concern over anti-competitive practices.

Apple beginning to view Google as competition?

Apple removed Google Voice from the App Store today since Google is now one of its direct competitors. Mobile industry members argue that consumers should get access to the best possible content regardless of who makes it and it now seems as though Apple is building its very own walled garden. But Apple is now viewing Google as competition and if this continues the competitive landscape may drastically change, especially with the Yahoo /Microsoft deal.

2D or not 2D, that is the bar code question

I first saw 2D bar codes in Britain in 2002. I loved how simple the concept seemed and how seamlessly the process worked when demoed to me on a Sony Ericsson T68i mobile phone, with a camera attachment (remember those?). My fascination for 2D bar codes continued as I saw mass adoption in Japan and the creative ways that marketers and content owners were using them.

Marketers must understand target demographic behavior: Study

Multitasking parents and mobile millennials, or young adults, are the most active mobile Internet users, comprising two-thirds of the mobile Internet user population as a whole, according to a study by Novarra. In a study tracking mobile Internet usage, Novarra found that the best way to create a seamless user experience for the mobile Internet is to track behavior within the different segments of mobile users. Novarra divided up users based on lifestyle and age to understand how and why mobile Internet adoption is taking flight.

Juniper says mobile web 2.0 worth $22.4 billion in 2013

Rating: The role of the prosumer is apparently key. Everybody is talking about mobile web 2.0 but not only has market analyst, Juniper Research, put a figure on it ($5.5 billion), the company has also defined what it actually means by mobile web 2.0. In fact, Juniper is predicting that revenues for mobile web 2.0 will soar almost fourfold in just five years to $22.4 billion in 2013. What Juniper classifies as the mobile web 2.0 includes social networking plus User Generated Content (UGC), and MIM (Mobile Instant Messaging).

Press Release: Green Energy and Network Efficiencies Underpin Opportunity to Radically Reduce CO2 Emissions from Mobile Base Stations by 30% by 2014, says Juniper Research

A new study from Juniper Research claims that Mobile Operators have the opportunity to reduce base station CO2 emissions from 22 Mega tonnes (Mt) today to 15.6MT by 2014 if ‘transformational’ strategies are put in place to reduce both site inefficiencies and non-renewable energy sources. Transformational Strategies. The green mobile base stations report which utilised scenario-based models to derive estimates of base station power consumption…

Five reasons you should be testing email marketing campaigns

There’s an easy way to ascertain an email’s performance in terms of creative, frequency, content and even deliverability and that’s by testing. Yet, according to figures recently released by marketing services firm eROI, just over a third of email marketers neglect to do so. If you’re one of them, here are five reasons that might change your mind.

How to finance a green-tech revolution

If you’re looking to bankroll a green-business revolution, boring old banks and the government are looking just as effective as flashy venture capitalists.

Study: Mobile consumers want info now

When it comes to the Internet, it should come as no surprise to both marketers and publishers that consumers want information as quickly as possible. What is surprising is how much more quickly mobile consumers want news and information. A new report shows that mobile consumers are using handhelds up to 60% more often than they are using laptops.

TheTMSway Weekly Radar on Mobile Marketing and Business

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:56:30 +0000

Batteries set to become $60 billion industry by ‘13

So far in 2009, battery companies have received over $600 million in venture capital funding, compared with $478 million garnered for 2008, according to research analyst Lux Research. The investment isn’t without reason. In a report released Tuesday, Lux predicted that the energy storage market will grow to become a $60 billion industry by 2013.

Facebook Usernames: 50+ Million Claimed and Counting

In a post entitled “Designing the Facebook username land rush,” Facebook’s Srinivas Narayanan reveals the number while explaining the difficulties of building a system capable of handling 200,000 signups in 3 minutes and planning for contingencies (aka the so-called “nuclear option”). These are subjects we actually discussed with Facebook’s Jared Morgenstern and Guy Rom at Facebook headquarters the night of the launch.

All About iPhone In China/Asia, Interview with iPhonAsia

iPhone is so attractive and Asia holds such a huge mobile market. In Japan, iPhone is getting quite popular; nobody knows the exact date yet but we know it is stepping closer to China; it is not very clear about iPhone in South Korea, but at least they are in talk for a long time; and it is already rocking HongKong and Singapore. Recently, we had a great pleasure of interviewing with Dan Butterfield, managing editor of iPhonAsia.

Mobile money roundup: banking, finance and payments in mobile

Here’s a round-up of some of the mobile money stories that have been of interest to us this morning. We’ve got pieces from America, Asia, Africa and India. iPhone check feature: The USAA is a smaller bank in America, serving mostly military personnel. But it has just launched a very interesting product – an iPhone application that allows you to deposit your check through your iPhone. You take a snap of the front and a snap of the back, hit send, and it deposits with USAA. Cambodian mobile banking: Cambodian mobile service provider Smart Mobile and WING have launched a mobile money service. It allows Smart customers to send and receive cash, and make payments, via top-up cards.

Worldwide phone sales drop 6 percent — but smartphones shoot up 27 percent

Low-cost Nokias will probably ensure Nokia’s dominance of the non-smartphone market for another year. But the low end is no longer the place to be. A new report from Gartner says worldwide sales in the second quarter of 2009 dropped six percent from Q2 2008. But phones classified by Gartner as smartphones shot up 27 percent. Many people buying new phones, says the report, want either a QWERTY keyboard or a touchscreen. Still more, though, are buying on price.

Federal Communications Commission seeks answers over Apple rejection of Google Voice app

The Federal Communications Commission late Friday afternoon dashed off three letters to Apple Inc., AT&T Inc. and Google Inc. over Apple’s reported rejection of the Google Voice application for the iPhone. The letters seek detailed information on why Apple is said to have rejected Google Voice and pulled previously approved third-party applications from its App Store (see story). They also want an insight into Apple partner AT&T’s role in the rejection of the Google Voice app, which would offer voiceover IP telecommunications services that directly undercut the carrier’s voice offerings.

Base campaign strategy on target audience’s mobile habits: Forrester

Mobile marketing is gaining momentum even in a down economy, according to a study by Forrester Research. One in four interactive marketers in the United States is currently using mobile and nearly half of these (47 percent) will increase mobile spending this year.

U.S. mobile adoption catching up to Asia, Europe: Study

The United States may be closing in on Asia and Europe in mobile technology adoption, according to a study by Mobtext. The reported boost in consumer adoption of mobile technology means that marketers are approaching the prime time for mobile marketing opportunities. The study found that SMS, MMS, location-based marketing, mobile Web and branded content are the major components of growth in the mobile marketing space.

Entrust, Clickatell partner to enhance mobile security

Entrust Inc. has signed a deal with Clickatell to expand its ability to send one-time-passcodes (OTP) to mobile devices via SMS. Oftern referred to as soft tokens, the partnership for OTPs expands the options available to customers using the Entrust IdentityGuard authentication platform.

Merchants turn to iPhone app to reach tourists

For some local merchants, downtown business development is going mobile. Mobilefringe along with the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (B.I.A.) is launching the Mobile Yonge iPhone application on their m3 platform. The Mobile Yonge application will have the ability to show promotions and events that will appeal to both visitors and residents of the popular Toronto area.

Mobile gaming market to reach $18B by 2014: Study

Due to the growing number of wireless subscribers in emerging markets, the mobile gaming market is predicted to reach $18 billion by 2014, according to a study by Pyramid Research. The predicted $18 billion in growth represents a 16.6 percent growth rate according to Pyramid’s study titled, “Mobile Gaming in Emerging Markets: Five Year Forecast and Impact Analysis.” The study takes the growth of emerging markets and puts it into context with the mobile gaming industry as a whole.

TheTMSway Weekly Radar on Mobile Marketing and Business

admin — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 02:50:17 +0000

Advertising Will Change Forever

In this recession, marketers have learned that interactive marketing is more effective, and advertising less effective, per dollar spent. While budgets for online have decreased, they decreased less than other budgets. Six out of ten marketers we surveyed agreed with the statement “we will increase budget for interactive by shifting money away from traditional marketing.” Only 7% said “we have no plans to increase our marketing budget.”

Smartphone apps: the future of mobile advertising?

NEW YORK – Consumers’ insatiable appetite for mobile applications is driving exponential growth in the space, which creates opportunities for mobile marketers, according to a panel at IAB Marketplace-Mobile. Apple has generated a lot of interest among consumers, who now know that apps are a key part of their mobile experience. Savvy marketers are feeding their hunger and engaging consumers by delivering a mix of in-application advertising and branded mobile apps providing utility and/or entertainment.

China Will Surpass Japan in 2011 to Become Largest Telecom Services Market in Asia

Fueled by mobile penetration into the rural market and by uptake of 3G services, China’s telecommunications market will generate $187 billion by 2014, surpassing Japan to become the largest telecommunications services market in Asia, according to a new report from Pyramid Research.

Do-not-contact registries trump SMS opt-ins in two states

Marketers of spirits, tobacco and other adult-oriented products beware: Even if consumers opt in to an SMS campaign and verify their age, you still might be breaking the law in two states. That is because of do-not-contact programs and related laws in Utah and Michigan. These state programs, which extend to SMS, dictate that marketers who advertise adult products and services such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling and pornography cannot market to any registered phone number or address with those states.

Another record high for mobile in South Korea: Samsung announces Q2 profits

Samsung has surprised analysts by announcing record high sales for the the second quarter this year. This story will be familiar to anyone who saw LGs Q2 profit report. Samsung attributed its huge sales increase not only to greater interest in both mobile phones and TVs, but also to a boost in its memory chip business.

Mass-produced apps comprise one-third of App Store: Study

A new report from Skyhook Wireless shows that mass-produced applications are making up one-third of the Apple App Store’s volume. This research comes from Skyhook Wireless’s July Wireless LBS App report on trends in location-aware apps from the major application stores. The report researched applications from Apple’s App Store, Google’s Android Marketplace, BlackBerry App World, Nokia’s Ovi Store and Palm’s App Catalog focusing on the evolution of location-based application pricing in the two most established stores, Android Marketplace and the Apple App Store.

Do consumers get mobile marketing?

As I sat down to write this article, I polled my wife and kids – three teens, one tween and an eight-year-old) with a simple question: “When was the last time you saw or clicked on a mobile ad or marketing message?” They all looked at me as though I had asked them if their iPods make decent toast.

Samsung Goes Green with “Blue Earth”

Just about everything is going green these days. And from the looks of it, our cell phones are next to get an eco-friendly makeover. After being previewed earlier this year at the Mobile World Congress, Blue Earth, the first “solar charging phone” is preparing for launch by Samsung, the creator of this new device designed for people concerned about the environment. Down to its packaging, this phone is the epitome of “environmentally friendly.”

Mobile Goes Social and Vice Versa

The growing crossover of social media and mobile was highlighted by a pair of separate moves Tuesday involving Research in Motion and Facebook. For its part, RIM has launched MyBlackBerry, a new community site where BlackBerry users can trade views on BlackBerry apps and share tips and tricks relating to the device.

Mobile Goes Social and Vice Versa

Black Americans most active users of mobile internet – Survey By Pewter Internet

56% of all Americans have accessed the internet by wireless means.

An April 2009 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project asked respondents whether they had used a variety of devices – laptops, cell phones, game consoles, and more – to go online using a wireless network. Altogether, 56% of Americans said they have at some point used wireless means for online access.

TheTMSway Weekly Radar on Mobile Marketing and Business

admin — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:04:44 +0000

Rumor Mill: BlackBerry Storm 2 slated for June

Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Storm 2 is going to be launched by Verizon Wireless in June, according to a rumor on the website BlackBerryOS.com.

Asia-Pacific leads mobile marketing and advertising

The Asia-Pacific region leads the world in mobile marketing and advertising, and accelerating growth will see nearly $7.7 billion (and more than $16 billion globally) spent there in 2011, according to a new report.

South Korea Offers A Peek At Mobile Future

What would the mobile future look like? The Nytimes.com takes a look at the widespread appeal of all things mobile in South Korea, where the population, particularly those in their twenties, use their phone for nearly everything.

ABI: Stimulus Bill to Boost Adoption of Wireless Technology

The $6.8 billion slated for wireless communication upgrades and deployments in the next two years will benefit vendors and increase wireless technologies’ penetration into new industries, says a report from ABI Research.

India’s Bharti Airtel Renews Merger Talks with MTN

India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd. and South Africa’s MTN Group Ltd. have renewed merger talks, possibly opening the way for the creation of an emerging markets mobile phone giant with $20 billion in combined revenues, the companies said in statements Monday.

Report: HTC to Sell Android Phone in China

The new HTC phone is a version of the company’s Magic model, unveiled in February, that has been customized to incorporate software from China Mobile.

Samsung Recalls Jitterbug Phones on 911 Issue

The recall involves models SPH-a110 and SPH-a120 with standard keypads and version BB14 software sold after March 1, 2008. No other Samsung wireless phones or software versions are included in this recall, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Businesses call for shift to low-carbon economy

A group of business executives on Tuesday issued a call for action on energy policy, arguing the cost of moving to cleaner energy technologies in the next decade will avert costs from climate change.

Facebook Gets $200 Mil. Infusion

Facebook has received a $200 million investment infusion from the European firm Digital Sky Technologies, placing the company’s value at $10 billion, said Facebook officials.

Mobile banking users to number 53 million by 2013

Mobile banking adoption will increase from 10 million active users in 2009 to more than 53 million active users in 2013–a compound annual growth rate of 51.8 percent–according to a new forecast

Analyzing the Australian Media & Advertising Industry

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the “Analyzing the Australian Media & Advertising Industry” report to their offering. In the advertising scenario, there is a global recession, and it is forecasted that Australia will have a soft 2009, after two strong years of performance. According to market researcher Aegis Media, the advertising industry in Australia will increase 1.7% in 2009.

Mobile Consumers Prepared to Support Green Initiatives

The results of a recent consumer survey conducted in North America by ABI Research suggest that nearly half of those mobile consumers surveyed are somewhat likely or very likely to be influenced by suppliers� green credentials when purchasing services or devices.

Are iPhones Good for Advertising?

It appears that the Apple iPhone, one of the hottest gadgets from one of the most cutting-edge companies in the world, may kick mobile advertising up a notch. According to Brightkite, Inc. and Gfk NOP, iPhone users are more likely to recall mobile ads than non-iPhone users.

Microsoft Aims Big Guns at Google, Asks Consumers to Rethink Search

Microsoft has used attack ads to go after Apple, and now it has Google in its sights. The software giant is set to launch an $80 million to $100 million campaign for Bing, the search engine it hopes will help it grab a bigger slice of the online ad market.

TheTMSway Weekly Radar on Mobile Marketing and Business

admin — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:38:39 +0000

The Department of Energy has earmarked $41.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the development of fuel cell technology. The goal is to create manufacturing and maintenance jobs for Americans who have been laid off from automotive factories and the like

Quickoffice beats Microsoft to the punch with iPhone app for Office documents

Dallas-based Quickoffice has released the first iPhone application suite that lets you view and edit Microsoft Office documents. Available for $19.99 from the App Store, it includes its own versions of Word and Excel it calls Quickword and Quicksheets, as well as file-management services

Green technologies to watch

“We are in a new era of energy innovation,” declared Daniel Yergin last week at a forum on clean-energy policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Seattle , Atlanta And D.C. To Get First Mobile TV Tests

A coalition of TV broadcasters on Monday said they plan to use Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C., as test markets for digital mobile TV services this year.

Spam Harms Environment

According to a Silverpop survey conducted last year, 80% of e-mail recipients felt that spam levels were either about the same or getting worse.

Percent Mobile – find out what percentage of your visits come to you via mobile

The service that Percent Mobile offers is so simple its genius. It is a solution for online websites that tells you what % of your users came to your site via mobile.

Bango Debuts Updated Mobile Analytics v4

Bango has long been known for its advanced mobile analytics solutions, and today marks the release of the newest version- version 4, which takes mobile analytics and visitor tracking to a whole new level.

Social Email Campaigns to Increase Nearly 400% in 2009

A record number of email marketers are planning to bridge the gap between online social networks and their email marketing campaigns, and the number of social email initiatives is expected to grow 367% this year, according to new research

Poll: Today’s Society Too Dependent on Gadgets

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Americans think that today’s society is too dependent upon electronic gadgets, and 39% do not think technology (such as mobile phones, Wi-Fi networks and GPS) really makes people more productive, according to (pdf) a recent Harris Poll

Mobile not one channel, but eight: MobileMix speaker

It was expected. Someone in the audience at the final ad:tech San Francisco MobileMix session had to ask that dreaded question: “Everyone has been saying this is the year of mobile for five years. Is it?”

B2B Magazines Expand Online

Business-to-business (B2B) print magazines have fallen on tough times. While many publishers realize they have to be online in order to survive, they have been slow to take the digital plunge as they struggle to figure out a viable online strategy.

Court of Appeal overturns judgement to privatise PCCW

The Court of Appeal has overturned the judgment of the High Court of Hong Kong to sanction the scheme of arrangement to privatise Hong Kong operator PCCW. The company is disappointed at the Court of Appeal’s decision, given the clear findings and reasons set out for the judgment of the High Court.

China Telecom picks Huawei for 3G CDMA launch

Huawei Technologies has joined China Telecom for the commercial launch of 3G CDMA networks in many of China’s largest cities and regions. Using Huawei’s equipment, China Telecom’s 3G CDMA services are now available in 52 cities