30-09-2009

Escape Shutter Island with your mobile phone




When Paramount is taking the best seller thriller "Shutter Island" to the movies they are following their mobile strategy and creating yet a great mobile site. On m.shutterisland.com consumers are linked to the future release of Iphone/Ipod Touch game, “Escape Shutter Island” a trivia challenge, in order to link their mobile site to their mobile game. Since its not up on iTunes yet, I cant feature it here.

The mobile site also features movie info, videos, show times, images, chat and downloads.

I think Paramount has done a great job in launching mobile sites for their picture releases. There is room for improvement however. The challenge is as always to get the consumers finding your mobile site. To simplify this process I would like to see a .mobi domain so we can enforce this standard once and for all. The other thing I would like to see is a QR code on movie prints in general in order to make it simple for the consumers to find your campaign.

Android 1.6 Available… For Dev Phone 1!






If you’re an Android Developer or even a random Android enthusiast who picked up the unlocked Android Dev Phone 1 (ADP1) then you’re in luck… you now have access to download Android 1.6 aka Donut! In a tweet by Android Team Member JBQ we are linked to not only the files necessary to do so, but a “How-To” on flashing the phone with the new build. As the page mentions, it will only work on ADP1!



T-Mobile Netherlands to launch Android-powered Pulse October 12




pulse-voorinschrijving
T-Mobile’s got a bit of a thing for Android, and they’re not afraid to show it to the world. Since the fledgling OS debuted on its G1 almost exactly a year ago (Sept. 23, 2008), T-Mobile has launched more Android handsets than all of the other carriers combined – and they’re about to add one more.
It looks like T-Mobile is set to launch (warning: Dutch ahead) their next ‘Droid, the Pulse, on October 12…in the Netherlands. This “new” Android device, manufactured by Huawei, shares the same name (and most of the same hardware) as the pay-as-you-go UK version, but appears to have received a dual-camera upgrade, one for “regular use” (5MP v. UK’s 3.2MP) and one for video calling.
As for the rest of the specs, the folks over at Phandroid have been kind enough to post the English translations.

Ping! (also) brings iPhone-to-iPhone Push Notification Messaging


Ping! is a new free (for a limited time) app that allows iPhone and iPod Touch users to communicate as thread-based instant messaging with push notification capability.
The app does not need to stay active in order to receive incoming text messages. Once download, user set up a name, invite other iPhone, iPod Touch friend owners via email from within the app telling your id.
The app works flawlessly during my test, I could exchange text messages with friends overseas at no extra cost. The UI is simple and intuitive, very similar to the built-in Messaging app; works in both portrait and landscape mode. Linking the Ping! ID to the contact in your Address Book will allow you to see their photo/picture. 
I wish the app would offer mms. (I know I am asking too much!) Ping is available in the Apple App store and is actually number one in the Dutch App Store!

HipCricket Chirps Up Mobile Coupon Service



29-09-2009

Visa to Develop Mobile Payment-Related Services for Android Platform


Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) today announced plans to make mobile payment-related services broadly available to United States consumers by the end of the year. Central to this effort is Visa's delivery of mobile applications for the AndroidTM platform, which will be available for download on Android-powered handsets and initially available to Chase Visa cardholders.
During an introductory period, Visa mobile services that will be developed for the Android platform will first be offered to Chase Visa account holders. Following this initial launch phase, Visa plans to work with additional card-issuing financial institutions to extend availability of its mobile services for Android to their Visa account holders. Visa is also developing a payment application that will enable consumers with Visa accounts to make mobile payments in retail locations nationwide, or while on the go, over wireless networks. Read more on the Visa website: Visa.com

Breaking News: CNN’s iPhone App Does That (And Much More)




The CNN iPhone App, which is now live in the app store [iTunes link], is nothing short of impressive. Only I find it very annoying that it's not available in the European App store!. It combines breaking news with customization, the ability to save stories, streaming video whenever breaking news is in progress, and most intriguing of all, citizen journalism. Download it here [iTunes link] 

MINI takes care of their car owners with a Roadside Assistance app.



Speaking about building relationships with your consumer Mini launched this Roadside assistance application to help out their Mini customers in an emergency situation.

To start off with Mini lets their consumers customize the application to suit their own car with uploading a photo, choosing a name and colour. Users are also prompted to click a button indicating that they are safe before going deeper into the application. One of the features, included in the application, is a car service. When chosen and dialed, the Mini customer service will know where the driver is, the vehicle information and how to quickly assist. With the touch of a button consumers can access service at any time. To get customer feed-back on the application MINI has included a feedback form in the application, which will allow MINI to improve on future releases of the application. Finaly to create a viral effect, there is a possibility to share the application with friend. The application was created in collaboration with AllState and is available in the US for iPhone and BlackBerry customers and can be accessed from  here

Print Publishers Readying Themselves For Mobile. Mobile websites will explode!




It’s been a long time coming, but print publishers are finally embracing new mobile technology and devices and preparing themselves for the quickly growing digital market.  New surveys published recently indicate that print publishers are focusing on the mobile channel as a prime opportunity to expand their brands, reach new mobile audiences and generate much needed additional revenue.
ABC and its digital subsidiary, ABC Interactive, noting an increase in publisher inquiries about auditing and reporting requirements for e-readers and smartphones, as well as membership growth from firms targeting digital publishing markets, conducted a survey entitled “Going Mobile: How Publishers Are Preparing for the Burgeoning Digital Market.”  The survey revealed that many print publishers, together with advertisers, are making huge strides to begin utilizing the mobile distribution channel.

PepsiCo gets the Danes trying Pepsi Max with 2d codes






Advertising on the Danish Rail systems, Pepsi hopes to get consumers engaged through a 2d campaign using ScanBuy technology. A scan of a 2d code on the Pepsi poster would get consumer access to a coupon yielding a free Pepsi Max and information about a concert that Pepsi is sponsoring in Copenhagen this September.


Pepsi seem to have taken 2d/QR codes to heart, as we saw them a while back printing 2d/QR codes on 200 million cans in Europe. This is an easy straightforward way to show consumers how 2d/QR codes can be used. I have been waiting for a while for this industry to really break through in Europe. Get creative and think about how scanning codes makes sense in the campaign you are planning.

Adidas and Marvellous shows London runners that Impossible is nothing




With the success of Adidas mobile running application, MiCoach, their UK mobile marketing campaign targeted to London runners is no surprise. Adidas teamed up with Marvellous to create a campaign targeted to The London Marathon. As a brand building exercise Adidas wanted to inspire runners and spectators to achieve their “impossible is nothing” (Adidas slogan) dreams. The concept came from that runners tend to have family and friends cheering them on while they are running in order to keep them motivated. With this in mind Marvellous created theAdidas Mobile Tracker, which let spectators track their friend or family member participating in the race through their mobile phone. This would build a connection between the runner and his spectators. Adidas Marathon Tracker connect runners to spectators via chips in runners shoe and spectators mobile. Spectators could then send text messages to be shown at large digital screens timed perfectly to the time when the runner passed them. So when the runner passed the large screens he could follow words of support from family and friends. To extend the campaign Adidas let runners link this to their facebook, twitter and own blogs. The campaign was successful in many aspects.


It had over 500.000 interactions in just one day. Great creative work from both Adidas and Marvellous.




Glopos Technology Makes Any Mobile Location-aware



GloPos has launched its software-only positioning technology that makes all mobile phones location aware, whether they are outdoors, indoors, or even underground. GloPos Technology requires only a cellular network to make all mobile phones location-aware. There’s no need for additional GPS or W-LAN hardware on the mobile on a mobile device to achieve accurate positioning.
GloPos' patent-pending, self-learning algorithms calculate an accurate position fix to within 1-40 metres, even in places where no W-LAN access points are available, and places where GPS cannot be usedm, such as subways, underground car parks, airports and exhibition centres. All the technology needs is cellular network coverage. In addition, GloPos Technology does not consume any extra battery life while operating, as cell information is already being used to stay connected.  Gartner predicts that local-based targeting will be one of the main types of mobile marketing set to take off, with the improvement of GPS technology making location-targeting more appealing to marketers

Centrl Teams With NAVTEQ For (Another) LBS



Location-based services (LBS) have become extremely popular in today’s mobile landscape.  Adding the quick rise of mobile social networking with GPS and other location-enabling technologies mean the concept of “location-based mobile social networking” is turning out to be as popular as everyone predicted.  Or is it?
Centrl, who coins themselves as “a location-based social network that lets you share your location with friends, discover the world around you, and learn about money-saving offers,” has teamed with NAVTEQ to utilize its “LocationPoint” advertising solution to help monetize the map-based social network.
Centrl offers a unique user experience by providing a simple Google Map-based user interface that includes simple layers one can use to add things like hyper-local coupon offers, friend’s locations and more.  This simple, map-based structure proved perfect for NAVTEQ’s map-based advertising network

App Store Stats: 85k Apps Available, 2 Billion Downloads So Far!




Apple has announced that the App Store for the iPhone / iPod Touch has now seen more than 2 billion downloads of applications, with a half billion programs in the last quarter alone.
In addition, the company revealed that the total number of apps in the store currently exceeds 85,000, and that they are now available to more than 50 million customers in 77 countries.
AppleInsider does a fine job crunching the numbers. Most noteworthy fact is that the App Store hit 1 billion downloads on April 23 of this year and 1.5 billion last July, which means the rate of daily downloads is quickly accelerating.
Anyone want to make a bet for when the number of downloads will top 3 billion?

25-09-2009

Point, Click, and Lose Weight on the Iphone


foodscanner-sm
I think some women would agree that tracking your diet and caloric-intake is a key part of any good nutrition plan. Electronic calorie counters and food diaries have been around for years, and there is a strong market for these types of applications on mobile phone platforms too. Today, DailyBurn (formerly known as Gyminee) is releasing a new kind of food journal for the iPhone: FoodScanner.

As the title suggests, FoodScanner uses the iPhone’s built-in camera to scan barcodes of food items. Using DailyBurn’s database over 200,000 food products, you can scan what you eat (or what you are thinking about eating) and get the nutritional information and your daily calorie count. If the item you are eating doesn’t have a barcode or if it isn’t in DailyBurn’s database, you can search for the product and select it, or add new foods to the database and add photos and UPC codes.

Amazing Mobile AR Videos from Graz



Bionic Eye app creates augmented reality on your iPhone 3GS

Bored with the same old view of reality? Turns out there’s an app for that. Now you can simply point your iPhone’s camera at an area, and the Bionic Eye app will show you points of interest, subway or bus stops, and other pertinent information about your world around you. You can even use it to find your local coffee place.It looks quite promising: the application uses Google maps and your phone’s GPS to pinpoint your location, and then show you where and how far away points of interest are. If you have an older iPhone or iPod touch, it’ll show you a map, but if you have an iPhone with a camera, just pan the camera around you and it’ll show you a graphic representation of what’s there. While Bionic Eye isn’t the first augmented reality browser, it is the first one (at least, the first official one) for the iPhone/iPod crowd, and definitely looks like fun. I don’t know if I’d use the part where it directs you to a location however, that looks like a good way to get mugged.


Guinness goes mobile for 250th anniversary with iPhone app


six-steps-to-pouring-the-perfect-pint

I recently found out a story about Guinness running a mobile competition with the Metro newspaper in Canada. Based around 2d barcodes, the winner of competition gets a free holiday to Dublin. Not just a once-off, this is part of a consolidated mobile marketing effort on behalf of Guinness another part of which you can see today with the launch of a new iPhone app, the GUINNESS Pub Finder.

perfect-pint-rulerThe pub finder is a beautiful mixture of “have a drink” and “be responsible”. It incorporates GPS, geo-location, email, tutorials on how to pour a pint and a “perfect pint ruler”  but also has a section on DRINKiQ, to let you know how much is enough and how to be responsible. That’s fine, but of most interest is the “Locate a Pint” feature, which gives you directions to the nearest Guinness-serving pub. Once you’ve located a pub, you can then email the address and contact details on to your friends from within the app. Then comes “Know Your Pint”. This has a graphic tutorial on how to pour a pint, and a ruler with which you can measure the standard of your pint: All of that is useless for us Irish people, of course, because we know from birth everything there is to know about Guinness. There is also an “extras” section with facts and wallpapers and other rubbish that people won’t be interested in. I’m liking the mobile focus of Guinness for this campaign. As with many other beer companies, the realisation has come that people are quite likely to pass around their mobile at the pub, so that everyone can have a look at their new app. Pubs are a fantastic location for mobile content to spread viraly, and alcohol producers are starting to take advantage. Although it’s a sad fact that this America-targeted app is completely pointless. Everyone knows you can’t a get a decent pint of Guinness outside of Ireland.

24-09-2009

Vodafone announces their new Vodafone 360 initiative


Vodafone unveils at Picnic Amsterdam its answer to the threat posed by the iPhone and its recent touchscreen imitators with a new service – called Vodafone 360 – that integrates a host of social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, and includes a store of applications that will eventually be available to the company's more than 315 million global customers.
It will replace the Vodafone Live suite of mobile internet services, which was heralded as the company's most important launch ever when it was unveiled seven years ago but has been made to look "tired" by the recent proliferation of mobile applications and the success of devices such as the iPhone, Palm Pre and handsets using Google's Android software. Vodafone 360 is an attempt by the world's largest network to retain the direct connection between mobile phone operators and consumers which these new devices have undermined by allowing users to download their own applications from third-party "app stores", such as the Android Marketplace.

LiMo Foundation, a global consortium of mobile industry leaders also confirmed to launch many more handsets based on the R2 LiMo platform by 2010.



Mobile Engagement at Picnic 09 Amsterdam

Scott Seaborn

Scott Seaborn, Head Of Mobile Technologies, Ogilvy Group UK

Scott has worked in advertising for 15 years and with mobile for the past 10. He began his career in radio then he worked with internet and digital disciplines before concentrating on mobile.


Today, Scott was giving a good presentation at Picnic Amsterdam Event about mobile marketing and how it fits in the total advertising mix. Over the past 3 years Scott’s work with mobile technology has won more than 15 awards including a recent Cannes Lion for a mobile application. Recently, he was described in the press as “one of the few people in the world that know as much about the potential of mobile marketing; he was one of its pioneers. 

EBay generated $400M in business from iPhone app



EBay generated $400M in business from iPhone app:
EBay's John Donahoe was interviewed by Forrester's Patti Freeman Evans
LAS VEGAS – EBay President/CEO John Donahoe said mobile is one of the key areas that the company is focusing on since devices will surely impact the way that consumers shop.
Mr. Donahoe said that the iPhone and BlackBerry devices are already changing consumers’ shopping habits and recommended that retailers change and evolve if they want to compete. He spoke at the Shop.org annual summit in Las Vegas.
“Mobile devices will play a role and the notion of mobility will have a huge impact on ecommerce,” Mr. Donahoe said.

23-09-2009

Credit card terminals for iPhone



It's no secret that the iPhone is much more than just a smartphone. Apple has even started giving iPhones to Apple Store Concierge employees to schedule appointments and manage the store. The ability to complete mobile transactions with credit card terminals is a great use of the iPhone for employees on the go or companies that do home or office calls. Like most applications in the iTunes App Store, there is no shortage of alternatives available for you to try. 
Credit Card Terminal [iTunes Link] - $0.99
This app is pretty awesome. So awesome in fact, that it was featured internationally in an Apple commercial. The 99 cent application offers a (very) cheap alternative to expensive terminals and hardware. With a clean and easy to use interface, users can enter credit card information, complete transactions, and even view and refund past sales. The app also gives you the ability to collect customer information. The developer even offers telephone and email support and will walk you through setup. 

Over 30 Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones to be launched before year-end, says Microsoft executive


More than 30 smartphones running on Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 from a total of over 15 handset vendors are to be launched before the end of 2009, according to Benjamin Tan, senior director, GCR Mobile Team Unit at Microsoft China. Tan revealed the numbers as he met a group of reporters in China recently. Handset vendors which have expressed their support for Microsoft's new mobile OS include HTC (High Tech Computer), Acer, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics (LGE), Sony Ericsson, Toshiba, and Hewlett-Packard (HP), according to market sources in Taiwan. HTC, a long-term partner of Microsoft, is expected to offer two Windows Mobile 6.5-based models, the HTC Tilt2 (HTC Touch Pro2) and HTC Pure (HTC Touch Diamond2) to carriers including AT&T, indicated the sources.

Push Gmail Comes to iPhone and Other Mobiles

One of the best parts of owning a BlackBerry is the instant-access e-mail service. With the advent of push messaging, more and more devices (and mail servers) are starting to offer push capabilities, giving that instant-access BlackBerry experience to other smartphones.
google-sync-pushOne holdout in the push mail space has been Google. Users, especially iPhone users, have requested Gmail and Google Apps mail push support for years, but IMAP (which can be similar, but not as instant) was the best that they could get. But today, Google’s Mobile blog has announced that Google Sync now supports push Gmail!

The service is now working for iPhone, Windows Mobile and 
Symbian S60 devices (BlackBerry users get push mail with their Gmail accounts just by using RIM’s BES or BIS system). Only I regret it doesn't support multiple accounts on my Iphone!

Mobile Buzzed on Starbucks

Starbucks is the latest company to use mobile marketing to engage its customers in creative ways. The Seattle-based coffee giant just unveiled two new iPhone apps. The first one helps you find the closest Starbucks and search calorie and ingredient information for drinks. But the second one is what is getting so much attention.
The Starbucks Card Mobile app isn’t just an easy way to refill your Starbucks card, though it does that as well. What’s really exciting about the app is that in two experimental markets (Seattle and Silicon Valley), the app will use a barcode to replace the plastic gift card.
The Starbucks card app is a test only, and Starbucks isn’t sure when it will be able to roll it out to other markets, if ever. It all comes down to whether the time is ripe for mobile barcode technology in the US. That time is certainly coming close, if it isn’t here already.

Layar adds new dimensions to its platform; first demo at Picnic Amsterdam


Today Layar announced the addition of 3D capabilities to its augmented reality browser platform. With 3D, developers can tag real-life objects with 3D text, place 3D objects in real-world space, and create multi-sensory experiences.  The addition of 3D enables Layar developers to create more realistic and immersive augmented reality experiences for mobile devices.
A demo application has been developed to showcase the power of 3D. Conference attendees looking for “Picnic” in the Android Market can find and download the Android application to their phone to view a virtual exhibition that delivers a multi-sensory experience of reality, augmented by 3D. They will experience the flyby of a jumbo jet, a rocket launch, and be in the middle of an arcade game – all including sound. Conference buildings are tagged with 3D texts and on the lawn several 3D objects are placed such as windmills and 3D “experience domes”. Videos and images of the demo are available at www.layar.com/3D.
How does it work?
Layar 3D makes use of OpenGL, the accelerometer, the GPS and the compass of the phone. Developers can place 3D objects in their content layers based on coordinates. Objects can be optimized in size and orientation to create an immersive and realistic experience. The 3D capabilities support live downloading and rendering of 3D objects. Actions such as “open link” or “play music” can be assigned to 3D objects.





Robotvision Augmented Reality Application for the Iphone

I got an email about this application and was instantly intrigued. I think these type of applications are just crazy! Think… you are walking down the sidewalk on your lunch break and you decide to hit-up a coffee shop but you are feeling adventurous and want to branch out from the one you usually go to so, you whip out your iPhone, open Robotvision and select the Coffee Shop option… you hold up your iPhone and as you walk down the sidewalk it begins to display all the surrounding coffee shops (in your actual “physical environment”)… you turn to the right and it displays the coffee shops that are down that street, you turn to the left and it displays the coffee shops that are down that street.
Robotvision does have a few unique features such as a the ability to get a birds-eye view of Google Maps by tilting the iPhone down, some social media integration (twitter, Flickr… etc) and the ability to get info from Bing. Looks like it will be a pretty cool application. Check out the video demo below.
This application is currently in review by Apple. It will require an iPhone 3GS on 3.1 firmware.
Features:
* Type in anything with Open-ended Search
* Get a birds-eye view from Google Maps by looking down
* Quickly select from popular location categories like Coffee Shops and Tourist Attractions
* Discover rich, social content like Flickr and Twitter, with more on the way!
* Easily jump to more info on Bing like restaurant reviews, call a location or get driving directions
* Touch to select and navigate through items around you
* Set your range with an Adjustable Radius

Demo Video:




18-09-2009

Bloomingdale's fall fashion campaign taps mobile to engage customers in-store



Bloomingdale's
The Bloomingdale's viewing lounge
Department store giant Bloomingdale’s is using mobile for its fall fashion campaign – Lights, Camera, Fashion – and adding an element of interactivity to engage with customers in a new way.
Three to five minute films that were shot and produced entirely in New York over the course of 15 days will be shown in all Bloomingdale’s stores and on the Bloomingdales.com Web site. Shoppers will then have the opportunity to vote for their favorite BFlix film via SMS or Bloomingdales.com.
The campaign also centered around 19 up-and-coming actresses performing a screen test for director Jennifer Venditti. The girls were filmed and photographed in Bloomingdale’s’ contemporary fashions. The results became its contemporary sportswear catalog and two short films which were screened at Bloomingdale’s.com and in stores. That effort let customers vote for their favorite of the 19 girls via SMS or online via a special microsite. 
“The mobile space is exploding and it’s been both exciting and interesting to watch how consumers are interacting with us and even purchasing from their phone,” Ms. Bridges said. “We’re exploring additional opportunities to reach the mobile consumer and ways to incorporate mobile into our online marketing mix.”