Mobile phone users are on the rise

According to comScore, there are 228 million mobile phone users, and data plan subscriptions are on the rise. Subscriptions are up 37% from last year, with 37.8 million users now subscribing to data plans. Unlimited data plans, those without restrictions to Internet access, account for nearly all of that growth, rising 47.4% from 2007.

But what about local search
People in the mobile industry predict smartphones will dominate by 2014. But what will happen in the interim with mobile local search?
Like other advertising supported services, free directory assistance services offer callers a toll-free number to reach an automated system. They then can ask for a particular business or ask for business recommendations by a location in a city. At the outset, the system plays an advertisement, and there can be other ads later in the call. The system can also provide details to the caller’s wireless phone via text messages.

For those trying to reach mobile users who haven’t upgraded to smartphones, marketing with free directory assistance seems the smart way to go.

What about Google Android in 2009

There will be several mobile devices that run the Google Android operating system.
Android is currently only available on the G1 for T-Mobile, but that will change soon. By the end of 2009, we’ll see more manufacturers using Android on their devices, including Motorola and Samsung. In addition to the G1, HTC will be launching more units that run the operating system in 2009.
The Open Handset Alliance will grow, and more companies will promise to have devices running the open source operating system. The hype around Android will fuel development, and make the Android Marketplace successful.

Advertising on mobile phones seems to be getting through, at last.

MARKETERS have often claimed that mobile advertising is taking off. But this time they could be right. Global numbers are hard to come by, but a leading mobile-advertising firm, AdMob, says the number of advertisements it has delivered worldwide has tripled, and this because many of the obstacles that have held mobile advertising back are going away.



Apple’s iPhone, Google’s G1 and the BlackBerry Storm have solved this problem. They have touch-screens large enough to display the web properly—and advertisements, too.
Faster networks and lower rates also help. Having to wait for an advert to download, while being charged for the privilege, was unlikely to inspire warm feelings about the product being advertised. But with download speeds increasing and flat-rate “all you can eat” data plans, mobile services and applications are becoming more popular—and, increasingly, funded by advertising.

Perhaps most importantly, marketers are starting to work out which types of advertising work on mobile phones. Simple text-messages and banner adverts still dominate, but a more interesting idea is to spread the word using several channels. Amobee, a start-up, allows customers to insert adverts not just into text messages and mobile-internet sites, but also into games and other programs that run on handsets.
Advertising on mobile phones, like that on social-networking sites, presents risk and opportunity. The risk is that it can seem intrusive, since it appears in an intensely personal context. But that is also what makes it so attractive to advertisers—provided they can target their audience without seeming insensitive.

Get AdWords campaign into G1 and iPhone

G1 and iPhone ads have many of the same benefits as standard mobile-format ads, such as allowing you to deliver mobile-specific calls-to-action and reaching your audience when they're on the go. Showing ads on the G1 and iPhone also has additional advantages for your advertising. Users are performing a lot of searches on these devices, and searches are likely to go up during the holiday season. Last Christmas, the iPhone drove more traffic to Google.com worldwide than any other mobile platform.

Read more on Google's mobile blog

Flickr adds mobile video-sharing features

Flickr has "radically overhauled" their mobile video-sharing features in an effort to make the popular video and photo sharing site more easy to use on your phone.

The completely "revamped" m.flickr.com is currently available to users of the Apple iPhone or iPod Touch but will soon be available to any smartphone using Firefox or Opera mobile browsers.

Flickr mobile is still being developed for Nokia N series owners as well as phones using the Android operating platform.

Google Releases Enhanced Maps Features for iPhone

and it requires software update
Google announced today that it has updated Google Maps features for the iPhone. This includes the addition of:
-Street View
-Public Transit
-Walking Directions

"The most eye-catching one is Street View," says Mobile Maps software engineer Joe Hughes. "Apple's silky-smooth implementation makes it a joy to pan around the world. You might wonder why you'd want to look at panoramas of the world while you're already out in it, but I've found it handy for getting an idea of what to look for when going somewhere new. In somewhere like New York, it's also a great way to get your bearings when you pop out of a subway station in an unfamiliar part of town."



The public transit feature includes over 100 cities around the world, offering schedules for transportation systems, and this number is likely to grow as more systems elect to participate.

As an added bonus, you can email info about your location to friends, which can definitely come in handy when you're trying to meet somebody somewhere. To get all of the new features, you have to go to iTunes and update your phone's software. Now some are wondering when these features will become available for Android

Google now Sync for Blackberry

As more of its services are used in business environments, Google started to provide synchronization tools for mail, calendar and contacts, but their launch wasn't timely and they were pretty limited. For example, the Google Calendar/Outlook sync tool is limited to the main calendar, while the Blackberry sync application doesn't upload preexisting events to Google Calendar.

To install the application, visit m.google.com/sync from a Blackberry

The good news is that Google's applications are constantly improving. The sync tool for Blackberry added support for contacts synchronization. "This new functionality will enable you to sync your handheld's built-in address book with your Gmail contacts. This all happens in the background and over the air, so your information is always up to date, no matter where you are or what you're doing," explains Google Mobile blog.

Google Voice Search To The iPhone

The New York Times reports in Friday’s newspaper that Google’s iPhone app will be updated with voice search capability. The move should come as no surprise: The launch of Goog411 in 2007 brought immediate speculation that mobile voice search was on the way, and Google tells the Times that data collection from the Goog411 project helped create this new iPhone service.

Currently 1-800-Free411 is the leader in the ad-supported free directory assistance market.

With the new Google iPhone app, you’ll be able to speak your search query into the phone rather than having to type it out. The Times article explains what happens after you ask your question:

"The sound is converted to a digital file and sent to Google’s servers, which try to determine the words spoken and pass them along to the Google search engine.
The search results, which may be displayed in just seconds on a fast wireless network, will at times include local information, taking advantage of iPhone features that let it determine its location."

New Firefox for Mobile

A modern version of the browser wars of the 1990s could be shaping up, with the battleground being the mobile phone. And there's a new list of contenders: Safari on the iPhone, Internet Explorer Mobile for Windows Mobile, RIM's BlackBerry Web browser, and a version of Chrome for Google's Android phones. Within the next few months, there will be a new entry: a scaled-down, sped-up version of Firefox, called Fennec.

Last week, Mozilla, the nonprofit organization behind Firefox, released an "alpha" version of Fennec, just as the desktop version of its browser reached 20 percent of the market for the first time.

Yellowbook Launches G1 Mobile Application

Local business publisher Yellowbook has launched a new mobile application for the G1, the brand new Android-powered phone. Yellowbook already has apps for Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm, and the iPhone.
If you want to download it to your phone, follow these instructions:
1. Tap the Browser icon on the home page.
2. Tap Go to URL.
3. Enter yellowbook.com in the URL bar.
4. Tap Go.
5. Tap the pictures of the phones on the lower right side of the page.
6. Expand the screen to view instructions for this phone, located at the top right.
7. From your phone, TAP HERE to start the download process.
8. Follow your phone prompts for downloading the application.
For more information on Yellowbook's mobile apps, visit http://www.yellowbook.com/iphone-windows-mobile-blackberry/.

Google Android and Open-Source

When Google announced Android, its software platform for mobile devices, it released an SDK for developers to work with, but it also promised to eventually release the code under an open-source license. Today, Google and its partners in the Open Handset Alliance did exactly that. You can now download the code and help Google and its partners to develop it further. The source code has been released under the Apache 2.0 license and consists of the complete codebase of Android, including all the libraries, media codecs, and applications.

The timing of this announcement coincides with the release of the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, which will go on sale tomorrow.

Apache License

The Apache License allows developers to distribute and modify the source code in any way they want, and developers are not required to distribute the new code under the same license. The new license does not even have to be an open-source license, which will give companies the option to develop their own, proprietary platforms on the basis of Android.


iPhone and Android Compete for Developers

It will be interesting to see where developers will take the Android platform now that they have full access to it. We have already seen the release of quite a few very interesting programs for Android in anticipation of the G1 launch.
This announcement also sets Google apart from Apple, which is trying to keep complete control over its iPhone platform. While most users probably don't care about the politics behind the scenes, the Android platform might siphon off quite a few developers from the iPhone - especially given Apple's erratic behavior around including applications in the iTunes store lately.

T-Mobile G2, another Google Android Phone

With the launch of the T-Mobile G2 hitting stores, on October, 22 people are already asking what the next Google Android will look like. The new phone will obviously be called the G2, and one thing is certain, it should be able to learn from the G1 and become one of the best handsets on the planet.

Our friends over at Phones Review have managed to get hold of some mockup photos of the T-Mobile G2, and boy do they look good. Who would have thought that people would stop talking about the G1 for a bit and start talking about what the G2 will be like.
Phones Review tell us that the new T-Mobile G2 will have less dead space, will be flush, have a tilting screen with twice the resolution. With Google throwing its weight behind the phone, it should have some of the best software on any handset.

Slashdot | Motorola To Hire 300 Android Developers

Slashdot | Motorola To Hire 300 Android Developers

Google's Android is starting to see more industry support. Motorola recently announced plans, despite hardships within the company, to hire 300 Android developers. Quoting: 'A quick search of Motorola's job openings suggests that, indeed, Android is set to become a permanent fixture at Motorola, which has long built Linux-based phones but hitherto used MontaVista's Mobilinux.

Move from an internal development pool of 50 Android-savvy developers to 350. Motorola, recognizing that most developers won't have deep experience with Google Android, is looking for a somewhat general skillset ... Java and Google Android programming experience is listed as "highly desirable," but not required

IBM Offers Lotus Notes For Apple's IPhone

IBM Offers Lotus Notes For Apple's IPhone

IBM said Tuesday it was making its Lotus Notes tools, including email and calendar applications, available for Apple Inc.'s iPhone. The latest version of Notes would allow customers to access the software via the Safari browser on the iPhone.

The iPhone, has begun to attract the interest of corporate customers as a competitor to Research In Motion Ltd.'s (RIMM) BlackBerry device, since Apple launched a software developers' kit allowing anyone to develop applications for the phone and making it easier for the phone to be connected to corporate IT systems. Network operators have begun offering corporate tariffs for the iPhone.

Developing Applications for Android

Developers can create applications for the platform using the Android SDK.

Applications are written using the Java programming language and run on Dalvik, a custom virtual machine designed for embedded use, which runs on top of a Linux kernel.
A beta version of the Android SDK is available for download. Along with the Android framework and application libraries, it includes sample projects with source code, a device emulator, and development tools for monitoring and debugging your code and GUI layout.

Android, for publishers and advertisers

Google and T-Mobile officially unveiled the new G1 – the first Android powered mobile phone.

What does it mean for publishers and advertisers? In short, more exciting mobile opportunities. Powerful devices that open the door to the possibilities of mobile for consumers are a key factor in growing both usage and engagement with data services. But they are not the only factor. Dramatically increased usability of devices, greater processing power, and faster network speeds have also played a role in pushing the industry forward.
Openness is another big factor and the launch of Android and the G1 will add velocity to an important trend in mobile. We are watching the progression from tight industry control over the data services to the open access that I believe will drive the future of mobile. We’ve seen that as devices become more powerful and open, data usage skyrockets. The iPhone was the first real proof point. The dramatic increase in consumer adoption, usage and engagement with data services on the iPhone shocked many people and opened a lot of eyes.
This pent-up consumer demand has lead to the explosion in the range of content and services available on mobile devices that we see today. Developers, small publishers and big media companies are taking advantage of this opportunity and embracing the mobile platform as a way to deliver great experiences for consumers. For advertisers it is expanding their ability to reach engaged mobile consumers in rich environments with unique functionality that other platforms can’t match.
As these great user experiences drive greater usage companies can deliver even more highly relevant ads. We can also create new interactive advertising formats that take advantage of the capabilities and mobile context of these powerful new open devices.

The new Googl Phone called the G1is here.

The new Google (GOOG) phone, called the G1, made its long-awaited debut on Tuesday in New York, officially marking the arrival of Google to the big-stakes game of global wireless.

T-Mobile is the first U.S. carrier to offer the device, which will cost $179. Consumers must sign a two-year contract for data and voice. Data plans will start at $25 a month. The device won't be available until Oct. 22, but buyers can pre-order on T-Mobile's website.

What does this mean to you, dear Search Engine Marketers and Website Owners? It means that you have to start paying attention to the mobile internet.

You'll need mobile versions of your websites. And I don't mean with .mobi extensions, no, you'll need the ability to know what device your visitors are browsing from - whether it's an iPhone, G1 or other device - and be able to send them to a mobile-friendly site accordingly.

The mobile site will need also to compatible with the mobile browsers. G1 will be using a browser built on Webkit, something Chrome uses too. Developing mobile applications that reside on the phone itself will become a marketing tool all on its own.

Mobile will advance all of these initiatives. iPhone got the ball rolling. But G1 may just take it to the next level, if for no other reason but reaching those, who, for whatever reason (phone contract, pricing, touch-screen only, etc) are not on board with the iPhone.

Are you ready?

The First Android Phone Will Be Launched Next Week

The First Android Phone is Launched

T-Mobile USA plans to begin selling the first smart phone powered by Google Inc.'s new mobile software late next month, according to people familiar with the matter, facing off against Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry with a device that blends aspects of both.

While some wireless companies working with Google's Android mobile software have hit delays, the T-Mobile phone is coming out on schedule. Backers are optimistic Android-based handsets can take sales from rivals.

T-Mobile USA is introducing the high-profile device as it begins to upgrade its network nationwide to support third-generation broadband services. Google hopes that hundreds of phone models will be built around Android, giving the company another way to deliver advertisements and drive revenue.
The phone will be available at the end of October, but you can see a demo from Google Developer Day in London.

Official Google Mobile Blog: New magical blue circle on your map

Official Google Mobile Blog: New magical blue circle on your map

Last November, Google introduced its My Location feature in Google Maps for Mobile. It uses cell tower IDs to triangulate the location of the phone and then identifies that location on the Google Maps interface. With a bit less precision, it essentially does the same thing that GPS does: eliminate the need to enter a geomodifier to find things nearby.

Get ready for mobile social networks

Get ready for mobile social networks

Mobile social networking makes sense because mobile devices are personal and they are taken everywhere, offering the potential for transmission of quick ideas or images. Mobile social networks will (and some already do) put video, GPS, text, voice and collaboration into the palm of a user's hand.

For example, a business traveler at a conference in an unfamiliar city could be walking past an appealing restaurant. Using mapping and location technologies, the traveler could almost instantly send a quick note to 10 friends in her workgroup to "meet here in 15 minutes for a meal." Or the hungry traveler could record a video of herself standing in front of the restaurant and send the video clip along with the message so her workgroup friends would know what kind of restaurant to expect.

The future of mobile social networks became a major topic of discussion in seminars and forums at the CTIA trade show this week. Device manufacturers, network operators and social network providers debated how the services will be paid for and by whom, and what steps must be taken to protect user privacy and safety.

Mobile social networks have not been widely adopted in the U.S., where between 5% and 10% of mobile users are participating, said Karsten Weide, an IDC analyst who spoke on a panel about the trend. But Weide said the number of users could easily double in a year, given the amount of interest in the concept by so many industry players. Adding to the reason for optimism, prominent vendors, including Verizon Wireless and Nokia Corp., announced a variety of tools at CTIA to help users aggregate social networks into a single interface.

Will Chrome go to Android?

By Odd J. Vik

If you don't know what Google Android is you should, I recommend you look it up. If you are one of those brave souls that downloaded the new Google Chrome browser then you will be happy to know that Chrome will most likely be the browser of Android mobile phones according to Google developers.



With three major players—Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Mozilla’s Firefox and Apple’s Safari—fighting the latest iteration of the browser wars, Google is set to elbow its way into the game today with Chrome, the search giant’s new, open-source software for browsing the Web.

Chrome will be a pretty aggressive piece of software. Since each new tab is effectively running a new program, the overall application will consume more and more system resources with each tab you launch. Google has amassed an army of talented programmers who put a premium on architectural simplicity. So we’re assuming this will be done with a degree of elegance. But by giving each tab in its own process, Chrome should allow Java and Flash developers to design their applications to a higher level of complexity, knowing that a glitch in their Web app will not bring down the entire browser. And if your browser can run the most sophisticated new Web applications and your competitor’s can not, that’s a pretty compelling reason for people to switch browsers




Optimized browsing is a dangerous game. If Google Apps starts to work better in Chrome than in Internet Explorer and Firefox, then I’m just as likely to stop using Google Apps as I am to start using Chrome exclusively, and I doubt this will happen. Chrome is based on the open-source WebKit architecture, and Google claims that its code will be open source, so it’s unlikely that the company is trying to corner the market on browser functionality, since innovations are eminently copyable. Instead, I’m guessing that Google will try to use its new browser to steer the direction of Web development. That’s a mighty big ship to steer, and one that tends to find its own path. And as that all plays out, Chrome will take its place as one of many browsing tools in the collective Web arsenal

Verizon Wireless Discusses a Mobile Search Deal With Google - NYTimes.com

Verizon Wireless Discusses a Mobile Search Deal With Google - NYTimes.com

Verizon Wireless and Google, two industry Goliaths that have seen each other as potential rivals, are discussing a partnership that would give Google’s search service a prominent spot on the screens of Verizon phones, according to people briefed on the talks.

The discussions are being spurred by the growing popularity of sophisticated devices like the iPhone that have simplified Web searching on mobile phones. New phones like those based on Google’s Android software, and models coming from Research in Motion and others, are likely to accelerate the trend.

Free Preview - WSJ.com

Verizon, Google Close To Mobile Search Deal

Verizon, Google Close To Mobile Search Deal from the Wall Street Journal reports that Google and Verzion are close on a deal. The deal would make Google the default search provided for Verizon mobile devices. In the past, Verizon and other mobile carriers were reluctant to let Google or other search companies invade this space, but that might be over with.

The Wall Street Journal says Verizon wants Google to create a new search platform that would be a one-stop shop. In exchange, Google would share the ad revenue with Verizon under this platform. The details of the deal are not complete yet.

Introducing the Android Security Team - Android Security Announcements | Google Grupper

Introducing the Android Security Team - Android Security Announcements | Google Grupper

Developers of Android, the Linux mobile platform spearheaded by Google Inc., are asking security experts for input.

The latest software development kit for Android was released earlier this week and plans are for the 1.0 version of the operating system to be shipped on mobile phones later this year.

Security is a priority. "As you may expect, building and maintaining a secure mobile platform is a difficult task," wrote the Android Security Team.

T-Mobile to Offer First Phone With Google Software - NYTimes.com

T-Mobile to Offer First Phone With Google Software - NYTimes.com

Smartphone Is Expected via Google from the New York Times reports that T-Mobile will be the first carrier of the Google's Android powered mobile phone.

HTC is the manufacturer of the phone's hardware, while Google is heading up the software for the phone. The phone is expected to launch as early as October, well before the Christmas holiday season. It is expected that we'll hear Google announce the details of the phone sometime in September, according to the New York Times.

Sprint has also been working with Google, but has not yet confirmed when they will officially service the phone. AT&T and Verzion Wireless have both not made a commitment to provide service for the phone.

Google has officially confirmed the phone is coming this year.

WordPress on iPhone

If you have an iPhone, and you are a blogger? Then you're going to love this news - there's now a WordPress app for iPhone available for download from the iTunes App Store. The software lets you update your WordPress blog from anywhere. We're not forgiving Apple for that MobileMe nonsense just yet, but we have to admit, this is pretty good stuff.
The new WordPress App for iPhone supports both WordPress.com installations as well as self-hosted Wordpress.org blogs that are version 2.5.1 and above.

The app includes the following features:
- Embedded Safari previews of posts
- Full support for tags & categories
- Photo support for both camera phone pics and library photos
- Support for multiple blogs
- Ability to password protect a post, save as draft, or mark for later review
- Auto-recovery feature recovers posts interrupted by phone calls
More info at iphone.wordpress.org

JumpTap Adds New York Office in Growing Mobile Search Market [SearchEngineWatch]

JumpTap Adds New York Office in Growing Mobile Search Market [SearchEngineWatch]

The mobile search world paints a slightly different picture of the distribution of search providers. Yes, we have the big guns as the dominant forces in the mobile search marketplace. But many of the carriers view the big search companies as rivals, and have opted to partner with lesser known.. continue to read.

Google, Facebook Release iPhone Applications | WebProNews

Google, Facebook Release iPhone Applications

Whether you love the device or hate it, stories about the iPhone are going to be hard to escape for a few weeks. Google and Facebook appear to fall into that first category, and have added to the hubbub by releasing iPhone-specific applications.

iPhones are able to browse the Web, of course, so at first glance, these apps look a little bit redundant. Their existence speaks to the popularity of the iPhone, though, along with corporate desires to please the device's user base. And the apps do offer a few new tricks.

Macworld | The iPhone 3G: What you need to know

Macworld | The iPhone 3G: What you need to know

With the iPhone 3G’s release just days away, it’s time to revisit the pressing questions relating to Apple’s next-generation phone. We still don’t know everything about this forthcoming iPhone 3G—and probably won’t until we’ve picked one up on Friday morning—we do know more than we did immediately after Steve Jobs previewed the iPhone 3G at last month’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

How much faster is it than the current iPhone?

AT&T says that the iPhone 3G will have typical download speeds as high as 1.4Mbps versus average data speeds between 75Kbps and 135Kbps on its EDGE network. During Steve Jobs’s keynote, it took 21 seconds to load a graphics-heavy Web page using 3G versus 59 seconds on EDGE. Similarly, an e-mail attachment took 5 seconds over 3G and 18 seconds on EDGE.

Of course, Macworld contributor Glenn Fleishman pointed out in his 3G guide last month that comparing 2G and 3G browser and e-mail attachment loading times isn’t the most revealing exercise. The most important thing to know about 3G is that data transfer speeds will likely be faster than what iPhone veterans are used to—and more important, that there’s room for 3G to grow.

Google Maps For Mobile Gains Voice Search | WebProNews

Google Maps For Mobile Gains Voice Search | WebProNews

The feature is experimental, and for better or for worse, current tests will limit participation to American owners of the 8110, 8120, and 8130 BlackBerry Pearl models. If you're one, you only need to press "0" to center your map view and then hold "the left-side key . . . while you say the name or type of business you're looking for" to get some results, according to a post on the Google Mobile Blog.

You should cross your fingers, as well - some promises of improvements may not say much about the technology's current state - but the feature's likely to spread, and this is an important step forward for Google.

Google Improves Search For Blackberry Devices

Google Improves Search For Blackberry Devices

Small Businesses Making More Use Of Smartphones

Small business owners are realizing the necessity to stay connected.
Simple access is one thing, but the real power comes from enabling businesses with applications that keep mobile work forces in touch with inventory data, customer relationship information, and other enterprise data.
While AMI says 84% of BlackBerry owners and 68% of Palm owners use their smartphone to access e-mail, these are viewed as "basic" services. Small businesses really are interested in the meatier stuff. AMI noted, "Business applications such as location-based (field service/delivery) and CRM applications are becoming the trend. Thus, pricing plans from telecom service providers are crucial when it comes to driving adoption...

Given the above, partnerships between mobile manufacturers and telecom service providers have been a key to driving adoption."
In other words, if the price is right, small businesses will bite.

Nielsen: Google Already Dominant In Mobile Search

Nielsen: Google Already Dominant In Mobile Search

Nielsen Mobile is reporting that Google leads rivals Yahoo and Microsoft in mobile search by margins comparable to those on the desktop.
Here's how mobile search market share breaks out according to the audience measurement firm:

1. Google (61%)
2. Yahoo! (18%)
3. MSN (5%)

Nielsen also reported the following mobile search usage frequency:
* Google: 9 searches per month
* Yahoo! 6.7 searches per month

Google Mobile Advertising on the Content Network - Search Engine Watch

Google Mobile Advertising on the Content Network - Search Engine Watch

Now you know the steps necessary to create your first mobile search ad campaign. You also know that it doesn't require creating special mobile versions of your site because the user action is to click on an ad that automatically places a phone call to your business. Today, we'll pull the spotlight off search and focus on the steps necessary to create a mobile ad campaign that displays banner ads on Google's mobile content network.

This campaign also won't require mobile Web site design, because clicks on the ad will be directed to a Google-supplied mobile-friendly page describing your business. This is really sweet because Google provides lots of space on that page for you to describe your business, competitive advantages, etc., as well as a clickable link that lets potential customers call you immediately. Such ads are ideal for businesses that rely on phone calls to start or close a sale -- fast food restaurants or professional services, for example.

Location-Aware in Google Maps for cellphones

Google Opens Application to 3rd Party Developers
Last year, a Google maps for mobile upgrade included the "My Location" feature. It allows users to find out where they are even if their phones don't have GPS. Now Google is opening up the application to 3rd party developers.
My Location uses cell phone towers to approximate the location of a cell phone user. Google mobile team explained:
"If the phone has GPS, the Maps application on the phone sends the GPS coordinates along with the cell ID to the Google location server. Over millions of such updates, across multiple phones, carriers, and times, the server clusters the GPS updates corresponding to a particular cell ID to find their rough center. So when a phone without GPS needs its own location, the application on the phone queries the Google location server with the cell tower ID to translate that into a geographic location, i.e., latitude/longitude coordinates."
Gears for Windows Mobile and Android already have location APIs, and Google says they expect to see the My Location API implemented on the Apple iPhone applications as early as this month, as Apple launches their highly anticipated store for iPhone apps.

Internet Marketing
Online Annonsering

FAQ: Meet the new iPhone 3G

FAQ: Meet the new iPhone 3G

Jobs spent several minutes bragging about the new iPhone's faster speeds, and at one point said it was "approaching Wi-Fi" in performance. In fact, one slide said a file attachment that would take 59 seconds to download over EDGE would take just 21 seconds using 3G. That makes 3G about 2.8 times faster than EDGE.
The same attachment, said Jobs, would take 17 seconds to download using a wireless hotspot.

Internet Marketing
Online Annonsering

Google Mobile Advertising: Start Now! - Search Engine Watch

Google Mobile Advertising: Start Now! - Search Engine Watch

For many advertisers, dipping a toe into mobile advertising means facing the complicated prospect of creating special versions of their web sites. Different carriers and phone manufacturers require a bewildering array of protocols and markup languages. Google provides some mobile site resources for sorting out the options, but fortunately there are alternatives to creating mobile sites that can get many advertisers started without any time-consuming, expensive web development.

Official Google Mobile Blog: Get bus and train directions on the go with Google Maps for mobile

Official Google Mobile Blog: Get bus and train directions on the go with Google Maps for mobile

Ever since Google Maps added public transportation directions for San Francisco, it's been a lot easier for me to figure out which buses and trains will get me where I'm going around town, so that today's gas prices take less of a toll on my wallet. Even so, I've often found myself wishing that I had an easy way to get transit directions while I'm out and about.

Mobile Web 2.0

By Odd J. Vik

Where are we at the moment in the mobile Web area.
Mobile Web 2.0, which includes cell phone-based blogging, multimedia sharing, location-based socialization services, gaming and chat, according to new research.
Five major types of mobile social networks dominate the landscape
• SMS messaging networks
• Friend/community networks
• Personal content networks (photos and blogging)
• Location-based social networks
• Dating networks
The total number of global mobile social network users will jump from 525 million this year to 975 million in 2012.

Microsoft to Introduce Advertising in Live Search Mobile

Microsoft to Introduce Advertising in Live Search Mobile

Now, Microsoft has laid down its plans for the introduction of advertising for Live Search Mobile. Currently, this service is in 'Beta Mode' and available to United States advertisers only. However, Microsoft is optimistic about expanding the service in 2008.

Microsoft has also introduced display advertising on Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Hotmail products.

According to Brian Arbogast (Corporate VP, Mobile Services, Microsoft), "In today's connected world, the mobile device is emerging as a prime opportunity for advertisers to reach their audience. This announcement is evidence of our commitment to providing advertisers with further opportunities to connect and engage consumers throughout their 'digital day' " at home, at work and on the go across multiple platforms, devices and geographic regions."

For those interested to apply for this program can sign up here.
http://advertising.microsoft.com/adcenter-beta-pilot-signup

Internet Marketing

Social Networking on Mobile Phones is Hot in the UK [SearchEngineWatch]

Social Networking on Mobile Phones is Hot in the UK [SearchEngineWatch]

Nielsen has released data showing the popularity of social networks being used via mobile phones in the UK. Here are three key takeaway points:

* Almost half (44%) of UK mobile phone subscribers belong to an online social network. Of this group, one in four (25%) use their mobile phone for social networking-related activities
* Around 812,000 Britons each month, or 1.7% of all UK mobile subscribers, visited a social networking website using their mobile during the first quarter of 2008
* Facebook is the most popular site for mobile social networking, being visited by over half a million Britons (557,000) from their mobiles, or 9% of all UK Mobile Internet subscribers.

Internet Marketing
Online Annonsering

DoubleClick Mobile Integrates with Mobile Ad Networks [SearchEngineWatch]

DoubleClick Mobile Integrates with Mobile Ad Networks [SearchEngineWatch]

Just one week after Google announced mobile image ads, the newly acquired DoubleClick is announcing the integration of its mobile ads with mobile ad networks. The networks are AdMob, Google Adsense, and Millenial Media's Mbrand and Decktrade networks.

"This integration is a great example of how DoubleClick is working with key industry players to bring value to publishers by enhancing the liquidity of mobile display inventory," said Ari Paparo, group product manager for DoubleClick products. "We believe that the ability to sell mobile inventory directly and indirectly will provide mobile advertisers with more options, ultimately leading to better monetization for publishers."

Internet Marketing
Online Annonsering

Google Image Ads: Display Ads For Mobile

Google Image Ads: Display Ads For Mobile

Yesterday Google announced mobile image ads. The ads are displayed on the mobile sites of publishers that are participating in AdSense for mobile (or that opt-in to the new program). Mobile image ads are created in users' AdWords accounts and require more or less the same type of setup as traditional AdSense ads. The image ads are keyword targeted, priced on a PPC basis and must be associated with a mobile URL (rather than an HTML page), so a mobile site or landing page is a prerequisite to participating in the program.

From Internet Marketing

Mobile advertising hits wireless Web first - CNET News.com

Mobile advertising hits wireless Web first - CNET News.com

As mobile operators take the slow road toward adding advertising on cell phones, big media brands with mobile Web sites are fast-tracking plans to add advertising to those sites.

Fox News announced Monday that it is partnering with Third Screen Media to help it inject advertising throughout its mobile properties. Initially, Third Screen Media will insert banner advertising on Fox News' mobile Web site. While no further plans have been announced, Fox News will likely add video advertising and other forms of advertising using Third Screen's technology at a later date.

Inernet Marketing
Online Annonsering

Mobile Tech News -- Opera Mini for Android, Half Off IM+ for BlackBerry, RSS Feed

Mobile Tech News -- Opera Mini for Android, Half Off IM+ for BlackBerry, RSS Feed

Opera Mini Already Available for Android

Opera Software has released a technical preview of its Opera Mini web browser for smartphones running the Android operating system.

Naturally, this can't be a regular release, as devices running Android won't be on the market until later this year. Still, the company invites the Android development community to test this early version and share feedback with Opera for the forthcoming beta.

For more information or to download the Opera Mini for Android technical preview, visit: http://labs.opera.com/

Mobile Advertising to spike from $1.7 billion to $2.7 billion in 2008

Mobile Advertising to spike from $1.7 billion to $2.7 billion in 2008

A new research report from Gartner on the state of mobile advertising worldwide has predicted huge growth in the industry in 2008, stating a 58% increase in revenue from $1.7 billion to $2.7 billion.

The report also predicts a $12.8 billion industry by the end of 2011.

Tole Hart, research director at Gartner, explains: “Innovative developments, such as minimising the number of keystrokes required to access information, using the phone’s camera to improve the overall user experience and tying content or shopping location relevancy to advertisements will move the market forward.”

Internet Marketing

Online And Mobile Ad Spending Reached $29 Billion In 2007 | WebProNews

Online And Mobile Ad Spending Reached $29 Billion In 2007

U.S. spending on online and mobile advertising increased to $29.9 billion in 2007, according to PQ Media's "Alternative Media Forecast: 2008-2012" report.

The firm said 18 digital and non-traditional media segments, accounted for 16.1 percent of total advertising and marketing spending in 2007, up from 7.9 percent in 2002.

"By 2012, we anticipate one out of every four dollars spent on advertising and marketing will be earmarked for alternative media," said Patrick Quinn, President and CEO of PQ Media. "Alternative advertising and marketing media are driving a new media order that presents vast opportunities for industry stakeholders, but also key challenges for some of the fastest-growing digital media segments."

Internet Marketing

Microsoft Yahoo Announce Mobile Moves

Microsoft Yahoo Announce Mobile Moves

Both Microsoft and Yahoo announce big moves in the area of mobile and mobile search today.Microsoft plans to upgrade its mobile Internet Explorer browser, according to an announcement released yesterday (no word on whether thats just prank, though). Microsofts press release states that this will bring...

HEXUS.lifestyle - Press Release :: Consumers Demand Personal Touch from Mobile Advertising : Page - 1/1

HEXUS.lifestyle - Press Release :: Consumers Demand Personal Touch from Mobile Advertising

New research from T-Mobile into mobile advertising trends has found that advertisers should be investing in mobile advertising as well as traditional advertising media, but only if they are willing to meet consumer demand for more relevant and personalised content. The research highlights that consumers are open to new forms of mobile advertising only if it is tailored to their specific needs and on their own terms. This applies to services they interact with and the information they seek, to actually giving them something in return for their time. Brands need to rethink their approach to mobile advertising, as consumers believe advertisements need to be more creative and cutting edge when appearing on mobile.

Internet Marketing

Yahoo Introduces Wide Range Of Mobile Search Improvements

Yahoo Introduces Wide Range Of Mobile Search Improvements

(Yesterday, Microsoft announced that voice search capabilities were being expanded for Live Search.)

Yahoo is also opening up mobile search in the same way it has on the desktop with Search Monkey (the unofficial name). Ott told me that publishers and site owners could do this once for both desktop and mobile or they could do something separate for mobile as well. (Think: dynamic feeds that repond to mobile use cases.) According to Ott, this will likely impact (though not determine) mobile search rankings.

New Report Forecasts That Worldwide Mobile Marketing and Advertising Spending Will Reach $19 Billion by 2012

New Report Forecasts That Worldwide Mobile Marketing and Advertising Spending Will Reach $19 Billion by 2012

2007 may not have been "the year of mobile marketing," but with the iPhone launch and other under-the-hood improvements, mobile marketers moved past the experimental stage. Still, compared to other interactive platforms, in 2008 mobile will remain small in overall spending.

The Mobile Advertising report analyzes the changes that must occur before this nascent channel becomes a full-blown advertising medium around the globe.

eMarketer forecasts that worldwide mobile marketing and advertising spending will reach $19 billion by 2012

200 million cellphone users hit by SMS spam tidalwave in China

200 million cellphone users hit by SMS spam tidalwave in China

Sophos's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have warned of the rising nuisance of spam sent to mobile phones as China Mobile issues an apology after nearly half of China's cellphone users were sent unwanted junk text messages this week.

According to media reports, China Mobile blamed management loopholes that allowed seven online advertising firms, reportedly including NASDAQ-listed Focus Media, to send unsolicited SMS messages yesterday to over 200 million users.

From Online Annonserings Artikkler

Mobile Advertising Growing Despite Questions - CIO.com - Business Technology Leadership

Mobile Advertising Growing Despite Questions - CIO.com - Business Technology Leadership:

"Advertisers are just beginning to get their feet wet in mobile advertising, but there's a lot of splashing going on, according to some people in the industry"

From Online Annonsering

Mobile Internet boom imminent, study says

Mobile Internet boom imminent, study says

The mobile Internet is finally reaching a tipping point," said Forrester analyst Pete Nuthall.

Currently, under half of 3G phone owners use mobile Internet on their phone. "To drive the mobile Internet, operators will need to push flat-rate data plans, increase the number of relevant services and applications, and introduce new devices that provide a better user experience.

A major issue in mobile Internet is establishing common standards between service providers. In December, IDC predicted that the advent of mobile broadband this year would push mobile network operators to open their networks to a wide range of devices, not just those offered by the carriers themselves. It added that there would be an explosion in the use of several different Web gadgets that would "bridge the gap between PCs and smart phones.

From Internet Marketing and Online Annonsering

Mobile Internet Is Coming, For Real, "this time".

The mobile Internet is finally for real. Statistics say there are more mobile phones in the world than PCs. After years of hype, the category is showing signs of real usage.

One of the most important mobile content categories – if not the most important – is local. People want "on the go" access to maps and directions, places to stay, shop and eat, and things to do. In addition, they want to be able to communicate and share that information with others. These interests and needs form the basis for the concept of "local mobile search." However, as complex as local search is today, local mobile search is that much more challenging.

The central task of local mobile search and mobile content delivery is masking the complexity of all the moving parts and getting the user experience to drive adoption. The imperative is to make it simple for ordinary people to access the content they want, when they want it, on the go. There are a host of companies now engaged in solving those problems, in an accelerating race for the spoils of the mobile Internet.

From Internet Marketing and Online Annonsering

Umbrella News - -

Umbrella News - -

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said Thursday he expects the next decade to bring even greater technological leaps than the past 10 years.

In a speech to the Northern Virginia Technology Council, Gates speculated that some of the most important advances will come in the ways people interact with computers: speech-recognition technology, tablets that will recognize handwriting and touch-screen surfaces that will integrate a wide variety of information.

"I don't see anything that will stop the rapid advance," Gates said, noting that technological change driven by academia and corporate researchers continued even after the Internet stock bubble burst in 2000.

From Internet Marketing and Online Annonsering

Advertising Sent To Cellphones Opens New Front In War on Spam - washingtonpost.com

Advertising Sent To Cellphones Opens New Front In War on Spam - washingtonpost.com

This is a warning about how the future can be...

The spam messages that have long plagued e-mail inboxes are now finding victims through a much more personal route: the cellphone.

Text messages are the latest tool for advertisers and scammers to target consumers. But unlike junk e-mail that can be deleted with the click of a button, text-message spam costs money for the person who receives it and chips away at the mobile phone's aura of privacy.

"It's so annoying because I get charged every time I get one," said Ryan Williams, 27, of Falls Church, who receives half a dozen spam messages on a daily basis. They ask him to download ring tones, visit questionable sites over his phone's Internet connection or urge him to subscribe to horoscopes or sports-score updates.

Williams downloaded a program that was supposed to block texts from numbers not stored in his phone's contact list, but the junk messages still get through. Spammers even make the messages appear as if they're coming from his own number, so his wireless carrier cannot block them.

Fro Internet Marketing and Online Annonsering

Mobile ads start to get traction | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Mobile ads start to get traction | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Nearly a quarter of all cell phone users in the U.S. say they've seen an advertisement on their phones in the past 30 days, according to a report from Nielsen Mobile, which tracks these trends.

About half of those who saw advertising on their mobile phones in the past month responded to an ad, the report said. In the fourth quarter, there was a big jump in the number or people reporting that they had spotted advertisements on their mobile phones. In fact, this figure rose 38 percent to 58 million users who said they saw advertising on their cell phone, compared with only 42 million who said they saw advertising on their phones in the second quarter of 2007. Nielsen surveyed 22,000 active mobile data users in its fourth-quarter survey.

From Online Annonsering and Internet Marketing

Opinion: Mobile Ads Are Anything but Intrusive

Opinion: Mobile Ads Are Anything but Intrusive

Because of its massive and largely untapped potential, mobile advertising maintains a continually high level of buzz in the marketing world. Amid that buzz, however, is a strident little voice protesting that mobile marketing is too intrusive for today's consumer. It's time to put that myth to rest for good.

The personal connection with our mobile devices is likely the source of the misguided intrusiveness controversy. Have you ever heard a baby boomer say that his mobile phone makes him "too connected"? I have. Ever hear a 22-year-old say that? Me neither. As a matter of fact, the millennials -- the primary users of mobile non-voice services -- are as unnerved to be disconnected as boomers and Gen Xers are loathe to be too connected. The truth is, mobile advertising may well be the most consumer-friendly advertising model out there.

First, the basics. The mobile platform is a valuable and effective means for reaching desirable audiences and demographics, including the influential millennial generation that is so appealing to advertisers. Paid models for mobile content such as the ringtones and games that spawned big new entertainment markets have been the focus of attention over the past few years. As with every new medium, however, the ability to deliver content and services -- at no cost to customers -- is the key to unlocking the potential of a medium. Mobile is no exception, and its rich potential for advertisers will enable the business model.

From Internet Marketing and Online Annonsering

Is the mobile phone ready for the marketing mix? - 22 Feb 2008

Is the mobile phone ready for the marketing mix?

The mobile phone's increasing potential as a marketing channel is forcing marketers to ring in the changes. Originally only the domain of a few leading-edge brands from the entertainment sector, now a growing number of firms are exploring the mobile channel as a part of their marketing mix.

A study by Airwide revealed that the number of brands planning SMS and MMS mobile marketing/advertising has doubled over the past year to 28 percent, and the same study also claimed that many brands are planning to increase the proportion of the budget allocated to mobile campaigns.

Fro Internet Marketing

Press Release Distribution - Targetwire.com

Press Release Distribution - Targetwire.com: "According to the Mobile Search & Advertising Forum 2008, the main Internet operators are 'not betting on WAP advertising being a different medium from traditional Web advertising.'"

Google and Mobile Internet

Google and Mobile Internet:

Over the past few days there seems to be a lot of action with Google and Mobile search. As the advancement in mobile technology continues, the major search engines are finding.

From Internet Marketing

Yahoo Buy Spins Wheels For Microsoft Mobile | WebProNews

Yahoo Buy Spins Wheels For Microsoft Mobile

Mobiles may matter more than the desktop

Since the PC browser search and ad experience have been dominated by Google, Microsoft's competitive play may be on the mobile side, where no single provider dominates search.

Picking off Yahoo during a low point in its market performance would give Microsoft a significant boost to its online fortunes. Microsoft's share of the search market triples if the takeover succeeds, and paid search ad revenue should increase.

The cynical viewpoints we have witnessed online about competitors in other industries teaming up to take down a market leader, and failing in spectacular fashion, suggests Microsoft may opt for a softer target to establish itself as the go-to destination.

Millions of mobile phones nestle in the pockets and pocketbooks of people around the globe. Microsoft already occupies the desktops of millions of people, even if those folks promptly head to Google after booting Windows.

From Internet Marketing & Online Annonsering

Nokia mobile advertising network LetsGoMobile

Nokia mobile advertising network LetsGoMobile: Nokia announced the launch of the global Nokia Media Network, a premium advertising network including over 70 leading publisher and operators as well as Nokia media properties. AccuWeather, Discovery, Hearst, Reuters, and Sprint have joined with Nokia to form the first global mobile ad network of top tier publishers. Nokia Media Network's wide reach of the most desirable mobile audience is yielding click-through rates averaging 10% in certain channels, the highest reported response rates in the industry.

From Online Annonsering and Internet Marketing

Mobile ads take baby steps to reach consumers | Technology | Internet | Reuters

Mobile ads take baby steps to reach consumers | Technology | Internet | Reuters

Advertising is not just a straight move from the PC to the mobile phone," Marco Boerries, head of Yahoo's mobile business, said in a keynote speech at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

"We're trying to invent mobile advertising."

Ad companies and operators see it as an opportunity to generate new revenue streams. According to a number of studies the mobile ad market is expected to generate revenues ranging somewhere between $1 billion and $24 billion within 4 years.

From Internet Advertising

Mobile phone firms agree to develop common system for advertising | Media | guardian.co.uk

Mobile phone firms agree to develop common system for advertising | Media | guardian.co.uk

The UK's five biggest mobile operators have struck a ground-breaking deal to develop a common system for mobile advertising, which aims to make it as easy for advertisers to run campaigns on mobiles as it is across other media such as TV and press.

Advertisers and agencies have long complained that one of the key stumbling blocks facing the mobile advertising sector is the lack of a consistent way of measuring audiences and transparency between operators.

Now the international operations of Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile, Orange and 3 have formed a working group to define a common mobile advertising audience measurement system, similar to what already exists for other mediums such as TV and press.

"This initiative represents a great opportunity to reach out to the media buying world in order to secure more mobile budget from big brand spenders," said Neil Andrews, head of portal at 3.

From Online Annonsering

FT.com / Companies / Telecoms - UK mobile companies to develop advertising standards

FT.com / Companies / Telecoms - UK mobile companies to develop advertising standards

The UK’s five mobile operators, Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile and 3, will on Monday announce that they are working together to develop common measurement standards for mobile advertising.

The companies will work with the GSM Association, the global trade association for the handset industry, to pool information on customer numbers and usage patterns. This will help develop a common set of metrics for measuring the reach of mobile advertising.

From Internet Marketing

Chipmakers Demo Android Prototype Phones In Barcelona

Chipmakers Demo Android Prototype Phones In Barcelona

This week the mega mobile conference 3GSM (now formally called the GSMA Mobile World Congress) is taking place in Barcelona, Spain. And true to the pre-conference hype and speculation, several mobile chip makers are showing off Android prototype phones. (Gizmodo has a "hands-on" video with a prototype from the conference.) It's important to note that these prototypes are just demonstration phones and not impending models to be released. However, Google's Andy Rubin had said previously that we would see consumer handsets running Android in the second half of this year.

From Internet Marketing

Nokia May Lead In Location-Based Advertising | WebProNews

Nokia May Lead In Location-Based Advertising | WebProNews

If you connect the acquisition and investment dots, you wind up following Acuity Mobile to Navteq to Nokia. And since Acuity deals in mobile marketing, Navteq works with maps, and Nokia's all about cell phones, this could indicate that some pretty big companies are growing more interested in location-based advertising.Granted, a press release spelled out at least one part of the equation, but any and all credit for spotting it and making other connections goes to Om Malik. Although I'm not sure we've taken the time to say so, it's great to see Malik at work again, and trying to steal credit would hardly be a nice way of welcoming him back.

From Internet Marketing

Are You Ready for Location-Based Advertising? - GigaOM

Are You Ready for Location-Based Advertising?

Google’s preeminence in Silicon Valley is largely due to its ability to offer advertisers a way to hawk their messages against contextually relevant keywords. The plain-text advertising messages, which aim to peddle everything from broadband connections to litigation services, have worked well enough to make Larry and Sergey mega-billionaires (the current nosebleed-inducing decline not withstanding) of the rarest kind.

If in the first eight years of the 21st century contextual text advertising has proven to be the magic potion, then it is safe to say that the next decade or so is going to be about location-relevant advertising and marketing messages. LBA (location-based advertising) has been talked about in hushed tones for so long that it’s hard not to roll one’s eyes. I have been skeptical for a while, but more recently my opinion has started to change.

From Our CMS System

ARM to show Google phone prototype next week

Source Says: ARM to show Google phone prototype next week

British chip designer ARM will show a prototype mobile phone based on Google's Android platform next Monday at the Mobile world congress wireless show in Barcelona, a source close to the company said today.

Google and ARM declined to comment on the report.

Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile and Taiwan's High Tech Computer Corp. (HTC) have said that they plan to offer phones based on the open-source Android software platform this year.

Internet search leader Google may upset the wireless industry with its software system designed to make the Web as smoothly accessible from mobile devices as from PCs, challenging Nokia, Microsoft and Apple.

It is also bidding for wireless spectrum in the U.S. in a move that pits it against entrenched carriers like AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

Its operator partners in the Open Handset Alliance announced in November include China Mobile, NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and Telefonica -- which have all said that they are working with handset makers to develop Google-based phones.

Research firm Strategy Analytics has estimated that Android will be in 2% of smart phones this year.

From CMS System

Opera Upgrades Mobile Web Browser -- Opera Software -- InformationWeek

Opera Upgrades Mobile Web Browser -- Opera Software -- InformationWeek

Opera Software on Tuesday unveiled the latest version of its mobile Web browser for commercial use; the browser includes enhancements like zooming, panning, and Flash support.

Opera Mobile 9.5 uses Opera's zoom technology to enlarge content on a Web page, and pages can be saved for offline browsing when there isn't an Internet connection available. The new version also uses Opera's Presto rendering engine to speed up the loading of pages. Opera said it tweaked the engine to improve performance by accelerating the handling of Web pages, even those coded using JavaScript and Ajax.

From Internet Marketing

Mobile ad market part of Microsoft's goal in Yahoo bid

Mobile ad market part of Microsoft's goal in Yahoo bid

Mobile advertising is "part of what Microsoft wants to get into, no doubt," said Phillip Redman, an analyst at Gartner Inc. "Leadership in mobile advertising is still unclaimed, while Google is threatening to do there what it did on the Internet, so Microsoft is being preemptive."

From Website Optimization

Yahoo's mobile promise

Microsoft's $44.6 billion bid to buy Yahoo is clearly a move to thwart rival Google from taking over the entire Internet, but such a deal also could give Microsoft a huge boost in the mobile market.

It's ridiculous to think that Microsoft would put together a deal of this magnitude for Yahoo's mobile assets alone. There are obviously other more pressing synergies and tie-ups between the companies. But the mobile piece of the story could be a nice added bonus that could pay huge dividends in the future.

Mobile is the next frontier for Internet companies. Nearly 3 billion people worldwide use cell phones today. That's nearly triple the number of people who have computers, so it makes sense that Internet companies like Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft would all see opportunity here.

And so far, each company has been taking stabs at addressing the market. Google offers its search and mapping applications on cell phones to help people find restaurants, movies, and shops when they're out and about.

From Internet Marketing and Online Annonsering

Google says mobile advertising is the future

A huge revolution in location-based advertising is soon to take place, according to the chief exec of Google.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos, Eric Schmidt said that mobile users could be affected by the soon-to-be truly mobile internet.

"It's the recreation of the Internet, it's the recreation of the PC (personal computer) story and it is before us - and it is very likely it will happen in the next year", he told assembled journalists.

At the moment, reports Reuters, analysts have been cautious about the future of mobile advertising, or advertising that targets where the phone users is, and consultancy Forrester predicting revenues of under $1 billion by 2012.

But, according to Schmidt, this is a massive underestimation.

From Internet Marketing

UK News, World News and Business News. The First for breaking global News!

UK News, World News and Business News. The First for breaking global News!

Acer has launched the new Ferrari 1100 series, the latest addition to the Ferrari-branded F1 notebooks offered by the PC manufacturer.

With carbon fibre casing that claims to be super-durable as well as stylish, the new laptops offers AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core mobile technology, an ATI Radeon X1250 integrated 3D graphics card with up to 960MB of HyperMemory driving a 12.1-inch WXGA display with Acer CrystalBrite technology and a hard disk drive of up to 250GB.

From Internet Marketing

UK News, World News and Business News. The First for breaking global News!

UK News, World News and Business News. The First for breaking global News!

A huge revolution in location-based advertising is soon to take place, according to the chief exec of Google.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos, Eric Schmidt said that mobile users could be affected by the soon-to-be truly mobile internet.

"It's the recreation of the Internet, it's the recreation of the PC (personal computer) story and it is before us - and it is very likely it will happen in the next year", he told assembled journalists.

At the moment, reports Reuters, analysts have been cautious about the future of mobile advertising, or advertising that targets where the phone users is, and consultancy Forrester predicting revenues of under $1 billion by 2012.

From Internet Marketing

Nokia To Buy Trolltech, Strengthens Its Growth Strategy for 2008 and Beyond @ WIRELESS DEVELOPER'S JOURNAL

Nokia To Buy Trolltech, Strengthens Its Growth Strategy for 2008 and Beyond @ WIRELESS DEVELOPER'S JOURNAL

"Trolltech's deep understanding of open source software and its strong technology assets will enable both Nokia and others to innovate on our device platforms while reducing time-to-market," said Kai Oistamo, Executive Vice President, Devices, Nokia, as Nokia and Trolltech ASA today announced that they have entered into an agreement that Nokia will make a public voluntary tender offer to acquire Norwegian software development company Trolltech.

From Internet Marketing

Google CEO bullish on mobile Web advertising | Technology | Reuters

Google CEO bullish on mobile Web advertising | Technology | Reuters

The arrival of a truly mobile Web, offering a new generation of location-based advertising, is set to unleash a "huge revolution", Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Friday.

"It's the recreation of the Internet, it's the recreation of the PC (personal computer) story and it is before us -- and it is very likely it will happen in the next year," he told a panel at the World Economic Forum.

Current estimates for mobile advertising are cautious, with consultancy Forrester predicting revenues of under $1 billion by 2012.

From Online Annonsering

YouTube Improves YouTube Mobile Version

YouTube Improves YouTube Mobile Version

A New And Improved YouTube For Mobile from the YouTube Blog announces that they have improved their mobile version at m.youtube.com. The new features include:

• Many more videos added, specifically tens of millions of videos.
• Community features now available on the mobile version.
• Mobile phone uploads available within moments.
• YouTube for Mobile is available and localized for the UK, Italy, France, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New Zealand, Germany, and Russia.

From Internet Marketing and Online Annonsering

Microsoft steps up Windows Mobile consumer push

Microsoft steps up Windows Mobile consumer push

MS is working to boost the appeal of Windows Mobile among consumers by appointing a new head of marketing and by supporting a new application for viewing Web content.

Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it has hired Todd Peters, formerly an executive with Staples, to be corporate vice president of marketing for its mobile communications business. Peters is tasked with positioning Windows Mobile to appeal more to a consumer audience. He fills a position left vacant by Suzan DelBene, who recently left the company.

Microsoft also said it will help market and distribute Zumobi, a software program that makes it easier for Windows Mobile users to access Web sites and widgets, or small applications that provide up-to-date information from the Web.

From Internet Marketing

The iGoogle for iPhone

Google has now launched the iGoogle for iPhone. The earlier version was launched just over a month ago and featured a suite of web applications...

including Search, Gmail, Calendar, Reader, etc " into a user friendly interface. The newer version is supposed to increase speeds and improve usability.

The New Features entail:

An Improved UI: The applications have gotten a face-lift and now look and feel more chic, in addition to their being easier to activate, navigate and be used via a touch-screen.

Customization of default tabs: There's now easier access to your favorite applications as you can customize the applications that show up on the Google.com menu bar. All you have to do is choose your favorite Google applications to bring them to the front menu, so they'll be just a click away whenever they're needed. Further you can even switch between applications with ease, as you only need to sign in once to access either of Gmail, Calendar, Reader, Docs or your Picasa account.

Faster Gmail: Two enhancements which ensure this are: First, the new emails will automatically appear so there's no need to manually refresh your inbox. Secondly, there's an auto-complete feature for contacts which would make composing emails a lot quicker.

Speedier Calendar: There's a new month view, which allows you to glance at an entire month of appointments.

iGoogle: You can now access your iGoogle gadgets on the iPhone. This includes each and everything you've customized on your iGoogle homepage including weather, stocks, and news feeds too would appear on your iPhones. You can customize your iGoogle page on your computer at www.igoogle.com.

From Internet Advertising and Online Annonsering

Media Alert - Action Engine to Address Mobile Social Networking and Advertising Revenue at Mobile Advertising & Marketing USA 2008

Media Alert - Action Engine to Address Mobile Social Networking and Advertising Revenue at Mobile Advertising & Marketing USA 2008

From Content Management

AT&T Releases Business Plan Rates For iPhone

AT&T Releases Business Plan Rates For iPhone

How much do Apple customers use the iPhone for business? Apparently enough for AT&T to come up with a business rate plan for the smart phone. Of course, the plan comes with certain terms and conditions, and it’s twice as costly as the regular consumer plan, but AT&T definitely thinks it is worth it. iPhone has been a phenomenon ever since its launch, in the U.S. more than anywhere else in the world, and the mobile carrier wants to be a part of it more than anything these days.

From Internet Marketing

Google's Android Is an Audacious Move

Google's Android Is an Audacious Move

While some had expected Google to come out with an iPhone-killing G-Phone, the company’s announcement in November of the Android mobile platform is something far more sweeping, and it has ramifications for IT.

To show that Android is no pipe dream, Google trotted out scores of partners in the initiative, including handset vendors, carriers and software providers. What’s most interesting is that the Linux-based platform will be open source (under the Apache license) and free of charge.
So, why is Google doing this? It aspires to get its applications into the mobile sphere, but right now there’s just
too much platform fragmentation. Even Java on one handset is not like Java on another. Lacking a single, strong platform to build on, Google wants to create one. That’s why it isn’t coming out with its own hardware or tying Android to one carrier.

From Online annonsering

StraightUpSearch : Google's 2008 Mobile Initiatives

There is no doubt that Google has firmly set its eyes on increasing its presence in the mobile device market. Google has a number of projects currently running or in the works that deal directly with the mobile market. Here is a quick overview of what to look for in 2008.

From Internet Annonsering

globeandmail.com: Yahoo joins mobile wars

When Jerry Yang co-founded Yahoo Inc. 14 years ago, the company quickly became the biggest and coolest kid on the search engine block.

But over the past decade, other bigger kids have moved in and set up shop down the street - namely Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. - and since then the former Internet search leader has become greatly overshadowed as its larger and more visible competitors have elbowed their way into the spotlight.

Now as Mr. Yang steers Yahoo deeper into the waters of the mobile Internet, he believes his company has the software and services needed to differentiate itself from its rivals, even though the other big kids from Mountain View and Redmond are already fighting over the new and fertile turf as well.

From Free SEO Tools