Monthly Archives: November 2012
2nd WIMA NFC USA
[ November 27, 2011 9:00 am to November 29, 2012 7:00 pm. ] Organiser: WIMA
Venue: San Francisco Arirport Marriott Waterfront Hotel
Location: San Francisco, USA
Web: www.wima.mc
For WIMA NFC USA 2012 WIMA is building on previous innovation and enabling greater business opportunities within the event by adding new and exciting elements to drive forward the NFC ecosystem. Continue reading
Guest Post: Microsoft’s new tablet, will it be secure enough
by Beth Janick, a copywriter with iphonespyapp
Microsoft recently announced its Surface tablet, due in Q4 2012, and users can’t wait for the new gadget. Apple’s iPad ruled the tablet market but many users want something different and new to the eye. Microsoft has exactly that and the success of the tablet is already gauged in the variety of views that are springing up about the tablet and the excitement amongst potential users about this gadget. The only question that remains unanswered concerns the security of this tablet. Continue reading
London’s Tech City sees first fruits of success
Tech City, the the high tech hub set up around East London’s Shoreditch, has witnessed its first successful float-off with the sale of Facebook application developer iPlatform.
Set up by entrepreneurs Joshua March and Dan Lester in 2008 shortly after Facebook allowed outside developers to create software on the website, the start-up has been sold to Irish marketing firm Betapond for an undisclosed sum. Continue reading
RIM shares soar as losses ease
Shares in Blackberry maker Research in Motion shot up by a fifth in New york last night [27th September 2012] after reporting a smaller than expected loss in Q2 of $363 million, compared to $643 million in the previous quarter.
Early next year RIM is due to launch a series of new handsets based on its BlackBerry 10 operating system and its reversal of fortunes on Nasdaq couldn’t be more timely. News that its losses were easing lifted its shares from near-record lows as investors looked more favourably on the firm’s future.
The Toronto-based manufacturer also revealed it had managed to build its global BlackBerry subscriber base to 80 million global over the quarter though it still sold just 7.4 million BlackBerrys, far fewer than analysts had hoped even when factoring in stiff competition from Apple and Samsung.
CEO Thorsten Heins told analysts that RIM’s cost-cutting programme was on track to save $1 billion in the current fiscal year and had already achieved savings of at least $350 million a year, allowing the firm to build up a war chest for its new launches.
Revenue for Q2 was $2.9 billion, up from $2.8 billion in Q1 but down 31 per cent from a year ago.
The overall figures were significantly better than feared, sending the stock 20 per cent up to $8.57 in after-hours trading. Continue reading
Chip designer Imagination falls on Texas worries
Shares in British chip designer Imagination Technology will be closely watched today [27th September 2012] having had 10 per cent wiped off their value after key partner Texas Instruments revealed it’s to stop making chips for smartphones and tablets.
Analysts are already warning Imagination’s shares could take a further hit when trading opens in London, with shares in fellow UK processor designer ARM also suffering from the news. Continue reading
Last chance to get a free pass to Apps World London
Rating: The place to be for mobile apps developers
Over 6,000 developers, telecom professionals, mobile marketers and advertising agencies are set to descend on the Apps World Europe event in London [UK] next month [October 2012]. The exhibition will take place in the Earls Court 2 exhibition centre between October 2nd and 3rd [2012]. The event claims to be Europe’s leading multi-platform app event. More details here. The organisers have informed GoMobile News, however, that today [September 26th 2012] is the last chance to register for free. Continue reading
Samsung questions jury foreman’s influence in $1bn patent trial
A Californian jury foreman in the Apple versus Samsung patents trial could find himself back in the spotlight amid new allegations that he unfairly misled others deciding the case.
Since Judge Lucy Koh awarded Apple more than $1bn in damages last month, Samsung has bitterly contested the outcome which could also see a sales ban slapped on its US sales of smartphones and tablets. Continue reading
Only 5 per cent of smartphones & tablets are protected says Juniper
Rating: Despite the fact that good security apps are free
Despite the publicity given to malware, fraud and device theft and the fact that many of the leading and respected mobile security applications for smartphones are actually free, the vast majority of smartphones and tablets apparently remain unprotected. According to a new report from Juniper Research only 5 per cent of global smartphones and tablet devices have security software installed. The report, ‘Mobile Security Strategies: Threats, Solutions & Market Forecasts 2012-2017‘ forecasts that both corporate and personal users will begin to recognise the need to protect their data. It also predicts that the demand for mobile security products will increase over the next five years to a point where 20 per cent mobile devices will be protected by third party security software. That’s still a massive 80 per cent left unprotected. Continue reading
Guest Post: Top 5 Pros & Cons of mobile broadband
by Atanas Valchev, a sales representative with mobilt bredbånd
One of the top selling internet connexions anywhere in the world is a mobile broadband dongle. It’s not just portable but loved by travellers for the chaos it saves in going online. Simply connect to the internet anywhere in the world and don’t worry about a home connexion. Most internet-enabled laptops and notebooks and some tablet will readily connect with an internet dongle to update messages, social media content, or receive and send email promptly. Continue reading
MACH launches direct operator billing across the UK
MACH Direct Billing Gateway available across all major UK mobile operators
Press release
September 25th 2012. MACH, the world leader in direct operator billing, has announced that it is launching direct operator billing for online payments and app purchases across the UK, making it easier than ever for mobile subscribers to pay for apps and other online goods. The company is launching its direct operator billing service, the MACH Direct Billing Gateway, which includes Payforit Version 4 support, across the UK’’s mobile networks, including Vodafone, Everything Everywhere (EE) and Three UK, and is working with O2 as it rolls out its new Charge to Mobile platform. Continue reading
Mobile commerce setting pace for high street retailers
Britain’s major retailers are witnessing strong growth in sales fed by mobile commerce with the channel now accounting for every £1 in every £10 spent.
That’s the finding of a new report from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). It says mobile sales, such as purchases made on smartphones and tablets, or where mobiles are used to research products or field discount vouchers, are set to grow 23 per cent next year and already account for £45 billion in sales – equasting to 10 per cent of all high street revenue. Continue reading
Mobile firms do well in Tech Track 100 league
Rating: Keep an eye on Mobilewebadz & Omnifone
Writing about the UK’s Top Twenty ‘cool’ brands today [24th September 2012], (see here) GoMobile News remembered that we hadn’t mentioned the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 league table which appeared on 16th September [2012]. Just like the CoolBrands survey, high tech companies which are mobile orientated in particular did really well. Two companies which definitely deserve a name check are Mobilewebadz (4th) and Omnifone (20th) which both secured high places. Continue reading
Guest Post: Total Mobile – taking a holistic approach to mobile marketing
by Matt Cockett, vp for sales with Velti UK
As smartphone penetration continues to climb, the use of mobile devices of all kinds is creating an enormous opportunity for brands and marketers to reach directly into the pocket of consumers. This trend means that the mobile channel is increasingly central to any branded communications strategy – given its real-time results and relevance across multiple delivery formats. It offers the full breadth of options open to marketers within a single handset spanning messaging, email, social networking and in-app notifications – all accessible on the go. Crucially, mobile is also measurable, making it the perfect technology platform from which to manage a customer relationship. Continue reading
BlackBerry tumbles out of UK’s Coolest Brand list
Rating: No surprises as Apple claims Top Slot
RIM’s woes continue as its BlackBerry brand tumbled out of the CoolBrands survey this year [2012]. Adding insult to injury, Apple has knocked Aston Martin from its spot at the top to claim the title of UK’s coolest brand for 2012/13. Almost half the list is made up of technology and media brands (45 per cent), compared with just one quarter (25 per cent) last year [2011]. A record amount of online brands made the Top 20 – highlighting how important connecting and communicating online has become. Significantly, Facebook did not feature in this year’s top 20, either. Even Harley-Davidson and Ferrari didn’t make the list. Neither did Nintendo or PlayStation. Continue reading
Mobile phone ad adoption hit by agency inertia
Leap from print to the small screen proving difficult
Britain’s ad agencies are still loath to invest in mobile phone ads despite traditional print media proving increasingly less attractive.
That’s the conclusion drawn from new research out today [24th September 2012] from the Association of Online Publishers whose members blame “agency attitude” towards mobile ad campaigns.
In what’s seen as a worrying trend, 87 per cent of AOP respondents revealed how they now receive more than a fifth of their traffic via mobile yet less than 29 per cent receive more than a fifth of ad revenue from mobile sources. Continue reading
