Author Archives: Hans Cett
Weekend QR code roundup – Coors Light
Basically the URL didn’t work
This is probably going to be one of the shortest QR barcode roundups that GoMo News has ever done. We have always maintained that here in the UK at least, the drinks industry is one of the most prolific users of QR code technology in their promotional campaigns. So when we spotted another beer mat with an enticing QR code on it, we enthusiastically scanned it in. That’s as far as we got. Continue reading
Confusion surrounds Google Hangouts & SMS support
Perhaps our Indian & Israeli readers can help us out
Well Google certainly knows how to confuse the Hell out of this particular GoMo News hack. And in the case of its recent release of Google Hangouts, the company has really got us scratching our heads. Initially we were just trying to ascertain whether Hangouts already supported SMS as an alternative communications’ medium. No we’re trying to ascertain where Hangouts fits into the scheme of things. We can definitely say we’ve got Hangouts working but we also need the help of our Indian and Israeli readers to investigate if SMS/text is genuinely supported. Continue reading
UK’s Asda planning to introduce barcode shopping scanning app
Will create Big Customer Data in place of loyalty card
A recent report in The Times [UK] has revealed that UK shopping giant, Asda,is planning to roll out an app to its shoppers that will enable them to scan their groceries . The app that will help customers to cut their costs and whilst providing the retailer with valuable customer data. And we all know that ‘Big Data’ is the buzzword of the day. The app has been developed in the USA by Asda’s parent company – Wal-Mart. It will help Britain’s second-largest supermarket group get around the fact that it doesn’t offer a customer loyalty card. Continue reading
Shazam behind 1 in 14 of all music downloads
Meanwhile iTunes reaches 50 billion app downloads
Figures just released by Apple show that its App Store has now reached its 50 billionth app download. That figure represents unique downloads excluding re-downloads and updates. The winner of a $10,000 App Store gift card Brandon Ashmore from Mentor, Ohio, USA. He downloaded Say the Same Thing by Space Inch from here. But ITunes is about more than apps – it’s music too. As Shazam points out, it was behind the 25 billionth Apple music download back in February 2013. Continue reading
BlackBerry Q5 could take BB10 into emerging markets like India
Ovum predicts Q5 is suitable successor to Curve
According to Adam Leach, principal device and platforms analyst at Ovum,”BlackBerry is clearly aiming to replicate the success of the Blackberry Curve in emerging markets, doing so will help the company establish the Blackberry 10 platform in the market.” Despite low average incomes,emerging markets accounted for roughly 17 per cent of the nearly 450 million smartphone shipments globally in 2011. In markets such as India. Smartphones are establishing themselves as the prime means of Internet access. Continue reading
Tektronix & TM Forum ally over Big Data
Intention is to provide guide to Big Data analytics best practices
In order to deliver a comprehensive set of new best practices for the telecoms industry covering big data analytics implementation Tektronix Communications has announced its collaboration with the TM Forum. The objective is to achieve the best-in-breed big data implementation and value extraction. The pair who have been co-leading the TM Forum project group since January 2013 intend to publish a report containing new best practices and guidelines to help carriers worldwide define and refine their ‘big data’ analytics offering. Continue reading
UK adspend report fails to highlight importance of mobile
Methodology changes welcomed but more granularity needed
The recently released AA/Warc Expenditure report is good news in general for the UK advertising industry. The headline was that expenditure in the UK reached £17,172 billion in 2012. The last time advertising spend exceeded £17 billion was prior to the recession in 2007 (£17,364bn). The big news, however, was that there was a change in methodology that allows subscribers to view the impact of online adspend for newsbrands, magazine brands and TV. This acknowledges the growing importance of digital but it didn’t do much to highlight the importance of mobile in such campaigns. Continue reading
Adform reckons AdTruth’s device recognition can aid its mobile ad performance
AdTruth ID should make for more a accurate RTB service
In order to improve its pan-European ad tech platform, Adform will be utilising the AdTruth ID system to support its platform’s desktop and mobile real-time bidding (RTB) capabilities. The company claims this should lead to increased campaign reach and audience engagement. Adform argues that device recognition is at the core of delivering relevant consumer experiences for advertisers. It maintains that existing approaches have become ineffective in the current mobile and privacy-aware environment. Continue reading
By 2016 mobile content revenues will rise to $65bn from over $40bn says Juniper
Direct Carrier Billing implementation to fuel growth
Growth in mobile content revenues will primarily be fuelled by an increased opportunity for content monetisation via DCB (Direct Carrier Billing) on smartphones, along with an upsurge in game, video and e-book purchases via tablet devices. This is one of the main conclusions from the latest report from Juniper Research entitled, ‘Mobile Content Business Models: OTT & Operator Strategy & Forecasts 2013-2017 ‘. It predicts that over the next three years, annual revenue generated from content delivered to mobile handsets will reach $65 billion by 2016. That’s an increase of nearly $25 billion. Continue reading
How mobile devices are changing search marketing
[ May 29, 2013; 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. ] Webinar from Market Finder
Here’s a topic which could well interest many of our readers – the impact of mobile on search advertising. A webinar from Market Finder aiming to outline how mobile devices have dramatically changed the dynamics of online search. Speakers will include Rebecca Momberg director of client solutions and strategy with Marin Software which just so happens to be sponsoring the event. The other speaker is Andrew Gerrard who is head of social business with Like Minds. Continue reading
Brits total cheapskates over paid-for Android apps
uSwitch finds we only pay for roughly 11 % of ‘em
There’s a bit of a hole in the Android app ecosystem it seems – especially when it comes to Brits paying for them. New research from uSwitch.com found that whilst on average most have no fewer than 29 apps for their smartphones, they only pay for one in ten ( or around 11 per cent) of their apps. Furthermore, most Android smartphones have become ‘app graveyards’. 61 per cent of Brits use less than half the installed smartphone apps whilst nearly a third (29 per cent) use less than a quarter. Continue reading
Listen to music, TV, video in the smallest room
Someone has taken mobile in loo usage research seriously
Over the years we’ve run numerous stories reporting the heavy use of mobile phones in the loo [bathroom/toilet]. When BT carried out trials of mobile TV, it tried to bury the fact that watching in the loo was a popular pastime. Here’s a couple of good examples of loo usage … ‘Another survey finds Brits answer phone in the loo‘ plus ‘11% of iOS fans search for apps on loo‘. Now it seems that a company called Atech Flash has treated all these stats seriously and produced a set of Bluetooth speakers specifically designed to work in the loo. The product is known as the iCarta 2 and –get this – it incorporates a toilet tissue holder so that it can be easily installed in your bathroom/toilet. Continue reading
51 degrees ponders the Nokia Lumia 920′s fate
Will it eventually overtake the Lumia 800?
According to 51Degrees.mobi, although currently the Nokia Lumia 800 is still managing to top the mobile web traffic from Nokia devices, it seemed to have a far slower start than the Lumia 920. With the 920 receiving a big acceleration in growth, will we see the new Lumia 720 and 520 share a similar adoption speed, 51Degrees.mobi asks? Continue reading
Perhaps another nail in the coffin for BlackBerry
Samsung lands US Department of Defense approval
In a first for Android powered devices, Korean based Samsung claims its smartphones and tablets supplied with Samsung Knox can be used by the US government and military services. That’s a market which BlackBerry had previous got sewn up for itself and the fact that the Number One global handset supplier has muscled in on this lucrative niche isn’t good news for the Canadian based supplier. To add insult to injury, the Samsung Galaxy S4 which has recently been launched in the global market, is the first smartphone to be enabled with Knox. From now on, Samsung’s premium smartphones and tablets will feature Samsung Knox, apparently. Continue reading
Mocana & VeliQ offer mobile app protection for BYOD
Mocana app security automation added to VeliQ’s mPaaS
In a partnership aimed at protecting mobile apps for BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) installations, Mocana and VeliQ have announced a strategic partnership. They will integrate the Mocana Mobile App Protection (MAP) solution into VeliQ’s mobility Platform as a Service (mPaaS). The objective is to enable enterprise IT managers to secure mobile apps and their data in seconds, without having to write any code. It will be available from VeliQ as the snappily-named ‘Mobi Mobile App Protection by Mocana’, or MAP. The pair claim it will deepen the security offering of the VeliQ cloud-based mobility Platform as a Service (mPaaS) offering. Continue reading
