An Ad Campaign Using QR Code/Print and Twitter: “Ride along with JFK, 50 years later!”
Ride along with JFK, 50 years later.
Follow the campaign live on Twitter.
Use your QR code reader to directly access the JFK Twitter feed or visit Twitter.com/Kennedy1960
Advertising Agency: The Martin Agency, USA
Chief Creative Officer: John Norman
Creative Director: Joe Alexander
Art Director: Brian Williams
Copywriters: Joe Alexander, Wade Alger
Producer: Jenny Schoenherr
Art buyer: Cindy Hicks
from: adsoftheworld.com
Apple’s Mobile Advertising Solution iAD is here! And here is a video on user experience featuring Nissan Leaf iAD!
PayPal Launches Mobile Express Checkout: One-Click Buying On Smartphones!
“eBay has made it fairly clear that mobile is the future for e-commerce. And the numbers only reinforce this strategy- mobile payments are poised to reach $200 billion by 2012, according to Juniper Research. So, of course, eBay is wants to make its crown jewel, PayPal, the leader in the mobile payments space.
In fact, PayPal’s mobile transactions have grown as smartphone usage has increased, from $25 million in 2008 to $141 million in 2009. In 2010, PayPal expects more than half a billion dollars in mobile payment volume with more than 5 million members regularly using PayPal from their mobile devices.
Today, PayPal is making it easier for merchants and consumers to pay for goods on their smartphones with the launch of Mobile Express Checkout.
Mobile Express Checkout is the mobile version of PayPal’s Express Checkout service, which is a one-stop payment option streamlines the checkout process for consumers. A buyer will not have to reenter shipping, billing, or payment information for a PayPal payment, expediting the checkout process. All they need to do is enter their PayPal account login. It’s similar in theory to Amazon’s one click ordering option.
Merchant Express Checkout has been optimized for smartphone screens and also features strong fraud detection, says PayPal. Mobile Express Checkout is initially being rolled out on the iPhone and Android 2.0 (and higher) devices by a few retailers, including Nike and Buy.com, over the next few weeks. The technology will eventually become available to all retailers in the next few months.
PayPal sees this new mobile technology has an opportunity to allow the company’s 85 million members to easily buy goods on their phones using PayPal’s technology versus inputing a credit card. The company is sure to be on to something with this strategy-inputing your credit card, shipping and billing info on a phone is an arduous and time consuming task.
Automating this process is surely the future of mobile payments and shopping. Of course, it’s safe to assume the credit card companies, like Mastercard and Visa, will also be heading down this road soon.
Source: http://techcrunch.com/
Android Smartphone Market Heating Up: Motorola Shows Off Droid X
“Motorola has shown off its latest Android based smartphone – the CDMA enabled Droid X, which offers a 1GHz processor; 4.3-inch screen; 8-megapixel camera; 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities and will be Flash Player 10.1 ready. The handset is being released initially on the Verizon Wireless network in the USA.
“Nine months ago, we made a commitment to our customers to bring the openness of Android to the Verizon Wireless network,” said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “Since then, we have introduced the top-selling Android phone in the marketplace today – the DROID by Motorola. DROID X takes that commitment to another level with exclusive content, faster processing speeds, and, of course, the reliability of our network.”
DROID X customers will also receive Android 2.2 and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 with an over-the-air update in the latter half of the summer.
Pricing and Availability
The smartphone will be available from Verizon Wireless beginning July 15th for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.
Customers can add the optional 3G Mobile Hotspot service to their DROID X for $20 per month. The 3G Mobile Hotspot allows customers to turn the phone into a wireless modem for up to five compatible Wi-Fi devices.”
Source: http://www.cellular-news.com
Sport & Style iPad Application; It’s sport, done with style…on the iPad.
“Sport & Style, the monthly magazine inserted in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, is now a stunning iPad app. There are video interviews, photo galleries, sports footage and interactive content as well as the full print magazine. It’s the start of a digital revolution for magazines.” And here is the demo:
Durex iPhone “Baby” Application! A simple idea and a great execution!
A great example of how mobile can help brands getting their messages across!
A very simple idea and a great execution: an iPhone application by Durex!
Nokia and Yahoo Mobile Internet Services Partnership Now Official!
“After a couple of leaks at the weekend, Nokia and Yahoo have confirmed they are to work closer together in mobile web services. As part of the alliance Nokia will be the exclusive provider of Yahoo’s maps and navigation services, integrating Ovi Maps across Yahoo properties, branded as “powered by Ovi.” In addition, Yahoo will become the exclusive provider of Nokia’s Ovi Mail and Ovi Chat services branded as “Ovi Mail / Ovi Chat powered by Yahoo!”
Nokia and Yahoo also plan to make it easy for people to use their Ovi user IDs across select Yahoo services in the near future.
“Delivering great user experiences — both online and on your mobile – is what this alliance is all about,” said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, CEO, Nokia. “We’re enabling millions of Yahoo! customers in key markets including North America to discover the unique capabilities that Ovi Maps brings. Similarly, Yahoo!’s online expertise will bring exciting mail and messaging enhancements to millions of Ovi Mail customers across almost every country around the world, many of whom will have their first Internet experience on their mobile.”
“What a combination,” said Carol Bartz, CEO, Yahoo!. “We’re excited to expand the reach of our best-in-class Mail and Messenger services, bringing personalized experiences to more people across the mobile web, particularly in emerging markets where we are seeding the next generation of Yahoo! users. At the same time, we believe Nokia’s strength and continued investment in maps and navigation will greatly enhance our existing products, enabling us to focus on areas that are core to our business.”
Select, co-branded service offerings are expected to become available from the second half of 2010, with global availability expected in 2011.”
Source: http://www.cellular-news.com
Rumors(?): Is Google Set to Buy Invite Media?
“Now that Google has wrapped up its AdMob deal, what’s next on its shopping list? One good bet: ad tech startup Invite Media.
Industry sources believe Google (GOOG) is close to a deal for Invite, a three-year-old “demand side platform” designed to help buyers navigate high volume display advertising exchanges — like the one Google launched last year.
A deal has supposedly been in the works for some time, and one theory is that Google has been waiting for the AdMob saga to conclude before moving forward. Estimates for a price are all over the map, ranging from $60 million to $100 million.
The caveat: Google’s name has been linked to various DSPs for several months.
“We have not entered into any agreement with any company,” Invite CEO Nat Turner told me via e-mail this afternoon. “I’ve honestly heard similar rumors about every other company in the space, so I don’t put too much credence in what people are saying these days.” A Google spokesman declined to comment on “rumor and speculation”.
Whether or not it makes sense for Google to buy Invite or any other DSP depends on who you talk to. Some people think a DSP is a natural compliment to Google’s AdX unit, since it makes it easier for big ad holding companies to funnel money into the exchange.”
The news picked from and details continue @ All Things Digital
Google ready to fight U.S. government against the potential blockage of the acquisition of mobile advertising firm AdMob!
“(Reuters) – Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Tuesday his company is prepared to fight the U.S. government “very hard” if regulators block the search leader’s acquisition of mobile advertising firm AdMob.
Schmidt said AdMob had been left at a “significant disadvantage” in competing with rivals like Apple Inc due to the hiatus as regulators have closely reviewed the $750 million acquisition, which was announced in November. He said he expects a decision in a few weeks.
In an interview with Reuters Insider, Schmidt was asked what Google would do in the event of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suing to block the deal.
“We’re likely to fight very hard,” he said. “It’s a very strategic acquisition for Google.”.
Google, which generates the majority of its profits from search advertising to Internet users on personal computers, sees its future on wireless phones and software. The company has its own mobile operating system called Android for a range of phones and this year also unveiled its own phone called the Nexus One.
The move to the mobile phone has put Google in more direct competition with Apple, whose successful iPhone has also been supported by a move into advertising with the acquisition of Quattro Wireless in January.
Apple recently changed the terms of service for iPhone application developers to restrict them to using Apple’s tool to build their programs and from sharing certain iPhone data with third parties.
Adobe Systems, the maker of Flash software, is one of the companies whose software can’t be used by these developers. Apple’s recent moves have attracted interest from the FTC, according to reports.
Schmidt said Apple’s changes in terms of services “discriminatory against other partners.”
Schmidt said he hoped the AdMob acquisition could be completed to allow it to compete with rivals like Apple.
“It would be better if the AdMob acquisition can be approved to see if Google can get a more competitive market on the iPhone platform.”
Schmidt, who was previously an Apple director, stepped down from Apple’s board last August when it became clear the two companies would be competing more directly in the wireless space.
He insisted that he and Apple CEO Steve Jobs remain good friends and that the two companies will remain both rivals and collaborators in different business areas.
“The relationship will continue to be complicated,” he said.”
And Apple launches 3G iPAD! Tablet revolution goes on the street!
“(Reuters) – In the second stage of a two-part rollout, Apple Inc on Friday began selling the pricier, high-speed wireless version of the iPad in the United States, following the successful launch of the short-range Wi-Fi tablet earlier this month.
Although the event certainly lacked the buildup and excitement of the April 3 debut — with the heartiest waiting in line overnight — some Apple retail stores in big cities still saw decent-sized crowds ahead of the 5 p.m. launch.
At a store in downtown San Francisco, roughly 75 people stood in line 90 minutes before the 3G iPad went on sale.
Several people said they had waited for the more expensive version of Apple’s tablet because they saw it as a potential replacement for their laptops, at least in certain situations.
“I’m going to take it everywhere with me, I already take my laptop everywhere, and it’ll definitely replace my laptop in a lot of cases,” said Long Nguyen, 22, who works in IT repair and was first in line.
The 3G model — which is also Wi-Fi compatible — starts at $629 and tops out at $829. The Wi-Fi-only iPad starts at $499.
The 9.7-inch touchscreen iPad is essentially a cross between a laptop and a smartphone. It is intended as a media consumption device, good for video, games, electronic books and magazines and Web browsing.
But some said they were hoping to also use it for work, mainly because of the device’s thin-and-light profile.
“I travel a lot for work, and I have a lot of projects that are out in the field, so I think it will be useful for some of that,” said Gary Riley, 36, an environmental engineer.
“I’m on the road all the time, and I think it will give me a nice choice, especially when I travel,” said Bob Geib, a consultant. “It will complement my laptop.”
AT&T is providing the wireless data plans for the iPad, charging $29.99 a month for unlimited access.
AT&T is also the exclusive U.S. carrier for Apple’s iPhone, and has been subject to plenty of criticism over the quality of its network. It remains to be seen whether iPad users will encounter any problems with their service.
Apple sold 300,000 iPads on launch day April 3 and a half-million units the first week. Although the device won’t reach international markets until late May, some analysts expect Apple to sell roughly 5 million or so this year.
The iPad rollout has been accompanied by a crush of media hype, but it has not been without its hiccups. The company delayed the international launch for a month for what it said was stronger-than-expected demand.
Analyst say the company has also had difficulty ramping production of a new product.
Shares of Cupertino, California-based Apple closed down 2.8 percent at $261.09 on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Gabriel Madway; Editing by Bernard Orr)”
Why don’t iPhone and iPad have Flash? Apple boss Steve Jobs explains why
Steve Jobs has used an open letter to defend Apple’s decision not to allow Flash on many of the firm’s products.
Neither the iPod, iPhone nor iPad can run the software despite the widespread use of Flash technology on websites for video and animations.
He said Flash was made for an era of “PCs and mice” and performed poorly when translated to run on touchscreen smartphones and handheld devices.
The head of Adobe called the highlighted problems “a smokescreen”.
‘Restrictive practices’
The letter comes soon after Flash creator Adobe announced it would stop making tools that allow developers to quickly translate Flash code to run on Apple gadgets.
These allowed developers to make applications once and then distribute them for use on various phones and operating systems, including Apple’s iPhone.
Adobe’s announcement followed a change to the terms and conditions of the licence that software developers must sign when writing code to run on Apple products.
That change banned developers from using automatic translation tools, effectively forcing them to develop two applications – one for Apple products and one for everything else.
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that “when you resort to licensing language” to restrict development, it has “nothing to do with technology.”
He said it was now “cumbersome” for developers who were forced to have “two workflows”.
Crashing Macs
In his lengthy open letter titled Thoughts on Flash, Mr Jobs said the reason Apple did not want people to use Adobe’s automatic translation tools was because experience had shown it results in “sub-standard apps”.
He described Flash as a closed system and said that it was bad for the smartphone era because it did not support multi-touch systems and helped drain battery power unnecessarily.
He also pointed out that there were now alternatives to flash technology, particularly for web video.
The Apple boss added that Flash fell short on security and was “the number one reason Macs crash”.
But Mr Narayen said that if Flash crashed Apple products it was something “to do with the Apple operating system.”
He said he found it “amusing” that Mr Jobs thought that Flash was a closed platform.
“We have different views of the world,” Mr. Narayan told the Wall Street Journal. “Our view of the world is multi-platform.
The letter provoked an avalanche of comments online, with many saying Apple’s restrictions on what can be done with its software go far beyond those on Flash.
What Are iPad Owners Downloading?
Apple has already sold 450,000 iPads. So what are people downloading as apps? An interesting article by Jenna Wortham from The New York Times:
“Although it remains to be seen whether or not mainstream consumers will latch onto the iPad with the same ferocity as they did the iPhone, it’s clear that there’s no lack of appetite for apps. On Monday, Apple revealed that iPad owners were voraciously consuming applications. More than one million were downloaded before the weekend was over.
So what’s capturing the eyes and fingertips of those owners?
A quick spin through the charts of the best-selling applications available in iTunes illuminates the most popular selections.
Currently, the top three paid iPad applications belong to a suite of applications intended to give the iPad more heft as a machine for productivity. They are adaptations of Apple’s iWork tools and include Pages, a word processing application, Keynote, which allows users to create visually rich presentations, and Numbers, a spreadsheet application. Each sells for $9.99.
But perhaps the most interesting application on the top 10 list is one called Star Walk, a $2.99 astronomy application that morphs the iPad into a star chart. Pointing the tablet at the sky activates an internal digital compass, instantly locating stars, planets and other celestial bodies. Tapping on an object reveals more information about it.
GoodReader, which costs 99 cents and is hovering in the fourth most downloaded slot, is a documents reader for the iPad that can handle a range of formats, including PDF files and high-resolution images. SketchBookPro, $8.99, a sophisticated drawing application that lets users craft paintings with their hands, is also on the list.
Games, of course, have been a big draw. Real Racing HD ($9.99), a driving game that transforms the iPad into a steering wheel, and Flight Control ($4.99), an air traffic simulator that includes a level in 3-D, are both on the top 10 list. Scrabble ($9.99) turns the iPad’s glossy screen into a vivid playing board where multiple players can use their iPhones as their letter trays and “flick” tiles down to the main board for game play.
Like the iPhone, the iPad is a chameleon, ready to be transformed by the software running on it. Readers, what iPad applications have you downloaded? Feel free to share the hits, the misses and ones you can’t live without in the comments below.”
To iPAD or not to iPAD? First reviews: 10minus vs. 10plus!
“TOP 10 IPAD DISAPPOINTMENTS:
1. The keyboard
The iPad’s lack of a tactile keyboard was always going to be an issue, but typing on the iPad is not as easy as you might hope. To be used for email and short messages only.
2. No camera
An odd oversight, this is one that has many fans stumped. The iPad could have been great for video calling.
3. No Flash support
So many good websites use Adobe Flash that Apple’s ongoing stoush with the technology is becoming a big issue. This gadget screens websites in full size, but some still won’t show due to this omission.
4. Weighty
Heavier than the biggest Kindle, the iPad could be hard to hold with one hand for an extended period.
5. No memory card slot
The iPad is so good with photos, but they must be side-loaded from a computer as this tablet computer has no space for memory cards adding an adapter.
6. No GPS chip in Wi-Fi model
It can still guess your location from your WiFi connection, but the lack of a GPS chip is disappointing.
7. No HD video output
You can connect the iPad to a television but videos won’t play in high-definition. The best it can muster is a resolution of 576p.
8. No multi-tasking
You can only do one thing at a time on the iPad, just as with the iPhone. Sadly, this is one thing that netbooks have over the device.
9. No iBooks in Australia
They’re coming, according to a job ad, but the iPad won’t live up until its full potential until they arrive.
10. Delayed accessories
The keyboard and memory card adapter will make up for some important omissions, but are not yet available.
TOP 10 IPAD MAGIC MOMENTS:
1. Great screen
It’s large, it’s bright and it’s colourful. There’s lots to like about the iPad’s screen that has LED-backlighting for brightness, and IPS (in-plane switching) for good viewing on an angle. It’s not E Ink, like the Kindle, but it looks flashy.
2. Speedy
Apple’s 1GHz processor keeps the iPad screening at a great pace. Though this processor is slower than those in most netbooks, it’s clearly competent.
3. iPad apps
Plenty of developers joined the “second gold rush” by creating iPad apps, and users should be grateful. Games, in particular, benefit a lot from the bigger screen.
4. Photo shows
The iPad does look like a digital photo frame but, arguably, it does a better job with slideshows. The iPhoto-like app included on the iPad lets you group photos and makes them easy to show off.
5. iWork
Apple’s document, spreadsheet and presentation apps have been reworked for the iPad launch and they’re available as $US10 downloads. Not bad.
6. Long battery life
Admittedly, the Amazon Kindle’s battery lasts longer, but how many portable DVD players offer 10 hours of video playback? The iPad has real staying power.
7. Screen lock
Ever tried to use an app while laying down? Automatic screen orientation can be a real pain. To address this, Apple has replaced the mute switch with a screen lock switch.
8. Accessories
The iPad has even more accessories than the iPod, it seems. You will be able to add a physical keyboard, USB or memory card port, or a case that acts as a stand… just as soon as they’re available.
9. Rugged body
The iPad is sturdy and was designed to withstand everyday knocks. That’s not to say you should drop it or use it as a coaster, but it shouldn’t fall apart by itself.
10. The price
While the Aussie price is still unknown, $US499 is a great ballpark for such an entertaining gadget.”
Are Australian Publishers and Carriers ready for iPad?
Something I have been wondering for a long time… If you are the same, here is a great article from Julian Lee on the matter:
“The iPad is coming, and hardly anyone knows what to do with it…
From media companies to telcos, the device remains a mystery, writes Julian Lee.
Many in media circles are hailing it as a potential saviour of the industry, a way to let them charge for content until now given away free.
Yet five weeks before its launch in Australia few have even laid eyes on the Apple iPad.
The California company is drip-feeding information about a device that, among other things, will let users view films, surf the web and read ebooks and digitised versions of newspapers and magazines.
Not a single iPad is believed to be on these shores, and few senior executives in the media companies banking on its success admit to having seen it.
Telecommunications companies – which will provide iPad users with the means with which to surf the web or send emails – have yet to finalise their packages. Again few have seen it.
The subject of what ads will look like in the digitised versions of newspapers and magazines and how much they will charge for them has yet to be raised with advertising and media agencies.
Some in the industry are questioning whether the iPad will live up to the hype, given that in the next year seven devices from HP, Dell and a host of cheaper Asian brands will be on the market.
One leading developer said none of the main Australian media companies was likely to meet the late April deadline.
Keith Ahern of Mogeneration said: ”Most of the media companies are already working on iPad apps for some or all of their titles, which surprised me given that we were coming out of a recession.”
But he added: ”I don’t believe any large Australian publishers of print or news media will make the deadline. I think smaller publishers like Medwords and games companies like Firemint will. I have worked with [large media companies] and it’s hard to make things happen quickly.”
Like other developers Ahern’s company has been relying on an iPad simulator to build applications for clients.
Carter’s Encyclopaedia of Health and Medicine published by Medwords will be available. The iBookstore will not be available in Australia at launch because of rights issues.
Larger media companies like Fairfax Media, publisher of the Herald, are keeping the market guessing.
Lloyd Whish-Wilson, chief executive and publisher of Fairfax Media’s Sydney publishing division, said: ”We are very enthusiastic about tablet devices for newspaper and magazines. There’s a lot of planning going into it, and we’ll be ready by the time the market takes off.
”There is potential to extend our journalism in ways that I think readers, and I have no doubt advertisers, will find very exciting.”
Ed Smith, the chief executive content and commercial of News Digital Media, said that, much as he was excited about the possibilities, the iPad was only one of a number of devices to be launched this year. He said the category was likely to grow only once the publishers, telcos and manufacturers ”package them up”.
“Having said that, we do have to be realistic about how quickly the iPad will become mainstream, not least because demand is likely to outstrip supply for some time.
“There’s also little doubt these tablets will be in great demand by advertisers – partly because they will want to reach the engaged, quality, audiences they will attract, but also because they have so much creative potential.”
In the meantime, many publishers are expected to fall back on existing iPhone apps, which will work on the iPad.
As the deadline looms the debate in media companies continues to rage around whether to charge a monthly fee or a one-off fee. The Herald has sold ”many thousands” of its Good Food Guide app for a one-off fee of $11.99. Many more of its Domain app have been downloaded free.
The Wall Street Journal, which with The New York Times has been granted continuous access to the iPad to develop specific apps, is reportedly set to charge $US17.99 ($20) a month to subscribe to the iPad version of its paper.
Mr Smith of News Digital Media said ”when the time is right we will benefit enormously from what our colleagues at The WSJ have learnt”.
Carl Hammerschmidt, director at ACP Magazines’ digital division, said the iPad was one of a number of platforms the company was exploring.
“Our challenge is to ensure we are on the right platforms with the right products and, when it comes to digital magazines, that what we are offering is the leading product in the market … we also have to ensure the business models stack up.”
He would not discuss how close he was to launch, though some media buyers are saying that ACP will offer near-replicas of the printed editions on the iPad. ACP’s chief rival, the Seven Network-owned Pacific Magazines, declined to comment.
Overseas magazines such as Wired, GQ, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Glamour are all reported to be ready to go in mid-June. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times are expected to be the only newspapers ready at launch.
Advertisers such as Coca-Cola, FedEx, Gillette, Volkswagen and Ford are understood to have bought ads on iPad editions or embedded in applications.
Media buying agencies say the topic of advertising rates and types of units has not been discussed in Australia. Toby Jenner, chief executive of the media agency MediaCom, said: ”It’s just not on our radar; in fact I don’t think it’s on the industry’s radar.”
The managing director digital of Mitchell Communications Group, John Murray, said he would get his first presentation of the iPad ”within the week”, but would not say from whom. He was not rushing to push clients into a device that has yet to carve out an audience.
Iain McDonald, founder of the digital advertising agency Amnesia Razorfish, was sceptical of the iPad’s impact, saying that because it was “sandwiched” between an e-reader like Amazon’s Kindle and cheaper laptops, he doubted it would be the game-changing device that the iPhone has become.
But it is the fact that the iPad will not play videos formatted in the industry-standard Flash format – used by most advertisers – that worries him most.
“Absolutely it does,” he said. “We are in the business of creating experiences [online] and if Apple is removing one of them and that affects how video is played then that is not going to help my clients.”
He also doubts whether it will go mass, despite predictions that between 100,000 and 200,000 units, retailing at an entry level price of $650, will be sold by Christmas. “We need to develop eyeballs, not niche audiences,” he said.
While the media and advertising industries have an excuse to hang back, the same cannot be said for the telcos that will be providing one of a number of options that iPad users will turn to for connectivity to the web. On their state of readiness the top three mobile phone operators had little to say.
Optus declined to comment and a Telstra spokesman confirmed the company had yet to see a device.
”We are still talking with Apple and are waiting to hear back from them, as is everyone else.”
A spokesman for Vodafone said: “Unfortunately we can’t make any statements on the iPad and in fact we cannot even confirm whether or not we will be able to sell the iPad in Australia.” He confirmed the company had not seen a device.”
Camera based swipe controls for iPhone & iPad
“Now that rumors of an Apple tablet have manifested themselves in the iPad, speculation about the next iteration of the iPhone can begin in earnest. In a research note published today, Morgan Stanley (MS) analyst Katy Huberty offers a few thoughts on what a successor to the iPhone 3GS might look like.
“We expect Apple to launch new iPhones in June that offer both a lower total cost of ownership and new functionality, potentially including gesture-based technology,” she wrote in a note to clients today. “As we’ve highlighted in the past, the cost of device + service plan is currently the biggest barrier to incremental demand in both mature markets like the US and emerging markets like China.”
Now, when Apple (AAPL) introduced the 3GS in 2009, it dropped the price of the iPhone 3G to $99, so it seems reasonable to expect the company to follow a similar pattern when it introduces a new iPhone. Might the price of the new device itself also be lower than expected? Perhaps. Certainly the fact that Apple was able to bring the iPad to market at $499 suggests it’s possible.
More intriguing than these ruminations on price, however, is Huberty’s mention of new “gesture-based technology.” The analyst doesn’t offer any details on what this might be, but presumably she’s referring to advances disclosed in some recent Apple patent filings.
Among the possibilities here: A touch-sensitive bezel that would turn the outer edges of the device into intelligent “sense lines” that give users quick and easy access to their favorite applications, and some camera-based swipe controls that offer one-handed control over a variety of iPhone functions.”…
Click for the link for a description of the latter from Patently Apple
A Gadget Video Review that demos Google’s Nexus One and compares it with Apple’s iPhone… Thanks to Kip Kay…
If you haven’t already watched a demo video on Google’s Nexus One; which also compares it with Apple’s iPhone; here is a very useful Gadget Video Review! Enjoy!
“With push messages on iPhone; is Facebook the new Free SMS?” Latest update on Facebook for iPhone App!
With the latest update on Facebook for iPhone Application; now you can see new incoming facebook messages as a notification on your screen!
And there is more; you can also sync your facebook contacts with your contacts on your iphone! So all you have to do is go to your App Store on your iPhone; download the update & enjoy!
News Pick ::: “Facebook for iPhone just received an update that contains one of the most sought after missing features, push notifications. It has been a long time coming as most of us hoped for this feature when Facebook 3.0 was released. The only other difference noted in 3.1 is very Android-like, the ability to sync your friends with your address book.”
First heard it from my dear friend www.burak.com
Carry Your Own Projector Everywhere with The world’s first Laser Pico Projector!!!
“Large flat-screen TVs were all the rage at the Consumer Electronics Show, but companies like Microvision Inc are putting their bets on image viewing of a much smaller scale: projections from devices as tiny as cellphones.
Microvision showed off a stand-alone projector that looked like a big bar of soap and projected crisp video images using laser technology. Its big hope is to embed the technology in a range of consumer electronics including cameras and phones.
“My feeling is that ultimately the phone is the largest opportunity,” Microvision’s director of communications Matt Nichols said, adding that his company was talking to dozens of potential customers including phone makers.
Nichols sees the first prototypes of gadgets with embedded Microvision pico projectors later this year, and expects the first commercial products some time next year.
After that, he expects the market to explode — in the same way that cameras have quickly become a must-have component in cellphones…”
… And APPLE Enters Mobile Advertising with the strategic acquisition of Quattro Wireless for $275 million!!!
“The strategic acquisition officially made Apple a mobile advertising player, putting the Californian gadget maker on a collision course with Google.
Apple has acquired the Waltham, Massachusetts-based mobile advertising firm Quattro Wireless for a cool $275 million. The official news came via a note on Quattro’s website early Tuesday, following an exclusive Monday report by the Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital. As a result of this acquisition, Quattro’s CEO Andy Miller has been named the vice president of Mobile Advertising at Apple.
Venture-backed Quattro Wireless runs the mobile advertising network that includes mobile applications coming from a wide variety of mobile platforms, including iPhone OS and Android programs. Miller wrote the following in a note on Quattro’s website:
Happy New Year from Quattro Wireless!
We are thrilled to let you know that Apple has acquired Quattro. We want to share with you our excitement about this news and what it means for our customers.
We have built our business by enabling advertisers to reach the right consumers across the mobile web and in applications. We remain focused on delivering more engaging, relevant and useful ads to mobile devices, and improving the measurement and execution of digital campaigns. Together with Apple, we look forward to developing exciting new opportunities in the future that will benefit our customers.
For now, the offerings and services you receive from Quattro Wireless will not change. We will continue to operate the Quattro Wireless network across all devices and platforms. Your client and support teams will remain the same, and you can continue to expect the world-class service we are proud to deliver to our customers.
We look forward to working with you during this exciting time.
Andy Miller
Vice President, Mobile Advertising
Apple”
Mobilious 