Texting News

911 Texting Now Available to the Deaf

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Not only did Manitoba recently become the first Canadian province to provide it’s citizens with a 911 texting service, it has also made the platform available to the deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired.

The new wireless text messaging program is the first of its kind in Canada. Unveiled last week by Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS), the system requires hearing or speech impaired people to first register their wireless devices. 

Text-to-911 software has proven popular with law enforcement services all over North America. In May, the four major wireless carriers in the United States have been emergency SMS capabilities as an alternative to voice calls. It’s important to note, however, that the FCC says Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T only support text-to-911 in areas where dispatchers are already equipped to receive SMS.

For those areas, using the technology is very simple. Users simply type 911into the number field, and state their location and the nature of the emergency in the body of the text.

The National Emergency Number Association states that call centers equipped to receive emergency text messages can field SMS in a variety of ways. Centers without the latest SMS technology can simply upgrade their systems.

It’s hoped that more communities will adopt the technology over the coming year, and it could take several years before implementation is nationally adopted.

According to the FCC, anyone who sends a text to 911 via Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, or AT&T in an area where the program is not yet supported will immediately receive a "bounce back" text informing them that their text could not be delivered. If you find yourself in this situation, you would then need to make a voice call to emergency services.

The advantages of text-to-911 are clear. In certain criminal situations, it’s not always possible – or advisable – to bring attention to yourself by talking on the telephone. Emergency text messages could save lives in such situations. Nevertheless, the FCC and law enforcers stress that when contacting 911, the first choice should always be to place a call, with SMS suggested only when a phone call is impossible or dangerous.

SMS Improving Farmers’ Lot in Emerging Markets

Mobile technology is making a major positive impact on the lives of rural workers and farmers in some of the most remote, deprived parts of the world. Since 2007, It’s estimated that individual farmers have made up to $4000 in additional profits, and saved up to twice that amount, figures that represent a significant ROI for struggling businesses in developing markets.

It’s all thanks to the pioneering work of mobile-based agri information hub Reuters Market Light (RML), a service specifically designed to help farmers by forwarding timely alerts regarding relevant agricultural information. It works like a watchdog, issuing vital information at every stage of the agricultural season, from pre-sowing to post-harvest. So far, millions of farmers across the globe have used RML, which tailors information to each farmers’ personal profile so they only receive relevant text messages. The service includes the following features:

  • Local market crop prices
  • Local weather forecasts
  • Advisory information to improve productivity
  • Advisory information to reduce risk
  • Latest agri information that could impact prices or costs

As a safeguard against unscrupulous middlemen and a globalized food chain dominated by multinational corporations, RML is unimpeachable. The impact has been felt especially strongly in India, a country whose rapid economic growth in recent years has barely raised the living standards of many rural communities.

Examples of the real-world impact of the program are legion. One maize farmer learned of the spread of bird flu in time to store his produce and wait the crises out. Forbes recently ran the story of a grape grower who began exporting produce to Russia after RML informed him that prices were higher there. Another 1.2 million farmers in India use the system to optimize their chances of survival.

It’s not just India. As China’s telecommunications industry grows at an astonishing rate, their contribution to the world of mobile becomes increasingly significant. In Kenya, mobile phone payments are helping reduce crime stats in a country plagued by literal daylight robbery; one quarter of Kenyan GDP now flows through the M-Pesa mobile payment system.

Studies have shown that introducing ten mobile phones per one hundred people in the developing world can add up to one percent to a country’s economic growth. We’ve seen compelling evidence of developing countries getting a leg up from SMS. Between making services cheaper, creating higher expectations among the citizenship, and offering greater choice, the future just looks brighter with mobile.

 

Mobile Marketing Summit to Hit London in June

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Mobile phones, particularly smartphones, have revolutionized the retail industry, as shoppers rely on their phones for purchases now more than ever. The retail landscape is expected to change even more over the next three years as retailers continue to respond to consumer behavior. The Mobile Marketing Summit will hit the America Square Conference Centre in London on June 5, 2014, offering retailers the chance to examine the impact of mobile in the retail world and what they can do to stay ahead of the proverbial curve. The event will feature speakers, workshops, an “innovation lab” and more.

On Device 

The event is divided into four streams, the first of which is “On Device.” This will cover what retailers are doing to generate sales on mobile phones and tablets via apps and transactional mobile sites. Sessions include those on the “choices and challenges” retailers and brands deal with when going mobile, the common mistakes companies make when “setting up, running and optimizing their own mobile and tablet experiences,” and even a session on Domino’s Pizza! Entitled Domino’s Journey From a Bricks & Mortar to Online Retailer, the session features the brand’s head of eCommerce, Paul Francis, who will discuss how Domino’s shaped its eCommerce strategy, as well as the company’s plans for the future.

Driving Footfall 

The next event stream is “Driving Footfall,” which will cover how couponing, location-based services and mobile advertising can draw customers to both physical and digital retailer outlets. Sessions will include those on the key retail and leisure news of 2013, the future of in-store promotions and what opportunities m-commerce offers high street retailers, the power of “weather marketing,” and the many reasons to embrace mobile in the world of retail.

In-Store 

The event’s “In-Store” stream will look at how mobile can guide the shopper’s experience while in actual stores. Sessions are set to examine the future of retail in regards to SMS, insights on using mobile to enhance in-store shopper experiences, and the “bigger picture,” i.e. how brands can set themselves apart from the competition via apps, real-time Facebook integration, SMS and more. 

The Future

The final Mobile Marketing Summit Stream is called “The Future,” which (unsurprisingly) looks to the future of retail and what part mobile and similar digital technologies will play. This stream will feature two sessions in addition to a panel discussion. The first session includes Humble Grape founder James Dawson, who will share his story on how the brand’s tech wine bar project and its mobile philosophy applies to apps, purchase systems, location technologies and more. The other session will look at mobile’s influence on the total retail experience, including which trends are set to define the future of the mobile world when it comes to retail. It will also examine beacon technology and the omni-channel personal experience. 

These and other exciting events make up the third annual Mobile Marketing Summit! The opportunity to network is one of the many reasons the summit is so worthwhile. Will you be attending? 

Android Users Sue Apple for iMessage Flaws

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As smartphones become the dominant means of communication for many people, the pitched battle between platform providers is fought to lock users into their digital ecosystem. Some – like Microsoft’s Nokia X – are offering people a way out of a Google world with which many have grown disillusioned. It’s fascinating to watch, but such aggressive competition can be a headache for anyone who does make the leap and switch to another service provider. Cross-platform support is woefully inadequate.

A perfect example of this careless approach emerged this week, as iPhone owners who switched to Android found they could no longer receive text messages via the iMessage app – despite Apple’s SMS service claiming cross-platform capabilities.

The problems dates back to an old bug in the system that stems from the way iMessage was developed. As a separate messing system with end to end encryption, anyone who signs up is assured a high level of security. Their number is stored in a separate database, accesses only when another Apple device sends them a message. Other iPhone users can share text messages for free using the app, but for numbers not in the database, a charge-carrying SMS is sent instead.

Fine, but what happens when you switch to a new device? Oblivious, your contacts send you a text via iMessage, which searches for your Apple ID and keeps trying to send you an iMessage instead of an SMS. Neither type of message gets through.

Understandably upset defectors have initiated a class action lawsuit against Apple, which experts believe may ultimately involve thousands of litigants. The suit requests that Apple fix iMessage to allow users to exit the ecosystem without problems, and also seeks punitive damages. 

According to Apple, the only fix for the bug is to have every contact delete and re-add your name to their own contacts. This is an unwieldy ‘solution’ that will cause more problems than it solves. We wait with bated breath to see if Apple offers a more satisfactory answer… 

Six of the Best: Digital Wallets

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At the end of last year, MobileMarketingWatch predicted 2014 would see $8 billion spent on mobile advertising. According to their prediction, one of the key drivers of this expanding market would be the rise of the ‘digital wallet’.

In an age of widespread smartphone ownership, mobile transactions are the logical continuation of an increasingly cashless society. Convenient, secure and easily tracked, digital payments are now possible via a number of apps:

Google Wallet

Probably the best known digital wallet, Google’s app lets you pay for goods and services by waving or tapping your smartphone across a checkout reader which identifies credit card information linked to your Google account. Right now, it only works in the US with selected merchants, but more companies are adding the technology all the time. It even works with Google Glass

Apple’s Passbook

Apple’s take on the digital wallet was introduced to iOS 6. It relies on scanning 2D barcodes that help you manage anything from movie tickets to loyalty cards and coupons. Again, only a few merchants are accepting this form of transaction right now, and it’s not (yet) possible to sync it with your credit card, but as a convenient way of managing store accounts, Passbook takes some beating.

Square Wallet

The lesser known Square Wallet is available on both iOS and Android. The app links your credit card details to a fairly limited directory of merchants, and uses geo-location technology to charge you when you’re in store. A neat feature is the potential for purchasing in-store gift vouchers that can be sent to other Square Wallet users.

Chirpify

Chirpify turns your social media apps into payment systems using PayPal. It creates listings enabling you to sell items or start a fundraising project on Instagram or Twitter, all managed from a Chirpify dashboard.

Bump Pay

Just like the Bump app that lets you share photos between smartphones, Bump Pay is a free iPhone app that does exactly what it says on the tin: transfers (or ‘bumps’) money from one phone to another using a PayPal account.

Isis

Taking digital payments full circle, Isis comes with its very own cashcard, preloaded with $10. Compatible with NFC-enabled Androids, it lets you manage loyalty cards and redeem offers from selected merchants. Isis is also PIN-protected, and can be remotely frozen if your phone is stolen – perfect for security conscious digital wallet lovers.

 

Facebook Expects Instagram and WhatsApp to Drive Growth

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Facebook experienced accelerated growth during 2013, largely as a result of its monetizaton of smartphone and tablet users via mobile advertising. The company is now trading close to all-time highs, and, with the recent additions of Instagram and WhatsApp, has plenty of room for growth during 2014.

Acquired for a billion dollars in 2012, Instagram was seen as a bold purchase for Facebook at the time, as it was not yet a revenue generator. Facebook changed that in 2013, and they are starting to reap big rewards from the photo-sharing network, which now has more than 180 million MAUs.

A key change to the Instagram model was the recent addition of video capabilities. Selective ads from leading brands were added, and Instagram cleverly focused on only the most creative impressions that would fit with the overall aesthetic of the service. With Facebook’s billion-strong user base, Instagram has the potential to grow further still, with some analysts predicting revenues of more than $500 million by the year’s end.

A bigger surprise in industry circles was Facebook’s deal for WhatsApp, the popular messaging service that primarily services the youth demographic.

The massive $19 billion deal highlights Facebook’s determination to remain innovative and stay in touch with the mobile app boom. Facebook sees – as many do – the future of web activity becoming increasingly mobile-based, and is seeking to assert itself as the dominant platform.

Moving forward, Facebook remains an expensive stock, but the firm is doing all the right things – growing its user base, focusing on mobile ads and apps, and investing in product development at a thrilling rate. Facebook’s ability to monetize its increasingly large audience is proving a real boon to revenues and earnings. They are showing no signs of slowing down, and with an appetite for innovation and growth this big, who knows what 2014 will bring?

Apple Seeks to Boost Share of Chinese Mobile Market

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Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has promised the company’s 763 million Chinese subscribers “great things” in response to repeated calls for larger display screens.

Cook made the promise at China Mobile’s flagship store in Beijing - but he wouldn't go into specifics about Apple's plans for developing a device aimed squarely at one market.

“We never talk about future things,” Cook said. “We have great things we are working on but we want to keep them secret. That way you will be so much happier when you see it.”

China Mobile is the world's largest carrier, and Apple hopes to tap their user-base in order dominate the country's smartphone market, which is currently led by Samsung. Three home-grown companies trail Samsung but outsell Apple.

China Mobile could shift 10 million iPhone units this year, according to estimates from industry analysts.  According to China Mobile, pre-orders for Apple’s iPhone stood at around 1 million units on January 15th. 

Apple's slow progress in China has largely been attributed to the relatively high cost of the device. Consumers are opting for smartphones costing as little as $100. Apple hopes to overturn that trend this year, but is facing a major challenge in the shape of their iPhone display, which Chinese consumers insist is too small. Standard practice in China is to use one large-screen device for emails, web browsing and watching video content. Every other fourth-generation smartphone offered by China Mobile boasts a display at least half an inch bigger than Apple's four inch iPhone screen. 

Rumors abound over whether Apple will address those concerns specifically for one marketplace - albeit a huge marketplace. Some expect the company to introduce two larger-screen devices this year in order to pose a real threat to the big domestic hitters. 

 

 

Instagram Rolls Out Mobile Ads

Last October, Instagram began phasing in advertising on their photo and video sharing platform. They began with sample ads placed directly in users' feeds, promoting a handful of trusted businesses that were already part of the Instagram community. Just ten brands were invited to participate. Additionally, Instagram promised not to incorporate any user content into ads.

Mobile marketing is still relatively young, and even big brands like Facebook, Google and Microsoft are figuring out their best practice for getting the most out of it. The search engine giant is leading the pack right now in terms of revenue, but Facebook is catching up fast, with the launch of FBX for mobile promising to revolutionize targeted advertising. With Instagram linked to Facebook, both companies stand to mutually benefit from new mobile strategies.

From the users perspective, Instagram’s refusal to share member photos and other content is great news. They are setting a new standard for sharing only relevant, shareable content.

Of course, this philosophy is a lot easier to bear out for what is essentially a visual platform. Creating images – even mediocre images – necessarily requires more work than creating mediocre text, so marketing departments will have to up their game if they want to avoid being spam filtered in Instagram’s new world. And with the recent addition of video capabilities to the site, users are experiencing ever-richer content.

It’s clear that we are entering a new era of mobile marketing. Some analysts predict that mobile will outstrip desktop by 2015. Whatever happens, mobile search and advertising is here to stay, and marketers ignore the changes at their peril.

 

Technology and Politics

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How the soapbox went digital.

Ethics change with technology. So says sci-fi author Larry Niven. It's quite a thought in these uncertain times, when politicians' credibility as harbingers of ethics hinges on their canny use – or shocking abuse – of technology. The scrutiny they are under is enabled by technology, too. Statesman makes moral blunder. Voters film it and post on youtube. Statesman tweets his apology. Voters tweet their disapproval back. It's a sophisticated game of ethics Pong. 

Back when actual Pong was at the digital cutting edge, the marriage of modern technology and politics was very much in its honeymoon period. The televised debates between presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon are widely regarded as a watershed, the point at which public perception of politicians was based on the moving image, rather than the printed word.

But while television revolutionized personality politics, very little changed in the way technology was used to canvass opinion or harvest votes. Right up until Obama's 2008 nomination, the political campaign trail was paved with three-by-five index cards and soundtracked by the analogue click of phone banks calling potential voters. An index card would be created with the voter's details. A code denoting the voter's preferred candidate (or the direction they were leaning toward) would be added. Campaign organizers would be handed shoeboxes filled with cards that had been coded, and would call voters to rally support. 

The index card system used in field organization seems so quaint now, but it engaged voters in the electoral system – and that's exactly what desktop and mobile marketing strategies are doing in the 21st Century. Now, if anything's the dinosaur it's television, a medium barely touched on by the first Obama campaign. It was even said by some commentators that Hillary Clinton acceded her Democratic nomination because she ran an old-fashioned campaign.

By contrast, Obama raised half a billion dollars in campaign funds online, and gathered vital data on the electorate that allowed him to appeal directly to them. The president's team was young enough and canny enough to see the way the tide was turning. A combination of social media, YouTube, Twitter, mobile advertising and traditional forms of marketing helped the campaign deliver a more personalized message to voters. 

Some of the innovations developed and exploited by the Democratic presidential campaign were – and remain – at the forefront of mobile technology. A hyperlocal targeting app created specifically for Obama linked a google map to the neighbourhood in which campaign volunteers were working. Blue flags appeared on the map with targeted scripts that could be used to talk directly to voters about the issues affecting them. Mobile payments were also used to great effect, allowing supporters to contribute dollars via text message.

The Romney campaign tried similar strategies. One idea was a VP app that promised to inform supporters of the vice president pick before anyone else. In the end, traditional news media beat them to the punch. After the Obama victory, one Romney staffer said dejectedly: “We weren't even running the same race.” 

After the Republican's disastrous attempts to flirt with new technologies in 2012, it's unlikely the GOP adopt anything other than a full-blown mobile marketing strategy for 2016. After all, an estimated 1.2 trillion text messages will be sent this year, and almost every single American voter will have received at least one of them.

The beauty of text messaging for political campaigns is that those who choose to receive SMS broadcasts have granted permission by opting-in. This is usually done by texting a keyword to a short code or local phone number. Why is opting-in so good? It protects you from accusations of spamming, as everyone on your list has requested you contact them by text. This way, you know that everything you send is heading towards someone who wants the information. Add to that the fact that more than nine out of ten texts are opened and read, and you have a pretty effective platform.

Political campaign managers are using text messaging in all sorts of innovative ways:

  • Personally connecting with voters
  • Running polls and surveys
  • Announcing debates and party events, conferences and meetings
  • Getting feedback on hot-button policy proposals

These dramatic changes in the political landscape are profound. As Larry Niven pointed out, the technology itself has an impact on the way people think. It might be used to manipulate people. It might be used to empower them (as with the much-lauded application of Twitter during the Arab Spring). Either way, it's here to stay, and the Obama 2012 campaign is a perfect model of how to conduct a mobile marketing campaign that works. You should try it some time.

Mobile Advertising Market Will Be Worth $76 Billion by 2018

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The rapid adoption of smartphones and mobile media consumption has prompted analysts to put a projected value of more than $76 billion on the mobile marketing industry by 2018. A report from market research company Markets and Markets claims the current value of $15.13 billion will explode to $76.57 billion in five years, with an anticipated Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 38.3%.

The market for mobile and cross-channel advertising is doubling year on year, according to the report, which analyzed data from all the major vendors of web advertising space, including Google, Apple, Jumptap, Yahoo, Microsoft Drawbridge.

The research looked at various regional markets, comparing mobile advertising trends in North America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and Africa and Latin America. It also broke down data according to solutions; services; devices; advertising types; verticals and organization size. The biggest growth region is expected to be Asia and the Pacific, with emerging digital economies in Africa and the Middle East not far behind. Cross-platform marketing is prising open the world economy for corners of the earth that were simply unable to compete on the global stage, even ten years ago.

The latest buzzword in digital marketing it may be, but ‘cross-platform advertising’ is really helping consumers break new ground in the way they work, rest and play. Multiscreen, multi-device access to cloud-based data has opened the door for advertisers to target customers on phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.

Throw location-based marketing into the mix, and you have the potential to target the plugged-in, switched-on, youth demographic who are rarely without at least one device. Text messaging campaigns can send promotions to customers based on their preferences and locations, allowing for more personalized offers and greater engagement.

Whether it’s a small startup in Nairobi, or an international tech firm in Silicon Valley, the cross-platform market is booming. Retail. Food. Technology. Businesses of all stripes and nationalities are taking up these new marketing tools because they provide an affordable way to reach out to new business and loyal clients alike. 

It’s an exciting time for any business currently planning their next big marketing push. There is a caveat in the Markets and Markets report, however. They sound a warning note regarding the challenges posed by cross-platform and location-based marketing, referring to privacy as one of the ‘major issues’ facing this new combination of technologies. The ability to track consumers using GPS places a much greater responsibility on companies to act ethically and with explicit customer consent. SMS marketing and web marketing firms should be alert to the need for opt-in checkboxes and easy opt-out options. For mobile marketers who launch their strategies from a point of mutual trust and clear consent, the future looks very bright indeed.

 

 

 

 

Celebrity Texting Fails

Madonna took a scolding and a ban from a movie theater for texting during a premiere. But which other famous faces have been outed as text villains?

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A Texas movie theater chain has banned Madonna from their establishments after she was caught texting during a screening of 12 Years a Slave. Madge was apparently tapping away on her phone during the film’s premiere at the New York Film Festival last week and was sternly reprimanded by a patron who asked her to stop. According to reports, the star’s haughty response to the request was: “It’s for business… enslaver!”).

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain has a strict no-talking, no-texting policy in place, enforced by ejecting any movie-goer who violates it. The chain’s founder and CEO Time League later tweeted that Madonna would be unwelcome at Alamo theaters until she “apologizes to movie fans.”

The grande dame of pop is not the first celebrity to get in trouble over anti-social texting habits. Back in 2010, Jersey Shore star Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi landed herself in hot water after tweeting about the perils of gridlock from her car – just hours after she had struck a plea bargain to avoid jail time for disorderly conduct.

Snooki’s tweet – “Stuck in Newark traffic is no fun” – was soon followed by another in which she complained about using manual transmission, making it quite clear that she was behind the wheel at the time of writing. Although she avoided arrest, Newark Mayor Cory Brooker got wind of the tweets and reminded her via Twitter that she had committed a ticketable offense.

The same year saw the tragic death of celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Frank Ryan who was reportedly tweeting about his dog moments before his car plunged off a Malibu cliff. Best known for performing multiple surgeries on stars of The Hills Ryan’s accident prompted a wave of public awareness about the dangers of texting while driving.

The charge has been led by Oprah Winfrey, whose campaign to get fans to agree not to text while driving has received massive support from both the celebrity and earthling worlds. Oprah’s ‘No Phone Zone’ pledge has helped consolidate safe texting campaigners all over the United States, including Justin Bieber (who recently shot an advert for the Drive Safe organization) and Sharon Osbourne. Osbourne had her own text-related shunt in 2011, and has since vowed never to use her phone while driving again.

As the social – and legal – rules surrounding good texting practices evolve, mobile communications firms are stepping up to help people send time-critical SMS messages without risking their lives. Ez Texting has introduced a raft of features allowing users to take advantage of their services even if they’re on the road often. Bulk texts can be scheduled to go out at a pre-determined time, and drip campaigns send a timed series of messages to a specific group of contacts. Recurring texts allow users to compose a message that can be send out on a regular basis whether they’re up in the air, stuck in traffic, at a movie theater or otherwise away from their desk.

Between public campaigns, celebrity endorsements, government legislation and private enterprise, we are moving closer to putting an end to needless road death caused by texting. An end to movie theater nuisances – famous or otherwise - would be the icing on the cake.

 

Early Evidence Suggests The iPad Won Christmas (Again)

Here's an interesting image put together by A.X. Ian (@axian) showing the frequency of 'first tweets from my new tablet' in the 24 hours following Christmas eve. The iPad family is far in front. Microsoft's Surface barely registers:

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Anecodtal data? For sure. Interesting nonethless.

Obama Cashes In On Text-2-Donate. Romney Far, Far Behind

When the Federal Election Commission permitted text-2-donate campaigns to extend beyond charity to the political sphere there was a bit of uncertainty about how it would work, how payments would settle...and most importantly, who would gain the most from it. It appears, as we head into the homestretch of the 2012 Election the winner of the text-2-donate channel is Obama in a landslide - we're talking 500:1

Last month, Obama’s campaign reported paying $84,655 in fees to m-Qube Group’s payvia mobile payment service, which manages text-to-donate programs for both presidential campaigns. Mitt Romney’s campaign paid just $1,152, Federal Election Commission records show. The fees — a percentage of the total amount raised via text — suggest that Obama outdid the former Massachusetts governor by a more than 500-to-1 ratio among texting donors.

Head over to Roll Call for lots of stats about this exciting new political tool. Visit Club Texting to learn more about Text Messaging For Political Campaigns.

Got A Smartphone? You're Probably Voting For Obama

The folks over at Business Insider have put a revent Velti study about smartphone ownership and voting behavior in an interesting context:

A recent poll conducted by Velti and Harris Interactive found that among iPhone and Android voters, Obama trounces Romney. Forty-nine percent of iPhone and Android users prefer Obama, compared with 31 percent that choose Romney. The gap remains across even the income divide — among voters making more than $75,000 that own an iPhone or Android, Obama still outpaces Romney by 10 points.

The Romney campaign is already on top of it:

In just the past month, the Romney campaign has taken two major steps to promote Mitt Romney on mobile devices: It launched a Facebook mobile advertising campaign and an ad blitz with Apple's mobile iAd service on the iPhoneiPad and iTouch devices.

Read more @ Business Insider

The Latest Wireless Stats From CTIA

Last week CTIA released their twice-a-year statistical look at America's wireless industry. A couple of highlights:

  • SMS sent and received: 2.304 trillion; 2010: 2.052 trillion (12 percent increase).
  • Active smartphones and wireless-enabled PDAs: 111.5 million; Dec. 2010: 78.2 million (43 percent increase).

One figure that really stood out to us was that at 2.3 Trillion texts sent and recieved, SMS has surpassed minutes spent talking on the phone (2.2 Trillion minutes)!

Read more at CTIA

March Madness Was A 'Mobile Moment'

The folks at MarketingCharts highlighted an interesting report from Millenial Media detailing just how mobile-dependent basketball fans were this March Madness:

Partnering with the IAB to commission a Harris Interactive survey of more than 2,000 US adults, the report finds that 88% of self-identified passionate fans used their mobile devices for an NCAA tournament-related activity and that 40% specifically purchased an application related to the tournament. Among device owners who followed the tournament, the leading activities were to check scores (48%), read news about teams and players (25%), check brackets (23%), and watch game highlights (20%).

Read more here.

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Facebook Buys Instagram For $1 Billion Dollars. Why It Makes Sense...

While the entire tech world comprehends the news that Facebook is buying photo-sharing app Instagram, check out this sharp analysis from Dan Frommer:

Pretty sweet deal for the Instagram team. But it’s also a brilliant move for Facebook.

Why?

  • Not only does it now own an insanely fast-growing (and arguably, the most exciting) social network…
  • …And the (tiny) team that built it.
  • But Facebook just took down its no. 1 threat, too.

 

Read more at SplatF.

    Mobile Barcode Scanning Tripled in 2011

    QR Codes and other forms of mobile barcodes continued to grow last year. Widespread adoption is still far off (if it ever arrives), but more and more Americans are scanning QR Codes with their mobile phones. Check this chart:

    Scanlife-barcode-scanning-trends

    Let's put that chart in perspective:

    2011 saw a 300% growth in barcode scanning compared to 2010, and a 1000% increase over 2009, according to [download page] a report released in February 2012 by Scanbuy.

    Read more at Marketing Charts.

    SMS Is The Most Popular Mobile Channel For Consumer Offers

    Your customers want to get offers like coupons and discounts from you, and they want to get them on their phone. And how exactly would they like to receive them? Via text message marketing of course:

    One-third of American consumers prefer to receive offers on their mobile device via text message, ahead of mobile web, including email (21%), mobile application (11%), and voicemail (8%), according to [download page] a survey released in January 2012 by the UK Direct Marketing Association (DMA), sponsored by Velti.

    Check the chart:

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    Learn more about mobile coupons at Club Texting.

    Americans Spent Their Holiday Vacation Downloading A Lot Of Mobile Apps

    Smartphones, specifically iPhones and Android phones are on the march - and it appears that they had a wildly successful holiday shopping period:

    It’s been announced by mobile analytics firm Flurry that more than one billion mobile applications were downloaded during the week between Christmas day and New Years day, shattering the one-week record for mobile app downloads by a long shot.

    Read more at Mobile Marketing Watch.

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