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 Today's Top Stories
1. YouTube on Helio: Two clicks, no fees
2. Report: Ad preferences based on age, gender
3. Cars.com partners with Lexus on mobile campaign
4. MAUJ joins BREW community
5. Q2 Software debuts mobile payment service
Also Noted: Spotlight On... Bank on it; Vodafone teams with Broca PLC for advanced messaging service; Telenity, CommVerge partner for value-added reseller agreement; and much more...
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Summertime blues
The last thing I wanted to write this week was yet another iPhone column, but the damn thing is all people are talking about. And I don't mean people in the mobile industry, either: The iPhone was a major topic of conversation at the Fourth of July party I attended in Chicago. I haven't seen this particular group of folks so enthralled by new technology since "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" hit stores and a small group of us spent an entire weekend beating up virtual cops and smacking around virtual hookers.
Rumor had it a friend picked up an iPhone last week, but she never showed, much to the chagrin of the vast majority of party goers who have yet to see the device up close. Among the minority of revelers with firsthand iPhone experience, the response was uniformly positive. "A guy at work bought one, and it's very cool," one enthused. "The touchscreen is amazing." But the painfully slow AT&T network speeds and last weekend's device activation issues also were common knowledge: "Why did Apple have to go with [expletive deleted] AT&T?" another said. "That's a deal breaker."
A turning point of this very long, very hot Independence Day was the moment when the video iPod supplying our music suddenly crashed. Attempts to reset the device failed. "No way am I buying a first-generation iPhone when Apple still can't produce an iPod that's reliable," said one particularly surly attendee. Actually, that guy was me. I just didn't realize I was wrapping up another iPhone column when I said it. - Jason
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1. YouTube on Helio: Two clicks, no fees
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Mobile virtual network operator Helio announced an agreement with YouTube to make the user-generated content aggregator's video clips available free for subscribers. In addition, Helio promised faster and more efficient YouTube video uploads requiring no more than two clicks, enabling near-real-time publishing. According to the MVNO, subscribers first must sign up for a YouTube mobile profile and pre-program their Helio Album media sharing service--upon clicking "Post," their videos will be live for public consumption.
"Helio has made it easier than ever to watch and publish videos to YouTube wherever you are, on a nationwide high-speed 3G network," said Sky Dayton, Helio CEO. "Going even further, we've made it so you can shoot video on your Helio device and publish it to millions of YouTube users in just two clicks. Taken together, Helio is providing our members with a complete YouTube experience unlike anything on the market today."
For more on the Helio/YouTube partnership:
- read this release
Related articles:
- LG, YouTube partner for video handsets
- YouTube generates iPhone content
 Fixed Mobile Convergence Progress Report
July 17, 12:00 pm ET / 9 am PT / 5 pm GMT
Host: Sue Marek, Editor-in-Chief, Telecom Group
Speaker: Stuart Carlaw, ABI Research |
Sponsored by
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| Many early FMC offerings in Europe have met with lackluster results, despite the early promise of new revenue streams for wireless carriers and wireline operators. Nevertheless, analysts still say that the U.S. is ripe for fixed mobile convergence. What's the real story behind FMC? Are there current success stories? Register now! |
2. Report: Ad preferences based on age, gender
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A new study issued by mobile media publisher MoMac and market research firm Tickbox says mobile advertising must match specific consumer criteria as responsiveness to different kinds of ads is dependent on age and gender. According to the study, men and women exhibit clear differences in their preferences for mobile ad formats: Text-based links are the most popular overall at 56 percent. There's a clear female bias of 60 percent in comparison with 47 percent of men. Picture or banner-based advertising is favored by 29 percent of users overall, and only under one in three consumers ages 25 to 34; while 22 percent of men stated a preference for video-based advertising, just 12 percent of women said they would be most likely to respond to a video ad. Video formats also were most popular with younger users--23 percent of users between 16 and 24 selected video as their preferred format.
MoMac adds that content providers must consider a variety of payment models. Ad-funded content is poised to become dominant with younger mobile users, with 47 percent of 16-24-year-olds preferring free content in exchange for viewing ads; only 32 percent of the youth market opted for a pay-as-you-download model, and only 3.9 percent said preferred content via a subscription. Conversely, 55 percent of respondents aged 45 or older opted for pay-as-you-download options, with 54 percent of women selecting the method compared with 41 percent of men.
For more on the MoMac study:
- read this release
Related articles:
- Study: Mobile ads OK, if targeted
- Study: Subscribers want ad-supported mobile audio
- Report: Carriers cautious about mobile advertising
- Report: Mobile email triggers content, looks to advertising
3. Cars.com partners with Lexus on mobile campaign
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Vehicle sales site Cars.com announced automaker Lexus as the first sponsor of its new mobile channel. Lexus will run a campaign throughout July targeted to connecting mobile shoppers with their local Lexus affiliates--the sponsorship will connect to the automaker's WAP site, with complete dealer information. The Cars.com mobile service also includes inventory of two million new and used vehicles, including photos, as well as Kelley Blue Book used car values, payment calculations and expert reviews.
"We have seen a growing demand for mobile advertising opportunities, as more buyers turn to the mobile web for advice and information," said Sharon Knitter, Cars.com director of product management. "Our new mobile platform continues to narrow the gap car buyers encounter between shopping online for the vehicle they want and visiting the dealership to buy it, offering advertisers such as Lexus a unique way to target true in-market shoppers who are out shopping for a car."
For more on the Cars.com/Lexus deal:
- read this release
4. MAUJ joins BREW community
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Indian mobile solutions provider MAUJ announced an agreement with Qualcomm to develop content for the wireless technology developer's BREW platform. MAUJ will create BREW applications including video ringtones and location-based services as well as m-Premiere, a user interface enabling consumers to preview and purchase mobile content. MAUJ will also introduce BREW game titles including "Super Cricket 2007," "Jurassic Adventure" and "Airy Tales."
For more on the MAUJ/Qualcomm partnership:
- read this release
Related articles:
- Qualcomm launches consumer portal via Ntelos
- Vivendi Universal Games Mobile agrees to BREW
5. Q2 Software debuts mobile payment service
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Financial services technology developer Q2 Software announced the newest release of its flagship electronic banking products Q2Online and Q2Voice flagship electronic banking products will introduce Q2Mobile Authorizations, which promises commercial users real-time mobile payments and transactions. "Q2Mobile Authorization is not just an alert over your phone," said Scott Abeel, Q2 Software VP of product management. "Our solution allows the approver to review details of the drafted transaction and to securely approve the payment on the same received call. This new technology is designed to allow the manager to easily approve daily requests during the routine course of business, which isn't always behind a desk on a computer. Because the phone is most accessible for the average mobile business manager, this feature significantly improves the convenience and security of the transaction approval process."
For more on the Q2 mobile service:
- read this release
ALSO NOTED
TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT... Bank on it
Why the future of mobile payment hinges on operator/banker cooperation. Release
> Vodafone teams with Broca PLC for advanced messaging service. Article
> Telenity, CommVerge partner for value-added reseller agreement. Release
> DMGI inks ringtone deal with Hulk Hogan. Release
And finally… FAA anticipates worst-ever summer for flight delays. Article
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> Fixed Mobile Convergence Progress Report - July 17
Many early FMC offerings in Europe have met with lackluster results, despite the early promise of new revenue streams for wireless carriers and wireline operators. Nevertheless, analysts still say that the U.S. is ripe for fixed mobile convergence. What's the real story behind FMC? Are there current success stories? Join FierceWireless Editor Sue Marek and Stuart Carlow of ABI Research to get an update on the state of FMC. Register now.
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> MoCollywood: A festival of mobile content - October 2-3, London UK
From the producers of Mobile Content World comes 2007's autumn blockbuster. MoCollywood is the ultimate stage in the evolution of the conference…a two day celebration of the business of mobile content. It is where 700 operators, content owners and technology providers get together to do business, be inspired, learn and put in the ground work for future deals. http://www.mocollywood.com
> Knowledge is Power: IPTV Evolution Answers Your IPTV Business Questions - Sept. 10
IPTV Evolution @ Internet Telephony is the place to conduct your research and find practical answers in a unique panel discussion format that puts you face-to-face with peers and industry leaders. Gain insight from all players in the value chain - set-top box makers, content providers, equipment vendors, standards bodies, and service providers. Register Today & Save!
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> InfoSpace mCore™ Platform - A Unified Mobile Services Platform
The mCore Platform is an innovative end-to-end technology platform that enables a world class unified mobile media experience spanning mobile portals, storefronts, search, messaging and managed web. Read the whitepaper to learn more about the benefits of a unified mobile services platform.
> Clickatell SMS Gateway - Bulk SMS
The world's leading SMS Gateway, offers a full range of SMS Services, with delivery to 600 networks in 200 countries. Download a range of SMS Software or use our web-based applications to send bulk SMS to your customers. Sign-up now to receive 10 free test messages!
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Announcing FierceTelecomJobs, the new FierceMarkets careers site for telecom and digital media. Find the perfect job or post your openings at telecom.fiercecareers.com.
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