Over the last few years, I’ve taken a close interest in mobile, and I’d like to share bits of it with you. The mobile world industry is evolving and growing faster globally than the Internet did roughly 15 years ago. It’s hard to keep current, especially in the mobile marketing space.

That’s why I created the 3FER, a SMS newsletter of three stories text to you weekly–always less than 300 words so that you can scan it easily and continue with your day. Topics will cover all of the facets of mobile marketing and commerce from many sources I track daily. Expect it to be loaded with case examples, opinions and techniques that will help give your efforts an edge.

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Here are six items you missed from last month:

#1: 20% of American Adults Don’t Use the Internet -Pew Research

While the headline is a great zinger, those who make up the internet-adverse are not. Senior citizens, high school dropouts and households earning under $30K annually largely take a pass on the info superhighway—mostly because they don’t think it’s pertinent.

The interesting hook to this Pew report is that mobile is reducing the digital divide. These same groups who are computer adverse are often more mobile savvy—using their phone to gain Internet access. While less than 57% of American have a laptop, more than 88% have a mobile phone. In fact, African American and Latinos as likely own a mobile phone, but end up doing more with it.

For more information on this report, please visit:  http://bit.ly/IciZP8

#2: Obama Raises Money via SMS.

Before you think “Hold on, I thought the FEC banned Text2Give campaigns like the Red Cross uses,” pause a moment. The tech-savvy folks at Obama for America now can raise money via SMS. Prior donors who’ve saved their credit card and mobile information received the following text:

“Support Pres Obama in less than a minute using our new secure system: just reply with the amount you want to give and we’ll charge your saved credit card.”

While a simple idea, the campaign is showing off its data integration muscle to make it all happen.

This technique can be used without all of the tech wizardry. For example, your local pizzeria probably has both your mobile and credit card info in their system from prior orders. Imagine them texting you an offer you can’t refuse via SMS, you reply yes, and 30 minutes later it’s delivered to your front door.

Read more at Time’s Swampland blog:  http://bit.ly/Icjmcz

#3: Mobile Impacts March Madness Broadcasts.

While linking mobile to TV is no longer cutting edge, its impact is exploding. Chief Marketer cites a recent study that 79% of fans used their mobile device during the NCAA tournament—91% of 18-24 year old viewers did the same. A little less than half check scores and 20% viewed highlight videos.

If you’re time crunched, check out the related infographic at Mobile Marketing Watch: http://bit.ly/IcjGIf

#4: PayPal flexes it’s POS muscle.

While Square has the early lead in the SMB space, it can’t match the reach and depth of PayPal’s parent company, eBay. Their smartphone-based POS system (point of sale), PayPal Here, signed up over 200K in its two weeks, 2,000 Home Depot stores in Q1 2012 and, unlike its competitors, has inroads overseas.

Check out the article at Retail Info Systems News:  http://bit.ly/IN1PGn

#5:   Rand McNally Tells America Where to Go.

I’ve waited two decades to use that tagline I crafted in college. That said Google and others have clobbered map publishing business in the last few years. Instead of fighting this trend, Rand McNally is embracing it by incorporating QR codes in their atlases while releasing a mobile app.

Read about their efforts in Mobile Marketer:  http://bit.ly/IKs68O

#6: Half of Mobile Traffic is Now Audio & Video.

Is mobile audio and video part of your mobile market mix? It should be. Check out these great global usage stats in a report by mobile equipment provider, Sandvine:  http://bit.ly/JoapxL