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3FER: 21 March 2014

android-wear

#1: Wearing Android

A week ahead of schedule, Google released a developers preview of Android Wear, a software development kit (SDK) aimed at wearable device manufacturers. This mobile market niche is hot. Research firm Canalys estimates that 8M units will ship this year, growing to 45M by 2017.

Google’s move decimates any significant growth hopes for Tizen (mentioned last week) and gives it a leg up over Apple. Motorola and LG both announced they will release AW-compatible watches later this summer. Details below:

NY Times: “Why Android Wear Is the Beginning of the Wearable Devices Era” http://bit.ly/1f0oY7v
Google: “Sharing what’s up our sleeve: Android coming to wearables.” http://bit.ly/1f0ptOX
Quartz: “The Google watches are here, and their real interface is Google Now.” http://bit.ly/1gjyYxP
LG gWatch: http://bit.ly/1gjzlIL
Motorola Moto 360: http://bit.ly/1gjzwDU

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#2: Clueless Political Operatives

As many of you know, I cut my teeth trying to bring mobile tools into the political campaign world. Despite a few solid successes, I shutdown my practice–campaigns wanted everything for free and most times the smartest person in the room was the candidate. (And that’s often not a compliment.)

Political operatives are bane of innovation.

At MediaPost’s Marketing Politics conference, it seems  they still suffer from path dependency. PD is how a set of decisions one faces for any given circumstance is limited by the decisions one has made in the past, even though past circumstances may no longer be relevant. And this article confirms it.

MediaPost: “Political Operatives Predict Next Big Campaign Medium Is — Surprise — TV”: http://bit.ly/1gjbHw5

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#3: My Mobile March Preso

I had the great pleasure of presenting at yesterday’s Mobile March Twin Cities–a day-long conference on mobile business and technology. I focused on how connected devices, such as Nike’s FitBit, are powering the growth within the mobile world.

Since I had only 40 minutes, I had to do a bit of trimming. Below is a link to the expanded version.

SlideShare: “Beyond Mobile, How Connect Devices are the Next Evolution of Mobile” http://bit.ly/1gj8Pzg

3FER: 14 March 2014

tizen

#1: Will Tizen dominate wearables?

With Samsung’s release of the Gear 2 family last month, a new, leaner mobile OS entered the market: Tizen. After months iWatch rumors, Apple released CarPlay at SXSW–a hint of its waning interest in the wearables market. Also at SXSW, Google said they’ll release Android SDK for Wearables in 2 weeks.

While Google’s announcement and DotCoMo’s exit from the consortium, there are still plenty of carriers and Samsung to support the growth of Tizen. This is especially especially true considering the drive to create the $20 smartphone for emerging markets. Check out these resources for more information:

Business Insider: “Why Apple Should Fear Samsung’s New ‘Tizen’ Strategy” http://bit.ly/1gjyQsf
Gizmodo: “Meet Samsung’s new smartwatch family: the Gear 2, Neo and Fit.” http://bit.ly/1gjzUMF
SlashGear: “Tizen hits bump as more carriers plan to back out.” http://bit.ly/1gjMo75
CNET: “Tizen chairman, ever the optimist, says smartphone will hit market in 2014.” http://bit.ly/1gjMXh8
Time: “Samsung’s New Galaxy Gear Watches: Goodbye Android, Hello Tizen” http://bit.ly/1gjN7Fp

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#2: #SXSW’s App Frenzy

More than 40,000 of the country’s digital elite invaded Austin earlier this week for SXSW–the annual conference for the movie, music and interactive industry. Developers, and brands, were there hawking their mobile apps to become the next Twitter or Starbucks app. As these attendees come home, the SXSW echo chamber will no doubt drive more app development.

Here’s why you shouldn’t join them: http://bit.ly/1gjwtFX

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#3: That ring don’t hunt

Wearables are a hot–watches, eyewear and now rings. Unfortunately, the later is largely vapor. Despite huge Kickstarter wins, ample prototypes and fantastic use cases, no smart ring has arrived on the market except one. (It’s NFC-based–as useless to iOS users as their iPhones.) This contrarian article offers a great breakdown on why:

Gizmodo: “Sorry, But Smart Rings Aren’t the Future” http://bit.ly/1cwgHfZ

What you can learn from the SXSW app frenzy.

This FastCompany headline pretty much nails the app echo chamber that has become SXSW: “SEX! DRUGS! APPS!” While it’s true that SXSW has become the event for developers to launch their mobile apps–40,000 of the nation’s digerati attended this year, it also provides false hope for success.

Hundreds of startups launched their apps at this event over the years. Some clear successes include Twitter and Foursquare. Some large brands jumped into the fray this year. Nabisco leveraged 3-D printing and Twitter to help attendees craft their own custom Oreo.

All this type can lead budding entrepreneurs and brand managers to jump into this mobile app frenzy. The BBC filmed the efforts of one startup to gain attention. Probably the best advice of the week comes from Jason Calcanis, serial angel investor and founder of Launch.co:

jason

Still not convinced? Consider these seven points as a reality check before you invest your time and money into a mobile app:

  1. Per Flurry, app use is up over 115% year over year, and the top 20 apps account for 85% of usage.

  2. There are over 2 million apps between Apple’s, Google’s and Amazon’s app stores.

  3. A loyal app user is anyone who uses the app more than three times.

  4. These users represent less than 10% of app downloaders.

  5. The marketing cost to acquire users is quickly approaching $2 per install.

  6. Gartner estimates that 91% of all apps downloaded in 2014 will be free.

  7. And Forrester recently claimed that over 90% of apps will be financial failures.

That means that the app world is loaded with over 1,800,000 failures. Make sure you truly understand the needs and wants of your potential users before you move forward on creating one.

3FER: 12 December 2013

crystal

#1: Fashionable & wearable gifts

A few years ago, wearable technology was limited to MIT students who looked rejected Star Trek extras. That’s changed. From NFC-enabled jewelry to Bluetooth winter hats, here’s a quick list of last minute gifts for the mobile (and fashion) forward:

Bluetooth Beanies: http://bit.ly/1f8gEnv
Bluetooth Handset Gloves: http://bit.ly/18CcShR
Halloband: http://bit.ly/1gpyE0g
Orly Ruami NFC Jewelry: http://bit.ly/1gpx2Ua
SkyBuddy NFC Ring: http://bit.ly/1gpzaeS
Smarty Ring: http://bit.ly/18Ccgcf
Swarovski Bluetooth Headset: http://bit.ly/1gpzXwl
Winter Headband: http://bit.ly/18CcVdD

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#2: Mobile is so 2013

And 2013 is nearly over. Many of us are still locked in analysis paralysis when it comes to mobile marketing. If you’re one of them, now’s the perfect time to put your analysis into action. Easier said than done? Fortunately, Google updated their Mobile Playbook with action in mind.

Review it here: http://bit.ly/18mEPiU

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#3: Smartphones are so 2012

Connected devices like Nike’s Fitbit are driving the next evolution of mobile. Find out what’s happening and how you can prepare for it. Join my presentation at Mobile Twin Cities next Tuesday, December 12, at 7PM. It’s free, there’s pizza, and it’s open to the public.

RSVP here: http://bit.ly/1fkjJBn

The Unkindest Cut

I’ve run a nonprofit–resources are tight and cash is tighter. That’s why when I see nonprofits like the @KindestCutMN push QR code scanners to homepages, I get murphed. Here’s why:

  1. Per Google, over 65% of people who visited a mobile-unfriendly site will never return to it.
  2. The next 34.5% will likely never go deeper than 1-2 pages.
  3. And the remaining 0.5% are still unlikely to convert because there’s never a clear call to action–to donate, volunteer or snip your poor pooch.

So here’s what you need you need to do:

  1. If you can’t make your entire site mobile-optimized (due to politics or $$$), you can easily setup a 2-3 page microsite.
  2. Create a landing page tied to each campaign. It makes it easier to track the effectiveness of your efforts…and you want to do track them.
  3. Tell visitors what you want them to do. We’re damn indecisive and easily distracted–especially on our phones. You spent $$$ to bring us here, so tell us why and make it easy.

(And if you work for @KindestCutMN, contact me. I’m happy to help good causes.)

[Cross-posted from QR Code Critic.]