Gates Discovers New American Business Model

From The New York Times.com Why Bill Gates wants 3,000 new patents

From the file of "We can't beat you through innovation, so we'll eventually take you to court and win because we have more money and patents than you"
The staff of the United States Patent and Trademark Office has been deluged with paperwork from Microsoft of late. It was one year ago that the company's chairman, Bill Gates, announced plans to pick up the pace, raising its goal of patent applications submitted annually to 3,000 from 2,000. The company is right on target.

See the patents Microsoft has filed for HERE

Why, because this IS the New American Business Model

Outsourcing by American businesses has moved manufacturing and services to countries with cheaper labor. However, American intellectual property is not outsourced and is being aggressively enforced. Hence, a new business model has developed in the venture capital and technology world. The pure patent play.

Intellectual property is created in America, sold in America, and now aggressively being enforced in America.

Just last week President Bush created a new post to head off intellectual property theft.

The New American Business Model is being created, and all businesses will have to factor this into all decisions.

Story written by I. P. Freely

TV Show Big Brother Goes Interactive Thru SMS

From The Futon Critic Big Brother 6 goes wireless

I expect to see more TV shows offering this. In fact, if advertisers were smart, they would find a way to incorporate texting into a 30 second ad.

For example, Qtags offers a simple code to remember and all an advertiser would need to do is highlight a word on the screen as the subject title.



User sends higlighted word to Qtags to get more info. It won't stop people from Tivo-ing thru ads, but if they see a neon/highlighted word, they might take a second look

One TV channel could offer this ability for all of its advertisers.

If I was a mobile marketing company I would go to CBS and tell them I could offer this ability by registering "CBSTV" as a short code.

CBS would just ask the advertiser to highlight a keyword in their ad and register it with CBS. Text the keyword and get coupon, video, brochure etc.. sent via email or thru SMS.

See how quickly the 30 second ad could come back to life? .

Viewers Can Substantially Impact the Course of the Show via Text Messaging And Voting Through CBS.com

Los Angeles, CA – BIG BROTHER 6 will enter the world of wireless communications by incorporating text messaging and downloadable activities in conjunction with the reality series in the second largest wireless on-TV activity in the United States after Fox's "American Idol" wireless voting.

I can imagine a complete show where users text for results. How about a show that has a bunch of guys and girls and users text to see who they went to go on a date.

If I know the guy's thinking, it will be girl goes on date with another girl. It could be interesting though.

Beginning August 4, host Julie Chen introduces "America's Choice" to wireless subscribers, a key element of the episode that will enable viewers to vote via cell phone text messaging in order to influence the course of the game. In addition to text messaging, THE BIG BROTHER audience will also be given the opportunity to cast their vote on CBS.com

If you like these ideas, or want to see how creative your mobile campaign COULD BE,

Let's Discuss This

SmartVideo Offers Court TV On Mobile

From MediaWeek.com Court TV, SmartVideo team for mobile content
.

Court TV has hooked up with mobile content aggregator SmartVideo to begin producing four content channels for cell phone users.

Those equipped with sophisticated "smart phones" will now be able to access Court TV News' content live each weekday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition, various shows from the network's prime-time lineup will be available in on-demand format, along with clips from coverage of various trials.



SmartVideo is one of a handful of companies that have been pushing mobile video content adoption. The company offers subscribers access to mobile video content from networks such as ABC News, NBC Universal, Fox Sports and The Weather Channel for $12.95 per month.

Wiggle Wireless Interview

I learned about this company from an IronMan race I was in. They offer a targeted, opt-in, mobile marketing service.

The company is mainly focused on athletic events, but I can see how they could branch this out quickly to many advertisers.

WiggleWireless is.........

WiggleWireless has developed a mobile marketing platform(tm) that broadcasts relevant, self-selected information directly to mobile phone users how they want it, when they want it, wherever they are.

Utilizing the most convenient and ubiquitous device known to man, WiggleWireless gives users the freedom to step away from the traditional information sources that tie them down. WiggleWireless uses an opt-in approach, where users select the message categories they want to receive and WiggleWireless then broadcasts the information instantaneously as soon as it's available directly to their mobile phone.

Based in San Diego, WiggleWireless was founded in 2002 by former Qualcomm executive, Jeff Pokonosky.

How frequently do you send alerts on phone ?

It depends on the event and what message categories the users signed up for. Most events generate approximately 10 to 15 messages. When we send relevant content, we focus on how to tell a story over a mobile phone.

It's not like writing a story in an e-mail, on the Internet or in a printed publication, where consumers can read it whenever they'd like. When you send an opt-in text message to a phone, it's immediate, and you're interrupting them. It's possible they're at school or having dinner. You have to be really considerate, and ask yourself, " Is this something they really want?" That's the magic in storytelling and sending content over wireless phones. It's all about frequency, relevancy and respect.

What advertisers are behind this, and how do they get their ad on the phone ?

WiggleWireless has developed a proprietary Mobile Marketing Portal(tm) where relevant sponsors and content providers mutually select to pair up and develop partnerships to deliver mobile marketing services to consumers.

WiggleWireless serves as an aggregator and brokering service enabling content providers and sponsors to utilize the latest in mobile marketing. We believe that the next generation marketing service will offer on-demand branded content that consumers really love to use because it offers opt-in approach.

Currently, WiggleWireless is working with several brand sponsors and will make the announcements soon. The examples of major brands that would benefit from mobile marketing are Nike, Coca Cola and many many others.

Here is how it works: to get their name on the phone, advertisers go on-line to wigglewireless.com and view the "mobile marketing press kits" from our content providers. Once they have selected the event or publication they can place a media buy through WiggleWireless's Mobile Marketing Portal. Check out our website @ www.wigglewireless .com to learn more on how companies can become a content provider or a sponsor.

There has to be a "time" element associated with this advertising, do you see other avenues besides sport venues?

Absolutely. There are many verticals that will benefit from getting their content on mobile phones as well as sponsors that would want to advertise to their prospective audiences. Besides sports events, some relevant verticals are: radio, TV programs, publishers, gaming, weather channels, traffic, theaters, movies, schools, printed media, education and universities, cooking channels/organizations and more.

After a campaign is over, what do you do with the opt-in database?

Our subscribers must request to receive follow-up email or text messages from WiggleWireless. Additionally, WiggleWireless does not rent, sell or share personal information about its customers.

On average, how many people sign up for this service per event?

Currently, we do not disclose those numbers to the general public; however, we can tell you that our opt-in rate is very high. Also, our advertising is effective because the content we deliver is valuable to the consumer in comparison to the traditional or Internet advertisement media. We find the opt-in approach works really well, because people feel they are free to receive the information they want to, when then want it on the device of their choice.

People receive only the content of their interest - no spam, no intrusion- and that drives their interest.

The benefits to consumers is that they want information in a way they can control and that is convenient, fun, targeted and personal and on the only device they carry everywhere - the cell phone.

The benefits to content providers are that they find additional ways to reach their audiences and generate extra revenues .

Sponsors will benefit because with this new medium they can break through the clutter (and not be ignored the way they often are when they use traditional advertising methods ) ; they also need new ways of reaching their audiences - through the WiggleWireless Mobile Marketing Portal they can increase brand awareness, generate a customer profile opt-in database, drive up attendance to events or visits to a store, improve customer loyalty, extend their reach and increase revenues.

Have other brands/advertisers contacted you with other campaigns?

YES

What are upcoming campaigns Wiggle Wireless will be involved with.

Ironman, Adventure Racing, Cycling, Swimming, Track and Field, soccer, cross country

WiggleWireless will be ...in 3-5 years.

WiggleWireless will become a worldwide multi-media company and a leader in next generation broadcasting services through mobile devices. We will deliver people what U want, how U want it, when U want it, wherever U R(tm)... that's WiggleWireless.

I like their concept for mobile marketing. It's catered to MY interests, I give them permission, and there's some finality to it.

Now if these guys could just get me a spot in Kona...

4INFO Has A Blog

Pondering Primate readers know I use 4INFO and I came across this today, their blog.

4INFO Mobile Search Blog

4INFO now has a blog where you can discover their "easter eggs", like I have done.

Some little gems I discovered with their upcoming music search:

You will be able to do the following (and more)soon:

Search by artist: u2
Search by artist and song: u2 vertigo
Search by wallpaper: Garfield sunglasses
Search by game type: football games
Search by movie: Batman Begins
Search by actor/actress: Tom Cruise

A Mobile Remote Control

From NetImperative.com MPP to power WAP shopping for TV channels

Now this is a remote control.

Using MPP's iShop Mobile technology, viewers of digital TV channels Thane Direct and Stop & Shop can text the keyword SHOP to the mobile shortcode 82540 to buy a desired product on their mobile.

Payment is made using credit and debit cards, which are stored using MPP's eWallet technology.

Paul Johnson, MPP managing director, said: "The idea of using the mobile phone to make secure purchases over WAP is a logical progression for Mobile Commerce and represents just part of the massive growth that we are seeing in
this marketplace."

More Barcode Price Comparison News From ScanBuy

From ABCLocal.com Cell phone camera can scan merchandise

PP Readers know how I feel about price comparison using a barcode and cell phone, but this is more recognition for physical world connection space.

Michael Finney from 7 On Your Side and Olivier Attia walked into Amoeba Records, where soon shopping will never be the same. (I'm not familiar with Amoeba, but I did see what music giant Virgin MegaStores announced today)that utilizes the physical world connection

I will give ScanBuy credit though, they are getting the physical world connection story out there. I don't know that it's the story about the killer app though.

Michael picks up a CD for sale. He turns the CD over and points the cell phone camera at the bar code and scans it. In less than ten seconds, the phone accesses the internet, and up pops a picture of the product. Amazed?

Scrolling down, the phone displays the CD customer rating, Amazon price, shipping information, best new price, best used price, and similar products. You can actually buy the product and have it shipped to your home with the push of one button on your cell phone

I see William Shatner and his new PriceLine ad on TV. The theme is, "shop and compare, BEFORE you buy". That's my point to comparison shopping. You do it BEFORE you're at the store, probably on Froogle.

I don't see the "go to store, compare prices on your cell phone and buy" model working.

NeoMedia Signs Letter To Acquire Mobot

From VWD.com NeoMedia Signs Letter Of Intent To Acquire Visual Search Pioneer, Mobot

Another physical world connection player gets bought out.


NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. an innovator in wireless services and patented technologies that provide automatic links to Internet-based information, today announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent to acquire Mobot, Inc., of Lexington, Massachusetts, a pioneer in mobile visual and recognition technology

TelecomWeb calls it "the marketing wedding of the year"

Mobot, has partnered with media companies, including Warner Music Group, JANE magazine, ELLEgirl, and VIBE magazine, and with advertisers, including L'Oreal, Samsung and Saturn, to launch interactive campaigns across wireless carriers that required no changes to existing visual media.

Like NeoMedia, Mobot connects the real world to the digital world via mobile camera phones

The non-binding LOI set terms for the acquisition of Mobot for an aggregate of cash and NeoMedia stock totaling up to $11 million, including interest-bearing bridge loans to Mobot of up to $1 million

These two combining forces could be very interesting.

I have commented on Mobot a few times 1 , 2, 3

Price Comparison Through A Barcode Thoughts

Finally the press is discovering how the physical world will be connected through a cell phone through a barcode. It is disheartening to see both the press and the public fixated on one aspect of what can be done with this.

Price comparison shopping.

I equate this to Alexander Graham Bell inventing the telephone and somebody said “hey, we can now make prank calls!”.

This is remarkable stuff and this is the application people want to use it for?

The Internet has made all retailers more efficient with their pricing. The WalMart’s and supermarket chains all have spies that check prices of their competitors all the time.

Electronic devices? I just don’t see comparing prices on a big ticket item which is a NON-IMPULSE buy. Let’s just say you do decide to price compare a Sony DVD player at BestBuy.

You click the barcode, and find it’s 5$ cheaper at Circuit City. With gas prices at $3 a gallon, and the most common vehicle an SUV, is it REALLY CHEAPER?

Mobile marketing is just starting to kick in and more advertising dollars are going to mobile campaigns. Advertisers/brands are finding new ways to make shopping with their brand more rewarding.

I can’t see any brand manager asking, “is there any new exciting technology that we can use to shrink our margins?”

Yeah, I know what you’re going to say, “this is an application that puts the power in the hands of the consumer”. Yes it does, but what real value are you getting with this “power”.

Me, I’d rather click on the barcode of that DVD player and let them send me a free DVD from Amazon. How about clicking on the barcode (after I bought it) to register my info for a warranty. Maybe send me a MMS on how to install to my new High Def TV.

Those are just a couple examples of what you can do when the physical world gets connected. This is worth a lot more than the $5 I would have saved using a price comparison service.

Who knows, I betcha brand might actually work WITH a service like this.

I don’t see brands or mobile marketing companies getting anywhere near a price comparison service.

Think about it this way. The Internet came into existence, and what were the first applications people adopted, email and search. There’s this exciting new world out there and people had a thirst for knowledge and information.

Remember how many search engines there used to be? Sure you know all the names, Google, AskJeeves, Yahoo, AlltheWeb, A9 etc. There WERE many but the list has been consolidated.

Ask yourself to name one price comparison site……Not just Froogle. See what I mean?

So next time you hear a story about clicking on a barcode for price comparison, think of other forms of info that you would like to know about that product, besides who sells it cheaper.

Location Based Services With Click Of A Mouse From Closer

From PR Web.com New UK-based mobile phone location service launched

If given permission, Big Brother, seems closer all the time.

But Big Brother doesn't involve permission, so could this service be called "little sister"?.


Today Rock Seven Mobile Services Limited launched a new 'mobile location' service called 'Closer.' The service allows their website users to locate individuals anywhere in the UK using a mobile phone signal.




Simple and easy to use, the system allows both businesses and consumers to locate their staff or family members at the click of a mouse.

The system works with mobile phones on Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile, Orange, Fresh, Tesco and EasyMobile.

Owners of the mobile phones to be located must give their permission first, by way of a text message.

The accuracy of the system varies, depending on the location in the UK. In cities and built-up areas the accuracy is usually between 100m and 1000m. In rural areas, where mobile transmitters are less dense, accuracy ranges from about 1km to 5km. Some mobile networks perform better than others.

After the trial period, an account costs a one-off fee of £50 + VAT and each time a user locates someone, it costs 25p + VAT.

MTV Launches SMS Platform

From PhoneMag.com MTV to embrace text message platform


Frankly I'm surprised it took this long to tap into most active users of SMS, teenagers.

MTV announced that its network is developing an in-house messaging platform that will deliver content from the company’s cable channels to U.S. wireless users.

Services such as cross-carrier polling, alerts and sweepstakes from MTV, Comedy Central, VH1, Country Music Television, Spike and Logo channels will be provided by mBlox, a San Francisco based short messaging service provider.

MTV plans to launch the platform within a month

Fox Station Offers Free Text Messaging

From TV Technology News Fox station offers free text messaging

This is good stuff, I hope Fox News starts to offer this soon. I would give Juliet Huddy "permission" to get on my cell phone.

Fox always seems to be one step ahead of the majors for innovation..

KPTM-TV, the Fox affiliate in Omaha, Neb., is offering a free text messaging to its viewers via TextCaster software.

The "Fox 42 First Alert" delivers breaking news, AMBER Alerts for child abductions, security alerts, weather warnings, sports updates, and previews of stories from each evening's Fox 42 News.

Viewers can sign up for the service by visiting www.kptm.com and clicking the "KPTM News on Your Cell Phone" link.

The Pappas Telecasting-owned station has already kicked off the text-messaging service at KTNC-TV, an Azteca America affiliate in the San Francisco-San Jose and Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto DMAs, offering text service with AMBER Alerts in Spanish and at KMPH Fox 26 in the Fresno-Visalia, Calif. DMA.

Tecnhorati Goes Mobile

From Search Engine Journal Technorati launches mobile search

Technorati has launched Technorati Mobile, a special version of the famed blog search facility set up to be easily viewed on mobile phones and handheld computers.

Web address is http//m.technorati.com



The site, which provides similar options to the main Technorati site, could actually end up being more popular amongst bloggers, as it seems to be quicker, and in this humble authors opinion, looks better and presents more cleanly than the hello kitty layout employed on the main page.

ScoreConnex Delivers Real-Time Sports Scores Thru SMS

From BusinessWire.com ScoreConnex asks: Foorball season is coming- is your cell phone ready?

New ScoreConnex(TM) First to Deliver Real Time Sports Scores Directly to All Cell Phones, Mobile Devices in US and Canada

ScoreConnex(TM) has launched the first real-time scores and statistics alert service, 100% compatible with all cell phones and mobile devices.

ScoreConnex delivers real-time sports scores and stats to your customizable mobile and online score boards, eMail or SMS


At launch time, major cell-phone carriers have agreed to support ScoreConnex, including AT&T, Cingular, Nextel, Sprint, Verizon, and more. ScoreConnex uses the most stable SMS delivery systems and technologies to guarantee the quickest message throughput, unlike other systems that use the public gateways

The basic package price of $19.99 per month completely eliminates additional pagers or external equipment, offering the most features for the lowest cost

Register here

The Cell Phone, The Final Frontier

From Information Week.com Cell phones are next frontier for Internet companies

Because people spend so much time on their mobile phones, Internet companies are jumping on the opportunity by introducing more Web-browsing features to cell-phone users.

Take a guess what comes next...could it be advertising on the cell phone?

As Internet companies look for new revenue streams and customers, they see particularly fertile ground among the millions of cell-phone users. The Yankee Group reports that 65% of the U.S. population owns a cell phone.

Here's the problem, you can't spam a cell phone and you can't put pop-up ads on that little screen.

With more than half of the U.S. population using cell phones, Internet companies are trying find ways of weaning people's Internet habits from their desktops to their cell phones.

Want to know what technology becomes the next Google or THE advertising method used for mobile marketing? Tell me what you think

Consolidation In SMS Space

From All Africa.com SMS directory service iFIND Buys Rival 35500




CONSOLIDATION has begun in the overcrowded market for text-based cellphone directory services, with iFIND 34600 taking over its rival, 35500.

Both companies offer an SMS-based system to let users find out about local merchants or services by sending a text query to be matched against a database of advertisers

IFind claims to be the world's largest SMS directory service, and has opened talks to buy two other rivals, Venter says. However, if those efforts fail, iFind would just put more money into advertising to gain market dominance, rather than pay too much for a rival.

This is the first and biggest acquisition in the mobile directory market space and the organisation has only been operating since April this year. It already boasts more than 1,000,000 user search results (one SMS contains eight listings or eight different companies).

UIP Makes Banner Ads Interactive Through Mobile

From New Media Age.com UIP streams trailers to mobiles from banner ads

Yet another way to make an ad interactive.


United International Pictures (UIP) has kicked off an online campaign for horror film The Skeleton Key using a new banner format that enables users to get the film's trailer sent to their mobile phone directly from the ad.

The ad format, developed by rich-media supplier Tangozebra, enables users to enter their phone number directly into the ad to get a 30-second video trailer sent to their mobile. They can watch and store the clip on their phone and forward it to friends.

The ad works on both 2.5G and 3G phones. If a user's phone is incompatible, they will receive a text message apologising and directing them to the official movie Web site.

"Although users can already watch the trailer online, the great thing about getting it on their mobiles is that they can forward it on, giving the campaign a viral element," said Patrick Affleck, senior account manager at Zed.

Sony Pictures Goes Mobile

From New Media Age.com Sony Pictures reveals mobile strategy

Entertainment giant Sony Pictures has unveiled a pan-European mobile strategy that will see it creating a mobile Internet site for every major film and DVD release

The next six months is likely to see the development of an umbrella Sony Pictures mobile Internet portal to hold content from all its brands.

The first mobile Internet site to be launched is to accompany the DVD release of Will Smith film Hitch ..launched by Minick.

Mobile Internet sites will be launched for every major film release and the biggest of Sony Pictures' DVD releases. The sites will be promoted on all marketing material, including press, online and outdoors.

In the same way each major film release has an accompanying Web site promoted on above-the-line marketing, the Sony Pictures mobile Internet sites will be promoted using keywords and a shortcode.

Consumers texting into the shortcode will receive a WAP Push message back to install the site on their phone.

This is nice, but there are better ways to direct connect to the site.

Symbol Looks Vulnerable, Or Does It?

From BusinessWeek.com Inside Wall Street column Symbol looks vulnerable

Symbol Technologies (SBL ) is giving off bad vibes: In six months the shares have slumped from 19 to 11. U.S. and European sales are weak for its laser-scan engines, bar-code readers, mobile computing, and radio-frequency ID (RFID) technology.

In three weeks, Symbol twice cut its second-quarter forecast. And the July 14 resignation of CFO Mark Greenquist added to worries

But David Katz of Matrix Asset Advisors has snapped up 5.2 million shares for clients. He believes Symbol may be bought out. "The depressed stock makes it vulnerable to a takeover," says Katz. "It makes enormous sense" for a big wireless and mobile computing outfit to own Symbol.

Or maybe, just maybe, David Katz sees this opportunity

Pew's Internet Report...Teens, Technology And The Mobile Nation

Pew Internet & American Life Project released their latest report "Teens and Technology: Youth are leading the transition to a fully wired and mobile nation.

To see the Report


Some highlights I picked up:

Some 45% of teens have their own cells phones and many
own several devices that can connect to the internet

They take ever-greater advantage of this
new technology ecology by mastering features like instant messaging and
phone-text messaging on their tethered and mobile computing devices

Email, once the cutting edge "killer app," is losing
its privileged place among many teens as they express preferences for
instant messaging (IM) and text messaging as ways to connect with their
friends.