iPhone Owners First in Online Shopping and BlackBerry Owners are Last

In an article I read today on mobile marketing it said, "Consumers who own an Apple iPhone are more likely to shop online from their phones, than those consumers who owned phones based on Google Android or BlackBerry operating systems...BlackBerry is way behind the Android and iPhone."

Postage Stamps, Units of Time and the Mobile Internet

Yesterday my wife sent me to the post office to purchase stamps. I grumbled that the line would be long due to people shipping gifts. Haven't they heard of Amazon.com's direct shipping? After completing my assignment my wife asked me how long I waited in line. My answer, "About 5 online articles." That is the power of Internet enabled smartphones. They can change the very units of measure we use for time!

According to investment firm Morgan Stanley, the mobile web is experiencing faster growth than its desktop predecessor ever did. They go on to forecasts that more consumers will access the Internet by mobile devices than PCs within five years.

For any person blessed or cursed with time on their hands, waiting in lines or on mass transportation, time will increasingly be measured by what they accomplished on the mobile web.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobility Consultant, Wireless Industry Analyst and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: @krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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Barcode Scanners on Every Smartphone

This is an interesting develop for smartphones. Sophisticated barcode scanning software built into the digital cameras so a quick photo of a barcode takes you immediately to a mobile website rich in content, coupons, rebates and other product information related to the scanned product. Read below:

Today NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. (OTC BB: NEOM), the global leader in mobile barcode scanning solutions, announced that Sony Ericsson has selected NeoMedia as its strategic 2D barcode partner. Sony Ericsson will begin shipping phones pre-loaded with NeoMedia's NeoReader barcode scanning application globally in the 1st half of 2010. The NeoReader will be pre-installed across all Sony Ericsson platforms.

"Sony Ericsson is very happy to work with NeoMedia as our global provider of barcode scanning solutions. We see great potential in the 2D barcode market and support NeoMedia's strategy to promote and drive the open 2D barcode standards. We are looking forward to working with NeoMedia to explore all the potential the technology enables," stated Robert Westin, Business Development Manager, with Sony Ericsson.

Iain McCready, CEO of NeoMedia Technologies commented, "The marketplace is ready for 2D barcodes - retailers and brands are already experimenting with them, and the technology has long been validated. The challenge is in creating a scalable pool of mobile users capable of scanning barcodes. This partnership with Sony Ericsson will make mobile barcode scanning a simple, out-of-the-box experience for consumers."

McCready continued, "NeoMedia's vision has been to create an open and interoperable 2D barcode ecosystem which would provide a consistent and reliable consumer experience worldwide. This agreement with Sony Ericsson is another important step towards making this vision a reality and is part of NeoMedia's ongoing strategy to accelerate adoption through relationships with manufacturers, operators and brands alike."

The NeoReader transforms camera phones into mobile barcode scanners [1] which provide easy access to mobile content via 2D barcodes. The simple "one click" action makes the mobile internet much more accessible for mobile users. By scanning 2D barcodes via the phone's camera, users avoid typing in long URLs and navigating cumbersome mobile menus.

The NeoReader is a universal barcode scanning application that reads all standard 1D and 2D barcode symbologies - QR, Data Matrix, Aztec, UPC and EAN - so users won't need multiple barcode readers.

About NeoMedia Technologies:

NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: NEOM) is the global leader in mobile barcode scanning solutions. Our technology allows mobile devices with cameras [2] to read 1D and 2D barcodes and provide "one click" access to mobile content. Combining this technology with advanced analytics and reporting capabilities revolutionizes the way advertisers market to mobile consumers.

NeoMedia provides the infrastructure to make 2D camera barcode scanning and its associated commerce easy, universal, and reliable - worldwide.

The company's mobile phone technology, NeoReader, reads and transmits data from 1D and 2D barcodes to its intended destination. Our Code Management and Code Clearinghouse platforms create, connect, record, and transmit the transactions embedded in the 1D and 2D barcodes, like web-URLs, text messages (SMS), and telephone [3] calls, ubiquitously and reliably.

My analysis is that product packaging and newspaper ads will start including barcodes that are in addition to the product barcode. They will be designed to activate an automatic Internet query for additional product information. These automatic Internet queries will also show coupons, rebates, discounts, etc. A quick scan with your smartphone and you will instantly have additional information including the nearest location, based upon your smartphone's GPS coordinates, that sells that product all provided by SaaS vendors that use companies like Midphase hosting to host their services and provide the look-up and product information.

We can use your imagination from here, but this is an interesting development for smartphones and mobile marketing. It is an automated marketing and sales workflow that is activated by the scanning of a barcode on a smartphone.

Can you think of additional uses for this feature? I look forward to your comments.

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Author Kevin Benedict
Independent Mobility Consultant, Wireless Industry Analyst and Marketing Consultant
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
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