Strategic Social Networking - Archive

Will Google’s Drive dropkick Dropbox?

Google is about to launch “Drive” a cloud-storage offering that will compete with Dropbox – a web-based file hosting service. Dropbox uses cloud storage to enable users to store and share files and folders with others across the Internet using file synchronization. Google’s offering is responding to the popular growth of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Also, Google’s product will be free, up to a certain size, for most users and businesses. Google Near Launch of Cloud Storage Service

According to The Wall Street Journal -

”If a person wants to email a video shot from a smartphone, for instance, he can upload it to the Web through the Drive mobile app and email people a link to the video rather than a bulky file,” the newspaper said. Google’s GDrive Reportedly To Launch As Dropbox-rival ‘Drive’

Google, the leader in Internet-based products and services is sure to be a leader with their cloud-computing product. Google Drive adds nicely to Google’s suite of web products and just might give Dropbox a swift kick to the curb.

Sandy McIntosh, February 22, 2012

Real Estate Sales Take Another Step Into the Twenty First Century

Among the many facets of the greater economic emergency still threatening much of the country, real estate remains one of the more volatile. In addition to the thousands left homeless or struggling with inflated mortgages, those who earn their living within the industry are searching for more effective ways to connect with what remains of the market. A recent article in Oregon’s The Register Guard, “Bringing Real Estate Into A Mobile World“, showcases a local enterprise attempting to increase communication twixt customer and agent.

RealLead is the Eugene based firm which describes itself as a company offering a variety of “mobile marketing tools” designed to link involved parties to pertinent information and each other with an emphasis on speed. Less than one year old, the small outfit hopes to capitalize on the widespread use of mobile devices and what they see as the growing desire for immediate access to information.

The firm has initiated testing of software which should aide in the expediting of the initial stages of real estate transactions. In an environment so prone to fluctuation, timing has proven to be a worthy concern. This is hardly the only hurdle in the path to success for realtors wandering a decimated marketplace, namely: convincing both agents and potential buyers to embrace the service, managing the technology beyond the beta stage, and perhaps most important, traversing the developing legal landscape associated with technology and privacy rights. The article continues on this topic and quotes RealLead CEO Caroline Cummings on the issue:

“As mobile devices become more and more ubiquitous, federal lawmakers continue to grapple with the question of how to balance businesses’ need to recruit new customers with consumers’ right to protect their personal information.

‘Of course we’re going to abide by the law,’ Cummings said. ‘We’re following the news, and we’ll adjust our data collection and delivery based on what is found in the legislation.’

‘That’s the great part of being an agile start-up. We track the trends, and we’ll adjust based on what the market demands,’ she said.”

If successful, RealLead and companies like them could play a major role in easing some small measure of the frustration associated with the industry and possibly help fan the embers of a smoldering market.

Micheal Cory February 14, 2012

Airline Passengers Getting Mobile Technology

Mobile device technology is fast and furious implementing check-in capabilities for air travel. According to an article, Airlines Move Closer to NFC Tech for Passengers – this new technology will enable passengers to create their own boarding passes, and open boarding gates and secure lounges, via their mobile devices.

Jim Peters, a SITA (Specialists in air transport communications and IT solutions) chief technology officer, said:

“Mobile NFC is still a maturing technology with multiple implementation models. We chose to implement a solution that takes full advantage of the secure element on the SIM card and over-the-air deployment from a trusted service manager (TSM) to the device.”

The airlines are spending lots of money to get this technology right, so it is definitely a sure thing we can look forward to. Passengers will soon be enjoying shorter waiting times that will enhance their traveling enjoyment! And, anything that will shorten our time at the airport will be a welcome perk for not just the weekly business travelers, but also the occasional vacationers as well.

Sandy McIntosh, February 07, 2012

Constant Contact gets loyal

January 31st, 2012 | Posted by admin in business process | marketing | mobility | smartphone - (0 Comments)

Constant Contact ® Inc. a marketing advisor to a half million small businesses worldwide has acquired CardStar Inc. a privately held software company that develops mobile applications that perpetuate the use of loyalty cards on smartphones, enabling merchants to tailor mobile deals and information to their customers. Details of the acquisition are explained in an article – Constant Contact Acquires CardStar, Inc.; Adds Mobile Loyalty Technology to its Suite of Online Marketing Tools to Help Small Businesses Grow

Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact states:

“For small businesses, it’s all about finding and connecting with their next customer, whether that customer is returning or brand new,” said Goodman. “Today’s consumers don’t just want — but expect — to access information and make decisions on the go, and they want to be rewarded for their support and loyalty. The CardStar mobile loyalty application lives at the intersection of these needs, letting consumers engage with businesses on the go and providing businesses with expanded opportunities for the kind of customer engagement that drives business results.”

How cool is this – hearing about discounts and rewards from your favorite shop while on the go? I know when I hear a beep, my curiosity gets the best of me, and I just have to check it out. Most people are loyal to specific stores and getting this information instantly will most certainly enhance sales.

Sandy McIntosh

January 31, 2012

Ho Hum CES

January 24th, 2012 | Posted by admin in marketing | mobility | News | smartphone - (0 Comments)

Usually, nothing quickens the pulse like mobile highlights from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). But this year – not so much. InformationWeek’s “5 Mobile Trends from CES 2012” highlights the show’s mobile offerings.

“Dozens of new LTE 4G smartphones and tablets were announced by manufacturers and carriers. LTE will become a mainstream technology this year.” “Some of the week’s most exciting handsets boast screens ranging between 4.7 and 5.3 inches. It won’t be much longer before phone screens reach tablet proportions — if they haven’t already.” “There were hardly any feature phones announced at CES 2012.” “The vast bulk of devices announced at the show lack near-field communications (NFC), and lack the ability to make mobile payments. This all but assures that NFC and mobile payments won’t start to take off until nearly halfway through 2012.” “The mobile industry continues to thrive on innovation and competition”

None of this is exactly news to those of us following the mobile industry, and there was a decided lack of headline-grabbing demos at this year’s CES. With all the bad economic news from other industries, maybe for the mobile sector the best news is old news.

Rita Safranek, January 24, 2012

Gadgets of Note from 2012 CES

January 19th, 2012 | Posted by admin in app | marketing | News | smartphone - (0 Comments)

Maybe it is the slow economy, but the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) definitely lacked the sizzle of previous years. There were some notable introductions, as detailed in BostonHerald.com’s “Cool Gadgets Make Splash.”

In Microsoft’s final CES, the company showed the Windows Phone 7 operating system, which

“sports a striking design of flat, colorful squares containing information from different apps. Nokia demonstrated the Lumia 800 and 900 smartphones running the OS.” “Intel made a big push with its Ultrabook concept — a category of slim laptops, similar to the MacBook Air, powered by Intel chips, and made by several manufacturers.”

Microsoft’s late to the smartphone party, and it doesn’t sport features that provide an overwhelming reason for existing iPhone and Android users (often locked into multi-year contracts) to switch. The thin Ultrabook will appeal to users needing the functionality of a laptop and the totability of a tablet. Wilocity demoed WiFi technology that could help drive the trend to slimmer devices. Samsung also unveiled a technology to watch – the Galaxy Note, a 5.3-inch mobile device dubbed a “phablet.” Combining functionality so that users only need one device is a trend that has left pagers and two-way messaging in its wake. This could be the next wave.

Rita Safranek, January 19, 2012