No news is good news?

I seldom take a train but what I read in the papers supports my little experience: you don’t get much for your tax dollars with Sydney’s trains.

If I ran Sydney’s lamentable railway service I would be falling over myself to help commuters. I might hand out plastic seat covers so they could sit with confidence that their trousers weren’t soaking up last night’s vomit; or I might give them free newspapers so they had something to read other than the smutty  graffiti encouraged by discounted student travel.

What I would not be doing is paying lawyers to menace iPhone app developers who are doing nothing more sinsister than offering rail timetables in a contemporary form. I wouldn’t be doing it for at least three reasons:

Firstly, I’d probably be very, very busy trying to clean up the trains and get them to be punctual. I wouldn’t have time to be threatening commuters and developers with legal action.

Secondly, I’d probably be too embarrassed to spend even more taxpayer money than I already do, especially on lawyers threatening some of the few supporters I do have.

Thirdly, I’d think to myself: hang on, this will save me a dollar or two on developing my own application (see above point about frittering away taxpayers’ money).

“RailCorp‘s primary concern is that our customers receive accurate, up-to-date timetable information,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.

“This includes details of service interruptions, special event services, trackwork and other changes. Third-party RailCorp timetable applications may contain inaccuracies and have the potential to mislead our customers.” via SMH

This is certainly a sensible argument with which one can’t find fault. After all, on the few occasions I have taken the train I have seen RailCorp staff running around with red pens offering to update commuters’ hard copies and printouts of timetables with details of “service interruptions, special events services, trackwork and other changes.” In fact, RailCorp has disabled the “print version” feature of its online timetable so you can never have anything but an up-to-the-minute electronic version. Hang on, no they haven’t, my mistake. But this is all very sensible nonetheless. Really. Why on earth should the public be able to take public information from a public service and make it available to the public? Christ almighty, next step End Times.

Contrast Railcorp’s thick-headed approach to this issue with the Bureau of Meterology‘s enlighted embrace of Graham Dawson’s OzWeather iPhone app. As Graham told our packed-like-a-5.17-commuter-service seminar Entering the Mobile Ecosystem, BOM simply forks over its data to him, no charge, no drama, no issues.

It’s almost as if BOM thinks to itself, “We’re paid for by the public, maybe the information we generate by spending that money should, you know, belong to the public.” Communists.

Maybe, and here’s some real craziness, RailCorp should be spending its time and money making the trains run on time, not worrying the public might be “misled” if iPhone app developers give them access to the published timetable. Or, and now my brain is really starting to hurt, they help these guys to incorporate up-to-the-minute information into the app because it is, you know, web-enabled so that would be an — argh! the pain, the pain! — a win-win.

Now, we would say it was exceptional, wouldn’t we? But when you’re playing to a standing-room-only crowd of the most networked people in the country, you couldn’t get away with an untruth.

You can see everything that participants had to say by checking out our #silfed hashtag on Twitter. The most rewarding part for us — other than a capacity crowd! — was that participants agreed we lived up to the promise we make in our guiding principles:

Our contributors commit to:

• Sharing their experiences generously
• Giving practical advice
• Using real-world examples, Australian where possible
• Answering questions

We were also pleased to get tweets from Melbourne during the event asking if we could bring Entering the Mobile Ecosystem to Victoria.

We can and we’d love to. If you’d be interested in coming to an encore presentation of Entering the Mobile System, please leave a comment, send us an email or @ us on Twitter.

iPhone Hotel Evolution

In the book I’ve just written called Connection Generation that’s due for release at the end of March 2009, I talk about the evolution of communication technologies like the telephone and telegrams to connection technology. I define connection technology as devices and applications that do more than provide communication capability – they provide a connection for people and information to people, information, ideas and experiences via a range of applications. A basic example is the mobile phone that began life as a mobile version of the humble telephone but has transformed into a phone, phone book (contact list), instant message vehicle (text SMS and video MMS), audio message bank (voicemail) and photo capture send and store (camera).

Today, more sophisticated devices such as the iPhone, Blackberry and other PDA’s provide even more connectivity with built-in calendars, email, internet access and a range of customizable connection applications. This development provides society and business with a new way of connecting – not just communicating – with devices that reside in people’s pockets or purses. Here’s a really good business example:

When you arrive at the Malibu Beach Inn in California in the United States, you’re asked if you own an Apple iPhone or iTouch. If you don’t have one, they provide you one for the duration of your stay. On the device, they provide access to an application called Hotel Evolution, which displays a grid of icons that becomes your portable guest information and services portal.

From the menu items, you can access room service menus and place orders (including special requests and dietary preferences), arrange for your dry cleaning to be collected, request additional toiletries, change your do not disturb room status, set-up a wake-up call, receive messages, arrange a rental car and make a booking before you leave. By accessing the virtual concierge, you can view a local attractions map, shopping guide and even the tee-off times for the local golf course.

This capability is available NOW. I future, I have no doubt that they will program the capability for the device to function as a hotel key for secure physical access to your room during your stay! This is one of many applications these connection technologies will provide society and business now and in the future. Some are being developed now – and some are probably being devised in your heads as you read this.

If you know of any connection technologies and applications, please feel free to comment or send me a note. I love to share this stuff.

By:  Iggy Pintado

It’s been over a year since the iPhone first made it’s debut, and over 6 months since it’s been in Australia. I was one of those who patiently waited in line for hours, to have that little metal and plastic communication device in my hand. But the days since queuing for the phone seem a somewhat distant memory, and these days, it seems as though every second person has an iPhone, or a Blackberry, or some kind of device that is more than those old 3210’s we all used to have. 

What I find interesting, is seeing how differently those of older age demographics use their phone, to those in the younger category (i.e. Gen-Y). Most every time I see somebody aged 35+ with a new iPhone in hand, a combination of the following usually takes place:

1. The box stays unopened for a few days, most likely due to a fear or uncertainty towards the new device
2. Help or Assistance for setup is requested from somebody who is “in the know” on the device
3. The first setup happens, complaints start rolling in about the glitches or shortcoming of the device, and instant references are made to the “what ever happened to a phone being just a phone”
4. A complaint is made about the screen being too small/large/bright/dark and the keys being too small/virtual/close together. 
5. The discovery of features begins. Usually this seems to take shape of calendar syncing, email delivery, and attaching photos to contacts.
6. Applications are discovered (generally on iPhones more than other devices), and suddenly the users phone is populated exclusively by pointless apps that simulate “drinking a beer” or rolling a ball along a path, etc…

On the flip side, there’s the initial adoption of a new device by those within the Gen-Y demographic, which seems to trend remarkably different. Now, at this point, I should make a note about a very interesting observation. Yes, the iPhone is a popular device, it’s had a remarkable effect on the industry, and has had more than it’s fair share of press coverage. But when it comes to those in the sub 20-year-old market (especially girls), the Hiptop is by far the preferred choice of smartphone. If you haven’t noticed this trend, or this comes as news to you, then you need to seriously re-evaluate your thinking. Any connected, modern, in-style and social under-20’s kid these days, is a Hiptop carrier.

Anyways, back to the new-device adoption. Usually, a combination of the following:

1. Item is unpacked at the store, or on the way back from the store. Instantly opened and in use.
2. Customisation takes place. Ringtones get messed with, backgrounds changed, icons customised. Within minutes, the phone is in a very far place from it’s “factory settings”.
3. Connection is made. Amazingly, I’ve seen so many Gen-Y’s who have changed their iPhone settings around, to no longer have the “Phone” icon on the bottom strip of frequently used apps. Usually, it’s replaced by the Facebook or MySpace app, occasionally, by the Camera app. 
4. Status is updated to reflect your new connectivity. It’s amazing the number of people who I see in my Facebook and MySpace streams who’s status reads “XXX has a new iPhone/Hiptop/Blackberry”
5. IM goes active. Something I almost never see in the older demographic, but is one of the first things to happen with the youngens, and that is the downloading of an Instant messenger application (or in the case of Hiptops, the switching on of MSN).

So, from this (admittedly anecdotal) set of comparisons, what can we tell about this difference in device usage from different age groups? Well, firstly, and unsurprisingly, the level of comfort in using the device is astounding. Secondly, the very nature of the usage of these devices is shifting. As older types are clearly focused on productivity applications, phone calls, efficiency in usage, as well as a bit of the “check out what my phone can do” touting. Younger groups seem to care less about managing their calendars (which is an interesting side note, as most Gen-Y users don’t necessarily seem to care exactly what time things are happening, but more on what events and options are on today, which is primarily held in the cloud anyway) and more about extending their existing online capacities into the new device. Taking things they can already do (IM their friends, go on social networks, upload photos, watch YouTube clips, etc..) with them wherever they go.

So what does this say about your presence in the mobile ecosystem? Well, firstly and most prominently, if you have any kind of online presence (which, let’s admit, by this stage, you should), then it’s expected that you have a mobile presence that at the very least, replicates your online functionality. If a user can do something through a browser, they should be able to do it through their mobile device. Regardless of how you see mobile working with your existing systems, or how you see it integrating with your “digital mix”, users in this demographic will just expect it to be there.

So, before you start looking at “expanding” your offering to include mobile devices or fantastic new portable functionality, the first question any business should really be asking itself is: Can a user do what they can in a browser, through their mobile?

Find out more at our Entering the Mobile Ecosystem seminar in Sydney on 3 March 2009.
Location: Sydney Australia
Registrations: Click here
Date: 03 March 2009 Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 noon

Mobile internet users are passionate influencers, the sort of consumers that every marketer wants to reach. They’re willing to spend money on their interests and recommend the best of what they find to their friends. Not only do users of devices like the iPhone account for 30-40% of web traffic from mobiles, what they do online can influence the websites other people visit.

These are the same customers who use Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other services to make powerful recommendations to their friends. They drive traffic.

The best way to attract the attention of these users is through the applications that that make their devices more than phones but real mobile computers.

Applications don’t have to be expensive and can actually make money. In the US Kraft has persuaded thousands of iPhone owners to buy for an app that markets Kraft’s foods: Kraft’s customers are paying Kraft to have Kraft products marketed to them.

In Australia ANZ, Westpac, St George and others have also entered the mobile ecosystem with branded applications on the iPhone.

This seminar is for you if:

• you are looking for new, inexpensive ways to reach customers
• you want practical advice from speakers who have done it
• you want to meet mobile app developers, including the developer whose Australian iPhone app tops the charts
• you want a clear understanding of the next steps for your business

Speakers

• Shane Williamson – Mobile Convergence Evangelist
• Graham Dawson – creator of the top rating Oz Weather iPhone app
• Keith Ahern – CEO of MoGeneration one of the leading Australian iPhone development companies with 5 high profile iPhone web apps released in 2008