mobile | Internet Marketing Blog

Can Google's new location history dashboard make Latitude useful?

Google may not be at the front of the current geolocation charge, but that doesn't mean the search giant isn't interested in taing over. This week Google announced a new feature that it hopes will make users more comfortable sharing their location with Google.

The Google Location History Dashboard gives Latitude users a snapshot of where they've been. That data may just provide some utility for users (and get people more comfortable using Google's location service).

by Meghan Keane 27 May 2010 17:55pm 0 comments

Google dominates mobile search. But will it be a money maker?

Google's dominance in search informs many of the company's investments. And when it comes to mobile, Google has taken a hard stance against the applications that Apple champions, choosing instead to put its bets (and sizeable resources) on the future growth of the mobile browser. That makes a lot of sense. But what happens if consumers don't use browser search in the mobile environment?

by Meghan Keane 21 May 2010 20:23pm 2 comments

The MLB's approach to digital: More screens, more revenue.

When talk of highly profitable digital businesses comes up these days, 100-year-old sports companies don't normally get mentioned. But there is at least one sports institution that has made a killing in digital: Major League Baseball.

Back in 2000, the MLB solicited $1 million from each team in the league to jumpstart its foray into digital. Two and a half years later, they no longer needed that help. Today Major League Baseball Advanced Media brings in $500 million annually. How did they do it? By putting as much content on as many screens as possible.

by Meghan Keane 21 May 2010 00:04am 0 comments

The future of mobile: Can apps and browsers make a truce?

With Apple's growing line of mobile products, publishers, gamers and retailers are falling all over themselves to get a mobile application into the iTunes store.

But for companies expecting to pad their bottom lines with app revenue, that payout is far from guaranteed.

And the din of voices disparaging the appconomy is growing louder.

by Meghan Keane 20 May 2010 17:58pm 5 comments

Foursquare's argument for going it alone

Rumors of Foursquare's acquisition may be greatly exaggerated. Speaking in New York on Monday at Startup 2010, Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley was busy making the case for his company staying independent.

Will the company sell in the near future? It's unclear. But to hear Crowley tell it, Foursquare doesn't particularly need a large organization to keep it afloat. In fact, he seems to think Foursquare would be better off not selling.

by Meghan Keane 20 May 2010 16:52pm 1 comment

Augmented reality: 10 real world examples from the superbrands

Exciting things are happening in the whizz-bang new world of augmented reality, which will surely hit the mainstream before too long.

Many of the world's top brands have experimented with AR recently, and while some of the first wave of apps are more gimmicky than useful, others certainly shine a light on what we can expect from this space in the months and years to come.

So, for your viewing pleasure, here are 10 augmented reality videos. I cheated on the headline as all of these are brand-led apart from the last one, which is a fantastic billboard ad that uses AR, and which once again proves that the Dutch know a thing or two about AR and mobile.

by Chris Lake 20 May 2010 12:50pm 3 comments

Google's e-commerce fail. The Nexus One in stores soon.

Google's approach to selling the Nexus One may have been noble. But it didn't work. Four months after launching a web store for its top of the line smartphone, Google is pulling the plug.

The Nexus One will be available in stores worldwide over the next few months, when Google will kill its e-commerce site. According to the search giant, the world wasn't ready for a wholly digital approach to purchasing cellphones. They certainly weren't ready for the pricetag.

by Meghan Keane 14 May 2010 21:52pm 5 comments

Mobile commerce, not advertising, may just finally bring "The Year of Mobile" everyone's been waiting for

Looking at current earnings, the mobile ad market is wildly overvalued right now. Only $416 million was spent on mobile advertising in 2009. Meanwhile, Google recently paid $750 million for AdMob and Apple shelled out another $250 million for Quattro Wireless. What gives?

Well, Google and Apple made those investments based on how much they think the mobile market will be worth in the near future. But a lot of people think that mobile will never reach the potential that mobile optimists are predicting.

One of those people is Gilt Groupe's chairman Kevin Ryan. Speaking at an event in New York this week, Ryan expressed skepticism that brands — and consumers — will flock to mobile advertising. The comments are interesting because his own company, which sells luxury items at steep discounts, is part of a mobile segment that is poised for massive mobile growth — digital commerce.

by Meghan Keane 11 May 2010 22:53pm 2 comments

Multichannel accounts for 43% of Argos sales

Argos is showing other multichannel retailers how it's done, with its multichannel sales reaching £1.9bn in the last financial year.

According to the company's results (pdf), multichannel accounted for 43% of Argos' sales, and justifies the company's investment in services such as reserve and collect.

by Graham Charlton 04 May 2010 09:37am 2 comments

Election 2010: app review

Having taken a look at the Labour and Conservative iPhone apps recently, I have come across an app that is potentially useful for all voters, not just the party faithful.

The Election 2010 iPhone app is the work of Stuart Sharpe, and it provides a wealth of information about the election.