Friday, June 29, 2007
Cell Phone Statistics
Nearly 50% of employees spend more than 20% of their time away from their desks creating an even more mobile workforce.
In February 2007, 3.9 billion text messages were sent. That figure increased to 4.4 billion in March, 2007 according to the Mobile Data Association (MDA).
The idea for text messaging began in the 1980's. No one person can be credited with inventing it.
The first commercial text message was sent over the Vodaphone GSM network in the Untied Kingdom on December 3, 1992.
The Philippines alone sends on the average 400 million text messages a day, more than the annual average SMS volume of the countries in Europe, and even China and India.
In January 2001, Joseph Estrada was forced to resign from the post of president of the Philippines. The popular campaign against him was widely reported to have been coordinated with SMS chain letters.
In the Netherlands, police use text messaging to receive crime tips and send alerts of missing children.
In 2003 a Malaysian court ruled that, under Sharia law, a man may divorce his wife via text messaging as long as the message was clear and unequivocal.
The amount of text messages per month has grown 250% each year for the last two years.
US Mobile content market = 68.7 million text users.
Median age of a text message user is 38 years old. 51% are women, 49% are men.
In Australia, about 14 million people are spending over $8 billion annually on their mobile phones.
One in three college students now send mobile messages from their cell phones.
Right after the Oct. 8 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, Pakistan, the goverment granted free mobile cell phone use so that separated families could find one another.
Mobile phone owners were able to pledge a donation to disaster relief after the Asian Tsunami by texting "donate" to short code.
Since November, 700 students, or 44 percent of those admitted to Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, have been notified through a text message on their cell phones.
Cell phones are so common in China that authorities used text messages to warn millions of residents of the impending landfall of Typhoon Kaemi.
An asthma management program at San Mateo Medical Center in California uses text messaging to monitor patients' compliance with treatment regimens. The program has reduced emergency-room visits and is considered a cost-saving strategy for the hospital.
In February 2007, 3.9 billion text messages were sent. That figure increased to 4.4 billion in March, 2007 according to the Mobile Data Association (MDA).
The idea for text messaging began in the 1980's. No one person can be credited with inventing it.
The first commercial text message was sent over the Vodaphone GSM network in the Untied Kingdom on December 3, 1992.
The Philippines alone sends on the average 400 million text messages a day, more than the annual average SMS volume of the countries in Europe, and even China and India.
In January 2001, Joseph Estrada was forced to resign from the post of president of the Philippines. The popular campaign against him was widely reported to have been coordinated with SMS chain letters.
In the Netherlands, police use text messaging to receive crime tips and send alerts of missing children.
In 2003 a Malaysian court ruled that, under Sharia law, a man may divorce his wife via text messaging as long as the message was clear and unequivocal.
The amount of text messages per month has grown 250% each year for the last two years.
US Mobile content market = 68.7 million text users.
Median age of a text message user is 38 years old. 51% are women, 49% are men.
In Australia, about 14 million people are spending over $8 billion annually on their mobile phones.
One in three college students now send mobile messages from their cell phones.
Right after the Oct. 8 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, Pakistan, the goverment granted free mobile cell phone use so that separated families could find one another.
Mobile phone owners were able to pledge a donation to disaster relief after the Asian Tsunami by texting "donate" to short code.
Since November, 700 students, or 44 percent of those admitted to Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, have been notified through a text message on their cell phones.
Cell phones are so common in China that authorities used text messages to warn millions of residents of the impending landfall of Typhoon Kaemi.
An asthma management program at San Mateo Medical Center in California uses text messaging to monitor patients' compliance with treatment regimens. The program has reduced emergency-room visits and is considered a cost-saving strategy for the hospital.
Labels: cell phones, mobile phones, text messaging
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Ever Try Playing Poker on a Mac?
If you've ever tried playing poker on a Mac, you know what a hassle it can be. It seems like all the poker sites out there are set up for Windows based systems and not for Macs. So, where can you play online poker on a Mac?
One of the poker sites that MacPokerOnline recommends is FullTilt Poker. Another one high on the list of Mac-friendly poker sites is BugsysClub. These sites have been reviewed as honest, financially stable, and easy to play on Macs. They are also continuing to accept US poker players while the US government decides on what the precise rules are in regards to online gambling. Personally, it makes no sense to me that this fun online activity should be outlawed; why not just regulate and tax it?
There is also an online newsletter that you can sign up for at MacPokerOnline. When you sign up for the newsletter, you'll continue to get updated information on other cool sites where you can easily play poker online on your Mac.
One of the poker sites that MacPokerOnline recommends is FullTilt Poker. Another one high on the list of Mac-friendly poker sites is BugsysClub. These sites have been reviewed as honest, financially stable, and easy to play on Macs. They are also continuing to accept US poker players while the US government decides on what the precise rules are in regards to online gambling. Personally, it makes no sense to me that this fun online activity should be outlawed; why not just regulate and tax it?
There is also an online newsletter that you can sign up for at MacPokerOnline. When you sign up for the newsletter, you'll continue to get updated information on other cool sites where you can easily play poker online on your Mac.
Labels: advertisement
Friday, June 22, 2007
Text Messaging: R U In2 it?
By Sandra Nathanson
I am an avid text-messager. Detractors say it’s impersonal, it’s cold. I say, get with the times people! It’s efficient. It’s easy. It’s private, and it’s pretty much free when I bundle it with the other cool stuff on my phone.
And I sleep with my phone. It wakes me every morning. It vibrates on my mattress, and gently lulls me awake better than any alarm clock on the planet. I wake up happy to see my shiny little plastic friend lying next to me. He is so considerate and unobtrusive.
But back to text messaging. It is the bomb diggity. I can text my kids while they are in class (even though the school told me I am not allowed to) to find out how their day is. Cut the cord you say? Nah, not yet. They love it. And I am the “Cool Mom” that everybody loves. That’s why all my kids’ friends love to come over to my house. See where this is going? Yup, I am that smart. Keep an eye on the little cherubs and troublemakers 24/7 because they love being around me. See how effective text messaging can be in the parenting department?
I text message my boyfriend He is a moody, young-blood who can surprise me with his testosterone fueled anger some days. Solution? Text him in the morning. “Good morning!” I send. If I get a “:))” back, then I know the coast is clear. If there is no response, his calls go into VM the rest of the day. Text messaging is like my own personal emotional bodyguard.
Then there's my ex-husband. Dear Lord! What did women DO before text messaging?? Like many, I have had the unfortunate 4-year I-am-trying-to-get-divorced-without-going-broke experience. We are on cautiously civil terms right now (today) and I credit text messaging.
E-mail could never have blocked the anger and poison that would ooze from every one of our communications in the last four years. But texting does. “C U @ Marriot @ 5pm” is the extent of it these days when we are scheduling an exchange of our kids. “Runng l8. B there in 15” is a common text I’ll get from Mr. Reliable...Even as I work my thumb through a dreadful cramp while I punch out “HURRY UP!” I am thankful that I have this tool. Without it, my kids might be minus one dad.
If only my divorce attorney accepted text. SHE charges $26.50 per e-mail!!
So for me, and perhaps for many moms like me, text messaging is the communication tool of the future. Without it I might be the mother of some trouble-making, gang member, wild-child, be without my very hot boyfriend and could be in jail for leading my kids’ father to the crocodile pond at the zoo after they’ve been fasting for 3 weeks. Now that is a truly amazing feat!
Labels: text messaging
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Great Way to Earn Extra $ From Your Web Site
If you want to earn more money from your web site, you should consider becoming an affiliate of AsSeenonPCNetwork.com. This site does all the work and all you have to do is promote the site.
Items available for sale include health and beauty products, toys and novelties, sports and fitness products, kitchen gadgets, unique gifts and many other products.
The web site service provides everything you need to get started immediately including banners, and text links. The best thing is that there is no sign up fee and you start making commissions from your first sale. The thing I liked most about it was that there are no minimums so whether your site is big or small, AsSeenonPCNetwork is a great affiliate site to work with.
Items available for sale include health and beauty products, toys and novelties, sports and fitness products, kitchen gadgets, unique gifts and many other products.
The web site service provides everything you need to get started immediately including banners, and text links. The best thing is that there is no sign up fee and you start making commissions from your first sale. The thing I liked most about it was that there are no minimums so whether your site is big or small, AsSeenonPCNetwork is a great affiliate site to work with.
Labels: advertising
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Deal or No Deal Drives USA Premium SMS Market
Premium SMS revenues in the United States were $273 million in 2006, according to a report by Telephia. Most of this revenue (79 percent or $215 million) was as payment for mobile content, while voting/sweepstakes entries generated 13 percent of total revenues with $35 million—although this represented 47 percent of premium SMS volume, reports MediaPost.
“NBC’s Deal or No Deal has translated into a premium SMS hit, generating nearly half of the volume and revenue of voting/sweepstakes entries in the first quarter of 2007,” said Telephia. According to the report in the US 29,544 pieces of mobile content were bought off-portal with premium SMS in the first quarter.
Labels: Deal or No Deal, premium SMS
Monday, June 18, 2007
How Retailers Are Using the Marketing Power of Text Message Advertising
Retailers are “capturing” their elusive, on-the-go customers with Mobile Marketing programs designed to deliver real time advertising in consumers’ pockets
Today, the marketing budget of retailers has to be much more diversified than it was a decade ago. Traditional media has fallen fast in its position of effectiveness and this has forced retailers to accept that the consumer is in greater control than ever before.
Consumers today are on the move. And they rely on their cell phones to keep them informed and organized. Presently in the United States, 76% of the population uses a mobile phone, and over one half of those mobile subscribers regularly use text messaging. In fact, text messaging is the number one feature that people use on their cell phones outranking picture taking and playing music. (Pew Internet & American Life Project Associated Press and AOL). In many opinions, it may be “the most powerful advertising medium of all time” (NY Times).
Contrary to popular belief, the profile of frequent text messagers is not limited to teenagers. More and more, text messagers mirror the typical high-value retail customer. They are mostly adults 35 and over, with an annual income at or above $75,000. (American Consumer Institute).
All of the above have made text messaging the obvious choice for the next medium which retailers must manipulate if they want to keep in touch with their target consumers. Text message advertising can reach these consumers right in their pocket.
Several retailers have already jumped on the idea of text message advertising and text message coupons. The results have been very positive.
Target Corp. has been sending text message advertising to its customers since 2005. Customers opt-in to the service from the company’s website and subsequently receive messages to alert them when a new fashion designer is going to have product in their stores. This has been shown to increase in-store traffic, and provide a valuable database for the company.
Uncle Ed’s Oil Shoppe, out of Battle Creek Michigan uses text message advertising to send out mobile coupons. Customers send the word, “Uncleeds” to the short code WYCD1 and receive a message back telling them “This is your $5 off coupon. Show this text message at checkout”. Customers love the fact that they don’t have to cut anything out or remember to bring it along, because they always have their cell phone with them!
Restaurants have taken advantage of the immediacy of text messaging. For example, upon opt-in, customers can receive alerts about lunch specials right before the lunch hour. Some will even text a mobile coupon which the customer shows to their server to receive the discount or promotion.
While mobile coupons and sale alerts are among the most popular text messaging campaigns with retailers, some chains are taking to the next level. Meijer, a supercenter/grocery store chain based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, launched a campaign to alert its customers when gas prices were about to increase. Text message advertisements are sent to customers who have registered their cell number, when gas prices are about to increase by 5 cents a gallon or more. Customers receive the messages a few hours before the increase will take place, so that they have time to fill up their tanks at the lower price.
A marketing campaign which includes text message advertising and mobile coupons can be implemented so quickly and efficiently that it can help companies be the first to market, and is less intrusive than other methods. It also makes them stand out from their competitors. Because it is an opt-in program, customers are expecting the message which improves the response. Text message advertising is truly the next wave in retail promotion.
Today, the marketing budget of retailers has to be much more diversified than it was a decade ago. Traditional media has fallen fast in its position of effectiveness and this has forced retailers to accept that the consumer is in greater control than ever before.
Consumers today are on the move. And they rely on their cell phones to keep them informed and organized. Presently in the United States, 76% of the population uses a mobile phone, and over one half of those mobile subscribers regularly use text messaging. In fact, text messaging is the number one feature that people use on their cell phones outranking picture taking and playing music. (Pew Internet & American Life Project Associated Press and AOL). In many opinions, it may be “the most powerful advertising medium of all time” (NY Times).
Contrary to popular belief, the profile of frequent text messagers is not limited to teenagers. More and more, text messagers mirror the typical high-value retail customer. They are mostly adults 35 and over, with an annual income at or above $75,000. (American Consumer Institute).
All of the above have made text messaging the obvious choice for the next medium which retailers must manipulate if they want to keep in touch with their target consumers. Text message advertising can reach these consumers right in their pocket.
Several retailers have already jumped on the idea of text message advertising and text message coupons. The results have been very positive.
Target Corp. has been sending text message advertising to its customers since 2005. Customers opt-in to the service from the company’s website and subsequently receive messages to alert them when a new fashion designer is going to have product in their stores. This has been shown to increase in-store traffic, and provide a valuable database for the company.
Uncle Ed’s Oil Shoppe, out of Battle Creek Michigan uses text message advertising to send out mobile coupons. Customers send the word, “Uncleeds” to the short code WYCD1 and receive a message back telling them “This is your $5 off coupon. Show this text message at checkout”. Customers love the fact that they don’t have to cut anything out or remember to bring it along, because they always have their cell phone with them!
Restaurants have taken advantage of the immediacy of text messaging. For example, upon opt-in, customers can receive alerts about lunch specials right before the lunch hour. Some will even text a mobile coupon which the customer shows to their server to receive the discount or promotion.
While mobile coupons and sale alerts are among the most popular text messaging campaigns with retailers, some chains are taking to the next level. Meijer, a supercenter/grocery store chain based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, launched a campaign to alert its customers when gas prices were about to increase. Text message advertisements are sent to customers who have registered their cell number, when gas prices are about to increase by 5 cents a gallon or more. Customers receive the messages a few hours before the increase will take place, so that they have time to fill up their tanks at the lower price.
A marketing campaign which includes text message advertising and mobile coupons can be implemented so quickly and efficiently that it can help companies be the first to market, and is less intrusive than other methods. It also makes them stand out from their competitors. Because it is an opt-in program, customers are expecting the message which improves the response. Text message advertising is truly the next wave in retail promotion.
Labels: mobile coupons, mobile marketing, text message advertising, text message coupons
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Sexy Text Encounters
by Sandra Nathanson
It’s Friday afternoon. The weather is gorgeous, and all Terry can think about is getting finished with work, and spending a hot night with her husband. Between the kids, and the dog and keeping the house, his job and her working part time, she really has only seen him in passing all week on the way in to take a shower.
It’s Friday afternoon. The weather is gorgeous, and all Terry can think about is getting finished with work, and spending a hot night with her husband. Between the kids, and the dog and keeping the house, his job and her working part time, she really has only seen him in passing all week on the way in to take a shower.
She is feeling frisky as she watches the clock tick towards 5 o’clock. She can’t call him, her co-workers would over hear and she would be mortified! She can’t e-mail him; the company has access to her mailbox! The most private way to convey her idea for a post-work romp is a sexy text message.
She grabs her cell phone, and texts to his number, “@wrk, feelin 6Y. U?” She waits anxiously for a response, and lets out a delighted squeal when she reads it. “ALIwanisu”, he writes back. And now the clock is moving even more slowly, as she anticipates the activities in her bedroom when she gets home.
Terry and her husband are eager participants in a growing trend among text messagers. According to an on-line poll conducted by About.com, 17% of respondents use text messaging mostly to arrange sex encounters. What was once a pebble thrown at a window late at night, has been replaced electronically with, “GYPO” or, translated. “Get Your Pants Off” on a 1”x 2” screen.
Terry and her husband are eager participants in a growing trend among text messagers. According to an on-line poll conducted by About.com, 17% of respondents use text messaging mostly to arrange sex encounters. What was once a pebble thrown at a window late at night, has been replaced electronically with, “GYPO” or, translated. “Get Your Pants Off” on a 1”x 2” screen.
Romantic or tacky? Who cares! Certainly not the people that are participating! Sexy text messages are the 2007 version of a booty call. And it really is ideal. If you are unavailable, or just not in the mood, you can ignore the text, and avoid any embarrassing excuse making. If you are at a party, and want to get busy fast, just text your mate/friend/toy, “let’s get outta here” and no one at the party will be the wiser.
Then of course, there is the “forbidden” hook-up with the hot and sexy ex-boyfriend that you promised yourself, and your best girlfriends that you swear you would NOT drunk dial! Promise! Just text that little hottie for a rendez vous, and you can keep your dignity. It’s a win for everybody!
How can a seemingly impersonal exchange become such a popular method for conveying one’s erotic desires? For one, there is the privacy factor: no one else but you and the recipient of the message will know. That is unless you text your Aunt Bernice by accident. Therefore, it is highly recommend you double check the “send to” number before you press “send message”. Sexy text messages cannot be taken back.
How can a seemingly impersonal exchange become such a popular method for conveying one’s erotic desires? For one, there is the privacy factor: no one else but you and the recipient of the message will know. That is unless you text your Aunt Bernice by accident. Therefore, it is highly recommend you double check the “send to” number before you press “send message”. Sexy text messages cannot be taken back.
Second is the fact that people’s inhibitions may be somewhat more relaxed when they don’t have to come up with flowery adjectives to get the message across. “Wanna meet?” on a text message has an entirely different implied meaning as a text message, than if conveyed by voice or e-mail. And that may be all that little hottie could read anyway.
Last may be of course, the convenience. You could be in an elevator, in a cab, on the way home from work or watching your kids at the playground. These are times when stealth and convenience are of the utmost importance. Whenever and wherever the mood strikes you, your erotic desire can be conveyed.
Some couples even have a “code” for their mate when the mood strikes. One woman in particular texts, “Jenna Jameson is in town” to her husband and he instantly knows EXACTLY what she wants.
Some couples even have a “code” for their mate when the mood strikes. One woman in particular texts, “Jenna Jameson is in town” to her husband and he instantly knows EXACTLY what she wants.
Labels: erotic text messages, hot text messages, sexy text message, text message sex
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Calling all Bloggers
Bloggers, you should consider using Blogsvertise. It's a great way to get inbound links from other bloggers that will increase your traffic or increase your SEO ranking. You can also make money by writing articles about other companies, products, or blogs.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Great Color Picker
Are you tired of using PhotoShop or a similar service as your color picker? Well, quit using it, because it simply wasn't designed to do the job you are asking it to do. You should be using AdesClrPicker instead.
With AdesClrPicker, you can simply drag your mouse over any color and it will save it for you. There's no need to bring up PhotoShop or a similar service because this read Ades' Blog which has lots of great tips for webmasters and anybody who does work on the internet.
Labels: advertising
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
The Houston Chronicle Selects Advanced Mobile Solutions For Mobile Classifieds
The Houston Chronicle/Chron.com selects AMS’ MyClassifieds2Go, the industry’s first ConTEXTually Searchable Mobile Classifieds.
The Houston Chronicle and Chron.com have partnered with Advanced Mobile Solutions of Wayne, PA to mobilize local print and web based classified data using a powerful combination of text/SMS messaging and mobile web.
The Houston Chronicle and their associated web property, Chron.com are ranked 9th and 11th in daily newspaper circulation and daily newspaper web site traffic respectively. The Houston Chronicle has long been a digital technology leader in the newspaper industry so it is only logical that they would be one of the first to “mobilize” their classifieds.
The Chronicle’s MyClassifieds2Go service is the first mobile classified service to use AMS’s patent pending ConTEXTual Search technology. ConTEXTual Search allows readers to quickly search and browse classified listings by texting descriptive key words to The Houston Chronicle’s short code 24766 (CHRON). For example, users can text the words SEARCH HOMES KATY to 24766 and receive a return SMS message with an embedded mobile web (WAP) link taking users to the search result in the WAP site where complete details, descriptions and photos are available for review. Critical performance generating features in the WAP site include: Email Listing and Click2Call in addition to tracking all mobile web traffic stats and text message requests.
“In keeping with the Chronicles’ reputation for being an early adopter, we were very excited they selected AMS and again demonstrating leadership in the digital media space, this time with mobile,” said David Sawyer, Executive V.P. of Business Development for Advanced Mobile Solutions, in Wayne, PA. “Mobile provides a powerful new distribution channel, attracting important new audiences, generating demonstrable performance for advertisers and generating significant revenue streams for our partners. Mobile is an ideal progression for newspapers and will soon represent the third distribution channel for their advertising content, following print and web.”
To find out more about MyClassifieds2Go and how they can assist your business in increasing market share and revenue, please contact David Sawyer of Advanced Mobile Solutions 512-663-9123 or e-mail him at: davids@advancedmobile.us
The Houston Chronicle and Chron.com have partnered with Advanced Mobile Solutions of Wayne, PA to mobilize local print and web based classified data using a powerful combination of text/SMS messaging and mobile web.
The Houston Chronicle and their associated web property, Chron.com are ranked 9th and 11th in daily newspaper circulation and daily newspaper web site traffic respectively. The Houston Chronicle has long been a digital technology leader in the newspaper industry so it is only logical that they would be one of the first to “mobilize” their classifieds.
The Chronicle’s MyClassifieds2Go service is the first mobile classified service to use AMS’s patent pending ConTEXTual Search technology. ConTEXTual Search allows readers to quickly search and browse classified listings by texting descriptive key words to The Houston Chronicle’s short code 24766 (CHRON). For example, users can text the words SEARCH HOMES KATY to 24766 and receive a return SMS message with an embedded mobile web (WAP) link taking users to the search result in the WAP site where complete details, descriptions and photos are available for review. Critical performance generating features in the WAP site include: Email Listing and Click2Call in addition to tracking all mobile web traffic stats and text message requests.
“In keeping with the Chronicles’ reputation for being an early adopter, we were very excited they selected AMS and again demonstrating leadership in the digital media space, this time with mobile,” said David Sawyer, Executive V.P. of Business Development for Advanced Mobile Solutions, in Wayne, PA. “Mobile provides a powerful new distribution channel, attracting important new audiences, generating demonstrable performance for advertisers and generating significant revenue streams for our partners. Mobile is an ideal progression for newspapers and will soon represent the third distribution channel for their advertising content, following print and web.”
To find out more about MyClassifieds2Go and how they can assist your business in increasing market share and revenue, please contact David Sawyer of Advanced Mobile Solutions 512-663-9123 or e-mail him at: davids@advancedmobile.us
Labels: chron.com, Houston Chronicle, mobile classifieds, myclassifieds2go
Monday, June 04, 2007
Deal Or No Deal Bumps Up Premium SMS Revenue, Volume
By Robert Andrews
US mobile carriers clocked $273 million in premium SMS revenue during the first quarter of the year, according to data from market research firm Telephia. The majority of messages came via voting/sweepstakes (47 percent), followed by purchases for downloadable content (40 percent) and chat or community (seven percent). But the purchases made up the bulk of revenue ($214.9 million), ahead of voting/sweepstakes ($35.4 million), uncategorized messages to premium SMS short codes ($17.4 million) and chat or community ($5.7 million).
The figures show that, whilst almost half of premium SMS customers participate in mobile votes (ie. TV game shows and other contests), using the medium as a payment channel for the likes of ringtones and horoscopes is a far bigger revenue opportunity, community even less so. Telephia’s mobile media VP Kanishka Agarwal: “Marketers are experimenting beyond the standard-rate SMS voting pioneered by American Idol and tapping into premium SMS with voting/sweepstakes campaigns. NBC’s Deal or No Deal has translated into a premium SMS hit, generating nearly half of the volume and revenue of voting/sweepstakes entries in the first quarter of 2007.”
Labels: American Idol voting, Deal or No Deal, mobile voting, premium SMS, SMS revenue
