Posted on March 21, 2007, at 7:45 AM .
A recent article in the New York Times cited concerns regarding the number of cell phone operating systems:
Two operating systems run more than 95 percent of the world’s computers, but dozens of systems are behind the 2.5 billion mobile phones in circulation, a situation that has hampered the growth of new services, industry executives and independent specialists say.
The article points out that so many operating systems slow down the development of new applications. Moreover, small software companies, which often have been an important source of innovation in the computer industry, are often shut out of application development since the barriers to entry are so much higher.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Are There Too Many Smart Phone Operating Systems?’
Posted on March 7, 2007, at 8:40 AM .
For most consumers, one of the most significant downsides of the mobile phone business is being locked into contracts with a carrier. The rationale we are given by the cellular companies is that they need such contracts to justify their high customer acquisition costs. They tell us that this also enables them to subsidize lower prices on the equipment and thus make mobile phones affordable to a far larger population. Yet does it really have to be that way?
The short answer I have is this: I don’t know. I haven’t seen any in-depth studies of the economics of the cell phone industry, and so I’m hesitant to pass too strong of a judgment.
However, here is what I do know.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Those Nasty Cell Phone Contracts’
Posted on February 14, 2007, at 7:07 AM .
David Pogue, technology editor for the New York Times, once remarked that “simplicity sells.†All things considered, consumers generally opt for the most simple, elegant solution.
Consider Google: it’s the most valuable piece of web real estate in the world, and yet its home page is remarkably simple and basically unchanged from when it began. Google’s philosophy is to keep the complexity as far removed from the consumer as possible.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Simplicity Sells’
Posted on February 7, 2007, at 7:10 AM .
Two weeks ago I wrote about customer evangelists and their emerging importance in shaping the market. Technology gives amplification to the concept of “word of mouth†advertising and wise companies will find ways to maximize their gains from this phenomenon. I believe that this reality impacts technology companies more so than most, as consumers of cutting edge technology tend to pay more attention to the voices using that technology.
I now wish to tie in a few fresh observations.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Doritos with your BlackBerry?’
Posted on January 31, 2007, at 8:15 AM .
Thought loosens his tie a little this week with this one. Give it a read and some solid thought. Pun kind of intended, I guess.
It’s Super Bowl week in the US and in honor of all of the marketing hype that this represents, I thought I’d have some fun. I would like to comment on some celebrities that I would like to see used in advertising for the BlackBerry brand. I am a realist and so do not expect any of this to actually happen, but then again I was also foolish enough to recommend that RIM spend the big bucks on a Super Bowl ad. So, thoughtful readers, please indulge me in my flights of fantasy.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Which Celebrity Would You Like to See in a BlackBerry Ad?’
Posted on January 24, 2007, at 7:20 AM .
Nice to see you again, Thought. This week, our eldest of editorial contributors strolls in with a great read about BlackBerry evangelists – folks who push the BlackBerry but aren’t really paid for it. You’re probably one of them since you’re checking out this site, and I’m pretty sure I’m one, too. So go ‘head and read on about… yourself. Thanks, Thought.
Citizen Marketers and the BlackBerry
One of the most impressive elements of the BlackBerry success story has been its ability to create consumer evangelists: customers so satisfied with the product that they voluntarily spread favorable word of mouth. Authors Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba take this concept even further with their latest book and discuss “citizen marketersâ€: those who go beyond casual advocacy of a product and begin to generate organized and regular content regarding a product or company. Current technology allows anyone to be a publisher or broadcaster.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Citizen Marketers & the BlackBerry’
