Strategy/The Narrative

Perspective: Stats from Opera Mini

Posted on by charlie

For all of you who want to make money selling mobile software, or want to run a mobile service, or need to get an idea of how many downloads you will get for your nifty little mobile app, keep these stats from Opera in mind:

  • Opera Mini has
    two million users
  • The daily number of Web pages surfed exceeds four million
  • The average Web page size is between 10 and 20 kilobytes
  • Opera Mini’s users generate between 38 and 76 gigabytes of data traffic every day
  • During the first few months after the launch of T-Mobile’s web’n’walk in June 2005, an average web’n’walk customer was visiting 330 Internet pages per month (an increase of 489 percent in data volume per user).

Remember, Opera has been around for a while, is chummy with operators and manufacturers, and has reach. So, put that in perspective when you make your revenue projections.

Thanks Russ for catching this.

Innovation/Strategy

Hey Miki! Socialtext goes mobile

Posted on by charlie

Among the many wikis we have in use here at Nokia, one of the big ones we use is Socialtext. And, since most of us are heavy phone users, it’s come up a few times why we couldn’t use Socialtext with our phones.

A long time ago, my personal wiki Guru, Janne Jalkanen (father of the open-source, JSPWiki), commented that wikis are ready made for mobile devices.* Indeed, since then, a few around here have been thinking of wiki things related to mobiles.

Well, Ross and gang at Socialtext have made some tweaks to Socialtext to create the Miki (trademarked by Socialtext, mind you). Miki is a wiki optimized for mobile devices. Ross pushes Blackberrys, since he’s pushing the enterprise edition of Socialtext. But, I tried it out and it works fine on my Series 60 phone (and I wouldn’t doubt on other phones as well).

Really, I don’t know what was changed and don’t think it was rocket science. I think the really cool thing, and probably the hardest thing to get over, is to recognize mobile devices as a wiki editing tool. And that’s good enough for me.

Way to go.

Link: Hey Miki! | Socialtext Enterprise Wiki.

Today we launched Miki — a wiki platform optimized for mobile devices. As wikis are becoming an essential communications tool for enterprises, so to is being able to access and edit anywhere. Another first from Socialtext, this is an achievement in simplicity.

*Russ makes similar comments here, adding some great advice.

The Narrative

Cringely on: Prisoner of Redmond

Posted on by charlie

Cringely is a long-time industry observer. I’ve been happily reading his insights for at least a decade.

In this article, he makes a character analysis of the leadership at Microsoft. I post it here as a warning to all of you ambitious types (including me).

I have always said that if the CEO is rotten, the whole company will be rotten – leadership begins from the top. I know of a few ill-tempered CEOs who, despite that bad temper, run their companies with a deep sense of integrity, leading to an amazingly good company. But, ill-tempered CEOs who throw chairs one day and then try to sink their competitors in one of various unethical ways will end up surrounding themselves with similar folks and poison the company.

I’ve met many nice folks from Microsoft, but I still would never work for them (not that they’re asking). They are just too rotten at the top.

Folks, be good, be ethical, be a mensch. The alternative is not worth it.

Link: PBS | I, Cringely . March 30, 2006 – Prisoner of Redmond.

Based purely on character (or lack of it), I confidently predict that Microsoft is going down. It should be interesting.

Strategy/The Narrative

Mobile Tracker on: GreatCall MVNO for elderly

Posted on by charlie

It’s about time. I think this is one MVNO that will make money – big growing market flush with money and the propensity for not changing. Hmm, I wonder how they will deal with the natural churn. šŸ˜›

Now, the only MVNO I am waiting for is the custom one, for small groups like churches, schools, and team.

Link: GreatCall MVNO for elderly – MobileTracker.

GreatCall is a new MVNO that will cater its services primarily to older users that want simple voice service. Several carriers are targeting young people, but this is the first to make seniors its focus. At launch the carrier will be selling the Samsung Jitterbug, a handset line designed for ease of use. Besides simple handsets, GreatCall will offer a 24-hour operator assistance service.

Innovation/Strategy/The Narrative

GigaOM says: Xero or Zero Mobile?

Posted on by charlie

I have been expecting an ad-supported, free services MVNO. Indeed, a bit late, but I just heard of Xero Mobile.

Well, Goggle saves the day and I find this interesting collection of tid-bits from Om Malik (link below).

In short: if it’s too good to be true, it is. There’s a whiff of the scumbags from Gizmodo involved with this. Hoo boy, seems like some VCs were scammed again.

Link: GigaOM :  Xero or Zero Mobile?.

Back in February, Andy had pointed me to yet another MVNO, called Xero Mobile. Well, now Mike over at Tech Dirt has dug up some serious dirt on these guys.

Apparently some of the guys running this company worked at Gizmondo, a company that was going to be famous for its gaming device, and instead became infamous for a its CEO Stefan Eriksson totaling a million dollar Ferrari. (Sigh, if only cars could pick their driversā€¦)

Thanks Peter B again for the tip-off on Xero, which led me to Om.

The Narrative

New York Magazine on: I Want Your Text – Text Messaging Is The Latest Technology For Hooking Up

Posted on by charlie

Here’s a cheeky article on text messaging that addresses a primal urge.

But, stop and think for a moment, where there’s a need, there’s a market.

šŸ™‚

Link: I Want Your Text – Text Messaging Is The Latest Technology For Hooking Up — New York Magazine.

It was only a matter of time before New Yorkers started getting hot and heavy via text message. Weā€™re a little late to the game (those cheeky Europeans, masters of hand-to-phone coordination, have enjoyed the sexual benefits of texting for years). But all it took was a catchy monikerā€”you gotta love ā€œsex messagingā€ā€”and a little time for people to develop thumb dexterity while drunk.

Strategy

Nokia N91 supports iTunes (sort of)

Posted on by charlie

Ooh, Nokia has come out with some software for the Mac.

You can use iTunes on the Mac* to manage your music for the N91 (shipping, finally). Catch is, you can’t transfer music bought at the iTunes store. Shame on you Apple. But, hey, it should work with iTunes Podcasts (or at least I hope it does).

The last software Nokia came out with for the Mac was the Nokia Collector for the Nokia 7280, about 2 years ago. And before that – who knows.

Thank goodness that Apple re-did iSync in Tiger and now many Nokia phones are supported.

Link: Nokia – Nokia N91 Support – Music.

  • Import music from your CD collection to your Macintosh hard drive
  • Transfer AAC and MP3 files from your Macintosh hard drive to your Nokia N91 and back again
    (2-way)
  • Select music automatically and manually
  • Create playlists on your Mac or Nokia N91
  • Access track info such as albums, artists, genre, etc. (with Nokia Music Manager plug-in)
  • Note: Music purchased from the Apple iTunes Music Store cannot be played on the Nokia N91

Yeah, I know I’m a few days late with this, but I’m behind on my reading. šŸ˜›

*But, what if I use iTunes on a PC?

Innovation/Strategy/The Narrative

Speed Demons

Posted on by charlie

Business Week’s Innovation section has this great article on Speed, the need to quickly innovate and launch new products.

They talk about Virgin at first (comic books in India, how cool is that?), then cover other examples. Of course, they manage to throw in a reference to BW darling Ideo.

At the end, there is a list of some good advice for those wanting to speed up things.

One think I’d like to add: the need for speed requires companies to have the will to kill the things that are slowing them down, even if it’s a prized possession. That’s something that’s hard to do for anyone.

Link: Speed Demons.

Speed is emerging as the ultimate competitive weapon. Some of the world’s most successful companies are proving to be expert at spotting new opportunities, marshaling their forces, and bringing to market new products or services in a flash. That goes for launching whole new ventures, too.

The Narrative

Genuine VC on: “There’s Something Going On” in Boston

Posted on by charlie

Just when I had given up, looks like things are waking up. David has a nice post (link below) on some recent happening. There’s even a Mobile Monday Boston!

I’d also like to point out that there have been some recent sales and investments in the mobile media area, Nokia has plopped down a lablet in Cambridge, and I’ve had great talks with Nabeel Hyatt from Everypoint (ooh, Nabeel, just noticed the new website, too).

Yes, things are picking up for the ol’ Bean Town since last time I whined. Anyone care to invite me over?

Link: Genuine VC: "There’s Something Going On" in Boston.

All of this activity was summed up nicely in a conversation I had with Mark Withington today, who organizes the popular Boston PHP group. He said, contrasting to just a couple years – and even months – ago, ā€œThereā€™s something going on in Boston.ā€ I couldnā€™t agree more. A year ago, I lamented about some of the cultural dynamics in town, but I am now seeing a resurgence of excitement and a trend towards change. All of the groups mentioned above each aim at partially distinct constituencies with differently formatted events addressing different needs, but they all promote the larger tech community in Boston. And I am happy to be a part of it.