New Year SMSs, Lifeblog archiving memories, and the relevance of phone contacts

Like everyone I know, I sent a bunch of SMSs at midnight (my time) on New Year’s Eve. I scanned through my contacts and just added them to the list. I knew that Lifeblog would archive them, so I would be able to remember whom I sent them to.

I also received many before and after my message went out. Many were joking about me sending my message before their midnight. Tee hee. Thank you all for sharing with me that night.

Alas, I had just switched phones and the phone was only set to save the last 20 sent messages. Bummer (yes, I sent more than 20). I did go look at the phone log, which keeps a record of all incoming and outgoing communication. I’m not transcribing that list, but I do know how many I sent. And going over that list again, gave me a warm friendly feeling. I am glad to have Lifeblog to archive all that stuff in a nice way
(even though I lost most of my half of the conversation).

Y’see, with me, those who are in my contacts have to work hard to get there. Yes, there are many who are strictly work contacts and other personal info (like the pizza parlor). But many are also there because they mean something to me, even if I have never called them. True, there are many who are not there, who I wished were there, but eventually they’ll end up in my phone contacts.

What’s interesting is that the combination of phone log and phone book on the mobile so powerfully maps our personal communication networks. With a bit of tagging, that info can be useful if made more explicit.

Nothing new here, but I am wondering why no one has done anything with it. Lifeblog was supposed to tie the logs and contacts with the personal media, but that never got off the ground and I have no idea where its at now. But, that would be really powerful, personally.

Oh, and don’t give me this privacy thing. That’s a red herring. I think something can be done here, in a relevant way, that obviates the privacy squeamishness.

Anyone know of anything in this space?

I wonder if Yahoo might be able to capitalize on this? They have the most phone-Web integrated services I know of. But, I am not sure if their services are integrated enough to bring this all together.

TheFeature :: It’s All About The Mobile Internet

Good idea to revisit this.

Thanks to MobHappy for reminding me.

Link: TheFeature :: It’s All About The Mobile Internet.

Only a cockeyed optimist would forecast an open, user-driven, entrepreneurial future for the mobile Internet. This should not prevent us from trying, however. Sometimes, envisioning the way things ought to be can inspire people to work at making it that way. That’s what manifestos are for.

MobHappy has: Carnival of the Mobilists – Best of the Year!

I am ashamed to have not participated in this at all this year, despite being asked countless times. Due to timing, focus, and the like (which everyone also deals with), I don’t think I can contribute to the extent I would like to. I feel that if I can’t do a great job in contributing, then I should step aside until I can.

But, that doesn’t mean I haven’t read each one or mentioned it countless times. These folks are near and dear to me and we are all part of a worryingly small group of mobile believers from all corners of the globe and industry.

Way to go guys. Keep it up.

Link: MobHappy: Carnival of the Mobilists – Best of the Year!.

Welcome to the final Carnival of the Mobilists of 2005, where we feature the very best online writing about mobile. To celebrate this special issue, we asked all our writers to send in their favourite piece from 2005 – and they haven’t disappointed. I challenge anyone to come up with a finer collection.

We also have some special guests dropping in, who I hope might turn into more regular contributors in 2006.

So let’s get started on our record catch.

Hmmm, should we have an event or gathering like Les Blogs? Could be that 2006 is just right for one. (dang, what am i thinking?! ;-D)

gotomobile |on: searching for simplicity

Link: || gotomobile || The mobile usability and user experience blog – searching for simplicity.

“Regardless of the technologies used, the ultimate end users are people, who don’t evolve as rapidly as technology.” – states Karen Donoghue in her book, Built For Use. The Wacom Component study released last week reporting “85 per cent of consumers admit to being ‘too dumb’ to access or use mobile services due to increasing device complexity…” quickly spread through the mobile community, and posted at W2F as well. It should come as no surprise. The need to innovate and differentiate has quickly alienated even the most advanced users. Moving forward – successful deployment of mobile data services, applications and entertainment is contingent on meeting the needs of the end user, not the carrier or platform requirements.

gotomobile on: understanding mUXP (yes, another acronym)

Link: || gotomobile || The mobile usability and user experience blog – understanding mUXP (yes, another acronym).

Defining the mobile user experience has been a challenge. Some might say ‘duh’ when thinking about mobile and lifestyle integration – but I set out to create a diagram that describes my thinking towards creating a true user-centered approach. Applying this user-centered thinking to mobile authoring (think, mobile interface for now – we won’t get into apps versus the mobile web for now…) starts with understanding the key factors in the user experience that influence whether or not the end user will ultimately integrate the product or service into their lifestyle. For the sake of clarity, I’ve broken the experience down into three distinct stages. The stages are: perception “I’m ready to try this out”, interaction “this is easy, I like it” or “this is hard, I don’t like it” and integration “this works for me.”

Digital Lifestyle Day

At Les Blogs, Marcel Reichert from Burda had some posters up mentioning the Digital Lifestyle Day. Now I find out that the inestimable Jyri Engeström will be speaking there among other luminaries of the digital world.

Should be interesting. I wonder if I should ask to go.

Link: DLD – Digital Lifestyle Day.

Save the date / January 23-24 / DLD 06

On DLD06 – chaired by Dr Hubert Burda and Dr Joseph Vardi – a select group of 200 movers, thinkers and innovators from media, digital, brands, arts and sciences will meet to discover and discuss the connected worlds, the digital consumer and Europe’s role in innovation – Jan 23/24, 2006, Munich. The gathering will feature panels exchanges and interactive presentations as well as interview discussions and key note addresses from leading technology pioneers and digeratis.

New company – IncrediblInc: Mobile Social Software

Max Niederhofer has left 20six and founded another company in the social and mobile space. The team is well suited to create something cool.

What caught my eye is that they are building a dating service where the content and mobile are central for ‘lubricating’ the connections.

Good luck guys. We’re all watching now. 🙂

Link: IncrediblInc: Mobile Social Software.

IncrediblInc is a London-based mobile social software start-up. We are developing applications that connect people over the mobile internet. Our goal: boosting ARPU happiness.

Digital-Lifestyles asks: T-Mobile Web’n’Walk – Is Google Behind It?

I’ve been looking at operator portals and ‘off-portals’ lately. T-Mobile’s Web’n’Walk services is basically a nice portal for more advanced phones. Many writers have been pointing out that this is part of a trend where the walls in the gardens are falling.

In the course of my reading, I saw this and had to respond.

Link: T-Mobile Web’n’Walk – Is Google Behind It? – Digital-Lifestyles.info.

The question to ask is: if Web’n’Walk is all T-Mobile’s doing, why is Google the Home Page of the new service?

Nikesh Arora is VP of Europe Operations for Google. He used to head T-Online and was a big poobah at T-Mobile. I think that’s the connection. Good score for Google and T-Mobile.

Did you know that DoCoMo only makes about 9% of their revenue from on-site and partner traffic (source: Informa). About 60% of their page impressions from from outside their portal (or to use a buzz word that is new to me: ‘off-portal’). Did you know that the operators are starting to finally realize the potential of revenue from off-portal content? More on this later. Maybe. 🙂

 

Russell Beattie on: Nokia 770: Okay, Silicon Valley Time To Get To Work

Great stuff, Russ. And I wonder if this little tid-bit ever occurred to Nokia. Really, Nokia can do so much with this device and any follow-on they might make. Yet, sigh, I am not so confident. And, yes, others can probably step in and fill in the (big) holes, but even that might get messed up if the platform truly isn’t stable and robust enough.

This is the tip of a cool device category that Nokia can lead in if only they wish. Let’s hope they wake up, too.

Let’s see.

Link: Russell Beattie Notebook � Nokia 770: Okay, Silicon Valley Time To Get To Work.

Silicon Valley Companies could also act as “virtual operators.” The 770 is a bit expensive right now, why doesn’t a true believer in open networks step up and subsidize the cost of the 770 like a carrier does with mobile phones and then offset that initial cost with a basic subscription fee, and additional revenue-generators like Search-engine deals or other advertising. Then that company would go to the T-Mobiles and hotels of the world and provide free access for their devices, again, like Nintendo has done with their WiFi Connection program for the DS. Providing VoIP stuff as well? Now that’s a real opportunity.

And funny comment from Ortiz – heh, it should be ‘wakey wakey all‘ not just Silicon Valley.