So besides being on summer vacation part of the other reason traffic has been so slow on MOpocket the last couple of days is because I have also been exploring the world of Second Life, the online virtual social networking grid that has made a lot of news recently.
No, I am not reporting on a mobile version of Second Life nor is their really much need for a cell phone in Second Life as buddies can be easily IM’ed and the world does not yet incorporate voice. But I am happy to say that I have run into some mobile features present in Linden’s virtual world.
Over at RQ Interactive, Maia (114, 216, 131) you can pick up a RQ Interactive flip cell phone that acts as an away or busy animation overide. Just activate the phone and while you are away or busy your avatar will appear to be on the phone (pictured above).
Over at Democracy Island I was also happy to find that the infamous Yellow Arrow art project has infiltrated the world of Second Life as well. Exploring the Island meant to foster civic action on the Island (which you all know is my other cup of tea) I came across a giant yellow arrow instructing me to “TXT Message yw6wq9 to +1-646-270-5537″ to get the point. After doing so I received the following text message.
“Welcome to Democracy Island! A virtual world environment to offer government entities and interest groups an on-line space for conducting citizen consultation”
It will be interesting to see what other mobile applications find their way into Second Life. I think that there are definitely some SMS applications that can be played out in this virtual environment.
If you are interested in joining a Mobiist Second Life group join the Second Life or just want to say hi! Look me up. My name is Zerone Twin
Reports are beginning to come in of political campaigns harnessing the power of mobile technology. It was only a matter of time. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and John Edwards (with the help of Politxt) are two national political figures starting text messaging campaigns.
For those of you that watch the hit Vlog Rocketboom everyday then you already know what I am talking about… but for those of you that don’t or missed last Tuesdays there was a very interesting piece of “Field Reporting” by Ruud Elmendorp from Nairobi, Kenya.
Its about two men named Duncan Karanja and John Mbunu both of whom suffered from childhood polio and are now confined to wheelchairs. For years this left the two men with a sense of hopelessness as they struggled to survive on the streets of Nairobi selling clothing and things. “When the government started to chase us out we decided to get into the business of phones.” Yep. Thats right, you the man right.
Both men have attached fixed phone lines to their wheelchairs which are connected to a mobile network in Kenya. The phone works just like any fixed phone. Duncun and John ride their special three wheeled hand cranked wheelchair around the public square every morning allowing those who do not yet have a mobile phone to use theirs to make phone calls.
They make around 2 thousand to 3 thousand Kenya shilling (20-30 US ) when you remove expenses.
Some customers have pointed out that what Duncan and John provide is even cheaper than using a mobile phone at times.
So, yesterday Julie Germany from IPDI (as well as one of the major organizers for the Politics 2 Go Handbook) and myself gave a lecture on Mobile Technology and Politics to Professor Alan Rosenblatt, Ph.D (Executive Director Internet Advocacy Center) graduate class at the American University in Washington DC.
I was really impressed at all the questions the student asked and how knowledgeable they already were on some of the subjects that came up.
We talked about everything from general mobile marketing to best practices to who to target and I even brought some of my cool phones to pass around and play with.
I also talked about the differences between Cyberspaces and mobile spaces (mutual co-presence) and stressed how important it was to realize that “mobile” is not the internet.
All and all a very enjoyable experience for both myself and I hope for the students.
The above picture is me demonstrating Shozu to the class. They got the political ramifications immediately.
At the United eWay National Conference in Nashville,Tennessee which ended yesterday the United eWay (a wholly owned subsidiary of United Way of America) announced it will launch a new suite of advanced mobile communication and fundraising products to compliment its existing technology offerings. Utilizing SMS text messaging the United Way will provide a platform for cutting edge constituent interaction for corporate philanthropic initiatives, its parent organization, and third party non-profit clients thus making them one of the first non-profits to whole hardily embrace the mobile medium.
This week the 33rd Carnival of the Mobilists is over at Rudy’s M-Trends one of my favorite mobile technology weblogs. Rudy’s carnival is excellent and really well done! MOpocket, of course, has a mention. So go over their and read this weeks best posts from the mobile blogosphere.
Rudy, I want to know where you get such great graphics all the time!
Also remember that there is a new Carnival of the Mobilists website. Also in Carnival news Khosla Ventures have agreed to sponsor the Carnival of the Mobilists from June 2006 until the end of the year. The sponsorship will take the form of cash prizes every month, as well as the Best of the Year Carnival prize which we run in December. Every month, the best Carnival Host will win $500 and the best Post will win $250. Of course, if you host and post, you could win the lot!
In December, the Carnival will again hold the Best Post of the Year again, hosted at MobHappy, where the Carnival will be awarding two cash prizes before the holidays, of $1,000 and $500.
So, if you have not started submitting to the Carnival now would be a good time start
File this one under yet another Mobile Stumble. Came across this one today while driving through New York City. As part of an expansive marketing scheme to celebrate BBC World’s entry into the American market, the BBC put up a giant interactive digital billboard on the corner of 50th and Broadway. The interactivity part of the billboard is something that I have not yet seen but is an obviously good idea based on past text to screen examples such as those seen during U2 concerts and the like. It displays dramatic news photographs and invites people to text in their votes on key news issues. My fellow New Yorkers (and tourists) can vote whether illegal immigrants should be considered “citizens†or “criminalsâ€; U.S. soldiers, “occupiers†or “liberatorsâ€; bird flu, “imminent†or “preventable†(seen above); and China “befriend†or “bewareâ€.
Now, as you can tell from the picture’s above, the votes appear on the billboard in real-time (I tried it myself and watched the ticker change from 62-63). But that is not the best part, the updated tallies will also be broadcast twice daily on WFAN’s “Imus in the Morning” show, as part of the BBC World radio promotion. Talk about cross promotion.
This is just another ingenious use of SMS to External World I have been talking about. Although I do not know how it brings people back to the BBC via the website or anything other than through pure branding.
Seema Kotecha, Head of Marketing at BBC World, said: “BBC World has decided to develop an unprecedented, bold and interactive campaign to generate buzz around New York and spark debate around some of the key global news issues that affect all of us. These powerful images highlight the global perspective and the impartiality of coverage, for which BBC World is known around the world.
You can read more about what else the BBC is doing to promote its new American presence here.
The 24-hour BBC World channel is available to all iO: Interactive Optimum® digital cable customers throughout Cablevision’s New York metropolitan service area on channel 104.
For those of you that care. I finally found the source of the mobile bluetooth campaign I wrote about here. It emanates from a giant billboard on the corner of 51st Street and Broadway in NYC. One the service does not do well is recognize that your phone has already accepted the Bluetooth download. After I downloaded it again today it kept asking me over and over again. The example of the software I saw in Las Vegas (written about in the original post) was able to do that.
The billboard also gave no indication about the bluetooth service.
For those of you that use Orbitz to book travel arrangements the fact that they have a full mobile travel alert option called TLC that informs your mobile phone through SMS and voice on things like your flight status, is nothing new. What is new, however, is the mobile marketing program that Orbitz has put into full swing to a) let people know about the service and b) get people to use Orbitz. Even though I already knew about the service I guess the mobile marketing aspect of it has to be filed under my Mobile Stumble category since I first heard about this one via a radio commercial while driving.
It started out as a regular Orbitz commercial but then quickly began to explain the TLC services. Then it said… “Wanna try it out yourself? Text TLC to 63411 to learn more about TLC and get special offers.” As soon as I was out of the car I texted as instructed. Here is what I got back:
Use promo code 60TLC on Orbitz .com. Like receiving these Orbitz TLC msgs and promos? Reply YES to this msg fir more info. Max 2/mo. Std and other charges may apply.
The promo code, by the way, gets you 60 bucks off any Orbitz purchase. So, I guess if you want to get more promos later on (the current one ends on the 25th) then you have to be willing to receive 2 text messages a month from them. But also, 60 bucks off of Orbitz could b a lot and is a really nice offer. Now if only there was a mobile technology event I could jet off to to take advantage of this mobile offer. It would make great story when I got there.
Nevertheless, I like this mobile marketing campaign. It has all the right bells and whistles. It uses a mobile phone in the way it is meant to be used and promotes a mobile service of a more than mobile company to draw people in. That is class and well thought out. It also gets people used to receiving and sending text messages which is a big plus.
By the way, the TLC service works pretty well as well. I have used it several times.
So besides being on summer vacation part of the other reason traffic has been so slow on MOpocket the last couple of days is because I have also been exploring the world of Second Life, the online virtual social networking grid that has made a lot of news recently.
No, I am not reporting on a mobile version of Second Life nor is their really much need for a cell phone in Second Life as buddies can be easily IM’ed and the world does not yet incorporate voice. But I am happy to say that I have run into some mobile features present in Linden’s virtual world.
Over at RQ Interactive, Maia (114, 216, 131) you can pick up a RQ Interactive flip cell phone that acts as an away or busy animation overide. Just activate the phone and while you are away or busy your avatar will appear to be on the phone (pictured above).
Over at Democracy Island I was also happy to find that the infamous Yellow Arrow art project has infiltrated the world of Second Life as well. Exploring the Island meant to foster civic action on the Island (which you all know is my other cup of tea) I came across a giant yellow arrow instructing me to “TXT Message yw6wq9 to +1-646-270-5537″ to get the point. After doing so I received the following text message.
