July 12, 2010
Posted by Carl
There is a lot of excitement surrounding HTML5 right now. As web designers and developers test themselves with what is hotly tipped to completely change the way we digest web content, mobile developers are coming to the realisation that this could be the future of mobile content delivery. In an age when the ‘app’ has dominated, HTML5 has demonstrated it can achieve just as much, if not more, as a native application. When the key message to marketers has been to ensure the broadest target audience can access their content, surely HTML5 is the way to offer this ubiquity?
Not quite.
You see, although HTML5 is demonstrating it can deliver a superb level of design and interactivity, especially with the recent Youtube mobile site, HTML5 relies heavily on the hardware and their respective browsers. You see, HTML5 will not just work on any mobile browser. Go run the HTML5 test on your mobile browser and see what happens. iPhone users using Safari will probably see quite a high score, however should they be using Opera Mini, they will not be pleased with the result.
Once again, this is another example of the mobile industry working at different speeds, and trying to oust each other. If you think developing an HTML5 mobile site is going to resolve the financial issues associated with developing cross platform mobile apps, you are very wrong. HTML5 is, without a shadow of a doubt, going to make the ‘WAP v APP’ argument a helluva lot more complicated, but in the mean time, don’t be blinded by the hype. When browser quality improves across the board, and network speeds and coverage improves, HTML5 will be a genuine consideration. In the mean time, its just a taste of whats to come.
WAP v APP rolls on…for now.
July 9, 2010
Posted by Carl
A common theme throughout my personal and professional life this year has been the concept of value exchange. The majority of such cases have been relatively nonchalant incidents, however on occasions, there have been incidents involving value exchange where the balance has been heavily one sided, and is embarrassing for the opposite party (usually myself!).
In fact, I can admit now (and I know one or two people who will pull me up on this) that I have been guilty of not thinking about value exchange before engaging in professional situations. And those people know I am sorry. HOWEVER, asides from learning from my mistakes at a relatively early stage in my career, it has highlighted something which is in fact incredibly relevant to the marketing industry.
The words engagement, conversation, participation and social have been thrown around like some angry Gorillas and their faeces, but what the hell does it all mean?! My personal experiences and understanding always make me return to the concept of value exchange. In order for a citizen to accept and open communication with brands via a platform such as a mobile device, an understanding of the mutual expectations is vital. (read more…)
May 20, 2010
Posted by Carl
‘Mobile is very much a part of our marketing priorities, and getting our brand associated with mobile is at the core to our strategy”
Visa Europe
Thanks for that Visa, but so what? (read more…)
April 21, 2010
Posted by Carl
I have rapidly established a reputation for ‘iPhone bashing’, which is nothing to do with not owning a suite of Apple Products or disliking Steve Job’s hair. Oh no. For those of you that are not aware, my main ‘beef’ is with brands who do not consider other platforms simply because its a) too hard, b) too expensive/not as cheap as iPhone or c) just want to tick a box that says ‘We have an iPhone app’.
There is a wealth and breadth of great (and some not so great) operating systems out there that can offer brilliant, rich and engaging experiences for their users, that despite having a substantially larger market share than Apple, continue to be overlooked. For a long time I have wanted to put together a presentation to demonstrate this very point, but Ewan MacLeod of Mobile Industry Review has pulled it out of the bag. (read more…)