Mobile India 2012

Mobile India 2012: Bangalore, January 6

by Madanmohan Rao

Editor, “The Asia-Pacific Internet Handbook” http://bit.ly/TU12l

Research Projects Director, MobileMonday http://www.MobileMonday.net

Email: madan @ techsparks .com Tweets: http://twitter.com/MadanRao

 

Logging in now from the first mobile event of the year: #MobileIndia 2012, Bangalore! http://www.comsnets.org/mobile_india.html

Keynote speeches: R. Virendra Gupta, SVP, Huawei India; P. Balaji, Managing Director, Sony Ericsson – India #MobileIndia

Panel 1: Mobile customers; Panel 2: Mobile commerce; Panel 3: Immersive Experiences #MobileIndia

Lunchtime treats: student poster sessions on mobile security, mining operator data for analysing rural Internet diffusion/behaviours #MobileIndia

Lunchtime treat: Browsing the new book “The Telecom Revolution in India. Technology, Regulation, and Policy” by Varadharajan Sridhar. CONGRATS! http://bit.ly/ylMSMj  #MobileIndia

Anuraj Gambhir, Chief Dreamer, Xpert Media Technology: This is the year of tablets, smartphones, superphones; content across screens #MobileIndia

Anuraj: Content is king, but customer is King Kong! Experience evolution: lean back -> lean forward -> jump in #MobileIndia

Aakrit Vaish, Managing Director, Flurry India (mobile analytics): More people in the US spend time with mobile apps than Web browsing #MobileIndia

Vaish: The current size of the Internet user base after 15 years is the same size as mobile app user base after 3 years #MobileIndia

Vaish: During Christmas 2011 week, 1 billion apps were downloaded (Apple+Android), critical threshold crossed #MobileIndia

Vaish: But app audience retention is a huge challenge; 62% of users do not come back in the second month #MobileIndia

Rohit Singhal, CEO, Sourcebits.com: India has a huge shortage of design-driven engineering. Desperately need design culture #MobileIndia

Rohit: Coming back from San Francisco visit was a culture shock – we lack sense of design in architecture, urban planning in India #MobileIndia

Rohit: Design of the user experience is *everything* in the mobile world. Small form factor, immediacy #MobileIndia

Harish Vaidyanathan, Director-Evangelism, Microsoft India: showcases major design shift in Microsoft Windows interface #MobileIndia

Harish: The fidgety “right click + refresh” of desktop era will be replaced by fidgety rightswipe-leftswipe of tablet era! #MobileIndia

Harish: The new “hello world” is the weather app! #MobileIndia

Harish: The current generation doesn’t recognise spool tapes, alarm clocks. My kids are very good lab rats to understand digital behaviours! #MobileIndia

Q&A: How to improve app discovery, engagement, retention? #MobileIndia

Anuraj: Akash and low-cost tablets can be the biggest and best ICT innovation for India #MobileIndia

Vaish: I know some Indian companies are now outsourcing design back to the US! #MobileIndia

Evolution from keyboard to mouse to touch interfaces is a profound shift. Computers are finally ‘right and ripe’ for the mass market #MobileIndia

Panel: In the near future kiosks will be able to recognise you and understand your facial expressions and body language #MobileIndia

Q&A: Will HTML5 remove app store walls? #MobileIndia

Panel wraps up; Zipdial offers amazing way of soliciting audience feedback – via missed calls! #MobileIndia

Coffee time chatter: with Rajeev Suri, Liqwid Krystal (Café Coffee Day “table tablets”), Bi Xin Fu (Beijing: Sohu’s ChangYou.com), Neha Dev, Zip Dial #MobileIndia

Looking forward to moderating the Mobile #Innovation workshop next! #MobileIndia

Sanjay Anandaram, Founder/Director, JumpStartUp: My definition of innovation: anything smarter, better, cheaper which makes money! #MobileIndia

Sanjay: There a lot of hype, jargon and buzzwords in the industry. “Bio tech” has become a lot of “bio talk”! #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Origin of innovation is a personal experience, followed by a “What if” question. Need immersion in the market (‘use case’) and engagement with the ecosystem #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Some Indian companies think they are too smart and don’t bother with customer feedback #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Customers often don’t know how to use a product in the beginning, eg. Post-It #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Kill bad ideas fast, don’t let them die a lingering death. But that is a challenge in Asia: pacifying egos #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Vinod Khosla: “My willingness to fail gives me the ability to succeed” #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Example of rural mobile innovation – audio cinema on mobiles. Film clips, music videos, voice-over dialogues. Is making Rs 100+ crores #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Example of rural mobile innovation – mobile/#SMS service for switching on/off water pump during power fluctuation #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Example of mobile innovation in India: SMSgyaan (Innoz) – #SMS ‘ask me’ query #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Growth challenge: tweaking v/s overhauling v/s sticking to the original business model #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Growth challenge: becoming a victim of your own success #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Growth challenge: too many layers between designers and the market #MobileIndia

Sanjay: The world doesn’t necessarily need more new tech, but better deployment of existing techs #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Mobile developers should never forget that the mobile experience is episodic and interrupt-driven; unlike immersive TV #MobileIndia

Sanjay: ABCD of mobile success in India: Astrology, Bollywood, Cricket, Deals/Discounts! #MobileIndia

Sanjay: If you focus on only one offering, you will face diminishing returns. You have to be Darwinian and change. Eat your own young #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Go for something which is small today – but will become big tomorrow, fast #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Trends in India: less cricket viewership, increasing football viewership! More in-app messaging than emails #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Good example of crowdsourcing: the Indian company HappiestMinds crowdsourced its logo design – clever marketing in the process! #MobileIndia

Sanjay: HuffingtonPost keeps changing its design, headlines, fonts each day to discover what works best #MobileIndia

Sanjay: Exit strategy: In Asia, selling your company was seen as a loss of face, but that’s luckily changing #MobileIndia

#MobileIndia 2012 wraps up; cocktails next (followed by Bangalore traffic!). See you all next year!   :-)

December 2011 Tweets: Mobile and wireless media

December 2011 Tweets: Mobile and wireless media

 

by Madanmohan Rao

Mobile Media Consultant and Editor, “Asia Unplugged”

http://twitter.com/MadanRao

 

iPhone photos of 2011 – in pictures (Guardian/UK) http://bit.ly/rF8khz

RT @tomiahonen Accountants gone mad RT @textually UK Police banned from charging their mobile phones at work – to save money http://bit.ly/rTZDRP

RCR Wireless News’ 2011 Year in Review: Part 1 http://bit.ly/rZ8cBS

2012 Predictions: Richard MacManus (ReadWriteWeb) http://rww.to/rFseIF

Interview: Marc Andreessen (Netscape): Predictions for 2012 (and beyond) http://cnet.co/un6Tnq

5 Predictions For Online Video In 2012 http://bit.ly/thL22X

PC World: Tech That Should Be on Your Company’s Radar for 2012 http://bit.ly/svb4tH

WSJ: Tech Journal: 10 Predictions for 2012 http://on.wsj.com/uV5iOy

Business Insider: 12 Internet Predictions For 2012 http://read.bi/tno1AZ

Top networking trends for 2012: Cisco http://bit.ly/tjnFjM

Key trends in mobile advertising for India in 2012 http://bit.ly/veiWg6

2012: Predictions for mobile voice/apps in India http://bit.ly/uL8Seo

VentureBeat: The top gaming technologies of 2011 http://bit.ly/v30IjU

GigaOm: A Look Back at Mobile Predictions for 2011 http://buswk.co/uByEzD

Mashable: What the Arab Spring Taught Journalists About Social Media in 2011 http://on.mash.to/tdgBAg

NextWeb: The Top Ten Media Apps of 2011 http://tnw.co/ulsYqf

Top 10 Women in Technology in 2011 http://bit.ly/uTLGlN

India buzz: Ten words that defined 2011 (ToI) http://bit.ly/teRQuY

Indian telecoms: What Went Well in 2011 http://bit.ly/uCF1Iz

2011 Year of tech, tweets, tablets and telecom (India) http://bit.ly/vDnq2I

Top 10 Deals In Internet & Mobile Internet Space In 2011 (India) http://bit.ly/uwmM5y

RT @parvathimenon Top Scientific Discoveries of 2011 | Wired Science http://bit.ly/uWSVc0

Good overview of tech startup scene in Australia (Sydney Morning Herald) http://bit.ly/sGSLQR  #innovation

RT @bhavis #startup weekend is back in #bangalore Jan 20-22,2012 http://tinyurl.com/swblore  #blr #swblr via @chidambarsk

The Role Of New Media And Communication Technologies In Arab Transitions (Eurasia Analysis) http://bit.ly/vdWLg1

Interview: Flipboard CEO’s new media mission: ‘crawl the social networks’ http://lat.ms/vf9qGI

‘News Media Meets New Media’ – regulatory changes in New Zealand http://bit.ly/tpSOwp

Research paper: Mapping New Media in Pakistan (#ASEF) http://bit.ly/uhLRJB

The Future of Context: Mobile Reading from Google to Flipboard to FLUD http://bit.ly/scDbfr

Canadian drivers use #Twitter to alert others about police checkpoints http://bit.ly/rvhNwP

Michele Weldon: Social Media and the End of Denial http://huff.to/sBpB5n

#Twitter, #SMS, email: Virginia Tech shooting: how university helped avoid another massacre http://bit.ly/sCyx8V

#Twitter didn’t fuel U.K. riots, study says http://bit.ly/uMt6n9  http://bit.ly/sLOu2F

Spam and Message Floods in Russia: How to Stop a #Twitter Revolution http://abcn.ws/tw9d51

Media coverage of #Manthan South Asia e-Content Awards (LiveMint): http://bit.ly/rDbaoo  #Manthan2011

Media coverage of #Manthan awards: Rajkot Municipal Corporation wins award for mobile governance project http://bit.ly/vbPJqT  (ToI) #mGov

Winners of the 8th annual #Manthan South Asia e-Content Awards http://bit.ly/uCzbRN  #ICT4D #manthan2011

November 2011 Tweets: Mobile and wireless media

November 2011 Tweets: Mobile and wireless media

by Madanmohan Rao, Mobile Media Consultant and Editor, “Asia Unplugged” http://twitter.com/MadanRao

 

#Manthan South Asia eContent Awards winners 2010: http://bit.ly/sYR6o7

Looking forward to MCing the 2011 awards ceremony on Dec 2! #ICT4D

Looking forward to the annual #Manthan South Asia e-Content Awards + conference tomorrow in New Delhi! http://manthanAward.org  #ICT4D

Govts must use social media for accountability in democracy: Shashi Tharoor http://bit.ly/tbFYuk

GigaOm: Social media, dissent, information cascades, tipping points and revolutions http://bit.ly/vQ0saX

Arabic is the fastest growing language on Twitter, sees 2,000% increase in 12 months http://tnw.co/uYZiD4

What the New Protests in Egypt Mean for the ‘Twitter Revolutions’ http://bit.ly/uiItVN

Use Twitter, Facebook Often? The CIA may be Watching http://bit.ly/vdDUT2

Social Media: Protesters Look for Ways to Feed the Web http://nyti.ms/tgQ2pD

Social media in Tahrir square: How #FreeMona resulted in freeing Mona http://bit.ly/uFdoVi

16% of Singapore kids face cyber dangers on mobile phones http://bit.ly/sgI20Y

Festival of Media Asia sparks dialogue on opportunities in Asia http://festivalofmedia.com/asia  http://bit.ly/tO2zU3

Gartner: Mobile handset sales in India to touch 231 million units in 2012 http://bit.ly/tBf8gI

Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia launches free #SMS app Jaxtr (Times of India) http://bit.ly/t7xJ5W

2012: Year of the #Ultrabook? http://zd.net/tWjQfC  http://bit.ly/sHXs0X

http://buswk.co/vhC7sP

Intel: 40th anniversary of microprocessor chip, $40 million investment in 10 Asian companies http://bit.ly/uhZ65W  http://bit.ly/rY42pC

@tomiahonen Good article RT @KimDushinski Understanding Google’s mobile ambitions & what it means for marketing’s future http://bit.ly/seVwzk Retweeted by @MadanRao

How Singapore’s OCBC Bank finds opportunity, challenge in mobile era http://tinyurl.com/c4tarpl

Philippines: Mobile Internet On The Rise, Boosting Telco Revenues, Social Media http://bit.ly/t4ofRh

Gates Foundation donates $30m towards rural Internet initiative in Vietnam http://tnw.co/tOkH9x

Winners of the African Social Venture Prize at the #AfricaCom 2011 Awards http://bit.ly/s9lYgk

2011 Winners: World Communication Awards http://worldcommsawards.com

Youth and #ICT4D: The World Summit Awards (Youth) – winners for 2011 http://youthaward.org/winners-2011

My #INMA South Asia presentation on “Social+Mobile Media Opportunities for Newspapers” http://bit.ly/uW88f4

INMA South Asia Conference, Bangalore: Roots and Wings of News Industry: Presentations and Pics: http://bit.ly/uW88f4  http://bit.ly/t3gHYd

@futuresagency RT @mtrends: The 20 Most Innovative Startups In Tech according @businessinsider http://ow.ly/1A6FjK  via @SAI Retweeted by MadanRao

Vivek Wadhwa: Next big opportunity – healthcare IT, with a mix of tech skills, low cost sensors+tablets. Perfect for Bangalore! #NASSCOMpc

Vivek Wadhwa: I know Kapil Sibal and his cronies are crooks, but the concept of Aakash tablets is good, don’t dismiss it #NASSCOMpc

#AfricaCom 2011 Awards winners: Orange Surf and Pay, Helios Towers, Ericsson Rural NetCo, Skyvision, Seacom, AgaSha, Kachile, HRIS, MTN SA!

OpenMarket wins Best Mobile Charity Solution Accolade for East Africa Crisis Appeal http://bit.ly/uETkbQ

PC World: #Twitter Aids Thai Flood Victims http://bit.ly/vzRtaK

@JesseOguns RT @BalancingActAfr: #AfricaCom: Big trend in Indian mobile

content is musicians using mobile as a distribution platform Retweeted by @MadanRao

Shortlisted nominees for AfricaCom 2011 Awards http://africacomawards.com/shortlist/  Kenya tops Africa in mobile govt services: Informa report http://bit.ly/vyxinm

Am looking for good case studies (projects/services/innovations) for my Africa Mobile Report 2012; see earlier reports – http://bit.ly/leLR1g  #AfricaCom

Nokia Targets the “Next Billion” Internet Users http://on.wsj.com/vjeNqI

Samsung’s Solar Powered Internet School for Africa http://bit.ly/uVJlIB

Adventures in social media – What BalancingAct Africa discovered over 12 months http://bit.ly/vqvDt2

Latin America Embraces Mobile Money http://bit.ly/sROy6s

Latin America to Reach 116.8 Million Mobile Social Network Users by 2015, Pyramid Finds http://prn.to/tOk5BC

#mhealth #mGov Telemedicine necessary for Singapore’s aging population http://bit.ly/ti8oiO

Nielsen Unveils Southeast Asia Digital Consumer Report http://bit.ly/sUCShT

Apps4africa Competition Seeks Climate Change Solutions  http://bit.ly/vrEc3T

“Mobile Builds a Healthier and Wealthier Africa” http://bit.ly/szpL2A

M-Pesa hits $1bn mark transfer in East African states http://bit.ly/vo9l8u

Online Donations Bring the Middle East and Africa Closer to American Donors http://bit.ly/sTzChF

#mhealth  #mGov Singapore provides mobile alerts on dengue clusters http://bit.ly/sjh7Fy

Africa leads in mobile money deployment as users hit over 40 million http://bit.ly/uJg6Y8

Africa heading for ‘nomadic internet age’ http://bit.ly/vQrEhm

South Africa: Cell C and Google Launch Business Incubator http://allafrica.com/stories/201111080249.html

616 million mobile subscribers in Africa; will cross the one billion mark in 2016 http://bit.ly/sUe3Y8

Teresa Clarke on digital media and #ICT4D in Africa http://bit.ly/vzA19v

South Africa director wins digital innovation prize for mobile concept http://bit.ly/rQwlVl

Bharti Airtel: betting bigger in Africa: 16 of sub-Saharan Africa’s major markets  http://on.ft.com/tWySo7

@telecoms Catch up on all the news from #AfricaCom this week brought to you

by @telecoms the offical Show Daily News team: http://telecoms.com/

@Africantelecoms Sneak Preview of the @allaboutcom #africacom edition of Africa

Telecoms at http://africatelecomsonline.co.za  covering Green Telecoms

Informa: Africa is world’s second most connected region by mobile subscriptions http://bit.ly/vTVFTU

INMA Conference, Bangalore, Nov 7-8: Innovation and growth in the news industry, challenges/opportunities for newspapers, digital strategy

Looking forward to my session at the INMA conference on social media, mobiles & news! Bangalore, Nov 7 http://bit.ly/sptkl6  http://inma.org

UNCTAD’s Information Economy Report 2011: ICTs as an Enabler for Private Sector Development http://bit.ly/tYpBKS

 

Mobile Innovation: Evolution of M2M Ecosystems

Mobile Innovation: Evolution of M2M Ecosystems

 

Dr. Madanmohan Rao

Research Project Director, MobileMonday

Editor: “Asia Unplugged”

http://twitter.com/MadanRao

// Presentation at Connected Devices Management 2011, Jakarta; July 26-27 //

 

Monday Morning Checklist: M2M Strategy

Partnership structure: operator, device specialist, domain experts, enterprise CEOs/CIOs

Consumer and Industrial market spaces

Research, sense-making, scoping, pilots, rollout

Data, analytics, knowledge, visualisation, prediction

IP sharing, ownership, privacy, regulation

Business model: innovation, growth, licensing

 

Key M2M Shifts

From device-centric to service-centric

From data-centric to knowledge centric

From incremental to radical innovation

From design to disruption

From sensing to sense-making

From software to application developer ecosystems

 

M2M Impacts

Benefits

Automated alerts and triggers; automated software updates; automated after-sales service; remote service and maintenance; smart content delivery and management

Sectors

Smart grid: on-demand optimisation and consumption control

Logistics management: fleet optimisation, real-time insurance

Healthcare: patient/family ecosystems; homecare for seniors

Smart homes: integrated home entertainment systems

 

How to make it work: M2M stakeholder benefits

More network traffic + services for the carrier

New applications for developers

Systems integration opportunities for IT players

Significant asset efficiency and productivity gains for individual and enterprise customers

 

The “8 Cs” of Wireless Ecosystems

Connectivity

Content

Community

Culture

Capacity

Cooperation

Commerce

Capital

 

The Wireless Ecosystem

PDAs, laptops, cellphones, headsets, home entertainment systems, cordless phones, MP3 players, joysticks, fingerprint scanners, medical instruments, mesh networks, point of sale (POS) scanners, NFC, pen computers, wireless modems, digital still cameras, Webcams, e-book readers, smartphones, TV set-top boxes, fridges, microwave ovens, RFID, tablets, wireless control engineering toolkits, WiMax, WirelessHART, Zigbee….

 

Connected Devices: Ericsson

In 2010, more than twice as many connected devices as subscribers were added to carrier networks in the US market.

By 2020 there will be 3 billion subscribers with between 5-10 connected devices each; 1.5 billion vehicles globally, not counting trams and railways; 3 billion utility meters (electricity, water and gas).

 

Year 2015 in Numbers (Cisco)

The number of network-connected devices will be more than 15 billion, twice the world’s population, by 2015

The total amount of global Internet traffic will quadruple by 2015

By 2015, the Asia Pacific region will generate the most IP traffic

By 2015, there will be nearly 3 billion Internet users, more than 40 percent of the world’s projected population

1 million video minutes, the equivalent of 674 days, will traverse the Internet every second

 

Mobile Excellence in Asia

Japan: augmented reality

South Korea: financial services, games

Indonesia: smartphones/Blackberry; Twitter

China: cosmetics, local social media

Hong Kong: NFC payments (Octopus)

Philippines: SMS and CRM; remittances

India: rural; sports; entertainment; education

 

M2M: Emerging Innovators

Numerex and ClearConnex: energy data visualisation

IGPS, Novatel Wireless: monitoring solutions for pallets with embedded RFID tags

GreenWave Reality, Copenhagen: Home energy management solution

Aerotel Connect-CELL: home-based chronic disease management applications.

Sprint, FreeScale: Trimble driver safety box

Sprint’s M2M Collaboration Center; Telenor Connections

 

M2M Services: Metrics

Technology/activity metrics

Process metrics

Knowledge metrics

People metrics

Organisational metrics

 

Telematics:
 Front seat, back seat, engine…..

 

Monetising the Borderless Home

Smart TVs

Smart powerline

Tweeting fridges?!

 

Connected Complexities & Uncertainties

GSM, CDMA, WiMax, LTE

Apple, Microsoft, Google, Blackberry

Zigbee, WirelessHART

Standards-compliant Web services

Cloud models for M2M

From ‘aware’ to ‘active’ components, phased to realtime

 

THE mBILLIONTH SOUTH ASIA 2011 AWARDS

THE #mBILLIONTH SOUTH ASIA 2011 AWARDS

 

I. WINNERS’ LIST

m-INCLUSION
>> Babajob.com www.babajob.com
>> Benefit Disbursement System
http://aponline.gov.in/
>> SETT Browser for Android
http://dhanikauom.blogspot.com

m-INFRASTRUCTURE
>> Etisalat App Zone
www.appzone.lk
>> INTEX V.SHOW- India’s first projector phone
www.intextechnologies.com
>> BOLT Mobile Browser
www.boltbrowser.com
>> AVAN (Aggregated Voice and Video Application Network)
www.comviva.com

m-HEALTH
>> CommCare
www.needsngo.in, www.dimagi.com
>> Ensuring Reliable Delivery of Tuberculosis DOTS Medications
using Low-Cost Biometrics and Mobile Phone
http://opasha.org/
>> Rural Primary Healthcare Model 
www.carefoundation.org.in

>> Pharma Secure www.phamasecure.com

m-ENTERTAINMENT
>> GamesClub
http://gclub.in
>> IPL T20 Fever
http://www.indiagames.com/corporate/o_Index.html
>> HiBuddy
www.hibuddy.in
>> The Sealink
http://www.spiel-s.com

m-BUSINESS & COMMERCE/BANKING
>> Electronic Money Transfer Service of Bangladesh Post
http://www.bangladeshpost.gov.bd/EMSServices.asp
>> Kumari Bank – Mobile Cash
http://www.kumaribank.com/
>> eMudhra SecMsg
http://www.3i-infotech.com/content/index.aspx
>> Banglalink mWallet www.banglalink.com www.comviva.com

m-GOVERNANCE
>> IVRS (Interactive Voice Response Syste) based Daily Monitoring System
(DMS) of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Uttar Pradesh http://www.upmdm.in/
>> “Em-POWER KERALA” – Mobile Governance Project of Government of Kerala
www.itmission.kerala.gov.in
>> Off Site Real Time Monitoring System (OSRT)
http://www.ghmc.gov.in
>> m-Governance : An Efficient Way to Meet Citizen’s Expectation
www.rmc.gov.in

m-EDUCATION & LEARNING
>> Sparsh
www.ilfsets.com
>> mPustak www.mpustak.com
>> BBC Janala
http://bbcwstbd.org/dashboard
>> KISAN SANCHAR
www.kisansanchar.com

m-ENVIRONMENT
>> Busday gets busier with mobile
www.telibrahma.com

m-TRAVEL & TOURISM
>> MTicketing – Train Ticket Reservation System
www.mobitel.lk

JURORS’ DISTINCTIONS
>> Tuk Tuk Meter 2
www.mindhelix.com

MOST INNOVATIVE
>> Electronics Money Transfer Service(EMTS)
http://www.bangladeshpost.gov.bd/EMSServices.asp

MOST PROMISING
>> HealthPhone
http://healthphone.org, http://motherchildtrust.org

 


II. FINALISTS’ LIST

m-TRAVEL & TOURISM
>> Tuk Tuk Meter 2
>> Mobile Application Sygic Aura www.mapmyindia.com

m-INCLUSION
>> Jigyasha 7676
>> Behtar Zindagi…. Better Life
www.handygo.com

m-INFRASTRUCTURE
>> SMS Spam Interceptor
>> KooKoo
http://ozonetel.com

m-NEWS & JOUNALISM
>> Cheerurteam.com
www.cheerurteam.com
>> Tech News
http://about.me/haneez

m-ENTERTAINMENT
>> Mobsterr
www.digitecss.com
>> “ATN BANGLA” WAP PORTAL
www.sslwireless.com Wap.atnbangla.tv
>> Star Talk
www.one97.com

m-BUSINESS & COMMERCE/BANKING
>> M-Cash Wallet
www.sslwireless.com
>> atom m-Commerce platform
www.atomtech.in
>> Active Deals
www.activedeals.mobi

m-GOVERNANCE
>> Jhansi Jan Suvidha Kendra (JJSK) – An mGov initiative for Redressing Public Grievances
http://www.jjskjhansi.com/
>> RAJIV AAROGYASRI HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME
http://www.aarogyasri.org
>> SIM Information & Verification System ( short code 668)
www.pta.gov.pk
>> MGNREGS-AP, Electronic Muster and Measurement System (eMMS)
http://nrega.ap.gov.in

m-EDUCATION & LEARNING
>> Word Puzzle
>> Voicetap Interactive Knowledge Engine www.voicetap.in
>> BBC Janala
>> KISAN SANCHAR


Tweets: #mBillionth South Asian Mobile Awards 2011

Tweets: #mBillionth South Asian Mobile Awards 2011

http://mBillionth.in, New Delhi, July 23

 

by Madanmohan Rao http://twitter.com/MadanRao

 

 

Eros/Hilton Hotel, Delhi, abuzz with final preparations for #mBillionth South Asia Mobile Awards – kicking off in minutes! http://mBillionth.in

 

Exhibitors at #mBillionth: Vodafone, OnMobile, Nokia, One97, Nazara, Innoz, HealthPhone, NIXI, EMTS Bangladesh, Intuit, TxtWeb, Jigyasha and more!

 

#mBillionth South Asian Mobile Awards gala will be held this evening: but first, a packed day of expert insights! http://t.co/V9ApY11

 

#Vodafone Mobiles for Social Impact award winners to be announced today as well; 2 from 43 NGO-driven social mobile initiatives #mBillionth

 

Winners of 2010 edition of #mBillionth Awards for best South Asian Mobile Content+Apps http://mbillionth.in/category/winners/ Looking forward to 2011 winners!

 

Amir Ullah Khan, Deputy Director – Strategy, Planning & Management, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, welcomes delegates to #mBillionth 2011

 

Osama Manzar, founder, Digital Empowerment Foundation, kicks off #mBillionth 2011 conference http://DEFindia.net

 

Video now playing: story of #mBillionth jury process, awards concept, role of awards to promote mobile excellence in South Asia #mBillionth

 

Categories of South Asia Mobile Awards include health, education, news, governance, business, inclusion, tourism, environment, entertainment #mBillionth

 

Osama Manzar: We have been organising broader Manthan Awards for ICT4D fpr 8 years; #mBillionth acknowledges major role of mobiles

 

Osama Manzar: This year we also have dozens of NGOs showcasing use of mobiles in novel ways, but much more needs to be done #mBillionth

 

Osama Manzar: Vodafone Foundation will give Rs 1 million (10 lakh) each to two winning NGOs today #mBillionth

 

#mBillionth live Webcast at http://mbillionth.in/mbillionth-live-webcast/

 

N. Ravi Shanker, Additional Secretary, Department of IT, Govt. of India: It is a privilege to be part of the #mBillionth team

 

Ravi Shanker: Mobiles play an important role in the creative space of this country, especially with respect to literacy #mBillionth

 

Ravi Shanker: Digital literacy can transform the definition of literacy itself, thanks to mobiles #mBillionth

 

Ravi Shanker: We need an ecosystem for digital mass literacy, using text + video + audio. We need to learn from entertainment industry #mBillionth

 

Ravi Shankar: Can e-techs empower blue collar workers also? How can e-literacy empower mass segment in India? #mBillionth

 

Ravi Shanker: Mobiles can help take digital tech and benefits beyond English realm to India’s 20+ languages #mBillionth

 

Hi to all the re/tweeters in this room — please spread the #mBillionth message of mobile empowerment far and wide!

 

R. Sukumar, Editor, Mint: #mBillionth is a powerful concept. Mobiles spread useful and empowering messages in real time

 

Sukumar: It is a terrific time for the media to be reporting on changing power relationship between governed and governors, thanks to mobile #mBillionth

 

Sukumar: I want to congratulate not just #mBillionth awards winners but all participants – you are part of this big digital change in Asia

 

Amir Ullah Khan: Mobiles change power and information asymmetries in society #mBillionth

 

Hitesh Oberoi, IAMAI: India has about 50M PCs, 60M Internet users (mostly English/urban/slow) #mBillionth

 

Hitesh: Let us visualise what life may be like five years from now in India. 800M on smartphones (Rs.2,500), touchscreens, cheap dataplans #mBillionth

 

Hitesh: Smartphones will have apps useful for workflow. 1M people per month are looking for jobs on Naukri.com #mBillionth

 

Hitesh: Leapfrogging in India: real estate brokers are directly accessing sites like 99Acres on their smartphones; no PCs #mBillionth

 

Arvind Rao, CEO, OnMobile: NR Murthy’s message: do more than entertainment, add value and make a difference to people’s lives #mBillionth

 

Arvind Rao: Mobiles are here today and ever-present, and if you want to make a difference to society get involved today #mBillionth

 

Arvind Rao: I cannot think of an #mGov problem for which we cannot come up with a solution in 30 days flat. #mBillionth

 

Arvind Rao: There is no #mGov problem which cannot be solved. Software is there, gov must move #mBillionth

 

Arvind Rao: We need government champions, I can throw the full weight of my 800 engineers behind the problems and solutions #mBillionth

 

S.Ramakrishna, Nokia India: The gathering today should discuss the world of tomorrow and how to make it better #mBillionth

 

S.Ramakrishna: Mobiles have helped people talk more, plays into the Indian trait. Population is impatient to talk! #mBillionth

 

S.Ramakrishna: We need to be able to sense the magnitude of the mobile paradigm shift, beyond statistics #mBillionth

 

S.Ramakrishna: Mobility can be a ‘circuit breaker’ to track and tackle corruption in India #mBillionth

 

S.Ramakrishna: Mobility + Universal ID will catapult India into a new space for individual benefits and rights #mBillionth

 

S.Ramakrishna: Nokia is providing news to farmers in India via mobiles in realtime. Contrast that to the old days of rural agribiz #mBillionth

 

Ravinder Takkar, Vodafone APME: Focus not just on access but on compelling services for the masses; understand their needs and aspirations #mBillionth

 

Amir Ullah Khan: As part of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation we advocate use of mobile money, eg. m-Pesa #mBillionth

 

Hon Minister Sachin Pilot (Comm and IT): Key questions ahead of us are how to implement services for the people  #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot jokingly classifies people/sectors in the audience by their dress codes: jeans/flipflops, suits, khadi! #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: We have to train half a billion people in India and make them employable. Digital literacy can give them vision, strength, ideas #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Need to address not just big companies but SMEs and entrepreneurs. Need capacity building for them in India #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Mobile penetration in India is a godsend. Even basic voice and #SMS are transforming Indian business #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: We have to connect the dots of the mobile users in India. Go beyond statistics, look at access to knowledge, break hierarchies #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Technology can break the stranglehold of the Ovarian Lottery of India’s hierarchies and shackles #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Everything is coming to a culmination point in India. Need to give masses what they need; mobiles can play an important role #mBillionth


Sachin Pilot: Need to go beyond cheap phones to affordable data plans #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Indian gov will make it easier to get land records info, passport application services online #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: The only limits are imagination. Indian entrepreneurs and businesses are second to none in the world #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Osama Manzar is rightfully targeting NGOs, SMEs, government officials in spreading use of #ICT4D #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Also need to address issues of ICT standards, risks in India: better than the rest of the world #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: We believe in Internet freedom but also a secure Internet space for India. Awareness + Empowerment #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: All panchayats in India are being connected. People have pointed fingers at gov for last 60 years, let us move ahead with infrastructure now #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Debates will help us do things now and do things right. Congrats to DEF and #mBillionth for helping such debates with awards and events

 

Q&A: How to help healthcare workers, #ICT4D entrepreneurs, etc. in India work together and network? #mBillionth

 

Q&A: How to bridge rhetoric v/s reality gap of government, eg. using cableTV infrastructure in India? #mBillionth

 

Questions flowing fast, us Indians love to debate and argue. Need action now…    ;-)   #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: We have different ministries for ICTs/media (I&B, DoT) but they are beginning to work together better now #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: We are drafting ESD (a bill for electronic services delivery in India) – almost all gov services will be online by 2020 #mBillionth

 

Q&A: How are different ministries working together for rural services? esp. tech/legal issues for telemedicine #mBillionth

 

Sachin Pilot: Community Services Centres (CSCs) are a good example of how public-private partnerships can succeed; electricity is a challenge #mBillionth

 

Terrific opening session ends, parallel sessions coming up now on #mHealth, #mGov, #m-Business, #m-news, #m-Entertainment

 

Ashis Sanyal: Mobiles will revolutionise #eGov services in India. #mBillionth

 

Andhra Pradesh Government uses mobiles to track sanitation, garbage collection activities, employee attendance/absenteeism #mBillionth

 

FYI: “GHMC goes hi-tech to check building deviations – Times Of India” http://t.co/v7K4u66 #mBillionth

 

So many terrific sessions happening in parallel on mobile content/apps in South Asia, tough to choose which one to attend! #mBillionth

 

Superb AP #mGov demo: Web dashboard of Reported garbage bins, Uncleaned bins, Bins imaged, Bin Summary Report, Vehicle management! #mBillionth

 

Rajkot #eGov presentation: http://www.RMC.gov.in “We switched to mobile e-gov: more users, better service efficiency” #mBillionth

 

#eGov in Rajkot: government has effectively used Post Office network for e-kiosks services #mBillionth

 

#mGov in Rajkot: alerts for officials/citizens (eg. child vaccination services), payment remittances #mBillionth

 

#mGov in Rajkot: citizen complaints about light poles; water charges; birth registration; contractor payments #mBillionth

 

#mGov in India: Rajkot official showing charts/graphs of number of citizen complaints via #SMS, number of #mGov users! #mBillionth

 

#mGov in Rajkot: Information is just one #SMS away. Cheapest transaction cost (1 paisa), elimination of middleman, transparency, less queues #mBillionth

 

#mGov in Rajkot: Next steps – replicability, scalability, sustainability. Win-win situation for gov and citizens. More revenues, better services #mBillionth

 

#mGov initiative in Rajkot has won a number of awards on e-gov, local government, #ICT4D excellence #mBillionth

 

#mGov initiative in Rajkot has drawn increasing attention from media, helps increase awareness and appreciation #mBillionth

 

Snapshot of #mGov in Rajkot: http://www.rmc.gov.in/news-detail.php?id=27 #mBillionth

 

Awards won by #mGov service delivery in Rajkot: http://tinyurl.com/3z7f9gl #mBillionth

 

Another superb presentation now about #mGov in Jhansi (Jhansi Jan Suvidha Kendra) http://www.jjskjhansi.com/ #mBillionth

 

Thorough documentation needed to show #e-Gov/#m-Gov efficacy – recorded calls, archived #SMS, grievance stats, incidents resolved, citizen surveys #mBillionth

 

Jhansi official showing realtime stats on #eGov/#mGov service delivery. “Gov needs to be pro-active, respectful, responsive” #mBillionth

 

Jhansi official: “#mGov is one way for government to show compassion for the common citizen and relate to them directly and effectively” #mBillionth

 

VSS Srinivas, Visakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh: Electronic Muster and Measurement System (EMMS) now uses mobiles in MGNREGS #mBillionth

 

Srinivas: Mobiles help prevent distortions in the programme: muster fudging, delays in payments, fake measurements #mBillionth

 

Mobiles are being used to take work location pics as proof of worksite inspection http://www.NREGA.ap.gov.in #mBillionth

 

MGNREGS AP scheme uses mobiles to upload worker attendance sheets as well as muster verification reports #mBillionth

 

MGNREGS AP scheme #mGov benefits: reduction in fake musters, better functionary accountability, faster payorder generation #mBillionth

 

MGNREGS AP scheme: 90% of payorders are paid within 3 days. (applause) #mBillionth

 

MGNREGS AP: We would like to eliminate paper mustering and move everything to mobiles #mBillionth

 

Amitabh Syngal: Mobiles can help track and prevent revenue seepage in government service delivery in India #mBillionth

 

K.Sabarish, Kerala, showing video of fishermen using mobiles to receive fish shoal alerts, market pricing #mBillionth

 

K.Sabarish, Kerala State IT Mission: Kerala will have 100% mobile penetration by September 2011 #mBillionth

 

Kerala has a branded shortcode for #mGov services: 537252 (K E R A L A). 25 services across 6 departments #mBillionth

 

#mGov in Kerala: Exam results, lottery info, news alerts, motor licenses. Gov gets 10-15% revenue share on #SMS #mBillionth

 

#mGov in Kerala: Sabarimala pilgrimage #SMS alerts on traffic, parking, maps, hospital info, lost&found #mBillionth

 

#mGov in Kerala: We also have m-coupons during tourism season (scratchcodes). See http://www.keralaitmission.org for more details #mBillionth

 

#mGov in Kerala: Audio/video modules on tourism portals are accessible on 3G networks #mBillionth

 

Q&A: Are mobiles being used to track teacher attendance/absenteeism in government schools in India? #mBillionth

 

Using FM Radio is a good way to increase awareness about #SMS shortcodes for #mGov services #mBillionth

 

Awesome panel on #mGov in India wraps up; need to scale this across the country! #mBillionth

 

Terrific coffee/lunch networking with delegates from across South Asia; startups and service operators and gov CIOs! #mBillionth

 

Sayeeful Islam, Dhaka: At the bottom of the pyramid, if you can’t save money you can’t dream big. Mobile money can make this dream come true #mBillionth

 

SSL Wireless, M-Cash Wallet, Bangladesh: HSBC and AB Bank offer top-up service via mobiles #mBillionth

 

SSL Wireless http://www.sslwireless.com/ offers mobile registration services via banks in Bangladesh; m-wallet services via #SMS #mBillionth

 

SSL wireless gives activation codes for activating m-wallet services from the respective banks #mBillionth

 

Bangladesh Post’s Electronic Money Transfer Service: Mobiles have brought in new era in Bangladesh for transactions http://www.bangladeshpost.gov.bd/EMTS.asp  #mBillionth

 

Bangladesh Post: Mobile money is used for domestic and international remittances. Partner: operator BanglaLink #mBillionth

 

Bangladesh Post: Postmasters need just one day training in how to use mobile money service. #mBillionth

 

Bangladesh Post: Mobile Money in a Moment: Speedy and most reliable form of remittance in Bangladesh #mBillionth

 

Bangladesh Post is being used by overseas Bangladeshi United Nations’ peacekeeping forces to send money home #mBillionth

 

Bangladesh Post EMTS has won a number of digital/innovation awards in Bangladesh #mBillionth

 

Sayeeful: Post office has generally been viewed as laggards. But post offices can change their image via service and mobile technology #mBillionth

 

Sayeeful: Parent-children relationships can also improve with Mobile Money in a Moment services! #mBillionth

 

Hear hear! RT @misskaul: Lots of bald heads bobbing around.. Is this the osama effect? #mbillionth

 

Kumari Bank, Nepal: Bottom of pyramid population is most vulnerable: risks with carrying cash, low chance of getting bank loans #mBillionth

 

Nepal has low penetration of banking accounts, but a third of Nepalis have mobile phones! #mBillionth

 

In Nepal some people have to spend equivalent of Rs 700 to pay a Rs 80 bill! #mBillionth

 

Kumari Bank offers banking services via mobiles for the unbanked in Nepal http://www.kumaribank.com/ #mBillionth

 

Kumari Bank’s partner is Boston-based software company LeapFrog, founded by Nepalis #mBillionth

 

Kumari Bank offers mobile cash services for largest department store chain in Nepal #mBillionth

 

Kumari Bank: Thanks to mobile payment, users don’t have to walk four hours to mobile account re-charge kiosks #mBillionth

 

Kumari Bank: Mobile banking in Nepal reduces fraud, saves taxpayers from inefficiency costs, increases velocity of money #mBillionth

 

Kumari Bank: Mobile money solutions have to be rural friendly; need cooperation and capacity building here from NGOs, society #mBillionth

 

Kumari Bank: We need new intermediaries here – agents, to bring mobile banking services across the country #mBillionth

 

Sayeeful: This panel shows that mobiles are a ‘dream-machine’ thanks to mobile money for the masses #mBillionth

 

Kumari Bank: We are not charging customers for transactions at the moment. We are making enough money on float as it is #mBillionth

 

eMudhra SecMsg: Secure #SMS services http://www.secmsg.emudhra.com/ for payment services #mBillionth

 

SecMsg now being used by a public sector bank in India for dispatch of passwords; RoI of more than 70%. Turnaround: less than 1 hour instead of 4 days #mBillionth

 

ComViva’s BanglaLink mWallet http://tinyurl.com/3vpe8nh Bangladesh has 50% mobile penetration #mBillionth

 

ComViva: Commerce + identity management is a powerful combination on mobile phones #mBillionth

 

mWallet in Bangladesh is used for utility payment + banking for low-income segments with unstable income #mBillionth

 

mWallet is available across 64 districts of Bangladesh; 40% in areas which lack financial infrastructure #mBillionth

 

Q: What about all the other useless stuff in my wallet – where does it go? A: That’s already on your phone (pics etc) #mBillionth

 

Times Internet’s Active Deals: Mobile coupons for realtime discounts http://mobile.indiatimes.com #mBillionth

 

Times Internet Active Deals is “white-enabled” – merchants can customise it with their own look and feel. Coupons: #SMS #mBillionth

 

Times Internet Active Deals http://www.ActiveDeals.in http://wap.indiatimes.com/activedeals/ IVR: 58888188 #mBillionth

 

Q: Isn’t this deals space becoming very crowded (eg. SnapDeals)? How is it evolving: consolidation, etc? #mBillionth

 

Times Internet’s Active Deals – we charge customers not merchants. Also our Times brand is very visible; competitive #mBillionth

 

Another great panel on mobile banking/payment in India+Nepal+Bangladesh comes to an end #mBillionth

 

Wish I could clone myself and attend the other sessions in parallel! Or find a time-traveling solution! #mBillionth

 

Hear hear! RT @ajuonline: Doing what? Chilling. Literally. Thanks to the airconditioning here #mBillionth where do we find blankets pls? :o )

 

And now: #Vodafone’s “Mobiles for Good” initiative – 60 nominations, 43 eligible entries, 2 finalists to be announced today: Rs 2 million prize! #mBillionth

 

Finalists: TERComs/Orissa, Soocha Se Samadhaan, MNH Maternity Service, CommCare, Kisan Samachar, eduVarta, Chalo Skul, Asha #mBillionth

 

Finalists: Flood Warning System, Biometric TB tracking, IVRS Children’s Meal Monitoring #mBillionth

 

Finalist URLs: www.wosca.org www.DevAlt.org www.LataMedicalResearchFoundation.org www.NEEDSngo.in #mBillionth

 

Finalist URLs: www.SGK.in http://eduVarta.Bravehost.com www.RadioNamaskar.org www.Opasha.org www.upMDM.in www.Sahbhagi.org #mBillionth

 

Mobiles for Good jurors: Arvind Rao (OnMobile), Subho Ray (IAMAI), Geeta Malhotra (READ India) #mBillionth

 

Mobiles for Good jurors: Ajay Kumar (DIT), Ravinder Takkar (Vodafone) #mBillionth

 

Operation Asha uses biometrics + phone for #SMS based medical record verification system for tuberculosis tracking #mBillionth

 

“Tech has the potential to solve the health problems of the world” #mBillionth

 

NEEDS/Jharkhand: Mobile info services for pregnant women for safe motherhood. Piloted in Hindi in Jan 2011 #mBillionth

 

NEEDS/Jharkhand: Questions/answer communication is via mobile phones; influenced behaviour changes. #mBillionth

 

NEEDS/Jharkhand: Info via mobiles is shared by mothers and government healthcare workers #mBillionth

 

NEEDS/Jharkhand: Combination of mobile + expert services were seen as credible (Survey) #mBillionth

 

EduVarta/SMSone: Job-based information in Maharashtra is distributed to rural youth dropouts via #SMS alerts #mBillionth

 

EduVarta/SMSone: Unemployed youth are easily swayed by unscrupulous politicians in India, become violent #mBillionth

 

EduVarta/SMSone: We felt giving youths jobs and employment info would take them away from path of agitation #mBillionth

 

EduVarta/SMSone: Youths/dropouts in rural areas need special guidance in career planning, free from caste and prejudices #mBillionth

 

EduVarta/SMSone: Many students don’t read newspapers for job announcements; we connect colleges and students with job market info and guidance #mBillionth

 

EduVarta/SMSone: But most students now have mobile phones, can be reached via #SMS for employment tips/guidance #mBillionth

 

Ravi Ghate/SMSone: Students also generate information on their own, get certification as an incentive. Teachers also volunteer data #mBillionth

 

RT @ ankitchadha: eduVarta has got privileged youth to guide BoP youth #mBillionth wow

 

Lata Medical Research Foundation: Using mobile info services to prevent infant/mother deaths/illnesses in rural India #mBillionth

 

LMRF: Mobiles help community information initiatives in health services #mBillionth

 

LMRF: We have worked with gov hospitals. Infant mortality has reduced, breastfeeding practices have increased #mBillionth

 

LMRF: We gather stats extensively in 584 villages. #SMS reminders for hospital/doctor visits, health info #mBillionth

 

LMRF: 100% of medical officers even in rural India have mobile phones #mBillionth

 

LMRF: From reduced data errors to faster emergency response rates, mobiles have helped. Challenges: unanswered calls, unnecessary demands #mBillionth

 

Women’s Organisation for SocialCultural Awareness (WOSCA) tracks livelihood entitlements, in rural and tribal districts #mBillionth

 

WOSCA: Women’s SHGs creative community-level responses via community media including email and #SMS #mBillionth

 

WOSCA: Online tracking helps prevent bogus card registration and also include marginalised groups #mBillionth

 

Terrific insights and energy from #Vodafone “Mobiles for Good” finalists! #mBillionth

 

RT @ misskaul: I see a lot of voice & #SMS based projects which are truly tackling the bottom of the pyramid. #mbillionth

 

Flood Early Warning System, Lucknow: Community-based disaster risk reduction via mobiles, eg. for floods #mBillionth

 

Flood impacts: loss of life/shelter/crops, people forced to drink contaminated water. #mBillionth

 

Community at risk does not get flood info in real time. Water release is sometimes commissioned by government, people unaware #mBillionth

 

Lucknow: District level disaster management cells now have databases of community phone numbers, can inform those at risk via sirens and mobiles #mBillionth

 

Lucknow: 57,000 families have the benefit of timely flood alerts; evacuation within hours possible now #mBillionth

 

IVRS System for tracking mid-day meal systems for poor children (presented by a Uttar Pradesh CFO): used in 152,000 schools #mBillionth

 

With mobiles you can directly track school distribution of meals in realtime. No data tampering also #mBillionth

 

Cloud telephony + IVRS improves accuracy of info, objective inputs for policy/decision makers #mBillionth

 

Number of schools not serving meals has come down now. Teachers are a happy lot. Students gain #mBillionth

 

Amazing presentations: most of us are not aware of the problems facing most of India, let alone the solutions #mBillionth

 

Young India, Orissa: Community Radio Namaskar: “Let us go to school” initiative – using radio + mobiles to target school dropouts (44%) #mBillionth

 

Radio Namaskar shows video of student being given admission in school thanks to mobile calls + radio program #mBillionth

 

DevelopmentAlternatives: Lifelines India Project, Bundelkhand: Medical services, animal husbandry info sent to Indian farmers via mobiles #mBillionth

 

Lifelines: Info sent by experts to 1,200 villages and 12 field executives. Challenges: concept of phone querying #mBillionth

 

Lifelines: Future plans – services such as soil testing, weather updates, scheduling expert visits to farms #mBillionth

 

Q&A: Lifelines: We are more proactive than call centres #mBillionth

 

Interesting Q&A: Delegates are pointing out other farmer info initiatives that the candidate is not aware of #mBillionth

 

Kisan Sanchar, Haryana: Links Indian farmers with extension agencies, via mobiles http://www.KisanSanchar.com #mBillionth

 

RT @fathhi: In 1950 agriculture contributed 43% of the GDP in India and now it is 14% #mBillionth

 

Kisan Sanchar: Annual membership for market intelligence, business offers, call centre support delivered via mobiles #mBillionth

 

Kisan Sanchar: Next steps – mobile banking services for farmers #mBillionth

 

And now a half-hour coffee break while we build up for the climax: the Awards declaration+ceremony! #mBillionth #VodafoneMobilesForGood

 

Cool fusion lounge by Rahul Sharma in the background as the stage is being set for the #mBillionth South Asian Mobile awards gala!

 

What an honour to chair the #mBillionth South Asia Mobile Awards again!

 

Martin Pieters, Vodafone: Mobiles are a game changer, no other technology has been embraced as fast by society #mBillionth

 

Pieters: We need to find out what people need, not just want, to take mobiles to the next step. NGOs good at this. #mBillionth

 

And now, the winners of the #Vodafone “Mobiles for Good” NGO competition: Kisan Sanchar and eduVarta! #mBillionth

 

A humbling gesture: Ravi Ghate of SMSone touches the feet of the organisers/sponsors #mBillionth

 

And now – group photo and grand banquet for all the #mBillionth and #Vodafone award winners!

 

Ravi Ghate thanks Osama Manzar for mentoring and supporting SMSone team, which includes school/college dropouts #mBillionth

 

Osama: SMSgupshup has promised Rs 1 lakh of free #SMS messages to all rural award winners of #mBillionth

 

Martin Pieters of #Vodafone thanks all DEF team members for a fabulous #mBillionth awards!

 

Over and out; thanks to all re/tweeters in this room and around South Asia and the world! #mBillionth

 

An honour and delight also to discover that my books NetChakra and “Indian Proverbs” have been given to all speakers and jurors at #mBillionth!

 

Congrats again to all winners of #mBillionth South Asian Mobile Awards 2011, New Delhi, July 23! http://mobile.techsparks.com

 

South Asia Mobile Awards 2011: Thanks to all #mBillionth 175+ re/tweeters for 950+ tweets! http://mBillionth.in

 

Times of India: Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) wins #mBillionth award in South Asia for 2011 for #mGov facility http://tinyurl.com/3ha6dqe

 

Hindustan Times coverage of #mBillionth South Asia Mobile Awards 2011: “Mobile buzz set for local lingo blitz” http://tinyurl.com/4x9orfa

 

LiveMint coverage of #mBillionth South Asia Mobile Awards 2011 by Surabhi Agarwal & Moulishree Srivastava http://tinyurl.com/3znfqx4

 

THE #mBILLIONTH SOUTH ASIA 2011 AWARDS: Finalists + Winners! http://mobile.techsparks.com

 

My compiled tweets from #mBillionth South Asia Mobile Awards 2011 (updated): http://www.techsparks.com/mobile/?p=237

Planet of the Apps Asia, 2011: Singapore

Planet of the Apps, Asia http://bit.ly/kvOtsE  

Compiled Tweets: June 9-10, 2011

 

by Dr Madanmohan Rao

Editor, “The Asia-Pacific Internet Handbook”

Research Projects Director, MobileMonday

 

Email: madan @ techsparks. com

Tweets: http://twitter.com/MadanRao  

Books: http://bit.ly/TU12l  

 

 

Over and out; looking forward to #AppsAsia 2012! Thanks to @jhoannachan for multitasking organiser+tweeter roles! And to all re/tweeters :-)

 

Hear hear! Michael Smith, Yahoo: I also have a business plan and name for a private online entrepreneur network for Asia! #AppsAsia

 

Panel: Also follow the work of Tim Bray of Google tbray.org/ongoing/ #AppsAsia

Panel: Useful online resources about apps: gigaom.com www.techmeme.com @Mashable TechCrunch (with a grain of salt) #AppsAsia

 

Panel: Useful online resources about apps: www.Mashable.com www.augmentedplanet.com 37signals.com #AppAsia

 

Panel: Privacy issues – developers should inculcate good ethics about what kind of data is being gathered about users #AppsAsia

 

Panel: App developers are in a good position to choose between local and global opportunities in their careers/offerings #AppsAsia

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia @dreampipe: Zynga more valuable

than Facebook – most payments in FB are for games, games are huge; new paradigm

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia Martin: ‘open’ means being able to

upload apps when you want, customer ratings available – valuable for developer

 

Panel: The distinction is no longer between open/closed ecosystems, but which is more open. Some are ‘clopen’ – in between! #AppsAsia

 

Ades/MMEF: Ten years ago everybody wanted a Web site for their organisation – today everybody wants an app #AppsAsia

 

My questions for the panel: Future of operators, app stores, privacy laws, proprietary v/s open ecosystems. Tweet your Qs too! #AppsAsia

 

Looking forward to moderating the next panel: Closing Debate on Future of App Growth and Monetisation! #AppsAsia

 

Q to in-app ad panel: Is this early days for integrating mobile search with mobile apps/ads? #AppsAsia

 

Pallab/Tata DoCoMo: We used mobile apps to promote ringback tones from movies at theatres in India: 80% penetration #AppsAsia

 

Lydia: We use mobile ads and apps for SilkAir’s frequent flyer membership campaigns #AppsAsia

 

in-App Ad Panel: There is a shift from media owners owning relationship with the customers, to the brands themselves owning it #AppsAsia

 

A: Engage bloggers, get sneak previews, get PR buzz, leverage events in public places, app store rankings, talk to handset cos #AppsAsia

 

Q: How to market an app if you don’t have big budget dollars to target your audience? #AppsAsia

 

Clarity needed: Apps analytics – what kind of metrics can be gathered, what can be shared between operators/devices/users/agencies #AppsAsia

 

Ryan Lim, BlueGrapes digital consultants: We have done mobile campaign support for Coke, Heaven&Earth #AppsAsia

 

Dilip Mistry, Microsoft: Look at behavioural targeting also, not just market penetration by device! #AppsAsia

 

Zhou: Rich media tablet apps: better for ads in all four areas: attention, interest, desire, action #AppsAsia

 

Zhou: We designed tablet app for HTC in SG. Create your own sketches, YouTube ad plays in one corner. Animated ad is a new step #AppsAsia

 

Zhou: Apps should become a big part of your mobile marketing strategy. Mobile apps are closer to you, more interactive No mouse! #AppsAsia

 

Zhou Wenhan, 2359 Media: SG, HK, Australia, Japan: good for smartphone apps; other Asian countries dominated by feature phones #AppsAsia

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia HSBC app: use accelerometer + AR for the app, lock in flag & swing!

 

Lydia: Campaign generated S$1.5 million of free PR also #AppsAsia

 

Lydia: Owned + Earned + paid: all forms of media leveraged along with AR iPhone campaign, eg. Twitter feed, outdoor ads #AppsAsia

 

Lydia: Impact: 19% more people attended the golf tournament than in the previous year #AppsAsia

 

Lydia: AR showcase: We converted Orchard Road into a golf course and iPhones into golf clubs for HSBC Women’s Golf Tournament! #AppsAsia

 

Lydia Daly, JWT Singapore: HSBC canpaign – used mobile to increase golf awareness in Singapore, and get people to shop #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: Android version of iButterfly is coming out. Hard to do a feature-phone enhancement for this AR app #AppsAsia

 

Yeah, I wonder if AR mosquitoes will be caught or swatted! @ColinMiles #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: AR ads are more fun than a banner ad; leverage location + motion sensor capabilities of mobile phones #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: iButterfly is a good AR ad tech platform to attract a new generation of consumers #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: iButterfly in Hong Kong: drive traffic to Pacific Coffee stores (one butterfly = upgrade; lucky catch = 100 free coffees!) #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: iButterfly in Hong Kong: catch three butterflies and get 10% off on Adidas shoes as part of ClimaCool campaign #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: iButterfly also used to promote and provide info about the Futsal League Tournament in Japan (during halftime) #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: iButterfly was used to introduce interesting points in Kashiwanoha city; learn, catch butterflies, get points, win prizes! #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: iButterfly AR campaign in Japan is a couponing platform, more than just an ad #AppsAsia

 

Sowy: Evolution (contd): phones with motion sensors (2006), tablets and Andorid (2010), mass market smartphones (2011) #AppsAsia

 

Sherwin Sowy, Dentsu: We have evolved from voice/SMS (2001) to smartphones/WAP (2003) to 3G/Netphones (2006) #AppsAsia

 

Thanks! Also at IndianProverbs.in @maja_a: loving Pearls of

Wisdom -thank you very much! Is it available online other than via Amazon

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia key mbanking ingredients: constant

feedback, no compromise on security

 

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia Key mbanking ingredients:

unconventional thinking,great partners, constant evolution (vs big bang release)

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia case studies: papaya mobile, dragon play

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia how to monetize games: virtual

goods! capitalise on brands, tv shows (built-in audience), celebrities

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia Dilip: social gaming is the source

and driver of the freemium apps!

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia more resources: Distimo, Smaato,

Buzzcity, Admob, Inmobi, Millenial Media – entrepreneurs take note!

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia good resource: Vision Mobile –

detailing what are the new trends on platforms, great for biz forecasting

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia mobile commerce (diff from mpayments) – must be tied with lifestyle

 

Still digesting Day One of #AppsAsia, looking forward to Day Two!

Thanks to @jhoannachan @ColinMiles + speakers/delegates + re/tweeters! :-)

 

Charles Tidswell, Chat Time App www.ChatTimeApp.com – for low cost international calling #AppsAsia

 

Daniel: Monetisation: ads, cut of transaction fees if it comes from our service #AppsAsia

 

Daniel: We are expanding to other countries. India partner: MapMyIndia; app already up. Next: China, Indonesia #AppsAsia

 

Daniel: Google ads will still be relevant in the world of social media because it addresses your current area of interest #AppsAsia

 

Hear hear! Daniel: Community development is as important as engineering development and business development #AppsAsia

 

Daniel: Community management is a part of our product development. We invite users to company outings #AppsAsia

 

Daniel: We conducted brainstorming sessions with key user groups. Have volunteers and community managers. Mktg: word of mouth only #AppsAsia

 

Daniel: In our development direction, we mixed social with utility feature sets #AppsAsia

 

Daniel: One of three Singapore smartphone users has used ShowNearby location-based services #AppsAsia

 

Daniel Tan, ShowNearby: Now 500,000 users. Success factor: creating product evangelists, monetisation without jeopardising UX #AppsAsia

 

Derek: We used Liveshare during Singapore elections this year #AppsAsia

 

Yes, I saw this at JavaJazz! Derak Tan, CoolIris LiveShare: mobile social networking transforms experience of attending music fest #AppsAsia

 

More app showcases coming up: www.cooliris.com www.shownearby.com www.smartroam.net www.cherrypicks.com #AppsAsia

 

Arvin: We also got rights for cricket coverage broadcasts in India, for mobile. Ad-funded + app store models #AppsAsia

 

Looming issues: data ownership, privacy, copyright, licensing #AppsAsia

 

Arvin: Youth use social networking to enhance the TV viewing experience through chats/recommendations. Just can’t enough content! #AppsAsia

 

Arvin: Asia Pacific region has 57% of pay TV subscriptions in the world #AppsAsia

 

RIP MF Hussain, pre-eminent Indian artist http://www.hindustantimes.com/Art-fraternity-remembers-Husain/Article1-707467.aspx

 

Arvin: We began with India, South Asia, and are now worldwide #AppsAsia

 

Arvin Venkateswaran, GeoDesic: www.geodesiconline.com Mobile TV applications. MunduTV subscription app – 3M downloads in 8 months #AppsAsia

 

Martin: Unfortunately my grandmother does not use AR ;-) #AppsAsia

 

Martin: In 2011, AR will be used mostly by innovators and early adopters. Next: mass market, brand marketing, use cases #AppsAsia

 

Martin: Cool name for Wkitude AR enablement feature for developers: ARchitect! #AppsAsia

 

Martin: Wikitude handles wide range of AR ecosystem: analytics, UGC, social networking, content conversion, indexing, personalisn #AppsAsia

 

Martin: We can geo-reference your messages on a Blackberry during an AR session #AppsAsia

 

Martin: 81% of smartphone users surf the Net, 77% search, 68% use an app, 48% watch videos on the phone #AppsAsia

 

Martin: Juniper: AR app downloads will pass 1.4 billion anually by 2014, generating US$1.5 billion revenues #AppsAsia

 

Inspiring enthusiasm: Martin: We will be on millions and millions and millions and millions of devices. I love saying that! #AppsAsia

 

Martin: Wikitude and LG have created 3D AR browser. We are also on Symbian, Blackberry, Android #AppsAsia

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia Wikitude: voted world’s best augmented reality browser 2 years in a row

 

Martin Lechner, Mobilizy: Wikitude Augmented Reality Browser: www.wikitude.org 10 Million customers today. Company size: 15! #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: Our next big initiative: Opera Store. 30M monthly downloads already in two months. publisher.mobilestore.opera.com #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: Opera users also use more social networking services than non-Opera users #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: New social media features on Opera browser – Share with friends #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: Our popular app stores – Ovi, Getjar, Samsung apps. Even smartphone users are downloading Opera #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: Distribution of Opera – via OEM pre-installations, opera.com, app stores. Zero marketing budget! #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: OperaMini penetration is mostly in emerging markets. China has some of its own browsers in native market #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: OperaMini used by 114 million people, runs on over 3,000 phone models. Reduces data cost by up to 90% #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: Need to address the “mobile only” Internet generation. South Africa (57%), India (49%), Indonesia (44%) #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: Only 25% of the world’s population has Internet access. Need to open it up to everyone as a human right #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: Opera has 200 million users, more than Toyota or Skype or Twitter #AppsAsia

 

Thomas: We created mobile browser in 2000; small screen rendering in 2003; 2006: OperaMini; now Opera browser for tablets #AppsAsia

 

Hear hear! Thomas: “We believe access to the Internet is a universal right” – mobile is the way #AppsAsia

 

Thomas Wikberg, Opera: Opera Mini App also helps feature phone feel like a smartphone #AppsAsia

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia Snaptu keys to success: more

carrier partners, more content partners, intuitive consumer user experience

 

Simon: Cloud-based app revolution will wake up the “mass emerging market” #AppsAsia

 

Simon: There is a huge market of people who don’t buy a new phone. Cloud mobile apps useful enticement; Android masters this space #AppsAsia

 

Simon: Spectrum of phones: Basic – Feature – Touch Feature – Smartphone. Android, HTML5, apps will move all across #AppsAsia

 

Simon: Low-end phones are switching to Android. Micromax in India: www.MyFirstAndroid.com; Karbonn acquired Korean company #AppsAsia

 

Simon: Asian creativity: Indonesia has a mobile phone with an analogue TV receiver! #AppsAsia

 

Simon: We have also worked with Micromax, Karbonn, SPice, Zen, Bharti Beetel, Nexian, Skybee, Lava #AppsAsia

 

Simon: We use cloud-based services to make apps run on feature phones, eg Nokia. Our top two markets: India, Indonesia #AppsAsia

 

Simon: We make dumb phones smart-ish! Need an intuitive easy consumer electronics user experience #AppsAsia

 

Simon Davies, Snaptu www.snaptu.com We turn Web sites into ultra fast mobile apps that work on your phone #AppsAsia

 

Panel: Apps outlook in 10 years: utility/productivity apps will be as important as entertmnt apps. Apps for connected cars, M2M #AppsAsia

 

Panel: Revenue share for developers with operators is improving. But operators still retain larger share if they do more mktg work #AppsAsia

 

Panel: Government apps: traffic monitoring, bus/train surveillance #AppsAsia

 

Panel: #mhealth: Philippines has #MMS app for detecting dengue fever #AppsAsia

 

Panel: Cheap tablets from China will change the device/app market in Asia. Need enterprise, SME apps #AppsAsia

 

Panel: We are still scratching the surface of rural apps (most of Asia lives in villages), eg IVR, #SMS info services for farmers #AppsAsia

 

Ang: We are also testing 4G/LTE #AppsAsia

 

Looking forward to moderating the panel with mobile operators from Malaysia, India, Philippines! Please tweet questions #AppsAsia

 

Ang: Next steps – cloud syncing. For postpaid and prepaid markets #AppsAsia

 

Ang: Many of the kids/youth have only US50cents per day, but that has not deterred us #AppsAsia

 

Ang: Mass market is untapped for apps, but very impressionable. We have taken risk of jumping into it (“mass smart market” coming) #AppsAsia

 

Ang: We have a widget for safe browsing on only internal Web services (no unpleasant surprises in phone bills from strange sites) #AppsAsia

 

Ang: Inhouse messaging channel allows ads; gets around #SMS ad restrictions in Philippines #AppsAsia

 

Ang: “Social streaming” – messaging + chat integrated (Yahoo, FB, etc) + NetPhone messenger #AppsAsia

 

Ang: Every NetPhone user has to register and fill out a form. Global directory: yellow pages + Google/Facebook contacts, etc. #AppsAsia

 

Ang: We have found a sub-$100 handset platform from China for NetPhone product: affordable Internet device #AppsAsia

 

Ang: We sell everything in sachets in Philippines — now voice and text and Internet too. Challenges in smartphone pricing #AppsAsia

 

Ang: How do we bring rich app experience to bottom of pyramid mobile users in emerging economies? #AppsAsia

 

Ang: Our vision 10 years ago was put cellphone in every citizen’s hand. Now: put Internet in every citizen’s hand #AppsAsia

 

Louie Ang, Smart Communications, Philippines: SmartNet for driving apps. We have 60M mobile subscribers #AppsAsia

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia 600m mobile subscribers in India – challenging to put them all on 3G, need scale!

 

Pallab: 3G has increased data usage by almost 4.5 times. Now video streaming is a killer app, with gaming, TV, Net in India #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: We use Social Media, our FB page has 2.5 million followers. Looking at subscription models for bundled apps. #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: Operator app challenges: direct competition with OEM app stores, retention of developers, commercialisation structure #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: Need simpler app submission, faster testing, device manufacturers’ support, revenue reconciliation #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: Banked population is only 13%; only 36 million credit cards #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: Our walled-garden portal is DiveIn. We on-board via relationships, packaging the app, promotions, payment collection #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: Success factors: trust, APIs, standards. The killer app is the Internet! #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: Rich app UX is now happening on rich-media devices and networks in India #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: 46% of our users is in age group 18-24. (Tata DoCoMo Market: app store) #AppsAsia

 

Pallab: Tata DoCoMo has second largest number of 3G subscribers after Airtel in India. 2M users. #AppsAsia

 

Pallab Mitra, Tata DoCoMo India: We have only 85 M subscribers in India, now at No. 4 position (after Airtel, Reliance, Vodafone) #AppsAsia

 

Many developers hope to distribute apps through the Wholesale Application Community (WAC) http://www.wacapps.net/web/portal #AppsAsia

 

Navin: Android base is growing fast, already caught up with Blackberry in our market #AppsAsia

 

Navin: Emerging trends: cloud for multi-screen apps, tapping non-technical developers (drag-drop apps), M2M, connected cars #AppsAsia

 

Navin: Operator billing is vital for Asian regions. Harness local + global apps. Testing and certification of apps also important #AppsAsia

 

Navin: On our networks, dominant apps were Java, followed by Android and BB, then Symbian #AppsAsia

 

Navin: Recommendations for app discovery: friend-based recommendation, multiple categories, good descriptions, customer ratings #AppsAsia

 

Navin/Maxis: 95% of our downloads are free apps. Need to move towards freemium. We offer in-app billing #ApsAsia

 

Great food for thought now after terrific food + networking at buffet! #AppsAsia

 

Navin Wathan, Maxis App Store: There are opportunities in local apps (lang, popular culture) but need to reach youth via prepaid #AppsAsia

 

News media used ads to help build brands; now they must learn how to leverage apps otherwise advertisers will desert them #AppsAsia

 

Emerging app challenges: silos, privacy, fragmentation #AppsAsia

 

How to monetise apps: value, freemium, gaming, ads #AppsAsia

 

RT @jhoannachan #appsasia Thomas Wikberg, Opera: brands need to capitalise on

apps now. Opera browser opens itself to branding – innovative!

 

RT @jhoannachan #appsasia Michael Smith: LBS not mainstream yet, privacy issues

continue. Early adopters are there, no tipping pt yet

 

RT @jhoannachan #appsasia Michael Smith: predict that hyperlocal news, deals would

turn out to be top LBS apps

 

RT @jhoannachan #appsasia Michael Smith: value economy in emerging mkts is low.

Now lots of things are free – that’s why freemium works

 

Karl: Mobile increased Groupon’s earnings by 20% #AppsAsia

 

Karl: Early model – based on Web, coupons. Now: hyperlocal, personalised, time sensitive, mobile. Moods: bored, hungry, etc. #AppsAsia

 

Karl: Case study: Subway: 41,000 customers in 24 hours, thanks to Groupon Singapore #AppsAsia

 

Karl: Nielsen: 78% of people trust their peers’ opinions. Drives social shopping #AppsAsia

 

Karl: People spend more time on Net but more marketing dollars are in TV. This will change thanks to Google, social media, Groupon #AppsAsia

 

Karl Chung, Groupon Singapore: Apps for social shopping. Started in Chicago 2.5 years ago #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: You can now make Skype calls straight from your address book. Open Internet, partnerships key for app success #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: Skype success story: KDDI (No.2 operator in Japan; 33M subscribers). KDDI preloaded Skype on its new smartphones; free usage #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: Skype acquired a company called Quick for better video sharing #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: Social media will drive the next generation networks #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: Key drivers for mobile Internet: broadband, powerful devices, apps (cool rich services) #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: Ovum: Asia represents 46% of mobile Internet users in the world #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: There are now 5.3 billion mobile users in the world, or 70% of the population. Soon 1B mobile Internet users #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: Skype accounts for 25% of all international calls! #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: Skype had 194 billion Skype-to-Skype voice and video minutes in 2010 #AppsAsia

 

Fuad: Skype makes money from group video calls, voicemail, #SMS, click2Call, Skype credit for WiFi access #AppsAsia

 

Next: Turochas Fuad, Skype. Conference chair @ColinMiles jokes that we should be gentle with him in light of recent developments! #AppsAsia

 

Smith: Evernote, Flipboard: multiple ways of consuming content. Freemium or paid #AppsAsia

 

Smith: Competing views of apps: cloud, browser, native apps, Web #AppsAsia

 

MadanRao: Michael Smith, Yahoo @DreamPipe: The App economy

will blur across PC, phone, tablet, TV #AppsAsia

 

RT @jhoannachan: #appsasia the app store fight is on. Search,

ratings, social & ease of use will change the landscape!

 

Logging in now from #AppsAsia, looking forward to moderating three

panels! Planet of the Apps, Singapore http://bit.ly/kvOtsE

 

 

infoDev’s 4th Global Forum on Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship

infoDev’s 4th Global Forum on Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship

Compiled Tweets: May 30 – June 1, 2011; Helsinki http://infodevgf.net/

 

 

by Dr Madanmohan Rao

Editor, “The Asia-Pacific Internet Handbook”

Research Projects Director, MobileMonday

 

Email: madan @ techsparks. com

Tweets: http://twitter.com/MadanRao  

Books: http://bit.ly/TU12l  

 

 

TelecomTV: New resources for ICT in agriculture http://bit.ly/m86b1M  #ICT4D

#infoDevGF

 

Baku, Azerbaijan: #MobileMonday’s 123rd city chapter http://bit.ly/iZpxOT   http://bit.ly/m8Xch6  #infoDevGF

 

Over and out — thanks to all organisers/delegates/speakers, and thanks to all re/tweeters in this room and around the world! #infoDevGF

 

Phil: Next Forum should focus on innovation and socio-economic development #infoDevGF

 

Phil Mjwara, Director General of the Department of Science and Technology, South Africa www.dst.gov.za  Innovation creates growth #infoDevGF

 

Kirsti Kauppi, Fin gov: We are considering investing Eur1.5M for the infoDev-Nokia-Fin partnership in future #infoDevGF

 

Jussi: In this world of innovation you ain’t seen nothing yet! #infoDevGF

 

Jussi Hinkkanen, Nokia MENA: It took us decades to create a culture of innovation and we are still working on it #infoDevGF

 

infoDev: ICT = Innovate + Connect + Transform #infoDevGF

 

600 participants, 90 countries at #infoDevGF. 5 new mLabs

announced. Two agricultural sourcebooks launched. 150 people trained in incubation

 

And now: closing of 4th Global Innovation Forum; next one will be in 2013 in South Africa! #infoDevGF

 

Heinz Fiedler, infoDev: Don’t just collect business cards as if they are stamps, do something with it! <laughter> #infoDevGF

 

See #MobileMonday’s Mobile Africa 2011 report at http://bit.ly/leLR1g 

#infoDevGF

 

Alvaro: Living Labs started off as an informal network; now we have more formal structure but not lost informal nature #infoDevGF

 

Mobile innovation networks: if your city does not yet have a #MobileMonday chapter, sign up at www.MobileMonday.net  ! #infoDevGF

 

Q: Need to distinguish between “network” and “no work” – need connecting techniques which are effective #infoDevGF

 

@RaduTiciu, Romania: Digital trust can be built online, but consistency is key in building relationships #infoDevGF

 

Alvaro: Living Labs mechanism helps build trust and verify/build reputations #infoDevGF

 

Q: The book “Speed of Trust” is interesting — but trust takes time, especially on “faceless” online networks #infoDevGF

 

Antti Vilpponen, www.arcticstartup.com  @arcticstartup – has companies listed in Startup Index #infoDevGF

 

The European Network of Living Labs: 210 Labs: open innovation through user involvement and co-creation www.openlivinglabs.eu  #infoDevGF

 

RT @openlivinglabs: ENoLL President Alvaro Oliveira on Panel: Incubating Innovation: the know-who & the know-how through networks #InfoDevGF

 

Quotable quote: SocialWire/Turkey: What Silicon Valley does at a regional level, networked entrepreneurs can do at a global level #InfoDevGF

 

Quotable quote: @Mfarm_Ke: “Next time you get hungry, please think of the farmers.” #infoDevGF

 

Congrats to Valerie de Costa of infoDev for organising this awards process/ceremony! #infoDevGF

 

See full Top50 list at http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.704.html  - I wish the list had links embedded! #infoDevGF

 

More Top 50 SME Winners: VoTek Syria www.votek-group.com  #infoDevGF

 

More Top 50 SME winners: SiamTelemed www.siamtelemed.com  ThinkCore/PebbleTalk www.pebbletalk.com  SocialWire, Turkey #infoDevGF

 

More Top 50 SME winngers: Kabinata www.kabinata.com  mFarm www.mfarm.co.ke  NaisCorp http://naiscorp.com/  #infoDevGF

 

Palestinian winner from Ibtaker makes passionate speech, and advocates Jerusalem as capital of Palestine. Can’t avoid politics! #infoDevGF

 

More Top 50 SME winners: EtherVoice www.ethervoice.net  Ibtaker, Palestine www.ibtaker.ps  #infoDevGF

 

Touching and inspiring to hear SME winners, many of them too emotional to speak more than a few words! #infoDevGF

 

Top 50 SME Winners: Acrux Soft www.acruxsoft.com.uy  Addicts123 www.addicts123.webs.com  Al-Khwarizmi Software, Egypt #InfoDevGF

 

RT @RaduTiciu: Top50 SME prizes awarding: http://www.goodmood.fi/globalforum/index.php  live broadcast from Helsinki #infodevGF

 

Jason: Need to look at gender issues, social sustainability. Startups in Palestine face physical challenges from Israel #infoDevGF

 

Jason Downes, Senior Investment Officer, IFC, jokes that he doesn’t want to be the “laxative” of “financial constipation”! #infoDevGF

 

infoDev Top 50 SMEs: http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.699.html  http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.704.html  #infoDevGF

 

750 applications were received for Tech SME Financing competition. Also see http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.542.html  #InfoDevGF

 

And now: Technology SME Financing Awards! #infoDevGF

 

Complaints about power outlet shortage here! Event organisers, please read my Top 15 Twitter Tips! http://km.techsparks.com/?p=42  #infoDevGF

 

Ahmed Laiali of Egypt invites funds to invest in Egypt #InfoDevGF

 

Usama coins a new term: “financial constipation” — lots of money but no movement in the markets/ecosystem! <laughter> #infoDevGF

 

Q: In some cultures (eg Middle East) failure is taboo. How to help overcome this cultural stigma for aspiring entrepreneurs? #infoDevGF

 

Usama: Need to to track growth rates (3X, 7X) of startups to pitch to investors. Training courses are expensive #infoDevGF

 

The usual VC panel debate begins – some say there is enough money, others say money is the challenge #infoDevGF

 

Kent Lupberger, IFC: The best moment to invest is the moment of maximum pessimism! #infoDevGF

 

Folabi: NIgeria has to get it right; we need to set qualitative issues right. Then this will work for other African countries too #infoDevGF

 

Folabi: The issue is more than money – it is about getting startups to share info about their plans and needs and challenges #infoDevGF

 

Folabi: We are looking at a mobile strartup; they need proper structure to attract more promoters. #infoDevGF

 

Folabi: If you only watch CNN, you won’t understand the entrepreneurship potential of regions like West Africa #infoDevGF

 

Folabi: I used to wonder why Google/Nokia/etc went to Kenya but not also to Ghana/Nigeria. I was told: better safaris! #infoDevGF

 

Folabi: There was some VC activity in South Africa but none for the rest of Africa #infoDevGF

 

Folabi Esan, Adlevo Capital www.adlevocapital.com  Mauritius/Nigeria: When we began there were no Afr tech startup funds #infoDevGF

 

Rahul: We also acquired companies to help our anchor investments, eg. 10-people design firm; prototyping firm in Italy, etc #infoDevGF

 

Rahul Patwardhan, IndiaCo Ventures, Mumbai www.indiaco.com  - We build a credible network + got support from infoDev #infoDevGF

 

Murat: We have funds/partners for free books/phoneplans/airtravel for our selected startups #infoDevGF

 

Murat: Our Entrepreneur Roundtable has dozens of VCs and hundreds of startups. Moved into more structured format recently #infoDevGF

 

Murat: We started off as an entrepreneur network in NY, then expanded to Istanbul and Ankara; also Japan. Next: Brasil, India #infoDevGF

 

Murat Aktihanoglu – Managing Director, ER Accelerator – Turkey/US: www.eranyc.com  #InfoDevGF

 

Bril: Key success factor for accelerators: how to identify those who can leverage human capital and mobilise them #infoDevGF

 

RT @RaduTiciu: Bril, meeting first Cambridge, MA, VCs in 80s

offering investment w/out collateral seemed an American eccentricity #infodevGF

 

Bril: Many people in Argentina thought I was running a Patagonia tourism service — hard to explain to people what VC means! #infoDevGF

 

Bril: Entrepreneurship drive was there in Argentina, but no VCs in the late 90s (dotcom era), when I started up #InfoDevGF

 

Lisandro Bril, Ax Ventures, Argentina: To succeed means you fail and fail and fail and never give up! #infoDevGF

 

Fayad: We are raising a $6 million fund for two years; will fund at least 20 companies with it #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: Our angel network meeting two weeks ago attracted 80 investors from 10+ countries (including Turkey, US, UK) #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: Going from Silicon Valley to Jordan, I was surprised at huge demand for VC/mentor services. We have invested in 15 cos. #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: Mentors spend two hours a week with startups for four weeks at launch. They are CEOs of companies #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: Startup pitch is converted into a contract, and we check if they have achieved the milestones. Roped in a mentor network #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: We also offer bootcamps to startups, 30-60 in each batch. Tough camp, only the good ones survive, we invest in those #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: We even start off companies with $15,000 for three months. Focus: ICT, digital, mobile #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: It is not just about the funding gap, but the mentorship/advice/formula gap for startups in the Middle East. #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: When I started off, there was not a single early-stage VC in the entire Middle East. We are an oasis in the desert #infoDevGF

 

Fayyad: Middle East – North Africa region has challenges in getting startups off the ground #infoDevGF

 

Usama Fayyad, Oasis 500, Jordan www.oasis500.com  : Regional early-stage fund and entrepreneurship initiative #infoDevGF

 

RT @UKBI: InfoDev network now includes 350 business incubation

environments in ‘developing economies’ #infodevGF

 

Day Three of #infoDevGF kicks off: Panel – “Technology FInancing”

http://infodevgf.net/

 

And now: official release of #ICT4D reports and badly-needed

cocktails… ;-) #infoDevGF

 

Magnificent one-day track on mobile innovation wraps up! This global forum should be annual, not biannual! #infoDevGF

 

Edward: We want to be seen as more like a VC, eg via hackathons #InfoDevGF

 

Q: Are you also investing in user adoption and not just apps? eg. contests for #ICT4D?

#InfoDevGF

 

Edward: Big focus is on Africa and Middle East #infoDevGF

 

Edward: We will eventually move to a global open innovation model #infoDevGF

 

Q: Is World Bank working on regional basis or vertical sector in these areas, eg. Apps for Development challenge? #infoDevGF

 

Edward: Connecting the dots is what we are doing in this emerging and exciting space #infoDevGF

 

Edward: World Bank can help with finding global problem solvers for needs of emerging communities #InfoDevGF

 

Edward: In some communities, members meet willingly (eg. disaster management), others need to be created #InfoDevGF

 

Edward: We need to help articulate problem statements in emerging communities #infoDevGF

 

Edward: Hackathons/TechCamps can crystallise products and services. #infoDevGF

 

Edward: Need to tap social networks via super-connectors like #MobileMonday to identify experts in local communities

#infoDevGF

 

Edward: Reform process must happen at the back end in gov to encourage such participatory models in water management #infoDevGF

 

Edward: Need to connect knowledge, people, apps store for scale and sustainability #InfoDevGF

 

Edward: jokes that ICT Knowledge Platform for Accountability and Public Service Delivery needs a better name! #InfoDevGF

 

Edward cites Txteagle http://txteagle.com as way of using mobiles for data collection, engagement, revenues #infoDevGF

 

Edward: Emerging questions: how to use micro-tasking to generate new jobs/revenues? #InfoDevGF

 

Edward: Service delivery can be improved by including and aggregating citizen voices #infoDevGF

 

Edward: Asset verification with cheap phones used in Afgh; order of magnitude reduction in cost compared to earlier devices #infoDevGF

 

Edward cites case of Daraja project, Tanzania http://www.twaweza.org/index.php?i=218  #infoDevGF

 

Edward: Open geo-coding opens new opportunities for mashups for broader community interpretation/use #infoDevGF

 

Edward: In 1 month youth mapped their neighbourhood in Kibera, Nairobi #infoDevGF

 

Edward: In just a few years we have moved from high-end GIS work to cheap mass sources of geo info #InfoDevGF

 

Edward: Mass participation/collaboration changes everything. There is maturity emerging in online community work #InfoDevGF

 

Edward: Bank/donors didn’t expect mobile phones to penetrate emerging markets so fast #infoDevGF

 

Edward: We are also looking at social media and geospatial info/services, along with mobile #infoDevGF

 

Edward: The lens through which we see mobile opportunity: “open development” – transparent, participatory, accountable #infoDevGF

 

Edward Anderson, World Bank: responsible for ICT Knowledge Platform #InfoDevGF

 

Thanks @emerbeamer – we bonded over beer already ;-)

#InfoDevGF

 

Franco: refers to Silicon Roundabout, UK http://on.ft.com/mNMAGb #infoDevGF

 

Franco: Competitions, awards, events are also what a good community does to promote its activities (eg. mobile awards) #infoDevGF

 

Franco: Success maximisers: user experience people (designers/ethnographers) #infoDevGF

 

Franco: Need local + international mentors. Regional clusters need to become dense enough environments #infoDevGF

 

Franco: We have two labs: Ghana (financed by Vodafone), Senegal #infoDevGF

 

Franco: We are a “firestarter” and “glue” in mobile innovation ecosystem #infoDevGF

 

Franco: Need to move from idea generation to startups. Clarification: We are not a donor #infoDevGF

 

Franco: Our work is on open gov data, agri benefits of Web, mobile communication patterns, mobile innovation labs #infoDevGF

 

Franco Papeschi, World Wide Web Foundation www.webfoundation.org  Created in 2009 #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: We are also talking to civil society organisations and engaging with them in issues like rural connectivity #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: We are talking to infoDev about linking with mLabs also #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: Standards are needed for selling/buying apps by developers #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: Donors are looking for good numbers and mobile cases. Need structure, communication, eg. about mobile money #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: Some monopolistic markets are tough to change in terms of mobile revenue share for startups #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: Helping operators with green energy needs increases their reach and decreases carbon footprint #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: Green Power for Mobile: electricity for off-grid locations #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: We connect developers, operators, donors, vendors. eg. Mobile Banking (with Gates Foundation): 20 projects, 19 countries #infoDevGF

 

Nicola: There are 5+ billion GSMA connections worldwide. Our Fund started 5 years ago. #infoDevGF

 

Nicola d’Elia, GSMA Development Fund http://www.gsmworld.com/our-work/mobile_planet/development_fund/  #infoDevGF

 

Tim: Yes, we plan a global network of mLabs #infoDevGF

 

Q: Are you targeting Western Africa for new mLabs? #infoDevGF

 

Tim: mLab services will be aimed at customers such as operators. #InfoDevGF

 

Q: How is infoDev connecting mobile innovation ecosystems of developed and emerging markets? #infoDevGF

 

Tim: mLabsWorld.com to be launched soon – online platform for mobile social networking activities #infoDevGF

 

Tim: We have published Telecom Regulation Handbook. Next – Broadband Strategies Toolkit #InfoDevGF

 

Tim: infoDev analytical work: www.ICTregulationToolKit.org, business plan templates for mLabs, Knowledge Map of Virtual Economy #infoDevGF

 

Tim: We also have eight mobile social networking hubs, eg. with #MobileMonday

#infoDevGF

 

Tim: We have new mLabs in Armenia, Pakistan Vietnam. Accelerate SME competitiveness via developer training, VCs, mentoring, tests #infoDevGF

 

Tim: Mobiles are substituting for PCs and bank accounts in many emerging economies #infoDevGF

 

Tim: Mobiles are the largest platform for delivery of development applications, eg Kenya. Low entry barriers for developers #infoDevGF

 

Tim Kelly, infoDev, founding father of mLab networks: infoDev helps Mobile Social Networking hubs, Mobile Microwork Challenge #infoDevGF

 

And now: concluding panel on Donor Roundtable for Mobile Innovation: infoDev, GSMA, Web Foundation, World Bank #infoDevGF

 

Awesome panel comes to an end. Tech fluff crowd needs to address these core issues of agri, environment, energy! #infoDevGF

 

Stephen: FAO is struggling with these issues; many govts don’t know where to even begin in understanding these tech innovations #infoDevGF

 

Hackathons can also be a good forum to bring tech developers and farmers together #infoDevGF

 

Sean: Use mobiles to develop new science and get the science to farmers faster #infoDevGF

 

Sean: East Africa is using fertilisers based on 1970s guidelines. Need to address knowledge lag #infoDevGF

 

Sean: New tools – decision support, based on questionnaires/science. eg. for rice farming #InfoDevGF

 

Q: How to get techies involved in agri space? How to bridge gap between technogeeks and development community? #infoDevGF

 

Sean: Don’t be just another app in the store — look at the whole ecosystem of product/service innovation #infoDevGF

 

Sean: To reach the last mile, you need deep partnerships, continuous dialogue with them, eg. INSEAD, WFP, MTN #infoDevGF

 

Sean: New opportunities: B2B for BoP, via data collection. B2C doesn’t always succeed #infoDevGF

 

Sean: Info is not enough to do behaviour change. Integrate consumers into your product design. “Dropping” a product doesn’t work #InfoDevGF

 

Sean: Context is King, intermediaries are King Kong! #infoDevGF

 

Sean: We have community knowledge workers (CKW) for each group of villages and households #infoDevGF

 

Sean: Important not just to get data but be able to close the engagement loop #infoDevGF

 

Sean: WFP baseline survey – kilos of maize harvested in Uganda – we used mobiles for data collection #infoDevGF

 

Sean: New opportunities – charging phones in villages, data collection, outbound info dissemination service #infoDevGF

 

Sean: Village phone ladies are still alive and doing well in Uganda – we have 15,000 of them! #infoDevGF

 

Sean: We harness “wise neighbours” or local community knowledge experts #infoDevGF

 

Sean: Need to be inclusive: those with disabilities, illiterates, those without ICT devices #infoDevGF

 

Sean Krepp, Grameen AppLab Uganda: http://www.grameenfoundation.applab.org  “Innovation in the Last Mile” #infoDevGF

 

Andrew: Data quality issue: make sure that promotional data from vendors is not misinterpreted as objective impartial news/info #InfoDevGF

 

Cori: Also keep an eye on technologies like satellite imagery, wireless sensors for data collection and analysis #infoDevGF

 

Andrew: Please don’t completely trash governments! <laughter> #InfoDevGF

 

Rohan/LIRNE Asia: Cautions that crowdsourcing term is improperly used. Reliability comes from trust, transactions, transparency #infoDevGF

 

Jamila: We also spot leaders in the farming community and work with them. Trainings, demos also help. Need physical presence #infoDevGF

 

Jamila: We build trust by talking to farmers themselves; eating with them, not just meeting them! #infoDevGF

 

Daniel Stern, #MobileMonday Kampala: How can a service like

mFarm be replicated in other countries, and retain trust? #infoDevGF

 

Jamila: We get info by crowdsourcing from part-time reporters and farmers themselves #InfoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Jamila: Farmer grew # of bee hives from 3 to 35 in short time with the help of @mfarm_ke

 

Jamila: ICTs have helped beehive sellers in Kenya; not just farmers #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Jamila: @mfarm_ke helping farmers in Kenya to acquire solar lamps through group buying

 

Jamila: m-Farm provides info services (pricing) via #SMS, buying/

selling together (aggregation). Key for success: trust #infoDevGF

 

Jamila http://mfarm.co.ke – a good way to motivate farmers is with stories by other farmers #infoDevGF

 

Jamila Abass, m-Farm Kenya: http://www.thinkinnovation.org/en/innovation/innovation.php?c=3&id=86  #infoDevGF

 

RT @stevevosloo: Through mobiles we are getting good data about

farmers for the first time ever #infodevgf

 

A: There is untapped potential in voice for farmers for mobiles, eg. IVR to “read out” farming tips. eg in India: taped info #InfoDevGF

 

Q: How can mobiles be used to target illiterate farmers? Radio and TV have been better in reaching illiterates #infoDevGF

 

Pekka: Radio, TV still good ways of reaching farmers; use along with mobiles (eg. India, Thailand) #InfoDevGF

 

Thanks! RT @whiteafrican: “Local Innovation and Entrepreneurs”

whiteafrican.com/2011/05/31/loc… from my talk at #infoDevGF

 

Pekka: Farmer organisations in poorer countries are behind the curve in learning/using mobile tools #InfoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Peka: Coopworks Diary – an open source software for cooperatives accounting in Kenya financed by Finland

 

Pekka: India and Kenya – use of digital weighing scales to improve trust in agri community traders #infoDevGF

 

Pekka: India has made many advances in this field of e-agri software, eg. Lypsaa, AkashGanga #InfoDevGF

 

Pekka: Most farmer organisations still work only with paper and pen. ICTs – better accounting, eg dairy coops #infoDevGF

 

Pekka: Rural telecentres are agri hubs for farmers. Nokia Life Tools – can target paying customers in larger markets like India #infoDevGF

 

Pekka: ICTs help farmers with better market info, education, governance practices, promotions #InfoDevGF

 

Pekka: Breakthrough of simple and cheap ICTs has already happened and is expanding rapidly #infoDevGF

 

Pekka Jamsen, AgriCord www.agricord.org : Farmer organisations can use ICTs to increase membership, offer better services #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Cory: Needed emphasis on demand-driven innovation with sustainability, scalability as technology is means- not end

 

Cori: Need more work on m-agri inclusion with respect to gender, youth, vulnerable groups #infoDevGF

 

Cori: 20,000 citizens participated in budget planning in DRC. Leads to realistic budgeting practices #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Cory: Participatory budgeting on mobile in DRC – citizens determining 50% of provincial govt. budget

 

Cori: CyberTracker helps land/forestry management. Free app, download from Net. GPS + mobile www.CyberTracker.org #infoDevGF

 

Cori: Other uses of mobiles in agriculture: participatory budgeting, education, crowdsourcing, forestry management #infoDevGF

 

Cori: National irrigation project in Afghanistan uses mobile + GPS to monitor construction on projects #infoDevGF

 

Cori: Bulgaria – mobiles are used by NGOs and citizens to monitor illegal logging #infoDevGF

 

Cori Belden, World Bank: Mobile Apps,are important for Rural e-Gov #InfoDevGF

 

Stephen/FAO: See www.e-agriculture.org  for more resources #infoDevGF

 

Stephen: Need to go beyond information provisioning to a dialogue process #infoDevGF

 

Stephen: Issues: ensuring quality content. What if you give wrong advice and a farmer’s crop dies? #infoDevGF

 

Stephen/FAO: Huge potential for us to leverage crowdsourcing in our domain #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevgf Stephen: FAO e-agriculture community has over 7,000 members across the world

 

Stephen: We have used mobiles for pest surveillance, eg. locust monitoring. #InfoDevGF

 

Stephen: Five areas where mobiles help agriculture: Education, monitoring, collection, market info/trade, financial services #infoDevGF

 

Stephen Rudgard, FAO: FAO is struggling to keep pace with speed of innovations in mobile #infoDevGF

 

And now a well-deserved lunch break; thanks to all the speakers, attendees, and re/tweeters in this room and around the world! #infoDevGF

 

Other opportunities: B2B services, gov services, mobile advocacy solutions for NGOs #infoDevGF

 

Herman: Education via Mixit; enterprise messaging for their employees, eg. banks #InfoDevGF

 

Q: What are the opportunities for mobile services other than mass/consumer market? #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Nguyen: incubators will help you most with relationships – credibility building

 

Herman: The key for success is innovation, we are ahead of the global players when it comes to innovative services in our market #infoDevGF

 

Q: Is there still room for local/regional mobile social media players, given the global clout of the Facebooks of the world? #infoDevGF

 

Nguyen: There are no mobile keypads for typing in local language in Cambodia, Laos — they can only talk or browse #infoDevGF

 

Nguyen: Laos, Cambodia are also hungry for content, they consume more mobile content per capita than Vietnam #infoDevGF

 

Nguyen: shares meetings he has had with tech/media players in Finland; he can offer them access to 8M users in Vietnam #infoDevGF

 

Nguyen: A big factor in Asia is the cheap phones coming from China, eg feature phones #InfoDevGF

 

Torbjorn: Good example of understanding local needs: Kopo Kopo and m-finance www.kopokopo.com #InfoDevGF

 

Torbjorn: Need to get local understanding of markets in developing nations. There are elements of a cluster emerging in Nairobi #infoDevGF

 

Q: How to get VCs to look at emerging markets where are there no VCs at present? #InfoDevGF

 

Q from FinnPro: How can companies in countries like Finland co-innovate with startups in emerging economies? #InfoDevGF

 

Herman: Via open API we invite software developers to work on our platform. We give them opportunities to find audience, ads #infoDevGF

 

Herman: Next steps for Mixit: mobile wallet with real money. We have 10M users in South Africa #infoDevGF

 

Herman: Operator keeps 50% of revenues for premium #SMS generated by us #infoDevGF

 

Herman: Revenue options for our instant messaging: subscription (for special services), ads, portals, sales #infoDevGF

 

Herman: If you don’t make money, your longevity is at stake. By Sep 2006 we broke even (for South Africa market) #InfoDevGF

 

Herman: We have worked with Dep of Education in South Africa. Also counselling for youth – ChildLine (advice for abused children) #infoDevGF

 

Herman: Many users in South Africa will never have a PC, but an email is invaluable for them also, eg. to apply for jobs #infoDevGF

 

Herman: Now we have integrated with TV, eg Survivor. Radio interaction: listeners chat with DJs #infoDevGF

 

Herman: We have 250K people playing chess on Mixit. Also let new music artistes share their work. #infoDevGF

 

Herman: Our app lets users send messages longer than a standard #SMS. Now we have added video, voice. #infoDevGF www.MixIt.com

 

Herman Heunis, Mixit, South Africa: We started in 2004. High cost of #SMS in those days. Today: 38M users. “Darling of youth” #infoDevGF

 

Nguyen: I had a two-hour talk with Eric Schmidt about Vietnam and its Internet/mobile markets. #infoDevGF

 

Nguyen: Entrepreneurs must learn to talk and talk to VCs! Also have vision and passion, shared by the team #infoDevGF

 

Nguyen: Our VCs are IDG (2006) and Softbank (2009) #InfoDevGF

 

Nguyen: Advice to entrepreneurs: choose a good team, that is what the VC will look at and assess #infoDevGF

 

Nguyen: We also had to convince investors that mobile Internet services had good market potential in Vietnam #InfoDevGF

 

Nguyen: Mobile entrepreneurs need to understand mobile operators, market research firms, VCs, regulators – big challenge! #InfoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Nguyen: Socbay in Vitenam has over 140 employees + Mobile app with over 8m people

 

Nguyen Xuan Tai, CEO, NaisCorp www.naiscorp.com  Vietnam – A Day in the Life of a Mobile Services Entrepreneur #infoDevGF

 

Torbjorn: Micro-enterprises are an important lubricant for the mobile ecosystem. Need research on these dynamics #InfoDevGF

 

Torbjorn: This domain has a lot of volatility, due to tech/social/biz/gov changes. Entrepreneurs need to be flexible, learn fast #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Torbjrn: need to change mindset of the poor as passive consumers but producers and innovators as well

 

RT @e_agriculture: Launch of e-Sourcebook: “Information &

Communication Technologies for Agriculture” http://bit.ly/kyC9Vu  #infodevGF

 

UNCTAD’s Information Economy Report series http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Page.asp?intItemID=3594&lang=1 #infoDevGF

 

Torbjorn: Mobile services can meet needs of micro-enterprises in emerging markets #infoDevGF

 

Torbjorn: Broadband connectivity is accelerating micro-work, outsourcing, crowdsourcing #InfoDevGF

 

Torbjorn Fredriksson, UNCTAD: This is the first time that many of the world’s poor have access to an interactive device #infoDevGF

 

Useful URLs: Global award winners (World Summit Awards): www.wsis-award.org  www.wsa-mobile.org  #infoDevGF

 

Useful URLs: South Asia #ICT4D awards www.ManthanAward.org 

www.mBillionth.in  #infoDevGF

 

Useful URLs: Mobile Africa 2011 report www.MobileMonday.net  #infoDevGF

 

Up next: looking forward to moderating the panel on “Mobile Entrepreneurship: How to Succeed in Emerging Markets” #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: We have done work on disaster management using mobiles: cell broadcasting. #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: I spent many years in gov. Incremental policy change can work, not radical change #infoDevGF

 

RT @gordonpatrick: It is interesting that there is such a vibrant

mobile app community but int dev community can’t figure it out #infoDevGF

 

Paula: Mobile operators need to do more for BoP users, not just make outrageous amounts of money. Daylight robbery in Africa #infoDevGF

 

Paula: Ericsson has done good work on mobile use during natural disasters #infoDevGF

 

Q: Need to do something radical to get governments on board the mobile innovation agenda, the way GSMA does with operators #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: Many governments sit on their info like a dragon, they should release it to the public and make life easier for SMEs #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: hSenid in Sri Lanka has a platform to let mobile app developers find audiences overseas via Eitsalat #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Paula’s recent publication is about mobile money transactions in Tanzania

 

Q: What is the real responsibility of governments in helping SMEs and ecosystems, especially for mobiles? #infoDevGF

 

RT @Afrinnovator: “The biggest problem in #Kenya is devs getting their #apps marketed and distributed.” by @owigarj #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: Cuba, Myanmar, North Korea – need better mobile policy #infoDevGF

 

Video: “If you want to liberate a country, give them the Internet” – Wael Ghonim, Google #infoDevGF

 

Video running: Context is the new battleground for business. Global + local + personal mobiles/social media #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF 60% mobile phone penetration and 22% internet penetration in Kenya – @owigarj

 

Judith: One of our members has developed an app called M-Order, for SMEs #infoDevGF

 

Judith: m-Farm @mfarm_ke gives farmers info without having to rely on exploitative middlemen #infoDevGF

 

Judith: AkiraChix hosts Meetups, #MobileMonday, Random Hacks of

Kindness, and Nairobi Mobile Garage #infoDevGF

 

Judith Owigar, AkiraChix, Kenya: http://akirachix.com/  Kenya has 60% mobile phone penetration #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Paula Uimonen: if you are living on less than $2 a day you have to be very creative – BOP

 

Paula makes a plea for people-centred innovation in mobile: ethnography, everyday life, affordable #infoDevGF

 

Paula: BoP innovations: missed calls, shared smartphones, mobile phone as music players #infoDevGF

 

Paula shows photo of “handsfree” phone user in Africa: phone fills the hole in his earlobe! #infoDevGF

 

Paula: Half the world’s population lives in cities. Big problem in Africa: electricity. People have to pay to charge phones #infoDevGF

 

Paula: Communication is a basic human need, no surprise that it helped revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt #infoDevGF

 

Paula Uimonen, SPIDER Sweden: The Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions www.spidercenter.org  #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: Bangladesh government is trying to squeeze operators more. Godawful policy move. 3G is also a slow starter in India #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: Biggest barrier is government uncertainty regarding mobile payments. Neither yes or no, just vague and unpredictable #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: Profile of a Sri Lankan SME owner – they are not looking for freebies, but useful services in education, business info #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infoDevGF co-innovation is critical for Finnish companies hence Nokia/Gov support for mLabs lile @mlabeastafrica and @mlabsa

 

Rohan: Village phone ladies are going out of business — most people in Bangladesh have their own phones. #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: Many mobile phones in Philippines are not used for voice at all — 100% #SMS only #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: 2008: Mobiles have overtaken radio in BoP households in Indo-Gangetic plain, world’s largest concentration of poor people #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: Many Base/Bottom of Pyramid users of mobile Internet are not aware that they are using the Internet #infoDevGF

 

Rohan: results from 10,000-sample survey in 6 Asian countries: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand, Philippines #infoDevGF

 

Rohan Samarajiva, Lirne Asia: TeleUse at the Asian BoP www.LIRNEasia.net  #infoDevGF

 

Up next: Panel on “Mobile at the Base of the Pyramid” – speakers from Sri Lanka, Kenya; Sweden #infoDevGF

 

RT @maja_a: “When you ask kids with mobiles if they use Facebook, they say yes. If you ask if they use Internet, they say no.” #infodevgf

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Alex of @GeSCI: mobile phone will remain computing device for most ppl in emerging economies

 

Alex: Some users of mobile Internet don’t even know they are using the Internet. Apps should be seamless #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka: Nokia hopes to create new mobile channels through Microsoft; wider opportunity. Perhaps timing could have been different #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka: Regulatory environment needs to be supportive of mobile payments – good example of favourable policy #infoDevGF

 

Emerging economy policies need to move from “one step forward two steps back” to at least “two steps forward one step back” #infoDevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown: #infodevGF Alex: The current place for mobile phones in education is in informal education – immediate business potential

 

Q: Need better revenue share with operators. In Pakistan operator keeps a whopping 70%. World Bank should address this imbalance #infoDevGF

 

Q: Don’t just talk about mobile phones, we should also look at tablets and mini-tablets. #InfoDevGF

 

Q: What is Nokia’s value proposition to those moving to Apple and Android? Android is more popular in Asia #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka: Public sector and educators need to learn from how entertainment content has created new demand, interactions on mobiles #infoDevGF

 

Alex: The issue is still about education: educators need to learn how to use mobiles in creative ways #infoDevGF

 

Q: Don’t mobiles also distract learners? #infoDevGF

 

Q: How to engage local SMEs in m-education? Q: How to create content in m-health education? #infoDevGF

 

Q: Will mobiles remove need for PC labs in classrooms? Q: How can mobiles work with telecentre initiatives? #infoDevGF

 

Delegate from Egypt identifies challenges in his country: educators have no time to test/assess how to use mobiles for education #infoDevGF

 

RT @maja_a Don’t look for the killer app, biggest impact comes from simple communication. – Brooke Partridge, on mobile health #infodev

 

RT @maja_a Alex Twinomugisha, gesci.org : 120 million people in china read novels on #mobile phones every day. #infodevgf

 

Alex: Mobile social media are enabling people in emerging economies to collaborate as never before. Key driver of mobile Internet #infoDevGF

 

Alex: Mobile technologies will disrupt the traditional education system. Kids, adults are learning sthg new every day via mobiles #infoDevGF

 

Alex: Small size of screen/keys has not been an impediment to m-learning, unlike early pessimistic predictions #infoDevGF

 

Alex: You can do so much of informal education via mobiles even using just voice and #SMS #infoDevGF

 

Alex: There is also incredible takeup of adult education services outside classroom, eg. learning English in Bangladesh, China #infoDevGF

 

Alex: We have content for mobile phone downloads, eg videos. Tanzania has 21M mobile subscribers #infoDevGF

 

(We need tweeters from the other parallel #infoDevGF tracks: Climate Technologies, AgriBusiness)

 

Alex: Mobiles have incredible potential for education. Tanzania: 18,000 schools. 10M students. Mobiles better choice than PC labs #infoDevGF

 

Alex: As compared to earlier landline Internet wave, mobiles are truly ubiquitous in emerging economies #infoDevGF

 

Alex: Challenge for educators: how to keep curriculum relevant in today’s fast changing world and create lifelong skills #infoDevGF

 

Alex Twinomugisha, Global eSchools and Communities Initiative www.gesci.org  - Issues: quality, keeping kids in school, e-content #infoDevGF

 

Brooke: 90% of Afr healthcare workers use mobiles; design solutions incorporating them, even if not all patients have mobiles #infoDevGF

 

Brooke: Need research on sustainable business models for mobile startups and services, for emerging markets such as Africa #infoDevGF

 

Brooke: African Union and others are producing a report on e-Transformation in Africa through mobile phones #infoDevGF

 

Brooke: Africa has crossed 500 million mobile subscribers base #infoDevGF

 

Brooke: MDnet is a good example of an m-Health initiative in Ghana http://www.africaaid.org/programs/mdnet  #infoDevGF

 

Brooke Partridge, VitalWave: Need to be wary of “bright shiny device syndrome”: mobile tech can’t solve everything just by itself #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka: In addition to operators/developers, emerging economies need gov support as well as incubators for mobile startups #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka: Nokia + Finnish government + World Bank are funding mLabs in emerging economies: holistic engagement #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka: Need to understand local needs, eg. add torch feature to mobile phone. Next: what can mobile broadband do? #InfoDevGF

 

Ilkka: Farmers in Africa told me that mobiles were a life-changing tool for them; that put more of a sense of purpose for me #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka: In Africa, micro-entrepreneurship is a massive phenomen, covering 90% of employment base, 65% of GDP #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka: 1 million mobile subscribers are being added daily #infoDevGF

 

Ilkka Lakaniemi, Director, Business Environment Strategy,Nokia: The scale of the mobile industry is unparalleled in human history #infoDevGF

 

Looking forward to moderating the panel on “Mobile Entrepreneurship” at #infoDevGF this morning! http://infodevgf.net/9

 

Kicking off shortly: Day Two of infoDev’s 4th Global Forum on Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship! http://infodevgf.net #infoDevGF

 

#MobileMonday panel at #InfoDevGF wraps up! Networking facilitated by copious beer follows… :-)

 

Vesa: Advice for entrepreneurs: don’t over-engineer in the beginning, see how market responds and then adjust #infoDevGF

 

Jari: Next steps for #MoMo: benchmarking, global services, research reports InfoDevGF

 

Jari: #MoMo network helped validate a Lamborghini mobile game #infoDevGF

 

Jari: I am just swimming with the mobile innovators; the community dictates where it wants to go. We will add Global Services #infoDevGF

 

Jari: Challenge: how can “open model” innovation movements monetise their networks? #infoDevGF

 

Jari: We share our brand; even our logo is re-designed by local chapters. Our community drives the network #infoDevGF

 

Jari Tammisto, #MobileMonday: Key for our success is passion. To get engaged in the mobile revolution worldwide, join #MoMo! #infoDevGF

 

RT @RaduTiciu: “entrepreneurship is a mental disease we should spread” Andre Noel Chaker #infodevGF :)

 

http://grapholearning.info  - mobile game for helping children learn, in their own languages #infoDevGF

 

Vesa: Think of us as a “collective cyber guardian angel” – www.mywot.com #infoDevGF

 

Vesa Perala: Web of Trust has 21 million Web sites as members (reputation assessment). Customer services, phishing assessed #infoDevGF

 

Niiles Airola: www.noemissionmonday.com  Social media has helped global spread of advocacy/activist movements #infoDevGF

 

Finland panel: No Emission Monday (!), Mobile Monday, Grapho Learning, Web of Trust: “Going Global” #infoDevGF

 

Tipping points, new opportunities: venture capital interest in smaller cities, solutions/services for rural markets, B2B/M2M #infoDevGF

 

An honour to join panelists from Nigeria, Egypt, Georgia: “Mobile Innovation Trends” #infoDevGF

 

Heikki: We pioneered the category of Nokia Life Tools: 9 million users. Commercial service. #infoDevGF

 

Heikki: Nokia has world’s fastest growing app store. Series 40 has 500 million users around the world #infoDevGF

 

Heikki: Building a profitable ecosystem should include easy billing for operators & developers; we have launched stimulus grants #infoDevGF

 

Heikki: Nokia’s aim is to bridge the gap and connect the 20 to the 80 #infoDevGF

 

Heikki: Today 20% of world’s population can access the Net; 80% of the world’s population has mobile network coverage #infoDevGF

 

Nokia’s Head of Corporate Strategy Heikki Norta: Our early visions of convergence (mobile Internet) are coming true now #InfoDevFG

 

Mobile entrepreneur networking lessons learnt in Vietnam: Beer makes people talk, women make people stay! #infoDevGF

 

infoDev’s @Maja_A introduces 7 mobile grant winners from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Vietnam, Nepal, Georgia, Azerbaijan #infoDevGF

 

Pekka: Helsinki is a fun city which works. Helsinki will be World Design Capital of the Year 2012, will use mobile as showcase #infoDevGF

 

(Thanks to Helsinki City Hall for free WiFi… :-) #infoDevGF

 

Deputy Mayor of Helsinki Pekka Sauri welcomes #MobileMonday and #infoDevGF attendees to the CIty Hall

 

#MoMo Baku founder commits to hosting a MoMo event during next

EuroVision song contest! #infoDevGF

 

#MobileMonday now has chapters in 124 cities around the world! Newest members: Baku/Azerbaijan, Chisinau/Moldova; #infoDevGF

 

“Smile – it’s Monday” – official #MobileMonday greeting! #infoDevGF

 

Video: #MobileMonday is a movement, a community, an activity, an

peer-driven innovation ecosystem; largest mobile event organiser #infoDevGF

 

Kicking off now: #MoMo Helsinki panel: Passion for Mobile Entrepreneurs! http://bit.ly/jGGCMC #infoDevGF www.MobileMonday.net

 

Coming up in our #MobileMonday #infoDevGF panel this evening: peer-to-peer innovation validation, innovator ecosystems, App stores for #ICTD

 

Coffeetime chatter at #infoDevGF – Living Labs www.openlivinglabs.eu  Water Benchmarking www.ib-net.org  Open Data www.opendatafoundation.org

 

Coffeetime chatter at #infoDevGF – about Random Hacks of Kindness www.rhok.org  Water Hackathon www.waterhackathon.org

 

Looking forward to our #MobileMonday panel this evening in Helsinki

- where #MoMo was born! #infoDevGF www.MobileMonday.net

 

Mobile/wireless services/products on display at #infoDevGF: NAIS

www.NaisCorp.com  Addicts123 www.Addicts123.com

 

Mobile/wireless services/products on display at #infoDevGF:

www.AltaCode.com  AkiraChix www.AkiraChix.com  Siam Telemed www.SiamTelemed.com

 

Mobile/wireless services/products on display at #infoDevGF: M-

Farm www.mfarm.co.ke  EtherVoice www.EtherVoice.net  AmerPages www.Amerpages.com

 

Checking out some of the exhibits now from infoDev’s “Top 50 SME” winners http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.704.html  #infoDevGF

 

infoDev: World’s Top 50 SMEs Emphasise Unconventional Connections through Mobile & ICT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.710.html  #infoDevGF

 

FYI: Media coverage of infoDev’s recent study on the development potential of the virtual economy http://bit.ly/jzEOD9  #infoDevGF

 

Mikko cites example of Angry Birds expanding into theme parks around the world; can public sector help here? #infoDevGF

 

Mikko: Globalisation 2.0 is hitting us hard, much of the action is moving to Asia #infoDevGF

 

RT @klahde #InfoDevGF Antti Peltomäki from EU: we have been good at

transforming money to research, but not the other way around

 

RT @maja_a Parting words: “hack, tinker and play” @whiteafrican #infodevgf

 

 RT @AfroBella11 “What’s needed is a culture of creativity, entrepreneurship, failing and succeeding” Pekka Himanen #infodevGF via @whiteafrican

 

RT @RaduTiciu #infodevGF today and Wednesday sessions will be live broadcasted

here http://bit.ly/infodevGF

 

RT @gmeltdown Research is transformation of money into knowledge – Eduardo Costa at #infodevgf

 

RT @klahde #InfodevGF Mmboneni Muofhe: “in South Africa everything comes

from the ground… Gold, diamonds, wine.” Innovation as well?

 

RT @RaduTiciu being a “do tank” vs being a “think tank”, Andres Pesce, of Fundacion Chile http://www.fundacionchile.com/en #infodevGF

 

Logging in now from infoDev’s 4th Global Forum on Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship, Helsinki! http://infodevgf.net  #infoDevGF

Mobile Marketing Association Forum, Asia-Pacific 2011: Top 15 Takeaways

Mobile Marketing Association Forum, Asia-Pacific 2011: Top 15 Takeaways

 

Dr Madanmohan Rao

Editor, “The Asia-Pacific Internet Handbook”

Research Projects Director, MobileMonday

 

Email: madan @ techsparks .com

Tweets: http://twitter.com/MadanRao  

Books: http://bit.ly/TU12l  

 

 

Usually, after a hectic conference, I “cool off” for a few days and then revisit the key themes of the conference through my notes. The Mobile Marketing Association’s annual Asia forums in Singapore now are a “must attend” on my calendar of mobile and media events (http://forum.mmaglobal.com/singapore2011/agenda). In addition to my key takeaways from the 2010 edition of the conference (http://www.techsparks.com/mobile/?p=131) and the points I made in my presentation at the 2011 edition of the conference (http://www.techsparks.com/mobile/?p=219), here are my Top 15 Takeaways about mobile marketing this year.

 

1. Mobile: Media and Marketing

 

10 years ago, the promise of mobile was heralded as “Anytime Anywhere Any Device.” Five years ago we heard about mobiles as “Brand in the Hand,” “Brand in the Pocket,” and even “Brand by the Bed!” As a tool for personal information management, the mobile phone was regarded as the “remote control for life.” Tomi Ahonen put the mobile phone in its proper media context as the “7th Screen,” joining other media such as the cinema, TV and PC. Mobile is the first personal mass medium. Michael Becker of MMA North America identified eight channels or media paths in mobile devices: SMS, MMS, Email, Voice/IVR, Content, MobileWeb, Proximity, and Apps. Barney Loehnis of OgilvyOne described mobile as the “connective tissue for brands” and Eric Schmidt of Google has said that mobiles are creating “augmented humanity.”

 

2. Market Penetration

 

The numbers are in, and mobile is even bigger and better. According to figures cited at the #MMAF2011 forum, the world’s population is 6.8 billion, the number of mobile connections is 5.3 billion, number of TVs is 1.4 billion, and number of PCs is 1 billion. Mobile is the 3rd most used media channel in the US, in terms of hours per week (after Internet via PC; and TV). The average mobile user looks at the mobile phone 150 times per day. In 2010, 6.1 trillion SMS messages were sent worldwide. Text messaging is the Number One mobile media path worldwide. 90% of all SMS messages are read within 3 minutes of their delivery. 1 in 3 mobile search queries have local intent. Mobile is the only access point for Internet for 22% of users in China, 44% in Indonesia, and 59% in India. By 2013 more people will access the Internet via mobile than PC. By 2015, Android will be the dominant mobile platform, more than iPad/iPhone. Mobile coupon redemption rates tend to be 5-25 %, as compared to paper coupon redemption rates of 1%. Mobile ad revenues will be $20.15 billion in 2015. Andrew Knott of Euro RSCG rightly observes that there has been no global recession in consumer usage of Internet and mobiles!

 

Every day, 657,000 new users are added to the mobile market in India. China has more mobile users than the entire US population. In 2013, the number of mobile Netizens in China will exceed the number of PC-based Netizens. The Top Twitter populations in Asia are Japan, India and Indonesia; Twitter access in these markets via smartphones or SMS shortcodes continues to increase. Asians consume more productivity apps than their counterparts in the US; 54% use apps more than once per day. Elsewhere in the world, 30% of Kenya GDP transits a mobile phone. Many parts of emerging markets are not just “mobile first” but “mobile only.”

 

3. Mobile Marketing in Asia: Emerging Strengths

 

Digging beneath the numbers, a number of “pockets of excellence” for mobile marketing are emerging in Asia. For instance, Japan is a great place for augmented reality marketing on mobiles; South Korea leads in mobile financial services and games; Indonesian mobile users are active users of Blackberry (with interesting examples of “Islamic marketing”); mobiles are used heavily for marketing cosmetics in China; Hong Kong is the place to watch for NFC payments (via Octopus today, mobiles in future); Philippines has intense use of SMS for CRM and mobile payments (eg. remittances); Turkey’s mobile operator TurkCell successfully uses permission marketing campaigns; and India’s strengths in mobile marketing are in entertainment (Bollywood, cricket), edutainment, and rural marketing. Some of India’s successes in rural mobile content are being exported to China, Indonesia, Nigeria; but a lot of Japan’s successes tend to suffer from “Galapagos Island” isolation.

 

4. Mobile and Social Media Overlays

 

The traditional view of the customer journey is “Engage, Buy, Use, Complete,” with the touchpoint matrix including interactions, messages, and settings. The crucial overlays added by mobile and social media are sharing by consumers at all stages of the journey (not just product reviews), location- and time-sensitive activities, and tapping opinions from a much larger pool of fellow reviewers.

 

5. Consumer Insights

 

Traditional tools for getting consumer insights included focus groups; in today’s digital world, ambient immersion is much more important, as well as social listening and monitoring of mobile and social chatter for clues on competitors, complementors, adjuncts, peripherals, distractors and detractors. Good examples include Nokia’s research over the years into SMS forwarding habits in different cultures, Life Tools services in emerging markets (India, Nigeria, China, Indonesia), and its sponsorship of music competitions and awards in music-crazy countries such as India.

 

Interesting ways of segmenting mobile consumers are being practiced by companies like Ericsson: fun achievers, family safe keepers, principled professionals, modern Jurassics, self developers! Youth on mobile should be regarded as product co-developers and co-creators, not just as consumers. 1.6 billion youth worldwide use a mobile phone. Half of the population of Asian countries like India is under the age of 25.

 

6. Mobile Citizen and Mobile Consumer

 

Mobile marketing researchers should look not just at the “consumer” aspects of the mobile ecosystem, but the “citizen” aspects, eg. getting insights from the use of cellphones for political and advocacy mobilisation. The catalytical role played by mobiles and social media in the socio-political uprisings of the Middle East, particularly Tunisia and Egypt, has made a number of media agencies sit up and take notice of the power of citizen activism. “What’s most important about the future (of new media) is that it is for the masses, not the elite,” according to Google’s Eric Schmidt.

 

7. Categories of Social Media Activities on Mobile

 

All social media are not created equal, just as not all consumers are created equal. Marketers should carefully analyse the role of social media in marketing, particularly the interventions suited best for mobile activities. These can be categorised into: Level I: filter, rate, tag, relay; Level II: social profiling, social networking; Level III: remix, modify, mashup; Level IV: compose original content, applications; Level V: collaboratively create content, applications; Level VI: online + offline (eg. swarms, “tweetups”).

 

8. Mobile Consumer and Citizen Engagement: Frameworks

 

A good framework for analysing how to engage consumers in any medium, particularly mobile, is the “8 Cs” framework which I have used in my book series and research reports:

Connectivity (what mobile devices are used by consumers in the different markets, and how is this changing),

Content (what messaging/download/upload content is popular),

Community (what social media activities lend themselves well to mobile),

Culture (what is the business culture of media, consumers and governments in the country),

Capacity (should you outsource your consumer engagement activities; or how to build these skills and knowledge in-house),

Cooperation (how much industry cooperation is there for standards, privacy, ethics),

Commerce (is it possible to close the marketing cycle with mobile payments), and

Capital (what will it cost you to get into mobile marketing, and what are your RoI metrics).

 

9. Models for Mobile

 

One of the challenges in capacity building and academic education for mobile marketing is that it draws on five families of theories, which are now converging in mobile media. Mass media theories explain facts like cultivation effects and mainstream gatekeepers; telecom theories address the exponential power of networks; political communication theories address notions of propaganda and power; social media theories explain the new era of “mass self-communication” and accelerator/amplifier effects; and information science theories address multimedia aspects of information management and interactive communication. Mobile interaction design skills are not found in many traditional marketing agencies, hence opportunities are emerging for a whole new breed of digital creative startups.

 

10. Emerging Trends

 

Some interesting trends to watch in mobile marketing space are B2B marketing (eg. for SMEs), the use of M2M (machine-to-machine communication) as added intelligence channels, the rapid growth of tablets and mini-tablets, and business focus on “strategic patience” and crowd-source innovation. The meta-gaming phenomenon is spreading, i.e. application of gaming methods to other activities and domains. Most of Asia lives in its villages, and while the thrust of mobile marketing so far has been largely for urban middle-class audiences, huge opportunities will open up for rural and ‘bottom of the pyramid’ markets. For instance, the “media dark” towns in remote parts of India consume more content via mobiles than any other medium.

 

It is expected that Chinese-made Android smartphones will improve the richness of the smartphone experience in Asia at affordable rates. Other interesting trends: mobile ads in cloud music, ads in mobile search, multi-screen engagement across devices and the analog/digital worlds, diaspora strategies for Asians worldwide, and more sophisticated software-defined radio.

 

11. Mobile Industry Momentum

 

In addition to the MMA, a number of other industry events, lobbies and associations are focusing on the power of mobile: MEF, mobile operator associations in various countries, CTIA, GSMA. A number of competitions and awards are also focusing on mobile business innovations, and I have the honour of serving on the jury of two of them: mBillionth Awards for South Asia (www.mBillionth.in) and the UN-endorsed World Summit Awards Mobile (www.wsa-mobile.org).

 

12. Mobile Marketing: Knowledge

 

The time is ripe for a series of authoritative books/e-books/handbooks on mobile marketing, highlighting the role of mobiles as a standalone as well as integrated marketing platform. A casebook on examples from Asia would be terrific, addressing not just devices and campaigns but industry strategies and brand impacts. A number of companies already have published internal handbooks on mobile marketing, and business/media courses on mobile marketing and advertising are appearing on the academic front. Some companies such as Unilever have developed a “mobile marketing manifesto” –  be part of your consumer’s world; give consumers a voice and role; be authentic in your communication; keep it simple; let consumers tell their friends about you; do good to society. The power of mobile marketing applies not just to the consumer arena but m-government and civil society as well.

 

13. Mobile is Global

 

It is not just US and European companies that are getting into the mobile markets of Asia, but Asian mobile pioneers that are expanding into the West as well as Africa (eg. see my Mobile Africa 2011 report at www.MobileMonday.net — companies such as Huawei for China and Airtel from India are now big players in the mobile markets of Africa).

 

14. Acronym Watch!

 

If the number of acronyms used by the industry is a measure of its maturity, then mobile has certainly arrived! My favourite acronym from this year’s MMAF: PaSoLoMoUx, which stands for Payments, Social, Location, Mobility, User Experience! The key to success for getting mobile traffic is captured in another acronym: MASS = Microtransactions (Money), Advertising (Engagement), Social (Viral), Subscription (Loyalty). Ranganathan Somanathan of Starcom MediaVest offers 4Cs of mobile marketing: currency (value), conversation, community, content. I have “8 Cs” – see Item 8 above!

 

15. Case Studies

 

Mobile marketing is now close to the tipping point of being integrated with mainstream marketing, as reflected in the plethora of case studies cited at #MMAF2011, including: Nestle Coffeemate, UNHCR, iButterfly, Axe, REI, MacDonalds, Coke, Pepsi, Johnson&Johnson, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Nokia, Foursquare, Blyk, GetJar, Maxis, HSBC, Walmart, Tiffany, HKTDC, Mitsubishi Outlander, Globe, Turkcell, Finnair, Ford, MTR/HK, Hennessy, Standard&Chartered, eBuddy, InMobile, TxtEagle, Salvation Army, Domino’s Pizza, North Face Red Flag, and Avis!

 

 

In sum, mobile marketing helps drive response, develop mobile content, keep dialog going, develop location triggers, and get new insights. There is no better strategic opportunity for marketers today than mobile. Brands should therefore have an “always on” platform for all stages of the consumer journey. Mobiles can connect all the spaces in the media ecosystem. People everywhere are seeking ‘experiences’ and not just transactions or entertainment; this is a major consumer trend which bodes well for mobile as a medium. A group effort is needed to help mobile marketing succeed, with many valuable experiences from the early days of Internet ads. But care should be taken to avoid spamming; the mobile medium is a conversation not an ad.

 

And while Asia is a major user of the mobile medium, the time has come for the region to showcase its thought leadership globally, and capitalise on it the way US-based companies like Apple, Google, Facebook and Twitter have.

 

Mobile Marketing: Consumer Centric Engagement

Mobile Marketing: Consumer Centric Engagement

 

// Presentation at Mobile Marketing Association Forum, Singapore; May 4, 2011

http://forum.mmaglobal.com/singapore2011/agenda //

 

Dr Madanmohan Rao

Editor, “The Asia-Pacific Internet Handbook”

Research Projects Director, MobileMonday

 

Email: madan @ techsparks .com

Tweets: http://twitter.com/MadanRao

Books: http://bit.ly/TU12l

 

 

Agenda

 

Mobiles in Asia

Knowledge and innovation strategies for consumer engagement

Frameworks and theories

Trends

 

Mobiles: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

 

Brand in the Hand, Brand in the Pocket, Brand by the Bed!

Remote control for life

7th Screen

Mobile is eight channels or media paths: SMS, MMS, Email, Voice/IVR, Content, MobileWeb, Proximity, Apps

Connective tissue for brands

“Augmented humanity”

 

The Numbers: Recap

 

Mobile is the only access point for Internet for 22% of users in China, 44% in Indonesia, 59% in India

By 2013 more people will access the Internet via mobile than PC

By 2015, Android will be dominant mobile platform, more than iPad/iPhone

In 2013, number of mobile Netizens in China will exceed number of PC-based Netizens

Top Twitter populations in Asia: Japan, India, Indonesia

 

Mobile Marketing in Asia

 

Japan: augmented reality

South Korea: financial services, games

Indonesia: smartphones/Blackberry; Twitter

China: cosmetics

Hong Kong: NFC payments (Octopus)

Philippines: SMS and CRM; remittances

India: rural; sports; entertainment; education

 

Knowledge Maps: Customer Journey

 

Traditional view

Engage, Buy, Use, Complete

Touchpoint matrix

Interactions, messages, settings

Social media and mobile overlays

Share

Inputs: familiar + unfamiliar sources

Location

 

Marketing Vectors

 

Technology

Comparatives, competitors

Customer

Sales, payment

Trends

 

Consumer Need Vectors

 

Low value, high value

Home, office, ‘third spaces’

Citizen, consumer

Stated, unstated

Met, unmet

 

Market Immersion

 

Customer insights

Focus groups, ambient immersion, barcamps, unconferences

Social listening

Competitors

Complementors, adjuncts, peripherals

Distractors, detractors

Events, competitions, awards

 

Nokia

 

SMS menu: “forward” option

Life Tools

Music competition in India

 

Media and Political Mobilisation

 

19th century telegram: Peccavi – “I have sinned” (Sindh)

1979: Khomeini’s cassette tapes in Iran

CNN and the Gulf War (1990-1991)

2001: Philippines and deposing of Estrada (SMS)

The 2003 Iraq war and the Internet (“second superpower”)

2011: Mobiles and social media in Tunisia, Egypt

 

“What’s most important about the future (of new media) is that it is for the masses, not the elite.”

 

Eric Schmidt

CEO, Google

(Mobile World Congress, Barcelona; 2011)

 

Mobile + Social Media: User Activities

 

Level I: filter, rate, tag, relay

Level II: social profiling, social networking

Level III: remix, modify, mashup

Level IV: compose original content, applications

Level V: collaboratively create content, applications

Level VI: online + offline (eg. “tweetups”)

 

Online User Behaviour: Sociology 2.0

 

Lurkers

Predators

Spammers

Trawlers

Thought leaders

Advisors

Fixers

Provocateurs

 

The “8 Cs” of the Mobile Economy

 

Connectivity

Content

Community

Culture

Capacity

Cooperation

Commerce

Capital

 

Mobile Media Impacts: Converging Theories

 

Mass media

Telecom

Political communications and organisation

Social media

 

Mass Media Theories

 

Cultivation

Gatekeepers

Structural flows of international news

Agenda-setting

 

Telecom Theories

 

Power of the network is proportional to the number of members

Correlations/causations between telecom/broadband density and GDP

 

Political Communication and Power

 

Propaganda

Influence

Framing, de-coding

Mobilisation, confrontation