Could Apple Be On The Verge Of Another Revolution?

The smartphone and tablet revolution created by Apple has changed the way we work and live.  More people are now accessing data not at the office or the desktop, but on the move or in more relaxed environments.  In fact Apple has just reported selling over 16 million iPhones and over 7 million iPads in just the last quarter of 2010.  We all love these devices and can't leave home without them, but the major problem has been battery power. While Apple has unquestionably revolutionized mobile computing, we are still left with pretty appalling battery life for these hungry devices.

But that's about to change in a big way.

It's recently been reported that Apple has secured its first patent for a Liquidmetal, a new innovation in space-age metal alloy technology.  The liquid metal (amorphous alloy), is the main component of small fuel cells. The new patent describes a container plate of amorphous alloys for fuel cells, an electrochemical battery that uses hydrogen to generate electricity. Utilizing this technology Apple could create mobile devices with battery power lasting 30 days or more, and MacBooks with battery life of 20 hours or more. That's hard to imagine and sounds like science fiction, but it's real. NASA says this technology is “poised to redefine materials science as we know it in the 21st century.”

While there are those that talk about Apple's market share being eroded by Android phones or other tablet device manufacturers, let's not forget that this company created these sectors and all the others are now having to follow to stay in the game.  Such a prolific leap in battery usage time (the holy grail), will give Apple yet another leap ahead of its nearest rivals for years to come. And this technology is cheap, efficient and environmentally friendly too!

Just as the competition comes up with a competitive product, Apple is already preparing its next big move. We certainly hope Steve Jobs is back soon.  It is his unique vision of the future that is the powerhouse of Apple's product development. Could Apple be on the verge of the next revolution in technology?  I think so.

Ford Launches Sync Destinations

The Ford Motor Company has launched a new App called Sync Destinations. This is not just another navigation App, and there are many free Apps for both iPhone and Android smartphones already available. Sync Destinations is special because it is designed to work not just on the handset but also with its Synch in-vehicle operating system, providing seamless synchronization between the smartphone app and the car’s onboard navigation system.

On the phone, the user can search locations and map routes and save those destinations for future reference. Once the user enters their car, the app instantly links with Ford’s on-board navigation system. The system not only uploads the saved destinations but extends the nav system’s more sophisticated functionality to the app. Now the user can access the destinations through voice commands and receive turn-by-turn directions. The app also uses real-time traffic and weather data to adjust routes which is really useful in major city centers. It will even give you a suggested time of departure to make your destination on time.  Now that's really useful.

Ford has really thought about the consumer in developing this technology.  It's perhaps one of the reasons why this car manufacturer has survived the auto industry downturn without needing a bail out.  Sync Destinations is available on all the major smartphone platforms including iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Ford will be showing off its Sync platform at CES, Las Vegas next week.  

Hard to imagine this kind of technology would be at our fingertips 10 years ago!

Is Social Media Marketing Worth The Effort?

A lot of business owners I talk to have the misconception that social media marketing is the only thing they need to do, and that sets them up for unrealistic expectations leading to abandoning their online presence.  It is vital to understand that social media marketing is part of your overall marketing strategy and online presence.  It does not replace every marketing tool and it's not the Holy Grail!

Social media is most effective when it is incorporated into your entire online presence. Just setting up accounts on Facebook, Twitter and even Linkedin, don't magically drive traffic or business.  Setting up a Blog sitting independently in cyberspace also has little effect. You need to attach your Blog to your business site and use this mechanism as a P.R. tool to disseminate information about your company, products and customers on a regular basis not just now and then. And it doesn't stop there.  You need to make sure that your Blog postings are searchable via the social networks and bookmarks. It all needs to link and mesh. This has become the new SEO.

Many social networks enable you to consolidate your posts, so you can write and make one post on your Facebook page’s wall, and that post will then automatically be “tweeted” via your Twitter account, which will automatically post to your LinkedIn profile. These features save you time and money but not all postings are appropriate for each medium.  Twitter is great for alerting people to an event for example, or a special one day offer with a coupon code, but don't expect to engage in conversation with customers. Facebook is better suited for that.

You have to build your online presence on Facebook and Twitter.  Again, many business owners think this can happen in the space of a few weeks or a month.  It's a long term, ongoing function of your marketing department or outside consultant and requires commitment. Don't start this process unless you have the commitment for an annual budget.  Maintenance is required daily and maintenance means someone has to do it.  The biggest mistakenly held notion is that marketing is suddenly going to cost nothing because social networks are free compared to advertising space which costs money. Both cost money and both need to be incorporated into your marketing strategy, but use each medium and tool properly and you will see traffic go up, brand image improve and ultimately sales also increase. And along the way you will learn about your customer base, your competitors and the market.

For more on how to build a social media marketing campaign, you can purchase "Social Media Marketing For Small Business" by Audrey Peters in the iBookstore or Amazon Kindle.

Christmas Shoppers Are Going Mobile

The smartphone has now become a must have for Christmas shopping, helping consumers find where the best deals are. About a decade ago it was the Internet that changed how people shopped.  Now it is the smartphone that's enabling consumers to find the deals before leaving home and then comparing prices while in the malls.  A European survey by the Mobile Marketing Association claims 67 per cent of shoppers (in UK, France and Germany combined) will use their phones for shopping this Christmas, up 23 percent from last year.  Among the highest users are the French, at 82 percent. In fact, Europeans have already embraced payment by smartphone or the smartphone wallet.

Apps like BarCode scanner and ShopSavvy seem to be among the most popular and helped one shopper in Greensboro save $100 in one trip. But it's not just about looking for the best deals.  Shoppers are using their smartphones to find product information and reviews while they are in the store.  A Study by Accenture found that 73% of shoppers with a smartphone favor using it to handle small tasks and product information, rather than interact with an employee in the store. Getting information about a product is easier online where shoppers can also see customer opinions.  If you are a retailer, it has become vital to offer social media interaction with shoppers, whether they are browsing at home or, actually engaged in the shopping trip.  Larger retailers need to take this further with a specific mobile App to make the user experience easier. Overall, the Accenture survey suggests 56% of shoppers with smartphones believe smartphones will make the shopping experience more enjoyable.

There's no question that smartphones are replacing traditional mobile phones and this Christmas is seeing even more sales of actual smartphones.  BestBuy is using social media to offer special deals daily, especially via Facebook. So if you haven't yet purchased a smartphone, you might actually get one for free with a 2 year contract right now.  

Live Dish TV And DVR on Your iPad

The iPad is certainly becoming the must have electronic product these days. Dish Network has launched a new App for the iPad bringing live TV and DVR access. Now your iPad turns from an ereader to your TV anywhere. If you have a SlingLoaded DVR, the ViP 922 as well as the new sling adaptor, you'll be able to watch live and recorded television programming. Users will also be able to browse and search through up to nine days of programming, schedule DVR recordings, manage conflicts, and delete content on multiple receivers.

And if that isn't enough, you can also use your iPad just like a large remote control right from your sofa. The application, called Remote App, is free from the iTunes store and also works with the iPhone unlike the App from Sling which costs $30. The Dish TV "Everywhere" service is the only pay-TV provider to offer a true TV everywhere solution that's now on the iPad. 

Holiday Shopping On Your Smartphone

The holiday season is upon us again, but this time it looks like smartphones will be ringing up about 28 percent of holiday shopping sales or, $127 billion of the $447 billion the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts that U.S. consumers will spend this season.  There are lots of Apps, ranging from those that provide direction and maps, to credits and coupons, and others that combine the social networking aspect.

As people are looking for more deals, they'll be using their iPhones, Android and Blackberry devices to not only search for deals online, but to also find deals in their local shopping malls, where comparison shopping can be done on the spot. There are various shopping Apps that will you help you do this, such as the Micello Indoor Map for malls. It does for malls what Google maps does for the world. Micello provides an interactive map that allows you to locate products inside a mall and get walking directions to the store.  It's available on Android, iPad, iPhone, but as yet it is only available for about 15 shopping centers.  Another App, Shopkick, combines rewards or "kickbucks'' (redeemable credits), the moment you walk past a sensor at the door of one of its partners. You can also earn kickbucks by scanning the product barcode with your iPhone camera at participating retailers.  Some of the deals are as high as $75 kicbucks at BestBuy for example.

MyShopanion combines social networking with shopping.  You can bring your closest friends with you by snapping a shot of the product or the barcode, broadcast it on Facebook or Twitter, or even email your community of friends.  Since two-thirds of the largest purchases in a household are influenced by family and friends, you really are bringing them along with you.  This App allows you to push the information right to all your social networks at once.

Check out the iTunes store to get these Apps.

Facebook Takes Top Spot For Online Ads

With so many choices and such limited budgets especially for small business, it seems like a bewildering task to decide where to advertise. But not anymore.  Facebook has taken the top slot when it comes to online advertising producing 297 billion online display ad impressions last quarter alone. According to Comscore, Facebook delivered almost 1.3 trillion display Ads during this period.

Yahoo took the second spot, with 140 billion impressions and 11% of the market, while Microsoft ranked third, with 64 billion hits and a 5% share. It seems everyone is chasing Facebook's success.  So if you haven't launched a Facebook Page, then you are missing some serious opportunities in the online space. And if you already have a Facebook Page, it's time to start experimenting with some Ads.  You don't need huge budgets.

A small business can experiment with just a few hundred dollars by being very selective and targeting relevant demographic groups.  For example, you can target by location, age, interests and various other target filters. When you consider that your audience is likely to have a smartphone, Facebook offers you mobile advertising that can really be effective for capturing potential customers in your neighborhood at precisely the moment they are seeking to buy a product or service. This is a much less crowded space for advertisers than traditional forms of advertising.

For more on how to create a social media campaign strategy, read "Social Media Marketing For Small Business", a step by step guide, by Audrey Peters.  Available on Amazon Kindle and iPad in the iBookstore. Post a comment or question here or, contact me directly.