Biznar Mobile Search App: 5 Qs With CEO Abe Lederman

In this companion post to our Biznar mobile search app road test we catch up with Abe Lederman, CEO of Deep Web Technologies to explore his mobile roadmap and aim to open up more to third-parties and app developers. Let’s start with a high-level view of Deep Web...

Mobile Search App Review & Road Test: Biznar

Today we are kicking off with a new look and a new series of alternative search engine iPhone and iPad app reviews and road tests with Biznar, a mobile search app available for both the iPhone and the iPad that takes a unique approach to searching for business related...

M-Pulse ANALYSIS: inneractive Cracks The Code On Mobile App Monetization

At M-Pulse Rob Woodbridge and I catch up with Itay Gadot, VP Marketing at inneractive, to dissect app monetization models, debate the realistic range of eCPMs (and revenues) developers can expect and discuss the increasing (and surprising!) importance of rich media ads in the marketing mix.

The interview is entertaining and hands-on, in part because Innteractive has seen the market from all the angles. Founded in 2007 as an in-game ad network, inneractive has since evolved into a mobile app monetization exchange that pulls together the resources (and reach) of 100+ ad networks and local premium agencies.

Three Quick Tips To Monetize Your Mobile App

3 quick app tipsThe avalanche of mobile apps turns up the pressure on individual mobile developers to find new ways to rise above the noise and generate meaningful revenues. A great app is a good start, but developers determined to build a serious business also need a solid monetization strategy. Hillel Fuld shares three tips aimed at generating more clicks and — ultimately— more revenues.

***

Most mobile app developers have realized that earning a living from their activities is no walk in the park. Not every app achieves the success of Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, or Fruit Ninja. Putting aside the issue of getting a mobile app discovered and downloaded, developers, especially on Android, are finding it increasingly difficult to generate any significant revenue from their apps.

M-Pulse ANALYSIS: Bango Helps Mobile App Developers Hone Their Sales Pitch

bango enabling app paymentsAt M-Pulse it's a month dedicated to mobile developer issues and we talk mobile app business basics opportunities with Ray Anderson, co-founder and CEO of Bango, a U.K.-based billing and analytics company that enables mobile developers to collect money for their apps.

But it's not just about providing a platform that makes it possible for mobile app developers to sell apps and collect payments using carrier billing. Bango has cleverly inserted itself at the center of the burgeoning App Economy, collecting data and insights (about how users pay and how they prefer to be treated when they make their next purchase). It's a stockpile of anonymized data that allows app

Social Messaging Apps Cost Mobile Operators SMS Revenues

conversationIn episode #9 of M-Pulse I examine a recent report from analysis firm Ovum that claims social messaging applications cost mobile network operators US$13.9 billion in lost SMS revenue last year.

Ovum expects the decline (nearly 6 percent of total messaging revenue in 2010 and 9 percent in 2011) to continue as the popularity of messaging apps continues to grow. Ovum warns operators to rework their legacy services if they want to secure their future position in the messaging market.

How can mobile operators hold their ground? Neha Dharia, consumer analyst at Ovum and author of the report tells us collaboration, not competition is the way to succeed.

M-Pulse ANALYSIS: WIP Marketing Essentials For Mobile Developers

m-pulse video showAt M-Pulse we continue our month-long look at mobile developer issues and opportunities, and focus on the practical marketing 'stuff' developers should master if they are serious about marketing and making money from their apps. We connect with Caroline Lewko, CEO and founder of WIP (Wireless Industry Partnership) and walk through the Mobile Developer's Guide To The Parallel Universe, a new resource from WIP that lays out the business basics developers need to follow.

In other segments:

Co-host Rob Woodbridge raises his Goblet of Rock to salute Snackr– the company disrupting terrestrial radio by delivering us personalized audio bite-size. Rob also looks backs on the 'social discovery' startups that left their mark on SXSW.

M-Pulse ANALYSIS: Millennial Media Mobile Device Megatrends PLUS Why Cross-Platform Tools Can Disrupt

android share of impressions growsAt m-pulse we kick off a month looking at the App Economy and what developers need to know to turn building apps into a viable and thriving business. To set the stage for a discussion of wider industry trends we go to the 'go-to' market analysis and strategy firm VisionMobile and its founder Andreas Constantinou.

VisionMobile, which consistently delivers the industry actionable insights and definitive reports on all things mobile, just last week released the Cross-Platform Developer Tools 2012 report. This ambitious work analyzes the complex cross-platform tools landscape and — more importantly

An Offer They Can’t Refuse: Using Mobile To Drive Customer Acquisition

mobile customer retentionThe holiday numbers are in, the mobile user surveys are done, and the implications for brands, retailers and marketers are profound. Mobile has become an integral part of the shopping routine, with the vast majority of consumers admitting to using their mobile phones to search and purchase gifts. John Stevens examines this mobile megatrend and shares eight tips for creating and executing a successful mobile strategy.

***

Shopping will never be the same. A number of reports show that people rely on mobile every step of the consumer journey. Equally mobile search continues to play a huge part in our lives. A recent Performics survey of 502 U.S, residents who use mobile phones to search the web at least once a week revealed that a whopping 75 percent of consumers report mobile search makes their lives easier. Specifically, 63 percent said access to mobile search has changed the way they gather information, and 32 percent said they use search more on their mobile devices than they do on their personal computers.

EXCLUSIVE: Mobile Crowdsourcing Photo Service Supplies Media & Brands With Compelling Content

scoopshot iconEvery week over at m-pulse we discus the companies and concepts rocking the industry and my pick was Scoopshot, a mobile crowdsourcing app (and ecosystem) that allows media companies to post location-aware photo 'assignments' to the community of app users. The upshot is user-generated content that impresses on two counts: media (newspapers, magazines, online) have fresh content and people earn money for their photos. What's more, the app is plugged into an ecosystem that manages right and makes payments.

It is refreshing to see such a well-executed strategy and end-to-end ecosystem, so I caught up with Niko Ruokosuo, the brains behind Scoopshot, which is also owned by Helsinki-based P2S Media Group Inc. Niko — acts as the CEO of the company and is in charge of the company’s internationalization efforts, business development operations and marketing — has a long track record in the media industry and held executive positions in companies including: the Saudi Research and Marketing Group, one of the largest media organizations in the Middle East, the Finnish magazine publisher Sanoma Kaupunkilehdet and the Los Angeles Times.

M-Pulse: Chetan Sharma Talks Mobile Commerce, Payments & 2012 Mobile Predictions Survey Results

m-pulse video showWill 2012 be the year of mobile commerce? If this is indeed a momentous year for mobile retail and transactions of all kinds, then what will happen to the mix of payment options and players currently jockeying for position? Should we expect a showdown between credit card companies, carriers, banks, aggregators and the likes of PayPal? In the midst of all the massive growth and disruption will we see mega-acquisitions, or are all the companies that could achieve $10 billion+ price tags in the first place taken?

This week's m-pulse catches up with Chetan Sharma, independent consultant and well-known industry authority, to discuss mobile mega-trends and deep-dive into the results of the 2012 Mobile Industry Predictions Survey. Each year Chetan asks us —the mobile industry — to weigh in on the most newsworthy events and companies, as well as vote for the breakthrough categories, developments and technologies sure to define 2012.

Rob and I also discuss our pick of hot mobile news and data points. I rant about the disconnect between the mobile and retail readiness of luxury brands (lacking to say the least!) and our willingness (even requirement) to interact with luxury brands via our mobile phones and tablets.

How Mobile Devices Enhance The Story-Telling Experience

Children’s books are written with an important purpose in mind. Whether the publisher hopes to excite our imagination, touch our hearts, or simply make education fun, mobile must be part of the cross-media mix. Tego Interactive tells us why we shouldn’t limit...

M-Pulse: GigaOm’s Kevin C. Tofel Talks Smartphones, Smart Homes & 2012 Mobile Predictions

m-pulse video showWill 2012 be the year we remotely connect to our smart homes using our smartphones? Can Intel crash the mobile party and make its mark with tablets that stand up to ARM-powered devices? Should we expect a shift in the operating system landscape in favor of Microsoft (with Symbian as a back-up plan)?

This week's m-pulse — the new vodcast series produced by Rob Woodbridge, founder and owner of UNTETHER.tv, in collaboration with MobileGroove — catches up with Kevin C. Tofel, Mobile site editor at GigaOM.com, where he covers mobile technology and the global wireless industry. Continuing our theme for January, we deep-dive into his list of 16 mobile industry predictions for 2012 and get his take on the week's hot mobile news.