Mobility

Apps v. Mobile Web: is the Jury is Still Out?

Earlier in the year at Keynote Mobile Developer Live! we asked out expert panel if the future of mobile would be on the cloud or in device-resident apps. The crowd seemed evenly spit between the two, but in the 9 months since all we've heard about is the downloadable app.  If read the news you'd think that the battle had been decided and the app proclaimed winner.

But today I came across and some interesting data from Nielsen suggesting that Internet usage among smartphone users is at least as relevant as the app, if not more so.

This data backs up the significance of our launch of Keynote Mobile Application Perspective (MAP) 4.0 this week.   MAP 4.0 was upgraded to be the go-to monitoring platform for any Content Provider concerned with the speed and availability of the Web properties when accessed by the armies of smartphone users out there. And by adding the iPhone, Palm Pre, Nokia N95, and multiple BlackBerry and Android devices to the library of 1,600+ device profiles, monitoring content precisely as experienced by the end user has never been easier.

MAP 4.0 lets you monitor your content over time and drill down to see the actual screen shots at the tme of download.  Wow!

Sure the mobile app is and will be important-- and we have solutions for them.  But as someone who believes that the future is on the cloud, today is a great day. We nailed it.

Show No Fear: Best Buy Embraces Retail Change

Years ago, working at a telecom giant, I developed a great deal of respect for Best Buy and their willingness to embrace change.  It was reported in Business Week that they'd boldly smashed the work clock and eliminated mandatory meetings in favor for a more progressive working environment.  Now keep in mind that I was tethered to my desk at the time with all-day conference calls where nobody seemed to pay attention to anything other than someone on the line calling out their name.

"Could you please repeat the question, please?" 

It was bitterly ironic that we weren't allowed to telecommute even though we actively promoted it to our customers.

When Best Buy decided to sell mobile devices, I saw firsthand the quality of service and product knowledge demonstrated by their staff.  

Leap ahead several years and I continue to have an admiration for how Best Buy approaches their business. Earlier in the year I learned that they'd enabled customers to text product SKUs to the Best Buy shortcode for on-demand information. Then in October they announced mIQ, a service that brings together the smartphone and Web, providing a means to manage personal data over the cloud.

And now Best Buy just announced a downloadable movie service that promises to change how (and where) we watch content.  Best Buy continues to succeed because they don't take a wait-and-see approach to the marketplace.  They aren't a retailer of high-tech equipment, they are a high-tech retailer and have a vision for for the future. We've seen retailers come and go, mostly those unwilling to evolve with the business. To the degree that Best Buy is successful in meeting customer expectations with their innovative mobile, Web, SMS, and streaming technologies they will continue to play a dominant role in retail. 

Confessions of an Insomniac: Mobile Aggregators, Smog Checking Tools, and Keynote

From time to time I'll wake up at 3:00am with an idea or observation that motivates me to write it down.  In nearly every case I look at it again 12 hours later, laugh, and say "what was I thinking."  Last night it happened again and while blogging the observation may inspire strange looks from my co-workers, I found the concept so interesting that I've decided to take action this time.

I was challenged to come up with a concise description for Mobile Aggregator and what popped in my mind was an analogy. Mobile aggregators are like auto mechanics. 

- They are indispensable if you want to keep your car running. 

- They often compete on either price, service, and reputation; and sometimes you choose them because they're in the right place at the right time.  

- People often gripe about mechanics but if you find a good one, you have a trusted partner for life.  

Sure the analogy is true-- but there are several relationships that are similar. But as I thought about it more in those pre-dawn hours, I remembered hearing recently of mechanics in the San Jose area who were caught cheating on California smog inspections.  The State mandates that a certified mechanic must demonstrate that a vehicle performs ata predetermined level.  The State determines what an acceptable level of emissions is and the tools that are needed for measurement.  Mechanics are certified by the State and receive credibility amongst the public from their licensing.  If data from the smog checking machine is not credible or the credibility ofthe mechanics comes into question-- the whole process breaksdown and the people of California suffer. Integrity and trust are required for everyone to get the desired end result-- a healthy environment.

The same is true in the mobile world.  We all depend on mobile aggregators to keep mobile services running at the levels needed for long term viability.  Content owners, much like car owners, need to have a level of trust with the partner on whom they depend.  Aggregators need tools to prove to the customer that they've delivered value and nothing beats hard data from a trusted source.

This is where Keynote comes in.  Our mobile monitoring service is like the smog checking machine.  

 

- Like the machine, many rely on the credibility of our data and our ability to collect it consistently from many locations.  

 

- We give aggregators tools to back up their claims, just as we provide content owners proof of delivery. 

 

- When further work is required, our data is the starting point for deeper analysis.  

 

It's not likely that you'd pay for extra work from a mechanic if you didn't see the failed report in your hand and believe in its accuracy.

 

With smog checking machines, you don't get to determine the service levels you need to attain, the public (in the form of the State Government) does that for you.  Mobile monitoring is much the same.  Once you determine the performance of you mobile content, application, or service-- it's important to stack it up against the rest of the market.  If you aren't performing at a high level... well... it's like failing the smog test.  Fortunately Keynote provides a benchmark of top performers so that you can take corrective action to get to the level where you need to be. 

 

What a great feeling it is when you take your car in for an inspection and see that you've passed.   The money is well-spent because It's good for the environment, and if additional work is required you can trust the reasons why.  Similarly, I think that reliable Keynote mobile monitoring data creates the same atmosphere of trust of among content owners and mobile aggregators fostering healthy and productive working environment. 

 

Awakening in the middle of the night and drafting concepts like this may draw a bizarre look or two in the hall and perhaps I may be asked to take a test of my own. Not to worry, it's a good clean passion for mobile that keeps me up.  

 

Bringing Up the Mobile Web for Your Company: Examples for Retail, Media, and Financial Services Companies

Sign up today for our free Webcast on October 20th, 1 pm ET / 10 am PT

In this Webcast we’ll look at how leaders in retail, media, and financial services are using mobile to differentiate themselves from the competition and the performance obstacles they face along the way.

As new channel strategies are embraced, new techniques are required to ensure a good user experience from both the Web and mobile perspective.

We’ll show you what needs to be done and what to look out for such as:

-- Challenges presented when extending from Web to mobile

-- Common pitfalls in implementing a mobile strategy

-- Techniques for maintaining a superior mobile experience

You've read their blogs, and now you can hear Keynote's own Tony Perez and Nisheeth Mohan and directly ask them what's on your mind. And, yes-- it's free.

Bring Up the Mobile Web for Your Company

JC Penney On the Cutting Edge

I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell how it's going to begin... A world without rules or controls, borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you. 
                             -Neo

When the revolution comes, don't expect rioting on the street.  Look for small signs from the masses that things have changed. And don't look for the loudest voices to herald its arrival, listen to the voices of the common man and woman. Anyone with a passion for technology and who has worked in mobility long enough has seen this pattern:

1) New technology hits the market

2) Some smart guy / gal figures out a cool and innovative application

3) Pundits call it a game-changer

4) Aficionados jump on board

5) [silence]

6) Go back to 1

A lot of energy is investing in educating the public "why they should care" instead of letting the market speak for itself.  In a previous life at a large operator we spent countless hours and dollars training our sales force to promote each new innovation.  I came to the conclusion that if I couldn't explain things to my mom in a few sentences, the technology didn't have a chance.

Today with the announcement of JP Penney's mobile coupon trial I think that we've finally turned a corner. This is something that mom would quickly understand.  JC Penney is running a trial for 2D mobile coupons that can be scanned at the counter.  I've clipped a coupon or two in my day, but I never seem to have them with me.  However, I don't go anywhere without my smartphone. With Starbucks recently announcing something similar, it shouldn't be long for this to get mass adoption.

Searching for and pulling up a coupon on site will change shopping behavior. Customers will instantly win once this becomes common place. Retailers win too. They will be able to capture more customer data and exercise more control over in-store discounting.  

As a child I remember whining as mom dragged me through JC Penneys bargain hunting for clothes. I certainly never envisioned the conclusion I've drawn today-- JC Penney is pretty cool. 

Cheating the Apple App Store

TechCruch posted a story today on Cheating the App Store that has polarized the masses and exposed a hole in the way mobile applications are sold today. According to the article Reverb Communications, a PR agency for games publishers and developers, was outwardly offering to have interns anonymously post positive iTunes App reviews to boost the score that an application receives. Response have ranged from downright shock and anger to "so what." While the later, ho-hum crowd doubted the impact of the action on the overall score it can't be denied that Reverb has been associated with many successful products and that the makers of the games believed in them.

What's at stake

 The fact is that the App market depends on peer review for quality governance. Members of the "so what" camp have a buyer beware mentality and give little credence to the ratings system.  Stories like this seem to justify their cynicism.  However, there's a common misperception that little is at stake b/c download pricing ranges between free and dirt-cheap. But a lot is at stake. The "cheap apps" can deliver quite a bit of money and the Analytics company Flurry shows that even the free app's deliver quantifiable value to their developers.  

There's certainly comfort in seeing that someone else has had a good experience with a product. Even a free product takes up space on your device. With so many apps coming out each and everyday it's hard to imagine that we'll ever have a Consumer Reports or JD Power equivalent for mobile applications. The sad truth is that there is no great fix.  Fraud is unavoidable, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water.  We will continue to need consumer forums to help us make our decisions. 

A market correction on the horizon

What's troubling is that the validity of all reviews, even the honest ones are tainted by this deception. Now's the time to see if Adam Smith's Invisible Hand comes into play. The responses on the TechCrunch postings include people who are irate.  One poster has requested refunds on all purchased applications  associated with Reverb.  Others will hold all involved parties accountable.  The brands associated with this are certain to take a hit in reputation and hopefully they (and others) will learn a lesson. Cleaning up a tarnished name can be quite expensive. Brands looking to protect their good names will take additional steps to playing be the rules of ethics. The best way get a great review is to simplly deliver a great product. And if you have a useful application that also scores well in usability and performance you're well on your way. There no shame in aggressively marketing something you believe in, just don't cross the line. Build it (well) and they will come. 

Unleashing the mobile Web may come down to pennies

My colleague recently wrote about his experience voting for contestants on a U.S. talent contest using short codes.  While his experience showed the problems that still need to be worked out, the mere use of short codes in broadcast TV signal a level of adoption which we might think is encouraging. But then we might be wrong.

Short codes of the TV show voting variety are free to the end user.  Texts sent to another person or received by the mobile subscriber are another matter. In my research sample among highly connected professionals in the SF Bay Area, the notion of paying for a text is unappetizing and for some a marital no-no.  Do these folks know the cost of a text? Yup, sure do.  So what I suspect is going on is two-fold: saturation point when in comes to cell phone bills and an aversion to trying a new service.  They have voice and email to communicate and that's good enough.

But this puts a crinkle into the plans of large and small companies alike using or planning on using SMS to confirm, notify, communicate or transact with their customers.  SMS is probably the most direct form of data communication without equal. For example text notification is widely available for online financial transactions such as payments and transfers eliminating the need to open and acknowledge an email receipt.

So does this mean the mobile Web will have to wait until today's dexterous teens and pre-teens enter the workforce?  Let's hope not. And at least one company is doing something about it. mBlox has announced FTEU or "free to the end user" message service in the US following a similar announcement in the UK.  This service allows content and service providers to absorb the cost of the text messages on behalf of the consumer. 

FTEU will drop one of the objections penny pinching consumers have for not texting.  The next barrier, getting today's consumers to adopt the mobile Web and SMS-based services, will take fast, easy to use mobile Web sites and applications that deliver on customer expectations and overcome the limitations of limited screen size and keyboard (if there's one at all).

America's Got Talent : SMS voting gets a "buzzer"

At the end of "America's Got Talent" last night, voting was opened up to allow the audience to pick their favorite act to move onto the final round. Voting could be done by phone, web, and SMS. Being this is a mobile blog, of course we are interested in the SMS option.

So I tried to place my SMS vote using my iPhone. You are supposed to send the keyword "VOTE" to the short code that matches the act of your choice. I never do that at first, I always try to see if the SMS service supporting the program adheres to some of the industry standards on how SMS promotions are supposed to work. Here is a screen shot of what I tried to do, and the response that I received:

So it looks like when you send the keyword "HELP", that actually registers as your vote instead of giving you help on what options are available. Same for "STOP".

The world won't come to an end because the service doesn't adhere to the guidelines, but this is a 4 digit short code normally reserved for the "big leagues". You would presume that the owners / operators of the code would try to follow the guidelines.

I've seen this before on other TV shows that have SMS voting programs. In the past I documented that other shows like "Dancing With The Stars" has the exact same problem.

I guess it means we still have a ways to go before SMS programs are consistent across the board, and "guidelines" are just that, "suggested guidelines".

Next time you have the urge to vote by SMS, try what I do and see what you get. If you are the owner of a SMS service, or if you are building a new service. Just remember one thing: "Help" means "Help".

Mobile Testing and Monitoring, "The New Frontier"

It's not hard to find them, they are everywhere. They are in every crack and corner, and right in front of our faces. Some scream "here I am", others are subtle and elusive. It is our job to find and eliminate them, and the job never stops.

Of course I'm talking about bugs and performance problems in mobile services that have been deployed to production. Sometimes the product is created in house and your internal QA team does the testing. Other times the whole thing is outsourced and maybe a 3rd party does the testing for you. Or another variation is that a 3rd party creates the product, but your internal testing team has to verify it.

Whatever the model, the result is the same, your “brand” and company image is reflected by how well the service works in the end. For the end-user of your service, who tested it is irrelevant, it either works or it doesn’t. If it is your brand name on the service, then it is your fault, regardless of the details.

In some cases, the problem is minor, as in the first diagram, where the lead story from a very popular news site is “repeated” several times in the page. Obviously it’s a bug in the content generation process that updates the list of stories over the day. No big deal, minor impact.

But maybe the problem is like the second graph where your mobile site is down for several days. Did anyone know about it? Why did it take so long to fix? Are you selling products or services from your mobile site? What is the value of a day’s worth of revenue? Will your potential customers come back if they tried your service and it returned an error?

I call this “The New Frontier” because many organizations are still struggling to identify and deploy tools that can help them verify the quality of their mobile services. One of the things we often hear is: “We don’t need mobile testing/monitoring tools because we already have plenty of other IT tools already deployed….”

If that is true, then why is it so easy to find problems just by casually poking around using your mobile device?

B of A puts mobile on the front burner

Judging from the media inquiries and attention, today's announcement by Bank of America that they would shutter over 600 branches because of shifting consumer demand to online and mobile banking is a watershed moment.  It signals the arrival of the next gold rush - enabling the mobile enterprise.

There is an alternative explanation supplied by analysts for B of A's decision but I think the mobile story is just too compelling. Now that there's a credible source saying that consumers trust the mobile Web with their own money no CEO is going to sit back and not get his or her company moving in the direction of creating more mobile applications and touch points for its customers - especially consumers.

I dare say that this is the moment that the mobile ecosystem has been waiting for - when the sleeping giant that is U.S. business awakens.  Mobile projects will move from nice-to-have initiatives handled by the cool digital group to the front burner.

For IT in general and online operations teams in specific, this move will shine a spotlight on the performance and usability of mobile Web sites and native applications.  For those that have already been engaged with monitoring and testing mobile content, apps and services, this will be a validation for why. For the rest, the time is now to start thinking about performance before the rush comes.

And if you're wondering how your own bank is doing, the most basic yet revealing of tests is to access the bank's home page from your mobile phone; smart phone is of course best.  If you do that with www.bankofamerica.com you get a welcome screen that acknowledges you are accessing the page from a mobile phone.  You'll find, as I did, there are a lot of financial institutions just not thinking about mobile yet.