Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
OT DD Navio Opens New Universe of Mobile Content to Owners of Verizon Handsets
Wednesday November 15, 8:00 am ET
Navio's Digital Commerce Platform is First Large Scale Solution to SupportDirect-to-Consumer Services for Verizon Handsets
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061115/sfw062.html?.v=85
CUPERTINO, Calif., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Navio Systems, Inc. (www.navio.com), the leading provider of rights-based direct-to-consumer commerce solutions for web and mobile, today announced the availability and certification of off-deck content delivery services to Verizon handsets through its digital commerce platform. Now Verizon data subscribers can purchase mobile content such as ringtones and wallpapers from any Navio web and mobile site, receive delivery of that content to their Verizon handset, and have the charges applied directly to their Verizon bill.
Previously, Verizon subscribers were limited to browsing and purchasing content exclusively through Verizon's "Get It Now®" service. With Navio, consumers now have expanded choices -- they can conveniently browse, buy, and receive delivery of a vast array of mobile content directly from Navio-powered web and mobile storefronts, gaining all the benefits of Navio's rights-based service, including:
* The unique ability to purchase the "rights" to content in addition
to the file itself, such as the right to redeliver content to a new
phone
* A "digital locker" enabling users to access the rights to their
content collection from any connected device, and to download it
when and where it's needed
* Participation in opt-in and loyalty point programs, providing access
to a wide range of special offers and incentives provided by content
owners, with the ability to conveniently store and manage their
digital currency (such as digital cash or loyalty points) in their
digital wallet
Navio's announcement means that content owners, such as music, media, and entertainment companies, now have direct access to the significant audience of Verizon handset owners, while maintaining flexibility and control over the merchandising and pricing of their content, and protecting their digital rights. Major record labels and music resellers can now package, sell, and securely distribute movie clips, ringtones, wallpapers and more for use on Verizon handsets, merchandising their content in flexible ways -- by the ring tone, by the track, by the album, or by the artist bundle. Additionally, entertainment and media companies can distribute, track, and manage movie titles, videos, and mobile content directly to Verizon handset owners.
As a powerful marketing and distribution platform, Navio's solution enables content owners to promote their vast content catalogs to Verizon subscribers through a variety of marketing campaigns, including text-in mobile campaigns ("text-to-buy," "text-to-win," etc. campaigns) and premium SMS campaigns, as well as through web venues such as web stores, fan sites, and blogs.
"With Navio, some of the world's most well known media brands can now sell mobile content directly to owners of Verizon handsets," said Stefan Roever, CEO and founder of Navio. "This is a huge win for consumers who can now access the digital content they want, in the venue that makes sense for them. We are pleased that we can now serve our customers better with one of the most extensive mobile distribution platforms in the U.S."
About AV
The "AV" symbol guarantees that digital media being purchased is the "authorized version" -- originating from the official content owner -- and is not pirated, infected with a virus or loaded with spyware. AV means online transactions are secure and guaranteed, and personal and payment information is protected by strong SSL encryption, in transit and during storage. When consumers register on AV-enabled sites, their purchased media rights are perpetually stored, so they can redeliver content to their PC or mobile device in the event of hardware change or failure. AV is used by media brands such as Fox Sports, Fox Music, and Atom Entertainment.
About Navio
Navio is the leading provider of direct-to-consumer solutions for mobile and web-based commerce. Based on a powerful rights-based commerce platform, Navio is changing the way digital content is distributed by enabling consumers to buy "at the edges of the network," not just at centralized destination sites. Navio was named 2006 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, 2006 "Red Herring 100 North America", 2006 "Top 100 Digital Media Company" by onHollywood, 2006 SIIA Codie award finalist, and a FastCompany Fast50 "Reader Favorite." Visit www.navio.com.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
OT DD Firethorn Teams With Cingular Wireless to Bring Mobile Banking and Payments to Cingular Wireless Subscribers
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-15-2006/0004474632&...
Firethorn is the Only Mobile Banking and Payments Provider Cingular has
Authorized on its Network
Through Firethorn, Customers of U.S. Financial Institutions Gain Wireless
Connectivity on Nation's Largest Wireless Carrier
ATLANTA, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile banking and payments enabler
Firethorn Holdings, LLC (http://www.firethornmobile.com) today announced a
strategic alliance with Cingular Wireless (http://www.cingular.com), the nation's
largest wireless carrier, which will bring mobile banking and payments
services to Cingular Wireless customers. Atlanta-based Firethorn is the
only mobile banking and payments provider Cingular has authorized on its
network.
With Firethorn, Cingular gains a sophisticated solution for the
financial services industry that expands the versatility of today's mobile
devices. Through Firethorn, consumers gain the ability to perform
comprehensive banking and payments functions on all supported Cingular
handsets.
Currently being trialed, Firethorn anticipates an initial commercial
launch of its mobile banking and payments application in early 2007.
"Firethorn is the gateway between wireless carriers and financial
institutions that enables mobile banking and payments for consumers
anytime, anywhere and on virtually any device they choose," stated
Firethorn Chairman and CEO Tripp Rackley. "Firethorn is uniquely qualified
to deliver mobile banking and payments because our heritage and leadership
represent unparalleled success in wireless communications, banking and
electronic payments."
According to Rackley, Firethorn's mission is to assemble and manage the
complex network of partners, technology certifications and platform
interfaces that make mobile banking and payments possible. Firethorn is
different because its federation strategy represents wireless carriers and
financial institutions independently and equally.
"It is the right time for the wireless industry to begin moving ahead
with mobile banking," said Mark Collins, Cingular's vice president for
long-term products and services planning. "Two-thirds of America's 300
million people now use wireless phones and nearly 60 percent of wireless
customers use their handsets for something other than making calls. It is
only natural that we move the ease, convenience and efficiency of
electronic banking onto the wireless device. With the simplicity of its
single pathway, Firethorn will make it easy for Cingular to work with
financial institutions who want to deliver mobile banking services to our
customers," Collins said.
From a single, secure, Cingular-signed application, consumers will be
able to view account balances, transfer funds, receive and pay bills, and
quickly clear contents if their mobile device is ever lost or stolen. And
because Firethorn is a downloadable application, consumers can perform
functions on all supported Cingular handsets, even when the device is
offline.
About Firethorn
Atlanta-based Firethorn is a mobile banking and payments enabler that
links financial institutions and wireless carriers through a unified,
secure and scalable technology platform that seamlessly extends
full-service banking and payments capabilities to consumers from any
financial institution to virtually any wireless device. By partnering with
Firethorn, financial institutions and wireless carriers alike gain a
competitive service differentiator that improves customer retention,
generates revenue and answers consumer demands for more product/service
convenience. For more information on Firethorn, visit
http://www.firethornmobile.com or call 678.507.2500.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
Kokonutguy, Great job connecting all those dots. Looks like a real possibility. I am looking forward to December 8th.
ss9173
Banks, It appears the author of the blog article didn't know Neomedia's proper name or he took literary license with developing the name "Neomagic".
ss9173
DD Hinkmond Wong's Weblog
http://blogs.sun.com/hinkmond/entry/java_me_tech_catches_a
Monday November 13, 2006
Java ME tech catches a qode
Neomagic has a cool Java ME technology-enabled app for your cell phone that lets you scan a barcode or 2-D code on a product and view info (like a mobile movie preview clip) on that product. Nifty!
See:
Caught a Qode
Here's a quote:
qode(R) reader works with
camera phones, letting
users "click" on two-
dimensional "smart codes"
to connect directly to
targets
Here's a video on what that looks like. Watch as the customer scans the Blockbuster DVD case barcode and gets Denzel delivered to the cell phone screen. (Uh, couldn't the customer have picked a better movie? Man on Fire??? C'mon, Die Hard is much better. Or, even Aliens vs. Predator! But, Man on Fire???)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
The seven strategies for mobile ads, and which ones will work
By Ken Elefant 11.12.06
http://tpepin.typepad.com/tpepin/2006/11/the_seven_strat.html
The past few years haven’t been easy for wireless service providers. With 3G and fee-based data services a flop and a sagging voice business, not much seems to be going right for the mobile industry. But the situation is set to change.
After many false starts, wireless advertising is finally ready for primetime. Startups and major players alike are jockeying to see who can market most effectively through the wireless medium.
Here’s a quick summary outlining seven of the most discussed strategies and their long-term prospects:
1) Marketing via SMS/MMS: This is an easy one. Advertisers like Procter & Gamble work with carriers and companies such as Enpocket to sponsor audience polls. Think American Idol. It’s quick and easy to implement—polls use existing messaging infrastructure—and advertisers establish direct relationships through the mobile phone with customers who opt in to their programs. Unfortunately, there isn’t much excitement here, and the potential is limited. Not to mention that consumers who participate often won’t have any special affinity for the marketer.
2) WAP banner ads: The cousin of the internet banner ad is the grandfather of mobile advertising techniques. Guess what. It’s surprisingly effective. Advertisers know that handset users who look at WAP sites fundamentally have time to waste. They’re commuting by bus, waiting for a friend, or sitting in their doctor’s office looking for ways to kill time. The problem is that WAP advertising inventory remains small because mobile web sites are relatively expensive to build. What’s more, the value chain around WAP banners remains murky. Who deserves what share of the revenue and who really owns the ad inventory? Is it the carrier, WAP site owner, or WAP advertising facilitators like Third Screen Media? It’s not clear, and by the time this one is figured out, the mobile marketing train will have left the station long ago. I think the way to go is off portal WAP banner ads to circumvent the issue.
3) Location-based advertising: Remember all the hub-bub about location-based services in 2000? Mobile phone users will merrily walk down the street as their mobile phone beckons them in to the nearest boutique or café with a well-timed ad. The scenario sounded nice…until you actually thought about it for more than two seconds. Location-based services don’t work unless you have a critical mass of advertisers and willing consumers signed up to participate. Not to mention the considerable privacy issues. Don’t expect this chicken and egg problem to sort itself out anytime soon.
4) Video ads on cell phones: Here’s another extension of common advertising techniques to the mobile platform. Companies like MobiTV and Rhythm Networks are making good progress with carriers, but they face an uphill battle. Currently, only 10% of domestic mobile handsets are video-enabled, and it remains unclear if the average user is willing to pay for video services. Watching a video ad is a known quantity for consumers, but who really wants to pay for the “privilege” of watching low-quality video ads on tiny screens? Witness the recent failure of ESPN Mobile.
5) In-game advertising: Product placement isn’t just for TV shows. Now advertisers are working with startups to insert their brands into your mobile games. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong. Who owns the ad inventory? The carrier? The game publisher? It’s not clear, and until the value chain is resolved, this method won’t take off. Besides, is a sponsor’s billboard in mobile Grand Theft Auto really going to capture the attention of attention-deprived youth game players?
6) Online coupons: Paper coupons have been around for decades. The problem is you never have them when you’re checking out at the store. Enter mobile coupons. It’s a simple concept. People carry their phones, and their mobile coupons, everywhere. And now that startups like Cellfire have figured out how to eliminate the need for a coupon client on the handset, this is a space that holds considerable promise.
7) Interstitial ads: Of all the techniques I’ve evaluated, the most promising is interstitial ads. Interstitials are ads that play during the dead time during downloads. They’re unobtrusive—watching an ad during a WAP page download is certainly no worse than watching a progress bar. When implemented effectively, they actually provide information that is both useful and immediately actionable. Imagine downloading a WAP-based movie review and getting an interstitial with showtimes and locations for every movie in your town. What’s more, there’s no argument about who owns the deadspace between downloads. It’s the carriers. And with new technologies like Flash Lite (Adobe), uiOne (Qualcomm), and MIDAS (Openwave) that greatly simplify interstitial implementation, you can bet that Verizon, Sprint, and Cingular will be increasingly focused on generating revenue with interstitial advertising
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
Nice find Sean. It was posted before, but your bold print of the Neom-related paragraphs caught my attention this time. Thanks.
ss9173
Goneom, In hindsight, I should have sold the 1/3 portion of my holdings earlier at a higher price. I did nearly double my money on the amount of shares I sold. However, the balance of my holdings are now underwater so I hope my faith to hold for the long term will pan out.
ss9173
Lemonhead1de, I am not defending Management. They have done some things "OK", and some things "not OK".
We are experiencing the short-term pain right now just as I predicted after the June SHM. I am very concerned about the financial condition of the Company as well as the ever increasing share dilution. I am also concerned with Corporate governance and Management's competence in some areas. Although I predicted the pps decline, I am not happy about it.
In fact, as the risk to reward ratio has gotten worse IMO, I sold about a third of my shares a while back to further diversify and reduce the risk to my investment portfolio. I still hold a significant number of Neom shares though.
Neom is a long-term horizon investment play IMO. Mobile marketing is still in its infancy, but all indications are that we are in a "red hot" space right now. We have a diversified mix of high quality product offerings and some very talented Management in select places. Most importantly, qode launch is proceeding largely on schedule. That's why I continue to hold...we are executing to the qode launch plan outlined at the SHM. As mobile marketing matures, we should be able to capture some significant portion of this rapidly expanding market...provided we can survive the present financial crisis. I also believe that eventually we will win the litigation with Scanbuy and that would be a very significant development in further demonstrating the strength of our IP. It is definitely a high risk, high reward scenario right now, and anyone that thinks otherwise is mistaken.
I wouldn't look for significant pps appreciation until sometime in 2007 or beyond. The market needs to see that Neom is demonstrating high revenue growth, has stabilized share dilution, has broken away from the toxic financing of Cornell, and some licensing of qode by a major mobile service provider(s) and a major brand partner(s) before it will reward Neom's share price.
All JMHO.
ss9173
Good points, YJ. EOM
Mobile Marketing Association Releases Update to Mobile Advertising Guidelines
Guidelines Establish Formats for Mobile Web Based Advertising Worldwide
http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news.html?d=108640
BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 13, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com) today announced the latest release of its Mobile Advertising Guidelines. The MMA has been providing thought leadership and customized for mobile industry formats, guidelines and best practices since 2003. The updated release of the Mobile Advertising Guidelines marks the MMA's third revision of its Mobile Advertising Guidelines. The updates are focused around mobile web and are in response to constantly changing network speeds, handset capabilities and operator specifications.
The guidelines are published by the MMA's Mobile Advertising Committee, which is chaired by Kim Olson of Sprint Nextel and Heidi Lehmann of Third Screen Media, along with members from wireless carriers, technology enablers, agencies and content providers. The committee was established in 2005 to create industry standard formats and policies, as well as develop mobile advertising guidelines and best practices to ensure subscriber experience, content integrity and deployment simplicity are major factors in all mobile advertising programs.
"The establishment of mobile advertising formats, by the MMA, ensures that our brands are able to quickly deploy campaigns that leverage mobile web based advertising," noted Eric Wheeler, Managing Director, OgilvyInteractive. "Mobile advertising is an exciting platform for marketers to extend their reach to target audiences and it is emerging as a powerful accelerant to any marketing program."
The MMA Mobile Advertising Committee has MMA member representation from the following companies:
-- AccuWeather, Inc. -- Action Engine
-- AirG -- AOL LLC
-- Blue Frog Mobile -- Buongiorno
-- Cingular Wireless -- Enpocket, Inc.
-- Greystripe Incorporated -- Helio LLC
-- InfoSpace -- ipsh!
-- LimeLife, Inc. -- Mark Beccue Consulting, Inc.
-- mFoundry -- Mobliss
-- Mobile Phone -- Nellymoser
Applications, Inc.
-- NPR (National Public Radio) -- OgilvyInteractive North America
-- Reuters -- Rhythm NewMedia
-- Sprint Nextel -- Third Screen Media
-- T-Mobile USA -- USATODAY.com
-- Verizon Wireless -- VML
-- The Weather Channel -- Zingy, Inc.
Interactive
"The success of the mobile advertising committee is due to cross industry collaboration by all players in the ecosystem," said Laura Marriott, executive director of the MMA. "The MMA has led the development of mobile advertising guidelines and best practices for the mobile marketing industry. The Mobile Advertising Committee members have been integral to the development of these guidelines and we appreciate their leadership in building the mobile marketing industry."
The current version of the MMA mobile advertising guidelines can be viewed at http://www.mmaglobal.com/mobileadvertising.pdf
About the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global association which strives to stimulate the growth of mobile marketing. The MMA is an action-oriented association designed to clear obstacles to market development, to establish standards and best practices for sustainable growth, and to evangelize the mobile channel for use by brands and third party content providers. MMA members include agencies, advertisers, hand held device manufacturers, wireless operators and service providers, retailers, as well as any company focused on the potential of marketing via the mobile channel. The Mobile Marketing Association's global headquarters are located in the United States. For more information, please visit www.mmaglobal.com
The Mobile Marketing Association logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2339
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
dlethe01, I still stand-by my concluding paragraph of the SHM report post. My short-term prediction has definitely come true. We have increased dilution and the pps has declined since the SHM. However, qode launch appears to be largely on-track to the milestones shown in the Neom SHM presentation. We have got short-term pain right now, but the long term potential remains attractive IMO.
ss9173
10Q Summary:
* Every sub except BSD is losing money.
* Micropaint had sales of $368K and lost $1.6M. They wrote off $653K for bad debt.
* Cash on hand as of Sept 30th was $3.1M.
* Q3 loss from operations with stock based compensation expense was $6.7M; Excluding stock based compensation expense was $4.3M.
* Neom owes $2.5M to silent partners of 12snap on or before 12/31/06.
* Pro-forma 3Q sales increased from $5.4M to $6.2M (15%) - This pro-forma includes all the subsidiaries - Comparison is 3Q05 vs. 3Q06.
* 3Q sales decreased by $0.3M from 2Q level.
* Annualizing 9 month sales level is $26.7M.
* As of October 23 there were 663 million shares outstanding.
* On 9/20/06, the Compensation Committee changed from Chas Fritz, Chuck Jensen and JJ Keil to JJ Keil, A. Hayes Barclay and William Fritz.
* NeoMedia’s subsidiary Sponge has entered into purchase commitments to procure the functionality needed to support a sales agreement with a major customer. The purchase commitments require payments of $1,121,000 in the fourth quarter of 2006, and $2,200,000 in 2007. Revenues related to this program are expected to exceed the purchase commitments over the one-year life of the contract.
* Funding for acquisitions: NeoMedia has neither sufficient operating capital nor contractually committed capital from outside sources to adequately fund the purchase price guarantee at these levels. As a result, NeoMedia has sought other means to satisfy or eliminate the obligations, including an offer to pay the obligation with shares of its common stock. As of the date of this filing, there have been no formal agreements put in place with respect to alternate payment of any of the obligations. In the event that the obligations are not satisfied through the issuance of common stock or other non-cash means, NeoMedia could be forced to sell or otherwise divest of some of its subsidiaries in the near future, or be subject to potential litigation by the shareholders of the acquired companies.
* During the third and fourth quarters of 2006, Neom is implementing company wide cost reduction plans aimed at conserving its limited cash resources, including reductions of its workforce, termination of several month-to-month consulting arrangements, and other cost savings measures.
* Neom will also realize additional cost reductions upon the sale of its Micro Paint Repair business unit, which has operated at a loss since its acquisition in February 2004.
* Neom will continue to evaluate its cost base and reduce redundant or non-mission critical costs during the remainder of 2006 and into 2007.
* In the third quarter of 2006, NeoMedia incurred a non-cash charge to income in the amount of $13,256,000 to write off deferred equity financing costs related to its $100 million Standby Equity Distribution Agreement. The costs were originally recorded in March 2005 and represent the fair value of warrants issued as financing costs associated with the 2005 SEDA. The Company believes that it can no longer consider the 2005 SEDA a viable financing source due to the utilization of the preferred stock financing and the debenture financing.
* NeoMedia’s cash flow used in operations was $8.4 million (net of cash used in operations of discontinued Micro Paint Repair business unit of $2.0 million) for the nine months ended September 30, 2006.
* Based on cash currently available, and in the absence of any additional funding, NeoMedia expects to be able to sustain operations through December 31, 2006.
* In order to maintain operations for a 12-month period, and in the absence of a material increase in revenues, NeoMedia estimates that it would need to raise at least an additional $7-10 million to sustain operations. The most likely source of cash in the short term is from the sale of the Micro Paint business unit. To the extent that funds are not available from these sources, NeoMedia will seek alternate financing in another form, or attempt to sell its assets to meet its obligations.
* On March 15, 2006, NeoMedia received a letter from an unrelated third party alleging that the party performed independent consulting services leading up to the closing of the merger between NeoMedia and Mobot on February 17, 2006. The letter contends that NeoMedia and Mobot breached a consulting agreement whereby the party was to be paid $300,000, equal to 3% of the merger consideration paid by NeoMedia to Mobot. NeoMedia believes the claim is without merit and intends to vigorously defend.
* NeoMedia’s family of products and companies has run some of the most innovative and successful mobile marketing campaigns in the marketplace during 2006, such as:
· qode® technology will be featured in an interactive textbook published by Prentice Hall, in which students can link to mobile online content through the qode® reader on their mobile phones.
· 12Snap designs and runs mobile marketing campaigns for a plethora of clients, most notably McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Nokia, Lufthansa, MTV, Kraft Foods, and Ferrero. 12snap enables millions of consumers throughout the EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) region to participate in high-quality and entertaining mobile marketing campaigns.
· Gavitec has run mobile marketing solutions for clients such as McDonald’s Portugal, Amnesty International, Malaysian Railways, World Soccer Games 2006, EMT (Empresa Malagueña de Transportes, a Spanish public transport provider) Ströer, a large media company. Gavitec also ran a mobile couponing campaign for Bitburger beer focusing on World Cup events.
· Sponge media successes included increased activity for IPC magazines and News International, as well as television program Big Brother in Sweden and Norway. Sponge has also worked on a number of brand promotions, including: a major specialist motorcycle magazine; on-pack text-to-win mechanics for a major soft drinks brand to coincide with the World Cup as well as other drinks and confectionary brands. Also launched was a pan-European, eight-country trade promotion for TaylorMade®-adidas® Golf.
· Mobot expanded its relationship with Hachette Filipacchi Media and delivered a first-of-its-kind nationwide (U.S. & Canada) campaign for Starbucks. Mobot also helped launch an interactive shopping program called EWish with ELLE magazine, and provided a direct link campaign for Acura.
ss9173
DD ACTION ENGINE CEO WINS MOBILE STAR AWARD
(My comment: I have posted numerous times about Action Engine previously on this board - this is a Company that knows how to make things happen! Neomedia does now appear to be on a parallel path to what Action Engine has already achieved. I still think it would be great for Neom to convince Action Engine to license qode - it could take Action Engine to the next level.)
http://www.actionengine.com/release.asp?id=126
Scott G. Silk Recognized as Visionary in Wireless Services
BELLEVUE, Wash. — October 24, 2006 — Action Engine® Corporation, the on-device portal leader, today announced that it has won a Silver Mobile Star Award™ from MobileVillage®, the 14-year leader in market development and news services about mobile technology. The award named Scott G. Silk, president and CEO of Action Engine, as a Visionary in Wireless Services.
The fifth annual Mobile Star Awards™ aim to honor and promote the best companies, products, deployments, and leaders in mobile and wireless technology. Winners are chosen by subscribers to Go Mobile®, MobileVillage’s free online newsletter sent to technology executives, mobile professionals, IT managers, developers, and top tech journalists.
“The Mobile Star Awards program has grown along with the mobile industry,” says MobileVillage Editor Gary Thayer. “This year we saw hundreds of entries in about 60 categories, and nearly 1,000 people took the time to cast votes. The Mobile Star Awards are unique in that the judges are Go Mobile® readers. These people have a great knowledge of mobile products and success stories, and are eager to share that knowledge with the world.”
Since joining the company in 2004, Silk executed on several key strategic decisions that directly led to the company's recent wins with leading media companies and mobile operators, including Globe Telecom, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, SingTel, Optus, MSNBC.com, TiVo, and SmartVideo. In his role as CEO, Silk has led Action Engine to:
1. Create a best-in-class On-Device Portal Platform that overcomes the usability barriers of the mobile device, including screen size, keyboard, and memory and network constraints.
2. Enhance the platform to support a wide-variety of mass-market mobile devices, including those powered by Java, BREW, Windows Mobile, and Symbian.
3. Showcase the power of the platform through a suite of signature solutions that target customer needs in key strategic wireless areas including mobile advertising, mobile search, location-based services (LBS), and mobile entertainment.
4. Broaden the company’s go-to-market strategy to focus on two key customer bases: established media companies and leading edge mobile operators.
As a direct result of the execution of Silk's vision, Action Engine has seen dramatic growth in 2006. The company was also recognized as one of the top 15 emerging wireless companies by Fierce Wireless and was voted one of the top 10 mobile entertainment and content companies by the analyst group IDC.
A list of winners in each of this year’s award categories is posted at http://www.mobilevillage.com/awards.htm.
About MobileVillage®
A pioneer in developing the enterprise mobile technology market since 1993, MobileVillage® / PDA Inc. is a market and solutions development company dedicated to advancing mobile and wireless enterprise computing within select vertical and horizontal market segments. The company has fostered countless technical and professional alliances through conferences; news; product promotions and awards; and "Best of Breed" solution identification. Visit MobileVillage online at www.mobilevillage.com.
About Action Engine
Winner of the IDC Top 10, the Fierce 15, and the Mobile Star Awards, Action Engine® Corporation, the on-device portal company, delivers a breakthrough in mobile application usability. The Action Engine Mobile Application Platform™ introduces a browserless, client/server approach to searching for and discovering mobile content that takes 80% fewer keystrokes and trips to the network, and drives 20x faster response times than competitive alternatives. The company’s award-winning mobile search, mobile advertising, and location-based service solutions enable content providers and wireless operators to quickly deliver a superior mobile user experience. Action Engine’s software has been deployed by a robust list of global companies that include Globe Telecom, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, SingTel, Optus, MSNBC.com, TiVo, and SmartVideo. Additional information is available at +1(425) 498-1500 [Americas/AsiaPac], +44 (0) 1628 509088 [UK/EMEA], info@actionengine.com and www.actionengine.com.
###
Action Engine is a registered trademark, and Action Engine Mobile Application Platform and Brand-n-Go are trademarks of Action Engine Corporation. MobileVillage® and the Mobile Star Awards™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of MobileVillage / PDA Inc. All other names, brands, or products may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
DD Martin Copus Speaking at Mobile Ad Conference November 29 - London
http://www.visiongainconferences.com/SECURE/schedule.aspx?confId=1063
15:50 Mobile marketing at the cutting edge
* Text-and-win and more.The new wave of MMS
* Mo-mma at retail:the ultimate test
* The mobile web,the final frontier
Martin Copus, COO, NeoMedia
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
DD YouTube hopes to be on mobile devices in 2007
Posted 11/2/2006 7:55 AM ET
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-11-02-youtube-mobile_x.htm?POE=TECISVA
NEW YORK (Reuters) — YouTube, the popular online video sharing site, said Wednesday it hopes to launch a service for wireless devices within a year.
Chad Hurley, YouTube chief executive and co-founder, told an advertising conference that offering video services on mobile phones was a key opportunity for the company.
"Within the next year we hope to have something on a mobile device, it's going to be a huge market, especially for the video mind-set we're dealing with, it's a natural transition," said Hurley.
Hurley was speaking at the OgilvyOne Digital Summit in one of his first public engagements since the announcement last month that Internet search leader Google is to buy YouTube for $1.65 billion.
In May, YouTube launched its YouTube To Go service to enable users to upload clips directly from their mobile phones to view on the website on their personal computers.
Already many of the clips seen on YouTube are captured by users with their cellphones. A new mobile service could enable users to share videos with others in the YouTube community directly via their phones.
YouTube allows users to upload and share personal video clips but has come into conflict with record labels and television companies in recent weeks. Some YouTube users have illegally uploaded copyrighted videos such as music videos and TV shows.
Viacom sent YouTube a letter last Friday asking it to remove certain clips of its popular Comedy Central shows by comedians Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
Hurley described YouTube as the market leader among its peers in upholding the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and said it has removed videos as soon as the company is alerted by a copyright owner.
"We streamlined the DMCA process by building tools, we were the first ones to automate that process," Hurley said.
YouTube's huge popularity with over 100 million clips viewed every day has prompted media companies to reconsider legal threats.
Last month, on the same day it announced its acquisition by Google, YouTube said it had signed content deals with entertainment companies including Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Entertainment, and CBS. It previously had announced a similar deal with Warner Music Group.
Sony BMG is a joint venture of electronics maker Sony Corp and Bertelsmann.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
Industry DD: The Hyperfactory Lands Three Nominations in the Mobile Marketing Association’s 2nd Annual Mobile Marketing Awards
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20061102005...
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Hyperfactory, leading producers of world-class interactive mobile initiatives that connect brands to people, today announced they have been named as a finalist in three categories in the Mobile Marketing Association’s (MMA) 2nd Annual Mobile Marketing Awards program: 1. Best Use of Branding; 2. Best Use of Direct Response; 3. Innovation for Creativity in Media.
The winners for the MMA Awards, which recognize the innovation, commitment, dedication and successes of the world's leading companies and individuals in the global mobile marketing industry, will be announced on November 28th, 2006 at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the MMA for our creativity and commitment to flawless execution in mobile media and marketing,” said Derek Handley, CEO of The Hyperfactory. “We are in the business of connecting brands with people, and our brand and agency partners are delighted that our award-winning work continues to be recognized worldwide.”
In addition to its skilled creative and technical teams, The Hyperfactory has the capabilities to produce global campaigns, providing clients with a complete and effective solution to their mobile marketing needs. The company is trusted by a portfolio of notable customers including Motorola, Toyota, Proctor & Gamble, Adidas, Coca Cola, Gillette, Vodafone and Subway, all of whom rely on The Hyperfactory as an essential part of their marketing programs.
“We had a large number of high quality entries across the twelve categories” said Laura Marriott, executive director of The MMA. “The Hyperfactory submissions captured the judge’s attention, leading to three finalist nominations for our mobile marketing awards.”
About The Hyperfactory
The Hyperfactory is a pioneer in the production of world class interactive mobile marketing and business initiatives that connect brands to people. Working in close partnership with all major global media agencies, The Hyperfactory helps them to embrace the potential of emerging telecommunications technology, providing strategic counsel through the creative and development process, from conceptual ideas to execution. A winner of numerous prestigious international awards, The Hyperfactory has been responsible for some of the most innovative and effective interactive mobile marketing campaigns seen anywhere in the world. Founded in 2000, they have offices in New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Auckland with a development team based in Hyderabad, India and a network of operations spanning the Asia Pacific, Americas and Europe. For more information, please visit www.thehyperfactory.com
http://www.thehyperfactory.com/home/home_default.aspx
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
DD Does Amazon's Business Model Include Scanbuy?
http://theponderingprimate.blogspot.com/2006/11/does-amazons-business-model-include.html
While I am not a big believer in physical world connection being used as a price comparison application, I do believe PWC will get adopted quicker when it is used as a tool instead of an advertising vehicle.
From Business Week Jeff Bezos' Risky Bet
In 2002, Amazon began offering outside software and Web site developers access to selected Amazon data such as pricing trends, gradually adding more and more until this year. Now it's basically getting free help from more than 200,000 outside Web developers, up 60% from a year ago.
They're building new services on top of Amazon technology, further feeding back into Amazon's core retail business.
One service, Scanbuy , lets people check Amazon prices on their cell phones to see if they're better than prices in a retail store.
One thing to keep in mind, the CEO of Scanbuy was the former CEO of Barnes and Noble. He has seen the initial transformation of bricks and mortar to ecommerce.
He knows the potential of physical world connection and Phase 2 of the Net.
I see Amazon utilizing Scanbuy's barcode tool to drive traffic to Amazon's site. Instead of a price comparison service, Amazon could just guarantee the lowest price on any product with a barcode.
posted by Scott Shaffer @ 10:28 AM
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
The Directors & Officers page has been updated. I just emailed CJ to have the responsible person on his staff correct the inaccurate information regarding JJ Keil.
ss9173
Nice to see the $2.5M revenue forecast in the Neomedia Telecom PR.
ss9173
Success622, Super-Duper Find!!! Great News - just hope they will eventually be able to PR it with the name of the "major brand" identified.
ss9173
Beacon27, my gut tells me this Scanbuy litigation will continue for a year or more. I do trust Clawmann's assessment that the Judge will rule on the Summary Judgment motion by mid-February, but that doesn't necessarily mean the litigation will end at that time.
ss9173
DD Research Shows that Targeting and Relevance are Key to Making Mobile Advertising Work
Monday October 2, 8:30 am ET
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/061002/20061002005355.html?.v=1
Global Research Reveals Consumers Are Most Receptive to Mobile Advertising When It is Tailored to Their Interests
BOSTON & LONDON & MUMBAI, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Enpocket, the Intelligent Mobile Marketing(TM) company, today unveiled the findings from the first global report into consumer acceptance of mobile advertising, conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. Mobile advertising enables brands to serve clickable display ads to mobile Internet sites and alongside mobile editorial and content.
The Consumer Mobile Advertising report, conducted with more than 1,200 mobile Internet users across the US, Europe and India, reveals that consumers are far more accepting of mobile advertising when it is made relevant. The research shows that targeted mobile advertising is 50 percent more acceptable to mobile Internet users than untargeted ads. 78 percent said they would be happy to receive mobile advertising that is tailored to their interests. Of those, 64 percent would be willing to provide personal details to be analyzed to improve relevance of targeted ads. In addition, 58 percent of respondents would prefer banner ads displayed on mobile Internet pages to mobile marketing text messages.
"Consumers are ready for mobile advertising but with an important caveat: ads must be targeted. Operators have the demographic, transactional and behavioral data necessary to deliver marketing and advertising that meets the consumer need for relevant advertising on this most personal of devices. Forward thinking operators, publishers and brand advertisers are realizing that this is a key requirement to long-term success in the medium," said Mike Baker, CEO, Enpocket.
The report also shows that mobile operators can reduce churn and increase average revenue per user (ARPU) if they leverage consumer data to personalize content merchandising and promotion. 57 percent of respondents said that they would be more willing to continue their service if their carrier personalized services and products to their needs. 42 percent said they would be more likely to buy more mobile content if they received personalized recommendations.
Enpocket research helps operators, brands and media companies to develop consumer-centric mobile marketing and mobile advertising programs.
Harris Methodology
This study on Consumer Advertising was conducted by Harris Interactive between 31st July and 23rd August 2006 among 1,240 adults in the UK, US and India who were aged 16 and over and who had used the Internet on their mobile phone at some stage in the past (whether that be daily, weekly, monthly or rarely).
About Enpocket
Enpocket, the Intelligent Mobile Marketing(TM) company, enables organizations to foster and maintain valuable relationships with mobile consumers. Enpocket technology powers the mobile marketing efforts of operators and media companies around the world, and Enpocket services help leading brands effectively market in the mobile channel. Customers include:
Mobile Carriers: Cingular, Sprint, Alltel, Vodafone, BT, Orange, Airtel, Virgin
Media Companies: News Corp, CNBC, A&E, Clear Channel, Chrysalis, Internet Broadcast Systems, Sony Pictures, TNT, Trinity Mirror
Brands: McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, Pepsi, Subway, Motorola, Samsung, Panasonic, BenQ-Siemens, Sprite and GM.
Enpocket has offices in Boston, London, Singapore, and Mumbai. To learn more see www.enpocket.com.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
Clawmann, Thanks for the excellent explanation. You are an asset to this board...much appreciated!
ss9173
Let me preface my thoughts by acknowledging that I am naive on these types of legal matters. I was thinking that with the established dates for responses and the next hearing to be January 3rd that the Judge had accepted the motion. Or is it that we have to wait until the January 3rd hearing for the Judge to give a response to the motion?
So if the judge granted Scanbuy's motion does it imply there may be some credibility to their argument?
ss9173
It surprised me that Scanbuy was filing for the Summary Judgment and not Neom.
Sure doesn't sound like they have any intention of reaching a settlement, and that they will fight this "to the death".
Unless they are playing games, it looks like this litigation will continue for a long time to come.
ss9173
Here is a follow-up post on the establishment of a Mobile Committee by the IAB. I have forwarded this info to Headquarters for their information.
http://www.iab.net/news/pr_2006_10_30.asp
THE INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING BUREAU ANNOUNCES THE CREATION OF THE IAB MOBILE COMMITTEE
Continuing its Drive to Build the Interactive Marketplace
NEW YORK, NY (October 30, 2006) – The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced the creation of the IAB Mobile Committee at the IAB Leadership Forum: Agency Summit today. As an extension of the IAB's overall mission, to increase the share of advertising and marketing dollars that Interactive media captures in the marketplace, the IAB Mobile Committee will focus on developing mobile as a viable advertising platform for marketers and agencies.
With an estimated 229 million subscribers in the U.S. and 2.1 billion worldwide (eMarketer, 2006), marketers are exploring creative ways to tap into this rapidly increasing market and touch their consumers anywhere and anytime. As with all emerging and new media, it is imperative to lay the foundation for sustainable growth.
The IAB Mobile Committee will focus on the following priorities:
Building a more effective and efficient advertising platform through the development and endorsement of measurement guidelines, creative guidelines and best practices.
Proving and promoting the effectiveness of mobile advertising.
Helping to grow revenues.
Advocating for the mobile advertising industry.
"We created the IAB Mobile Committee in response to the needs of IAB members," said Sheryl Draizen, SVP, General Manager, Interactive Advertising Bureau. "Supporting the arsenal of Interactive ad supported platforms including mobile, helps our members leverage their existing systems and infrastructure to expand their offerings for their clients."
The IAB is the leading trade association for the Interactive Advertising industry and has successfully launched global impression measurement guidelines, creative guidelines, best practices and research for the online industry. The IAB Mobile Committee is open to all IAB members.
The founding member companies of the Mobile Committee and their representatives include:
Committee Chair: Gary Schwartz, Impact Mobile
Air2Web – Alfredo Narez
AOL – Laura Lasiter
CBS Digital Media – Paul Chita
CNN.com – Stephanie Vautravers
Commercetel – Steve Cherry
DoubleClick, Inc. – Ari Paparo
Enpocket – Diana LaGattuta
Eyeblaster – Ran Cohen
Forbes.com – Marissa O’Hare
Google, Inc. – Deep Nishar
Hachette Filipacchi Media – Olivier Griot
Hearst Magazines – Sophia Stuart
Media General – Tim Repsher
Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions – Sloan Ginn
NBC Universal – Gali Einav
New York Times Digital – Nithya Sowrirajan
Reuters – Joe Cohen
Third Screen Media – Brian Stoller
Traffic.com – Michael Nappi
Variety – Dea Lawrence
Verizon Superpages.com – Tony Plec
Walt Disney Internet Group – April Schifman
Weather Channel Interactive – Cameron Clayton
WeatherBug – Andy Jedynak
Whitepages.com – Craig Paris
Yahoo! – John Kelly
About IAB:
Founded in 1996, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) represents over 300 leading interactive companies that are actively engaged in, and support the sale of interactive advertising. IAB members are responsible for selling over 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices, fields interactive effectiveness research and educates the advertising industry regarding the use of interactive advertising. For more information, please visit www.iab.net.
For further information please contact:
Interactive Advertising Bureau
Marla Nitke
Director, Marketing Communications
212.380.4714
marla@iab.net
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
Industry DD: IAB creates Mobile Committee
Oct 30, 2006
http://www.btobonline.com/article.cms?articleId=29711
New York—The Interactive Advertising Bureau announced Monday it has created a committee to further the development of mobile as an advertising platform.
The interactive trade association’s Mobile Committee is expected to focus on developing and endorsing measurement and creative guidelines, as well as best practices; promoting mobile ad effectiveness; helping to grow revenues; and advocating for the mobile advertising industry in general.
There are 27 member companies represented on the committee, including Air2Web, AOL, DoubleClick, Enpocket, Forbes.com and Third Screen Media.
ss9173
I would like to champion the development of a comprehensive non-biased pros and cons list on the merits of owning Neomedia stock. If you think this is a good idea, please respond to this post with your thoughts and opinions. I will take all the input you all provide and consolidate them into one list. I will plan to issue a draft list one week from now, another draft on Monday, November 13th (taking into account the 3rd quarter 10Q filing),and then will plan to finalize the list by Friday, November 20th. My hope would be that this pros and cons list would be so well-thought out that it could be included in the board header.
I look forward to consolidating your thoughts and opinions.
Thanks in advance,
ss9173
Industry DD: go2 Secures Financing and Forms Strategic Alliance With Geosign Corporation
go2 and Leading Internet Publishing and Marketing Company to Further Expand go2's Mobile Content Network and Local Search Capabilities
http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news.html?d=107686
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 30, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- go2(r) (www.go2.com), a leading provider of local search and mobile content in the U.S., today announced that it has agreed to a strategic alliance with Geosign Corporation, a leading Internet publishing and marketing company, and its affiliates. This alliance, which also includes a strategic investment in go2 and other financing totaling $13 million, is intended to provide go2 additional capital and other resources to continue expansion of its Mobile Content Network(tm) and industry leading local search and directory information websites.
"Web-enabled mobile phones provide anytime, anywhere access to a tremendous amount of information, and go2 provides the crucial components to ensure that users can easily find and take full advantage of a variety of local and other Internet content through its one-of-a-kind Mobile Content Network," said Tim Nye, founder and CEO of Geosign. "Since 1999, go2 has been a leader in the mobile revolution, and we are delighted to work with them to provide our online content, technology and resources to help further enhance the mobile and online user-experience."
go2 has commercially deployed its leading mobile search and content sites throughout the United States, and continues to grow by enabling mobile Internet users to easily find and access the richest content available on the mobile web, with particular emphasis on local information. Through the new partnership and financing, Geosign and go2 will work together to combine their respective content and technologies to provide world-class mobile web and Internet services and content.
"Geosign has an outstanding track record for driving Internet traffic and value, through its vision, content, technology, personnel and business model, including its publishing portfolio of more than 150 websites covering a wide range of consumer topics in more than 15 categories," said Lee Hancock, CEO of go2. "From travel to fashion, Geosign drives more than 35 million visitors to its sites each month, and we look forward to leveraging Geosign's content and capabilities to help us grow and expand go2's traffic and value to our end users, carrier partners and advertisers."
About Geosign Publishing
Geosign Publishing encompasses a large network of online information guides related to key consumer product niches. Our in-house team of writers, editors and designers cover a wide range of topics from consumer electronics and home decorating to gourmet food and fitness equipment.
About go2(r)
go2 owns and operates numerous location, event and category-specific online and mobile websites as integral components of the go2 Mobile Content Network(tm), including go2 Movies(r), go2 Dining(tm), go2 Golf(tm), go2 Travel(tm) and over 60 mobile websites dedicated to specific colleges (e.g. go2UCLA, go2Harvard, etc.). go2 websites have industry-leading distribution through one-of-a-kind multi-category placements on the wireless Web menus of most major U.S. carriers, providing mobile users with easy access to information on-the-go, including driving directions, horoscopes, magazine articles, movie times, sports trivia, travel information, weather and more. All go2 mobile content sites are fully integrated with any GPS-like automatic location services provided by wireless carriers, and feature one-touch calling and turn-by-turn directions together with detailed information on thousands of U.S. businesses. go2 Advertisers include ABC, American Express, AOL, Delta, ExxonMobil, Holiday Inn, MasterCard, Nokia, SBC, Shell, Sony and Visa. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., go2 is a privately held company. go2 holds or licenses several U.S. patents for location-based, local search and directory services on mobile devices. For more information, visit www.go2.com.
go2(r), go2 Movies(r), go2 Dining(tm), go2Golf(tm), go2 Travel(tm), mGuide(r) and Mobile Content Network(tm) are registered and unregistered trademarks of UDS Directory Corp., dba go2 Directory Systems.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also note these related go2 press releases:
go2 and Enpocket Form Strategic Alliance: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news.html?d=105685
go2 Launches First-of-its-kind Network of Mobile Sites Dedicated to Major Colleges and Universities: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news.html?d=104966
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
Beam11, Thanks for the information. EOM
OT (but interesting) DD: DoCoMo phone uses facial recognition
30 October 2006
http://www.telecoms.com/itmgcontent/tcoms/news/articles/20017383108.html
Leading Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo will this week introduce the first in a portfolio of devices that are serious about security.
The P903i 3G FOMA phone, which is manufactured by Panasonic and becomes available on Wednesday, is accompanied by a small, flat black card, which acts as a proximity security token.
If the handset moves too far away from the token, the handset will lock up, making it inaccessible to potential thieves.
But that is not the most interesting feature of the device. The P903i also claims to have a facial recognition feature, which, when combined with a pin code, can make the device unusable by all except the real owner.
Apparently, the user takes a number of photos of his or her face which are then stored on the device. Then in order to use the phone the user has to take another photo which the phone compares with the existing shots. If the software detects a match, the phone is unlocked.
But should the device actually get lost or stolen, the onboard GPS feature can be used to track it via the web.
This is not the first time a company has used a novel technology to secure a mobile phone. Earlier this year device management company Synchronica pitched an anti-theft technology which not only remotely locks and wipes a device, but also causes the phone to emit an ear piercing shriek.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
Mikee47, A definitive purchase agreement for the sale of the AutoXperience division was to be signed by October 27, 2006 with closing on or before November 24, 2006.
See this PR link: http://www.neom.com/press_releases/2006/20060831.jsp
According to Billybass1234, an 8K must be filed within a day or two.
Reference his post: http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=14331988
ss9173
Industry DD: Mobile is another direct medium but the rules are different
by Charles Ping Brand Republic 31 Oct 2006
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/601517/mobile-direct-medium-rules-different/
Mobile marketing is becoming an increasingly important part of the marketing mix and to achieve standout marketers need to be up to speed on the medium and its capability to engage, writes Charles Ping, chairman of the Direct Marketing Association.
Media and marketing techniques tend to reflect both the technologies available and the public mores of their time. This means that we see media and marketing usage changing over time.
If we identify the last quarter of the 20th century in direct marketing terms as a "direct mail" phase, then perhaps we can project the first quarter of the 21st century as a "mobile" phase.
One large attraction of direct mail was its universality -- every household has a letterbox. But we know that it's getting harder to be allowed through that letterbox.
The terms on which consumers are willing to engage with brands are now being driven by the consumers themselves. This is a significant and enduring shift.
If we have to work harder and spend more money to get a relationship with the consumer it's beholden on all direct marketers to engage in all the ways that the consumer wants.
It could be said that mobile is the new universal medium. However, this time the rules are very different and direct marketers are in a new environment needing additional skills. These involve the familiar direct marketing skills that meld technology, creativity and data to bring a proposition together.
Brands that take the time now to understand how to use mobile to develop their businesses will gain ground that their competitors will find it hard to claw back.
Charles Ping will be speaking at the DMA Effective Mobile Marketing seminar on Thursday November 16 at The Magic Circle, London. The seminar, featuring expert speakers from O2, Vodafone and Piczo, will provide insight into how to use the mobile medium effectively in campaigns and as part of a long term CRM strategy.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
Industry DD: Puca and Peugeot Pioneer Mobile Internet Marketing in Ireland
http://www.irishdev.com/NewsArticle.aspx?id=4382
The campaign, which included billboard, mailing, press and radio advertising, encouraged target customers to download a link to a mobile internet website which they could view on their handset. It has resulted in a large volume of responses, and with 40% of respondents providing personal contact details, the campaign has proven to be very successful in generating test drives.
Peugeot is one of the first in Ireland to use mobile internet marketing and to integrate it across an entire campaign.
Vincent Delettre, CRM manager, Peugeot Ireland said, "The real advantage of mobile internet marketing was being able to introduce much more creativity, colour, interactivity and fun to our mobile marketing. The results have been very strong to date. They certainly justify our plan to allocate a larger proportion of our advertising budget to mobile."
Púca has undertaken a number of surveys into the use of mobile marketing. Its latest research shows the Irish market for mobile marketing growing to EUR17M, or 1% of the total advertising market in Ireland in 2007. Púca forecasts this to grow very substantially to 5% of the total advertising market by 2010, with a value of over EUR100M.
The accelerated growth is being driven by better handsets, new technology for mobile phone based web sites, 3G networks and interactive mobile TV. In addition, some of the world's leading global search and content companies are currently redeploying their internet content advertising model to fit the mobile industry.
Tom Bean, marketing director of Púca said, "We have reached a tipping point because mobile advertising can now incorporate pictures, sound and colour. Suddenly creative departments are focusing their attention on mobile because they understand that not only does mobile continue to deliver precision targeting and accountability, it can now do it in an attractive and engaging way."
"When you combine what is known as 'the brand in the hand' effect with precise targeting, you begin to understand why mobile advertising gets closer to the nirvana of zero-waste advertising than any other media. Today, mobile teasers, games, animations and movies are the leading edge of the advertising industry and are winning awards at the top advertising showcases," continued Bean.
Púca has been successfully running mobile marketing campaigns for major brands such as Coca Cola, Cadbury, Budweiser, Lynx and Nokia since its establishment in 2000. These have included interactive text campaigns, mobile video and interactive mobile TV advertising, mobile phone banner ads and even sponsored mobile games and treasure-trail incentive campaigns.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173
dlethe01: Ditto to Cjzak's post. You are a tremendous asset to this board. Thanks for all that you contribute!
ss9173
Billybass, Thanks for the clarification and headsup regarding the 8K for an AutoXperience definitive purchase agreement.
ss9173
I haven't been on the AutoXperience website for awhile. Looks like it has been updated as well. Sorry if this is old news.
http://www.autoxperience.com/
Speaking of AutoXperience, we absolutely need to complete the definitive purchase agreement by today with closing on or before November 24th as stated in the PR: http://www.neom.com/press_releases/2006/20060831.jsp .
I am hoping that we will get confirmation of a definitive purchase agreement in the 10Q to be filed by November 10th. IMO, it is imperative to get that cash infused into the business, reduce expense, and enable our total focus to be on mobile marketing.
ss9173
DD Mobile Comparison Shopping with Offers
Posted by James Pearce Thu 26 Oct 2006 11:20 AM PST
http://www.moconews.net/entry/mobile-comparison-shopping-with-offers/
Here’s something we missed earlier, which is interesting. DealMine has gone wireless with the idea that people can comparison shop while out and about. The interesting thing about DealMine is that it combines all of the different discounts and offers that people get because of their affiliations. According to DealMine, “research showed that the average consumer has nine credit cards, belongs to four rewards programs and at least one association or club...all of which have member discounts/rewards/benefits”.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Get Discounts and Rewards On The Road With DealMine.com Wireless
http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20061004/bs_prweb/prweb444767_2
New York, NY, October 4, 2006 – Personalized comparison shopping site, DealMine.com announces the launch of its wireless application for consumers to access their membership deals on the road. With thousands of discounts, miles, points and cash back rewards from credit cards, frequent flier programs and associations, DealMine.com guides shoppers how to take advantage of the programs where they belong as well as learn about new programs.
Free membership with DealMine.com enables travelers and shoppers alike to bookmark their favorite deals and save their membership numbers – all in one place. Now when checking in at the rental car or hotel desk, or checking out at their favorite store, consumers can access DealMine.com (http://www.dealmine.com or http://m.dealmine.com) on any WAP-enabled wireless phone to compare deals and put them to work.
“We are all members of countless programs designed to save us money; the hard part is keeping track of which deal is best. By making our discounts and rewards search wireless, we hope to make choosing the right deal much easier and more accessible.” said Scott Cherkin, CEO and Founder of DealMine.com. The site currently features over 100 car rental deals, 800 hotel deals, 12 JCPenney.com deals, 11 Target.com deals and much more from programs including American Express, AAA, AARP, Veterans Advantage, Visa, Delta SkyMiles, American Airlines AAdvantage, Upromise and more.
On the web, DealMine.com is the only place consumers will find a one-stop shopping website that showcases how membership-based deals compare with general sales and discounts available to all consumers.
In Spring 2006, DealMine.com was proudly awarded an honorary mention in the first annual Web 2.0 Awards (http://web2.0awards.org) for its innovative approach to online shopping. “The Web 2.0 phenomenon is fast becoming an integral part of the innovation and direction of web development and ecommerce,” said Rand Fishkin, CEO at SEOmoz and founder of the Web 2.0 Awards. “We are proud to recognize DealMine.com for its ingenuity and bringing more transparency and greater ease to the online shopping experience.”
About DealMine.com
DealMine.com is the first personalized comparison shopping site to match discounts, miles, points and other rewards from a wide range of programs to prices at the best stores online. Its mission is to bring more relevant and personalized information to comparison shopping sites to make them easier to use for consumers.
About Web 2.0 Awards and SEOmoz
SEOmoz is a leading Internet marketing consultancy, providing search engine optimization services for global clients including the Saatchi Gallery of London, Benchmark Capital, Primal Pictures Ltd., Avatar Financial Group and others. SEOmoz's website is an informational hub for the online search marketing community, providing authoritative articles and reports on search engine algorithms and web marketing. SEOmoz.org (http://www.seomoz.org) has 13,000+ subscribed members and serves more than 100,000 unique visitors each month. Originally founded in 1981, SEOmoz is privately held and headquartered in Seattle, WA.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ss9173