14/1 Flash Lite Devices Worldwide / Flash Lite and Video13/1 The old model will work for the next two, three years, but then it's overIt's an old article (18.12.2007) from the Financial Times Germany, but I think it is a relevant one (thanks Timo).
Basically it comes down to this: E-Plus CEO Thorsten Dirks initiates a strategy change. They no longer believe in the walled garden strategy doing everything by themselves, but they see that they have to cooperate with creative internet companies.
The portal strategy (T-Zones, Vodafone Live or iMode...) has failed. For clients these portals are not attractive enough: they are too expensive and not user friendly.
And there is no time to loose. The incumbents do not have more than two, three years, then their current business will be dead.
Quotes from FTD's E-Plus bricht mit altem Geschäftsmodell
Selbst mit eigenen Angeboten wie den multimedialen Kurznachrichten MMS, Handyportalen wie T-Zones, Vodafone live oder gar dem Schmalspur-Internet iMode erlitten die Netzbetreiber Schiffbruch: Sie sind für Nutzer zu umständlich, zu teuer, zu unattraktiv.
[...] Statt alles in Eigenregie anzubieten, will sich E-Plus lieber an externe Dienstleister halten - und an deren Umsätzen teilhaben. Wie stark, steht noch in den Sternen. "Noch sind wir in einer guten Position, mit den attraktivsten Internet-Unternehmen Partnerschaften einzugehen. Noch haben wir Technik, Wissen, Kunden und Kanäle zu bieten, die sich andere erst mühsam erarbeiten müssten", sagte Dirks.
Die Zeit drängt. Allenfalls zwei bis drei Jahre könnten die Netzbetreiber noch von ihrem heutigen Geschäft leben, analysierten die Düsseldorfer intern.
[...] "Im Mobilfunkwettbewerb geht es um Ideen, Geld und Tempo. E-Plus hat seine Schwächen offenbar treffend analysiert - und zieht die richtigen Schlüsse", sagte Arndt Rautenberg, Telekomexperte der Strategieberatung OC&C, zu den Plänen. Defizite sieht er hingegen bei Marktführern - weltweit: "Gerade die Ex-Monopolisten wollen noch zu häufig alles selbst machen. Das kann nicht funktionieren."
Die Mehrzahl der Netzbetreiber sei weiterhin davon überzeugt, neben dem Zugang zum Mobilfunk auch künftig noch die Inhalte und Dienste bestimmen zu können. Dafür fehle ihnen oft nicht nur die Kompetenz, sondern auch die entsprechende Kultur und das passende Personal. "Es ist schwer abzuschätzen, was der Markt morgen oder übermorgen verlangt. Breite Partnerschaften mit einer Vielzahl kreativer Unternehmen sind daher die bessere Strategie als der Versuch, alles in Eigenregie entwickeln zu wollen", sagte Rautenberg. 12/1 Oh so true: Post retrouvé from September 200411/1 Sukashikashipan with QR Code
Image: Pinktentacle.com
Pinktentacle / Gigazine
Otaku idol Shokotan / しょこたん (Shoko Nakagawa)’s obsession with sand dollars has resulted in a new type of sweet bun, called Sukashikashipan, which is scheduled to hit Lawson convenience store shelves nationwide at the end of January.
[...] As an added bonus, the package will feature a QR code that, when scanned, takes you to a mobile site that provides a variety of Sukashikashipan-Man anime content. Sukashikashipan-Man is a fictional hero conceived by Shokotan.
When will we see similar things here in Europe?
See also (update: 12.1.2007, 1:30 am):
YAMAMOTO Seiji's Molecular QR Code Cuisine09/1 Experiment: QR Codes for CNNMobile, NYT Mobile, NZZ Mobile
CNNMobile (english)
NYTimes Mobile (english)
NZZ Mobile (deutsch)
Today I was really curious who won - Obama or Hillary - and it took me some time before being before a computer. This is the scenario where I use my cellphone to get to the results quickly - when I have an urge to know something.
This is also an experiment. I am interested to find out how much times these QR Codes will be scanned during the next weeks. And which one of these media companies will get most scanned.
And as a media company with a mobile site I would definitely include the QR Code in the newspaper (on the frontpage), in all my ads and on the website. I would use different codes for frontpage/ads/website to find out what works best.
I've also crossposted this on roger.kaywa.ch to see the difference between the two blogs. I will certainly come back in this blog on the results when there is something interesting happening. 06/1 MC2, OMA, GSMA: Interoperability and Standardization / Mobile Tags and Security? / Mobiletags.bizInteroperability and Standardization
MC2 / OMA / GSMA (PDF from December 17, 2007)
This month, the GSMA, the global trade association representing 700 GSM mobile phone operators, and OMA, the leading industry forum for developing market driven, interoperable mobile service enablers, will embark on a landmark exercise, which aims to deliver technology and marketing industry standards for mobile codes. The GSMA is launching a work stream to encourage mobile operators to adopt interoperable business models for mobile codes and raise the profile of this technology within the industry, while the OMA will work simultaneously to specify the technical standards.
We are quite confident that the MC2 as well as OMA and GSMA will vote for QR Code and Datamatrix. QR Code has the big advantage that it is the mobile code which is currently the one most used worldwide.
As for interoperability, we believe that the URL/Short Code URL is the best and easiest way for rapid interoperability whereas a global short code system will take months and maybe years. As for offline codes text , phone, SMS and email are trivial, but the contact/vcard needs one global standard.
Security and Mobile Tags
In response to security concerns mentioned here, I recommend reading our german presentation Mobile Tags and Security? at Swiss Infosec 2007 (PDF, 1,8 MB)
Kaywa's QR Code Guide and Mobiletags.biz
Scan, Buzz, Beep, Ok! A Guide to Kaywa's QR Code Solutions (PDF, 1.59 MB) *
Mobiletags.Biz 05/1 Nokia N95 QR Code Reader Video03/1 Spain: QR Codes as part of the book cover | |
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