Mobile Lifestyle

Nokia have been trying hard to re-build it's brand. As part of this campaign they have contributed to the Creative Business suplement of the FT. I particularly like..

"Mobiles restored our sense of connection and community, and provided a "social lifeline" in an increasingly fragmented, busy and isolating world. Imagine if we didn't have mobile phones. Could we stay in touch with family and friends so easily? I'm sure I'm not the only one that makes personal calls on my mobile as I walk to get my lunch or hop in a taxi to a meeting. Mobiles facilitate chatting and gossip, which actually stimulates the production of endorphins, relieves stress and boosts the immune system!"

Can I spot the sales pitch... "With the rapidly improving quality of camera phone technology, there is an increasing desire to share, keep and display the digital images stored on your phone. The combination of text messages, voice-mails and pictures make up a digital scrap book of your life. And you can now purchase PC-based software that enables you to use these snippets of your everyday life, organise, display, share them, just as you do with a digital camera.

Today's mobile phones have pushed the limits of multimedia functionality, going beyond internet connectivity and built-in cameras to video functions, electronic funds transfer and more. Multimedia usage is set to experience mass-market adoption with the widespread availability of third-generation mobile phones from most of the major mobile operator networks"

Over at Fast Company Christian Lindholm is pushing Lifeblog as the tool for "Kodak Moments"

Seeing the simple things in technology

OK for the last few weeks I have been working with Destiny Wireless who ar the UK Agents for Anoto. They have a digital pen, think of it as a fat biro with a camera in that films as you write on special paper. Using the pen means that all sorts of people who work outside can put what they do into a computer using either a USB "ink well" or a bluetooth phone.

The great thing about this techjnology is that those who were techno phobes are now attached to the System. It also means that people like Nurses can up date patient records without having to carry a laptop or learn to use a PDA.

The only problem is that when you show the technology to a potential customer you then have to get them to focus on the one thing that is important to them when it come to using the pen. Customers see so many applications for it the get blinded by what is a great technology. I am sure that over the next few months we will start to see more and more people use digital pens to interact with people rather than hide behine computer sceens.

Why does broadband matter?

Today's Independent has an Analysis of how those that live in rural Britain can join the high speed net via WiMax.

The writer once again complains about BT not making it easy for the little guy to pick off customers on the basis of price. Then he focuses on what WiMax might do i.e. surve a number of people with above broadband speeds using point-to-multipoint systems just like broadcast radio. Rather than installing a modem inside the house engineers now fit a satelite dish on the outside of the building, sound familar?

The problem is one of cost and at present there are no standards with which to work to.

Now what do we want to give those who live outside of towns and cities broadband for when they cannot pay the commercial price?

I think it is because once we enable those in the poorest communities with the best technology we help everyone improve. I heard a radio program last week on how the village in Wales that got electricity for the first time last year has been catching up with the rest of the country. It is not until you see how those who have not had something behave that you get an understanding of the things that we use everyday and no longer appricate!