by Steve Smith on Apr 16, 11:51 AM
Five years into the app revolution, there remain fresh and inspiring design and content ideas. We are still just glimpsing what this format is capable of delivering.
by Erik Sass on Apr 15, 10:07 AM
The next big area of mobile differentiation will be high-technology cameras with sophisticated 3D capabilities, judging by such recent developments as Apple's acquisition of LinX, along with reports of major investments made in Movidius, a tech company specializing in mobile visual processing.
by Erik Sass on Apr 14, 10:57 AM
Throughout history, new technologies have created new areas of employment while simultaneously putting other people out of work, often providing social and cultural ramifications as well. To give one obvious example among many, the printing press put (most) calligraphers out of work and enabled mass literacy, followed by propaganda and pornography. But here's one twist I never saw coming: The rise of mobile devices is apparently leading to a decline in good old-fashioned whistling.
by Steve Smith on Apr 13, 11:57 AM
Even as Twitter get most of the media and marketing attention as a second-screen experience, Facebook is far and away the most popular platform for TV-related posts, according to one study. But we're still learning what it means to "watch TV" in a two- and three-screen living room.
by Erik Sass on Apr 10, 2:49 PM
Mobile's share of total online video viewing is set to soar from 26% last year to 40% this year and just over 50% by the end of 2016, surpassing desktop viewing, according to a new report and forecast from Adobe Systems. Turning to specific device categories, smartphones accounted for 14% of all online video viewing in 2014, while tablets accounted for 12%.
by Steve Smith on Apr 9, 12:02 PM
With "My Friend Scooby-Doo," Warner Bros. Entertainment Group is using apps for the long game of connecting an old brand with a new audience.
by Erik Sass on Apr 8, 12:13 PM
The future has arrived, and it is a very weird place. Yesterday I learned that drones are putting dogs out of work (really). And now I just came across another headline that wouldn't even have made sense 10 years ago: Cars are becoming wallets, as credit cards, mobile payments services, and connected dashboards get all mashed up together.
by Erik Sass on Apr 7, 11:49 AM
War, starvation, pollution -- I think we can all agree these take a back seat to the real issue facing humanity, which is how long it takes to charge mobile devices. Fortunately technology is rushing to the rescue, developing a new (but not yet market-ready) battery that should take just a minute to charge -- although it's a safe bet that soon a minute will start to seem like a really long time.
by Steve Smith on Apr 6, 11:57 AM
Mobile video is exploding. But most users prefer most of their content on bigger screens. The trick is knowing when content type and situation drive users to handhelds. And please give them the tools to control where, when and how they view video.
by Erik Sass on Apr 3, 12:19 PM
With Internet-based video services already threatening cable operators, another front in the war on exorbitant fees emerged this week with WhatsApp's launch of a voice-calling feature for its Android app. This feature allows mobile device users with Internet access on their smartphones to make calls without having to use their allotted minutes, courtesy of WhatsApp -- which previously allowed users to skirt text limits.