Snaptu - cool web mobile platform

A mobile application with widgets to facebook, twitter, news, picasa, weather and more. The cool thing about it is that you can add widgets that you are interested in and delete the ones that you are not using. However, the option of adding widgets is quit limited (mainly in London). so I would rather add my own widgets for each section, news, weather, etc. Personalization should be part of Snaptu strategy vis-a-via the wall garden approach of the mobile operators. A prompt replay from snaptu explains that it is possible to add blogs etc by using add URL feature.

The updating on facebook and twitter works fine I would rather have the option of updating my status on facebook and twitter at the same application rather than open each one separately, more like ping.fm application integrated into the staptu.

I was very exited when I managed to add the google calender widget and see my calendar on my Nokia E71 S60 since it is not possible from the google calender site (doesn't support symbian devices in Israel)

I hope the next version of Snaptu will be more stable as this one shut down a few times
Overall, I liked the solution, the real potential is developing and marketing a platform for personal applications and widgets.

Nokia Music event

Top 10 Most “Popular” U.S. mobile phones in Dec. 2008

Interesting post at the MobileCrunch with the list of Top 10 Most “Popular” U.S. mobile phones in Dec. 2008. Surprisingly (or not) Nokia with global market share of 39% (http://tinyurl.com/alfp4h) is not on the list.

Latitude of Google or Plazes.com of Nokia?

Google latitude is a feature on google maps (that mean you have to use the google application for maps), which enables you to see where your friends are.

In order to use the latitude: first you have to sign in to latitude >add friends from Gmail contacts> after accepting your invitation they share their location and you get to see it on the map from your mobile or computer.

For marketers it will be a great tool to offer products based on the information reveled from users’ locations. Privacy will probably be an issue and controversy between generations (I can’t really see parents allowing everyone to see where they are all the time…)

Plazes.com that was acquired by Nokia last year is a web 2.0 social location based network site with a similar concept. This solution is more web oriented and Nokia is planning to adjust and customize it to the mobile. Interesting features includes creating activities on the map, get instructions to get there from Google (…), invite friends or see which one of your friends are in the area (similar to latitude). The site isn’t working on safari – mac browsers which mean than it might have problems using it on iPhones.

The major advantage of Latitude is of course google and all it’s applications such as email, Gtalk, maps etc. it will probably be embedded into Android devices. Nokia’s integration of Plazes.com will probably be under OVI services.

Skype and Nokia – a bypass operator channel?

The companies announced skype application would be integrated into selected Nokia devices, starting with the N97. On the N97, skype will be part of the address book, which will enable users to see when their friends are online and would be able to make voice calls.

This cooperation is part of Nokia’s strategy of becoming an Internet company and offering VAS together with hardware devices. The move is interesting and it’s even more interesting to see how the mobile operators will act according to this move…

Nokia N97 – more of the same or a breakthrough?

The Nokia N97 is making a buzz at the Mobile World Congress. The new N series device will be launched in the first half of 2009.
Looks interesting and prestigious could have been a bit thicker and is definitely looks similar to Nokia 5800. It has 5 megapixels camera, but isn’t it time for 8 megapixels device following Sony Erickson and Samsung? It has Qwerty keypad, which is great, and the screen is 3.5 inches.

Also, the mobile computer, the term Nokia uses, has multiple sensors, processing power and connection speeds – “for people to create a personal Internet and share their social location”. Social networking applications are one of the most popular issues at the congress this year and operators around the world and considering actions and tactics to address the issue and increase ARPU from social networking usage on the mobile.

N series devices are the flagship products of the company and N97 is expected to replace the N95, which was a major success worldwide. Would the N97 be as successful? Time will tell…taking into consideration the intense and crowded market and the fact that Nokia is no longer a leading innovative player, 2009 might be a period for the company to focus even more on low end devices in developing markets.

Video conferencing for iPhone – it’s about time…

Apple plans to introduce video conferencing to future generations of the popular handset. The lack of video capabilities on the handset has been a major downside among customers. Tero Kuittinen, a Global Crown Capital analyst, said the iPhone must adopt a higher quality camera with video capabilities if it wishes to remain competitive with rivals Research In Motion, Samsung, HTC and LG.

Nokia has video conferencing in most of the 49 new devices launched every year but is this tech advantage is a real benefit to the leading handset manufacture? Apple will probably close the tech gap but will Nokia reposition itself as a cool, innovative and attractive brand? Time will tell they are sure trying so with the OVI.

As for the camera capabilities, after switching from my Nokia N95 8GB to Nokia E71 I can say that having a powerful, high quality phone camera (relatively of course) is useful and a basic requirement of our generation…

Nokia's second acquisition of LBS start up

After acquiring the start up Plazes http://plazes.com/ in 2008, the next lucky company to be acquired is Bit-Side. Bit-Side http://www.bit-side.com/ , which is a German based company with 39 employees is expected to be integrated into the Nokia Service Unit.

Bit-Side is a media-sharing software company with several products such as entertainment and games software and media –sharing programs for Androis, iPhone and Symbian.

Bit-Side is expected to focus mainly on Nokia maps. Seems like Nokia is looking for location based social networking. The company has strategically decided to expand and improve the navigation/LBS/maps etc in order to gain product competitive advantage and slowly move towards offering software as a complimentary product or stand alone.

Nokia website change – is it the best execution to its strategy?

Align with the company's strategy to become an Internet leader; Nokia launches the new updates on the main site http://www.nokia.com/ . Nokia's continues effort to penetrate the new OVI services in the market is finally revealed at the home page. I actually wondered how long it would take Nokia to distribute OVI services through all their channels, especially the main site.

Talking about it on their home page is a significant move but is it enough? Let's say I'm interested at finding out about Nokia games, why doesn't it have a link to N-gage and each of the services from the home page? Now I need to choose a region and then a minimum of 4 clicks (in cased I know what OVI is…). I'm sure Nokia's aim is to drive more traffic to it's' sites, so why not make it easy and accessible?

Nokia's multi-brand strategy (Nokia, OVI, Mosh-mobi, ect) should be re-examined as it may confuses consumers and not necessarily being as efficient as possible…