For years, American technology leaders have gotten used to seeing the United States no longer globally technologically dominant. But nowhere is that lack-of-dominance more pronounced than with cell phone technology.
Whether it's interacting with digital signage, communicating with stores about inventory or paying for products directly with phones embedded with RFID (radio-frequency identification) chips, cell phones are proving to be clever and adept communication tools in key parts of Europe and Asia but not here.
With mobile payment, for example, the blame is placed on the U.S. mobile market's structure, with banks much more dominant overseas. Here, it's the cell phone carriers that own the landscape and call the shots.
That's why I saw this week's Google Android news as something that was exciting in its potential to shake up the industry. Trust me, this is one sector that truly needs a lot of shaking up.
The key question, though, is whether Google and the initial 34 members of the Open Handset Alliance will be able to do that shaking. (By the way, can you please tell me how Google could simultaneously use such a cute sci-fi OS name as Android and on the same day also roll out such a dorky and named-by-committee moniker as the Open Handset Alliance? Was this designed to establish some sort of equilibrium on the cool/uncool naming scale?)
Read the full post http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2213173,00.asp
Showing posts with label google. Show all posts
Showing posts with label google. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Google Beat to the Punch by AT and T/Cingular?
Eric Schmidt of Google has been advocating a day when advertisement would make cell phone subscriptions free. It's natural with the popularity of Google's AdSense program, that the company should take over the lead. Endgadget: Google Chief Sez:"Your Mobile Phone Should be Free.
Every day on the Internet, we are bombarded by advertisement. Does that mean our Internet is free? Even NetZero, who used to be free, funding dial up on the backs of advertisers, charge for the privilege now.
Has AT and T beaten Google to the punch? Or is there another partnership in the works?
NEW YORK ( Reuters) - AT and T Inc. (T.N) plans to push new wireless services and make advertising a key revenue stream following its $86 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corp. (BLS.N), The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
The acquisition, which closed last week, gives AT and T control of mobile phone service provider Cingular Wireless. The companies previously ran Cingular in a joint venture.
``The biggest asset we bought here was Cingular,'' AT and T Chairman and Chief Executive Edward Whitacre said, according to the Journal. ``We're about to become a company with wireless at its heart.''
AT and T will begin selling wireless service under its own brand name to its pool of corporate phone and Internet customers, the Journal reported. Control of Cingular will allow it to offer discounts for bundles that were impossible when the wireless carrier was a separate entity, the paper reported.
Consumers will get the choice of signing up for a new package of mobile phone and Internet service rather than the traditional bundle of land-line phone and Internet service, the paper also reported.
AT&T has been testing cellphones that can run on Wi-Fi networks when at home, which could let consumers save money on their mobile phone bills and perhaps get better reception indoors, the paper said.
It also reported that AT and T will begin selling advertising on mobile phones, television and Internet access service this year.
Advertisers will be able to buy spots for TV and broadband beginning early this year, with wireless ads following later this year, the Journal said. The advertising business could generate several billion dollars in revenue per year in the next five years, the paper cited the company as saying.
Every day on the Internet, we are bombarded by advertisement. Does that mean our Internet is free? Even NetZero, who used to be free, funding dial up on the backs of advertisers, charge for the privilege now.
Has AT and T beaten Google to the punch? Or is there another partnership in the works?
NEW YORK ( Reuters) - AT and T Inc. (T.N) plans to push new wireless services and make advertising a key revenue stream following its $86 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corp. (BLS.N), The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
The acquisition, which closed last week, gives AT and T control of mobile phone service provider Cingular Wireless. The companies previously ran Cingular in a joint venture.
``The biggest asset we bought here was Cingular,'' AT and T Chairman and Chief Executive Edward Whitacre said, according to the Journal. ``We're about to become a company with wireless at its heart.''
AT and T will begin selling wireless service under its own brand name to its pool of corporate phone and Internet customers, the Journal reported. Control of Cingular will allow it to offer discounts for bundles that were impossible when the wireless carrier was a separate entity, the paper reported.
Consumers will get the choice of signing up for a new package of mobile phone and Internet service rather than the traditional bundle of land-line phone and Internet service, the paper also reported.
AT&T has been testing cellphones that can run on Wi-Fi networks when at home, which could let consumers save money on their mobile phone bills and perhaps get better reception indoors, the paper said.
It also reported that AT and T will begin selling advertising on mobile phones, television and Internet access service this year.
Advertisers will be able to buy spots for TV and broadband beginning early this year, with wireless ads following later this year, the Journal said. The advertising business could generate several billion dollars in revenue per year in the next five years, the paper cited the company as saying.
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