The numbers game: Real relationships in social media

Mobile Media: Wherever I go, you come too

A key component of successful social media networking, marketing and sharing is the ability to access the social web at critical times. The technological advancement of smartphones and wireless providers have enabled consumers to get on the Internet virtually anywhere at any time. I am not suggesting that one stays constantly connected. Instead, mobile accessibility has unchained us from our computers. Everyone is now able to explore the world while utilizing critical elements of the social web.

Flipcams, cell phones and mobile-optimized web sites are now available in the mainstream market. In many ways, this has helped exponentially increase the amount of up-to-the-moment information available. We can now upload text to our blogs, pictures to Flickr, and videos to YouTube while remaining copmletely wireless. For businesses seeking to engage their target audience, this is an opportunity to get real-time feedback on anything from product reviews to onsite experiences.

Below is a picture re-cap of a recent bike ride I took through downtown Columbus. Most of these were taken with a cell phone, which I was able to upload to Flickr as I rode. By the time I arrived home after two hours of riding, there were only a few photos left to finish posting. Without this capability, it is unlikely that I would have shared this experience at the rate that it became available.

Sex APPeal: BlackBerry vs. Apple

Unbeknown to many, the commercialized availability of smartphone applications is barely a year old. Since the inception of the Apple App Store on July 11 last year, global activity has topped 1.5 billion downloads. Not to mention, of course, the 10 million downloads the first weekend the App Store was available. While the launch of the App Store pre-empted the release of the BlackBerry Storm, RIM's first touch-screen smartphone, BlackBerry was quick to catch up introducing it's own App World in March of 2009.

Both the Apple and BlackBerry app stores provide wireless download capability, with several new applications being added each day. In my own experience, I have owned an iPod Touch since September 2007 and a BlackBerry Storm since November 2008. After countless downloads, trials and erasing most apps from both devices, there are a few conclusions that can be reached for the current state of each app store:

BlackBerry App World

Pros

• Coverage: With Verizon's 3G network, applications that require streaming capability or constant connection fare much better than an iPhone or Palm Pre any day. If you are an Apple fanatic, I am sorry. This is a verifiable fact.
• Productivity: BlackBerry continues to dominate the business world, and the App World naturally reflects the business landscape. If you are a frequent traveler, salesman, productivity manager or receive hundreds of messages a day, there is a guaranteed app or two to make your life easier.
• Compatability: With very few exceptions, virtually all downloads available in App World will function on any recent BlackBerry model. There is little concern about whether you will have to upgrade your mobile OS or purchase an entirely new phone.

Cons

• Quantity: If you want to spend hours browsing App World, your joy ride will end relatively quickly. While there are several hundred apps from which to choose, you are unlikely to find niche apps, such as a one developed for Dairy Queen or obsessed CSI fans.
• Price: There are several apps available that are 100% free of charge, but some will set you back as much as $30 for each download. Despite this apparent drawback, many of the more expensive options are used for business-related functions that serve specific purposes. In some cases, an app purchase could be paid for by one's company.
  
• Support: The App World is still in it's infancy, and third party developers have only had a few months to begin creating BlackBerry-compatible app syntax. It is still early to judge whether or not RIM has dropped the ball on opening up it's API. In the mean time, technical support and "buggy" symptoms still plague many available applications.

Apple App Store

Pros

• Availability: In spite of the App World, Apple currently boasts more than 65,000 applications available for download.
  
• Speed: One clear advantage that Apple products maintain is the access to Wi-fi when it is available. While the AT&T network may lag, an iPhone or iPod Touch can pick up wireless signals and operate at normal speeds in some areas.
  
• Usability: The touch interface is very fluid and responsive on new Apple models, which minimizes frustration while learning new applications. Ironically, the iPhone and iPod Touch's inability to run multiple programs at once give them an advantage while operating downloaded software.
  
• Price: While thousands of apps are free, many more popular downloads are a mere $.99 - a price that will not break the bank when you are disappointed with a download.
  

Cons

• Navigation: With so many new apps available on a near daily basis, it has become a daunting task to keep up the latest updates on each program. While Apple is working on redesigning the aesthetics of the App Store, relief from navigation frustrations is a light very far from the end tunnel.
• Time: Aside from the time it takes to navigate through the entirety of the App Store, many applications are simply for novelty use. This begs the quesion whether Apple has a reputable place in the business market, or if it serves as a distraction rather than a tool for efficiency.

The ultimate decision is yours, of course, but I hope this insight helps. Feedback welcomed and appreciated.