text:
In Chris Gaither's LA Times (free, reg. required) article, Can Yahoo Sign On to Hollywood?, you'll read about the very different cultures at Yahoo's office in Santa Monica (aka Hollywood) versus their Yahoo HQ in Sunnyvale (aka Silicon Valley).
But as Yahoo strives to enter the league of Walt Disney Co., Viacom Inc. and other media giants, success hinges on its ability to merge two inherently different cultures: the brash, flashy ethos of entertainment executives and the rumpled, brainiac realm of computer nerds.
In the year since the company consolidated its Santa Monica office and began hiring a slew of former Hollywood executives bent on "convergence," Yahoo's leaders have sought to downplay the tensions. But the union has sometimes been rocky.
In Sunnyvale, it's "a cubicle society," said a person close to Yahoo, referring to the willingness of people at all levels to work in cramped workstations. Speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution from Yahoo, this person said the Santa Monica office, by contrast, was about " 'How big is my office? Where is my parking spot? You report to me. I don't need to talk to you.' It's very much the studio hierarchy mentality."
Btw, the article also includes a quote from Senior VP of Search and Marketplace, Jeff Weiner on just what kind of company Yahoo is:
"We're often asked, 'Is Yahoo a media company or a tech company?' said Jeff Weiner, a Yahoo senior vice president and former Warner Bros. executive who runs the search and marketplace groups. "The answer to that is: 'We're both. We're a media business that is technology driven.' "
Also on Search:
Consequently, search has become a big part of Yahoo's media strategy ? it's the launch pad for many people to find video, music and websites ? and a big revenue generator. Yahoo is locked in a battle with Google to persuade movie studios and television companies to release their material to search engines ? one arena in which Yahoo's show-business connections are supposed to pay off.
A very interesting read.
Related reading
12 companies hit with a Google manual penalty
Just in case you're ever tempted to try a few black-hat practices to manipulate your search positions in Google, here are 12 tales to persuade you otherwise.
What's next for Adblock Plus and its Acceptable Ads Platform?
Adblock Plus made a major announcement last week that it would create its own RTB platform and get into the ad business.
Are your emails personal enough?
When it comes to email content, we know that data is key to ensuring messages are relevant and engaging for those who are receiving them.
Nine ways brands can improve emotional connections with customers
It's not easy to convince a customer nowadays to trust your company over another, but the right emotional connection may lead to ... read more


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Yeah....Nintendo doesn't have voice-acting, because they want to make people better at reading....That and it's tradition.
Nintendo does not want to break away their traditions from the classic Zelda and Mario games. It's just their tradition.
It's like let's say... Pikachu being able to talk 0.0 instead of the classic "Pika"
Super Smash Brawl FC : 2921-8748-2416
Location : California, US
Are u from the west coast and do you play 2v2?
Add us and other people who play 2vs2 as well from this thread:
Yeah....Nintendo doesn't have voice-acting, because they want to make people better at reading....That and it's tradition.
^Thanks Monsteroids^
I <3 reading
EA Persona: JohnPetrucci
BWii FC: 210 568 264 047 PM me if you add me
Newest Wii Purchase: Wii Zapper/Links Crossbow Training, Super Mario Strikers Charged
Its a video game.
Not a movie.
shup and read
last time i checked i was 36 years old and high school was a long time ago. and i read about 20 to 30 books a year. work 40 hours a week have a wife and a 2 year old son and play games all the time ,ps3 xbox 360( not countin g the 22 other system i have . I just seems to me that its time to get with the program the games just seem to be missing some thing they need more depth. its just old
And that's the problem with gamers these days. Everything has to be flashy, can't a game just be a game? I don't think Zelda should ever have voice acting, nor Mario. Teamhurst, if you have a problem with Nintendo adding voice acting to their games then I suggest SCE, or Microsoft.
i agreeOriginally Posted by sherwood3570
Super Mario 64 taught me how to read.
I wanted Galaxy to teach me how to act, but alas, nay, it will not.
Join the Buy BWii Campaign and Buy BWii!
Spoiler Alert!
Midna is the Twilight Princess.
Hold on- Link with a voice? Didn't we learn our lesson with the Zelda series and CD-i?
And I quote,
"Well ExcuUuUuUuse me, princess!"
i fully agree with thatOriginally Posted by sherwood3570

subset: commoncrawl


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Ed Broyles, 90, spent most of his life working on a farm. He and Eagle Rehabilitation Director of Nurses, Jen Neubauer, credit his lengthened lifespan to his active youth.
"I think one of the commonalities that we see is currently our aging population has been more active than ever before," said Neubauer.
A recent study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said exercise is the most important tool for the elderly to stay clear of chronic diseases. Exercise doesn't need to be strenuous, just enough to get your muscles active and working.
Eagle Rehabilitation resident Martha Cory said she believes she is 82-years-young because she had to walk everywhere growing up.
"I did a lot of walking," said Cory. "We didn't have transportation. When I had a bicycle, I rode my bicycle."
An article on agingcare.com said that an easy 30-minute cardio workout, light weights and yoga classes are a safe way for the elderly to break a sweat.
"Eat right I guess, get plenty of exercise," said resident Tom Bush. "Everything in moderation."
Neubauer said there is a resident at Eagle Rehabilitation who is 101-years-old and she's healthier than some of the younger residents who come through.
"She still walks with a walker, helps herself dress, I mean she requires some assistance," said Neubauer. "She's really one that's been active her whole life."
According to a recent survey about growing old in America, 74% of people surveyed said health is the number one reason people felt aging was better than expected.
"I think one way to stay active is to remember we only have one body this is all that we get," said Neubauer. "And the better that we take care of it in our younger years will make a big difference in our later years."
Neubauer said it's never too late to start exercising no matter how many years young or old you are.
The Growing Old in America survey also mentions that 82% of Americans rank health as one of their top three priorities as they age.


text:
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tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:/topics/payments-2 Latest Payments content from Econsultancy 2016-06-22T11:47:00+01:00 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/67982 2016-06-22T11:47:00+01:00 2016-06-22T11:47:00+01:00 Apple Pay developments herald the era of contextual commerce Prosper Williams
The first wave involved migrating offline experiences to a website, while the second involved optimizing website experiences for mobile (Apps).

And with recent announcements by Google, Facebook (Messenger) and now Apple, it is clear the third wave will be about optimizing apps for a few core pillar platforms that integrate other products and services into a tightly woven experience.

This is a significant and disruptive transition, not only for technology incumbents, but for traditional businesses and consumers too.

Just like we have built policies, processes and competencies around the web and then mobile, organizations will need to do the same for platforms, but with one caveat.

These experiences will be delivered in an environment curated and controlled by a third party, and thought will need to be given not only to how we roll out products and services in the future, but how we maintain our relationship with the end consumer, when essentially we are delivering an experience through an intermediary.

Whilst the above is game-changing in nature (particular over the medium to long term) as someone employed in financial services, I believe Apple's decision to extend Apple Pay to the web browser also has the potential to be pretty significant and in quicker time, too.

Enhancements in experience design

Essentially Apple Pay on the web will give ecommerce players and all digital incumbents a new lens through which to view experience design.

Since the first ecommerce site was launched back in 1992, the generic ecommerce interface has hardly changed. We still employ shopping carts, catalogues, panels and web pages.

Yet all of our digital experiences outside commerce have changed.

From Tinder, to Uber and Airbnb, customer-obsessed startups are providing fast, simple, personal and enchanting user experiences which are driving growth.

And with the introduction of Apple Pay for the web, traditional digital incumbents can now deliver streamlined, frictionless user experiences which do the same.

The rise of contextual commerce

By shortening and in some cases eliminating the purchase stage of the conversion funnel, Apple is not just removing the disconnect in the experience customers have from cart to checkout.

The company is unlocking opportunities for merchants to seamlessly implement "one click" payment options for the web/mobile web, image-heavy social media sites like Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and brick and mortar locations.

This change (in parallel with Near Field Communications technology and the adoption of APIs) has the potential to provide a channel agnostic solution that completely condenses what can be an unnecessarily extended customer journey.

Giving brands the ability to provide integrated omni-channel experiences in real-time, as consumers discover, evaluate and purchase our products.

Example: Integrated real-time engagements

Imagine being at work, and a colleague has just walked in with the Apple Watch, which you have been thinking about purchasing for some time.

Instead of asking her specifics about the device, you tap the watch with your smartphone (both your phone and the watch have NFC-enabled capabilities), and immediately all the information related to the watch, such as price, reviews, similar products, as well as the ability for you to purchase the watch there and then and have it shipped to your home, are communicated to your mobile device.

As pointed out by thought-leaders such as Noz Urbina, the introduction of Apple Pay for the web will enable scenarios like the above.

Encouraging brands not just to think in terms of online and offline, but instead to focus on integrated real-time engagements, as we deliver user experiences, which allow customers to consider, evaluate and purchase our products simultaneously, at any point along the customer journey.

And all without the hassles that came along with earlier forms of payment, such as scrawling a signature on a piece of paper, or spending minutes on end registering to a website.

Loyalty

Finally, beyond being just a payment platform, Apple Pay will provide significant value in regards to loyalty, as brands use it as a mechanism for extending customer lifetime value.

How many of us have online interactions with brands that bear no connection with in-flight contextual data about us or our ongoing relationships with those brands.

Tying this data in with the actual marketing and sales platform is a golden opportunity, and this is what the introduction of Apple Pay for the web facilitates.

Ultimately this is an experience that could/should be managed by our financial services providers, but with no legacy systems to build upon I believe Apple, Google, or maybe even Samsung will be most aptly placed to facilitate this relationship.

Conclusion

Payment platforms such as Apple Pay are ushering in a new era of digital experience design.

The emphasis will no longer be on optimising each stage of the funnel and driving customers towards the shopping cart, but on using technology to create magical frictionless experiences, taking into account what customers are going to feel and what they would want to share.

By simplifying and stripping the friction out of the checkout process, not only does Apple Pay increase the likelihood of conversion, the platform changes the mind-set of digital product owners.

This will free us up to really think through what the customer is going to have to experience, in order to unlock a growth partnership with our brands.
 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/67768 2016-04-22T09:41:33+01:00 2016-04-22T09:41:33+01:00 How to gear towards mobile commerce success Georges Berzgal
While the US tech giant had already launched Apple Pay for in-app purchases on iOS mobile apps and physical stores last year, this move will make mobile shopping even easier.

It enables consumers who shop online using an iPhone or iPad Safari browser to make a purchase at the push of a button with Apple Pay and TouchID.

It points to a world where consumers can shop from wherever they are without the frustration of filling out fiddly forms on a phone or having to wait for lengthy security checks processed over slow network connections.

Ovum predicts that 2bn m-commerce transactions will take place globally in 2019, 452m more than in 2014.

Closer to home, a major tipping point was recently reached.

For the first time ever, UK online retail sales made through smartphones and tablets exceeded those made over desktop and laptops in Q4 2015, according to IMRG.

Figures like this mean that retailers cannot afford to merely 'experiment' in mobile or ignore it entirely.

And we must be aware that consumers expect us to cater to whatever device they're using or even the accessories they're wearing while on the move.

In addition, when referring to mobile, we can no longer limit the conversation to phones or tablets.

We have to include smartwatches and even the latest car models, featuring screens with access to the internet (e.g. Apple CarPlay or Android Auto).

So what does being mobile-ready entail and require of a retailer? Commerce marketers might want to consider the following:

1. Be mobile responsive

It wasn't so long ago that all web content was designed with a laptop screen in mind.

Today, one of the biggest mistakes a brand can make is not being mobile responsive.

Many retailers are now catering to mobile, so if your website and emails aren't mobile-ready and easy to navigate, customers aren't going to persevere and will go to a competitor.

Research found that if your email doesn't look good on a mobile device, 80% of customers will simply delete it and 30% will actually unsubscribe from future correspondence with you.

By optimising the look of mobile websites and emails, you will enhance the overall user experience, drive more click-throughs, improve conversion rates, and reduce unsubscribes and spam complaints.

2. Be inclusive

With such a diverse range of mobile devices now available, it's important to cater to every consumer, whether they're using the most basic feature phone, smartphone or tablet.

Retailers should recognise these preferences and run a multi-part campaign, which sends emails in a text and an HTML version.

Many brands also drive substantial value from transaction-based services over SMS, or push notifications in apps.

For example, a customer receives an order confirmation via email, followed by an SMS with the expected arrival time or dispatch information.

Some brands like to go one step further, using both SMS and email simultaneously to ensure the optimal customer experience, no matter which device the consumer is using.

3. Adopt a 'mobile first' approach to the customer experience & integrate it with the wider business

It's crucial that mobile is connected to the consumer's full experience with a retailer.

For example, if a consumer responds to an in-store promotion and sends a text in order to receive a discount, the brand needs to acknowledge this and personalise the communication that follows.

Initially, this means referencing the shop that the text was sent from in future emails.

As more data is collected about the individual, the communications should become more targeted, reflecting device usage, personal preferences and shopping behaviour.

Linkages between device usage (mobile, laptop, desktop) should be seamless for the customer. Connect online and offline activities and merchandising.

For example, ensure that your high-street stores are aware of any promotions you launch for mobile users.

If your stores are unaware of a current campaign and refuse to accept a promotion code, it will result in a very negative experience for the customer.

Retailers that are geared up for mobile customers are the ones that are best placed to secure sales.

If you are going to invest in mobile, don't do it half-heartedly.

Be mindful that consumers are still using a range of devices and channels to make purchases and continue to cater to the shopping preferences of all customers.

Interestingly, we have just polled 2,000 UK consumers about their multi-device shopping habits and found some exciting results which I will share in my next blog post. So stay tuned!
 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/67730 2016-04-12T09:52:00+01:00 2016-04-12T09:52:00+01:00 Fintech startup Mondo provides slick, impressive UX: Review Martin Jordan
Just 136 days after its initial alpha launch, the public beta for the Mondo banking app launched on 17 March.

It launched with an iOS-only app – I've been informed the Android version is on its way.

Having registered for the app I was immediately put in a queue to wait for my card.

Mondo has cleverly incentivised this process by giving each applicant a unique referral link. Every person that subsequently signed up to Mondo off the back of my link enabled me to jump up the queue a few places.

My 170 Equator colleagues did me proud and thanks to them I went from position 23,000 to one in under half an hour!

Once I reached the top it took 12 hours for the app to activate itself and that's when I was allowed to add funds.

However, rather than using scanning technology for ID, such as passports, driver's licence , etc. as I thought it might, the app took my details in a traditional fashion. The flash of innovation came in the final stage of setup.

In order to open a Mondo account, I would have to transfer a minimum of £100.

Though I could have done the transfer manually using my Santander app, instead Apple Pay enabled a seamless bank transfer using only my fingerprint.

Well, 10 seconds later, and I had opened a Mondo account.

After 48-hours, the screen changed to let me register the fact that my card had arrived...

I liked the thick blue envelope and the orangey colour of the card; the sleeve reminded me to protect my number if I did decide to share my adventures in Future Banking.

Which of course I did. (#geek)

And I was in! The simple transaction screen details current balance, the day's spend and recent transactions.

I have to give it to Mondo. Its app is clever, it's lean, there's no messing about, it's fully functional and needs no further authentication layer to get in.

Once I open the app I can see all my transactions without tapping in another password.

When I buy something with my new Mondo card it's like any other normal transaction, though at this moment in time it makes use of a Prepay Mastercard debit card.

This means that it does not come with a sort code or account code on the card, but it does have a Pin (which was texted to me) and contactless.

I was most impressed with my purchase history with Mondo – on one occasion when making an online purchase, the Mondo app registered five seconds faster than the confirmation from the online retailer's site!

And every other transaction has appeared on my phone screen within two to three seconds. Speedy or what?

Also, if Mondo recognises a store it will brand the icon next to the payment, and if it can't it will categorise the item (e.g. 'Eating Out' or 'Groceries').

It also lets me add notes and photos to purchases, which give me a fuller picture of my spending activities.

What's more, I can categorise expenditure. For example, if I classify items as expenses, Mondo can collate these making it easy for me to hand into my boss.

Dig a little deeper and I can see all purchases made over a certain amount, by 'Merchant' or by 'Category'.

And there's even a handy graph that lets me track spend and income habits as an easy line graph.

Other bits…

Like with other banking apps, you can now send money by text. Nothing too novel there but this bit is all secured by Touch ID.

You can chat to customer service staff at any time through a conversation window, sending images if necessary. They're pretty fast at getting back too.

They'll respond through the chat window and through your email.

In conclusion...

Ok, so it's not a full banking app yet but the platform shows incredible promise.

Mondo has thought long and hard about the user experience, maximising the phone's power where it can, cutting out paper almost completely (you still need the card) and making the interface incredibly intuitive.

There are still some simple things Mondo could have done to make it even slicker but it may be working on this or may be stymied by financial regulation.

I hope that, in time, it becomes a learning app – learning not just from your own behaviour, but from all users.

I enjoy the wit and humour injected into the app and did not feel that it was inappropriate for a serious banking app.

In terms of performance, the app is very fast, never stalls and purchases come through incredibly quickly.

I think there's a bright future here. The big banks need to watch this one intently!

For more on this topic, see:

What's the future for big banks in a FinTech world?

Are banking websites in need of an update?

Digital Transformation in the Financial Services Sector Report

 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/66989 2015-10-01T09:38:00+01:00 2015-10-01T09:38:00+01:00 Twitter's 'Buy Now' button: will it work? Ben Davis
China presents a precedent...

Social proof and user generated content is massive in China. There are a rumoured 200m bank accounts linked up with WeChat.

Social media plays a huge part in validating purchases through peer review and if social networks globally can push into this lifestyle territory, Twitter stands a good chance of succeeding with a commerce function.

But relevance of tweets may be the biggest hurdle for now...

The Twitter commerce team hopes a 'Buy' button supported by an increasing number of ecommerce partners will be part of the advent of distributed mobile commerce. That means we'll eventually be able to buy wherever we are.

As issues of connectivity, security and experience are ironed out, mobile commerce is increasing.

Social commerce specifically was responsible for sales of $3.3bn amongst the Internet Retailing Social 500 companies in 2014 (according to IR).

So, surely Twitter's 'one click' buy button (once your details are saved) makes sense and has the same ease of use that Apple Pay is banking on?

Well, the question might not be whether users are ready for mobile commerce, but whether Twitter can target them. Techcrunch reports that in Twitter's Q2 earnings call, interim CEO Jack Dorsey was focused on relevance (with everything else following).

On the commerce side it is still super early for this product but a lot of our focus has been around making tweets more relevant and delivering more relevant tweets faster to people and as we do that everything within the action, within the tweet action benefits, including something like commerce...

Twitter has claimed a majority of its users follow a brand (in late 2012 it gave the figure as 88%) so Twitter commerce may be at its best when targeting existing customers.

Combining the buy button with Twitter's Tailored Audiences feature will no doubt allow retailers to present specific impulse buys and achieve some success.

However, the fundamental experience of Twitter is one that may not be conducive to attracting new retail customers.

There are certainly no figures attributed to commerce in Twitter's revenue so far (only advertising). It's also worth remembering that Twitter users only represent around 15% of UK and US consumers and this pales in comparison to Facebook.

Unless Twitter generates intent (arguably the search function could does this in part) 'buy now' promoted posts represent a stark interruption of a user's feed.

But 'Products and Places' hint at the evolution of Twitter into a multistreamed platform...

From June 2015, Twitter has been addressing this problem of allowing users to actively find richer information, on products and places.

This trial allows a separate 'product page' when a tweet is clicked showing tweets relevant to you and an associated product you can buy. See below for Twitter's example of The Martian by Andy Weir.

This ability to provide richer information within the app will be important to engaging the user and persuading them to buy.

In effect, if Twitter can create a separate commerce stream, the user may be able to switch mindsets in the app and view it as a retail rabbit hole, as well as their standard stream of friends and commentators.

And purchasing on mobile still makes sense for time-sensitive purchases...

The nature of mobile shopping means we often have the instinct to 'bookmark for later', so we can buy when we have more time and a bigger device.

But, as the buying process improves on mobile, it makes sense that time-limited offers (50% off today) and limited edition products (new clothing ranges, gig tickets etc) will be attractive on Twitter.

If retailers hone their tactics for social media, offering Twitter-only flash sales, for example, it's more likely they'll attract customers through this medium.
 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/66778 2015-08-03T10:41:23+01:00 2015-08-03T10:41:23+01:00 Why Apple Pay offers brands more than just another payment channel Georges Berzgal
In practical terms, this means users can pay by simply holding their device near a payment terminal in-store and authenticating the purchase with their Touch ID.

Even purchasing on a mobile device is made simpler by enabling consumers to pay and authenticate with their fingerprint or passcode without having to enter their card number or leave the app.

Adding this new functionality to the device that most consumers have on their person at all times is incredibly convenient. But what does Apple Pay offer to brands and consumers beyond just another way to pay?

E-receipts

This is more than just a standard proof of purchase. Customers who adopt new digital payment systems are much more likely to embrace a digital proof of purchase too, offering businesses an opportunity to continue to engage with them.

For example, within an e-receipt brands can safely use up to 20% of the available space on an e-receipt for promotional content - whether that's inviting consumers to interact on social channels, offering them promotions or other items they might like is up to the brand.

New era for loyalty

As well as allowing people to pay with their mobile phone, Apple Pay is part of the new generation of m-payments services that will incorporate loyalty programmes.

With Passbook being renamed as simply 'Wallet' in the latest iOS 9 update, users can now link their bank cards and loyalty programmes on their smartphone.

This not only allows consumers to ditch some of the cards they currently carry around, but also helps retailers to better understand the consumer to increase customer retention and brand advocacy - ultimately influencing customer lifetime value.

Improving in-app purchase experience

Apple has simplified in-app purchasing by allowing consumers to make a purchase with a fingerprint, and reports suggest that iOS developers have already seen checkout rates more than double for applications that include an Apple Pay option.

For brands, this is an opportunity to streamline the purchase experience for the increasing number of people that shop on their mobile.

Mobile social commerce

As well as streamlining in-app purchases, Apple is reportedly working with Pinterest on what has been described as 'Buyable Pins'.

Will this be the way to monetise the image-based social network? We'll have to see, but it's interesting that Apple Pay will be a part of social commerce.

For marketers that use Pinterest already, this could be an interesting option to create ROI from their social media activity.

Much has been about the benefits of Apple Pay. Those brands who look beyond m-payments as a simple means of facilitating payments can seize the opportunity to effectively connect their online and offline marketing in order to enhance customer experience and drive revenue.
 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/66210 2015-03-17T09:57:00+00:00 2015-03-17T09:57:00+00:00 Q&A: Droplet on the mobile payments market David Moth
Droplet was launched in Birmingham two years ago and is already being used in 600 businesses in four cities. The app has 18,000 registered users.

The business has already raised £850,000, which has been spent on product development and market testing.

This new funding round is being hosted on Crowdcube and aims to raise £500,000, which will help Droplet expand into 10 new UK cities.

Here at Econsultancy we've been guilty of buying into the hype around mobile payments, even though consumer interest and adoption was still lagging.

For new technology to take off it has to solve a problem, and as yet there's no pressing reason for people to give up cash and bankcards in favour of a mobile payment option.

Droplet's founders think they've overcome this barrier by bundling loyalty services into the app.

Droplet founders Will Grant and Steffan Aquarone

The payment system itself is free, instead Droplet charges merchants for using the loyalty features.

But though the business is ready, are consumers really ready to fully embrace mobile payments?

To find out more about the marketplace and this latest funding round, I spoke to Droplet co-founder Steffan Aquarone...

Do you think mobile payments might finally be catching on with consumers?

When sectors tip there's usually a combination of timely factors.

We've been through the initial hype cycle and passed the trough of disillusionment, and we've also seen the failure of other tech providers in this space (e.g. Weve, O2 Wallet).

However the continued adoption of mobile technologies is an obvious benefit for us, as is the launch of Apple Pay.

The latter has been hugely beneficial as it normalises the idea of having money on your mobile and has reassured people around the potential security issues.

Finally, for adoption to take off someone has to be the first to crack the go-to-market strategy.

We think we've done that now, as have Apple in the most basic sense. It's now down to consumers to feed back their views and vote with their feet.

Why is now the right time for you to go for more funding and expansion into new cities?

We now have a blueprint where we can see how much it will cost to go into new cities, and that can be repeated across the country.

We also know that our customer acquisition costs are lower than the amount we make from our merchants, so it's now a scalable business model.

In addition to that, we were always of the opinion that the tech had to be about more than just payments.

There's no real problem to be solved just by moving payments to mobile, so it's by building additional services around it that we've found something unique.

In product terms we've done something that nobody else has done. Droplet is still free to use, and it combines payment and loyalty in one step.

Why do you think you'll succeed where the big banks have failed?

The addition of a loyalty scheme was the real breakthrough as it ties into existing behaviour patterns, so it's easier to get people to adopt the app.

You don't even have to pay with Droplet to collect points with it.

The problem with a lot of existing loyalty schemes among SMEs is that you don't really collect any customer data, you're just giving stuff away to people who would buy from you anyway.

The way the app works is that when users go into their favourite coffee shop they are automatically recognised, so their face and avatar appear on the point-of-sale screen.

After placing an order Droplet makes the payment, so the user just gets a push notification to say they've paid and have also collected their loyalty stamps.

The irony is that in the context of the mobile payment market, nobody really cares about the payment.

And we've proved that because people still loved the app even when we removed payment entirely.

How do you plan to increase adoption as you expand into new cities?

In the past we found that if you put money into social ads you could drive a lot of downloads, and if you had a good product you could get a lot of traction.

That has now changed as people seem to be more precious about the space on their smartphones, so they're less inclined to make a speculative download or try something out.

This has made it harder for app startups to drive adoption through digital channels.

Instead where we've had success is through our merchants.

We did a lot of data analysis among our user base - which, as a startup, I recommend doing as early as possible - and found that people tended to use the app as part of a daily routine.

We've educated our merchants how to pitch Droplet to their regular customers. It's a fairly easy sale as the use case is immediate and obvious, and there's an incentive for the retailer as it removes costs for them.

But how will you get the merchants on board in the first place?

One of the reasons we're doing the funding round now is that we've learned some important lessons about going to market.

We now have a template that can be applied to new cities.

Basically, having sales teams stomping around pitching for new business doesn't work. Instead we recruited people who were connected to the local communities who could act as ambassadors.

They were able to sign up hundreds of businesses largely through word-of-mouth marketing.

Now our whole go-to-market strategy is based on 'place' and having that local knowledge.

And how is the funding round going? Why did you choose Crowdcube over the numerous other crowdfunding sites?

Crowdcube basically works like Kickstarter but with shares. We wanted our early adopters to be able to buy a part of Droplet, and more than 100 already have.

If you look at the site you'll see our business plan, a description about where we're going, and also a request to help us grow.

So as well as investing money, people have been helping us to open new doors and even recruit new ambassadors.

Our new ambassador in Lancaster came about thanks to someone who found us through Crowdcube.

The funding round has been a mini digital marketing strategy in its own right, as you have to do a lot of work to get people to come to the page and either invest or share it with their networks.

So far we've had more than 15,000 views and 1,000 share in six days, and there's still around 40 days left to go.
 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/66123 2015-02-24T11:28:00+00:00 2015-02-24T11:28:00+00:00 The digital banking experience: how are marketers performing on key hygiene factors? Jim Clark
Banks' investment in IT has not been transformative

Despite the fact that banks invested $1.8bn on IT in 2013, its transformative effect has been limited.

According to Simon Andrews of addictive!:

Online banking took the paper statement and made it scrollable and with mobile they have just made it a bit smaller.

This is partly due to more conservative mindsets and strict regulation. However, legacy systems also get in the way of getting a complete picture of the banking consumer.

Challenges in remaining relevant and providing added value

Either way, connected consumers are bringing a whole new set of expectations to their interaction with banks.

And in a competitive marketplace, established players need to innovate to improve relationships, stay relevant and provide added value.

This was reflected in a new report from Econsultancy and Sitecore, titled 'Digital Experience: Are Brands Meeting Consumer Expectations?', which compared customer expectations with marketers' priorities to understand how well the banking sector was performing in the areas that are perceived to be important by consumers.

Here are some of the issues identified by the report:

Banks struggle to join up online and offline worlds

According to the research digital marketers in the banking sector perform well around areas such as mobile optimisation, and the ability to achieve an outcome in a 'few clicks' – all of which were rated highly by consumers.

However marketers recorded only average performance around digital attributes such as 'online activities are taken into account in face-to-face offline communications' and 'information presented is relevant to your location'.

Another important attribute banks performed close to the average on was integrating websites 'with other touchpoints' such as social media and payment.

Marketers in this sector also underperformed around creating 'moments of delight' that would make the user want to tell their friends about it.

Customers expect businesses to be structured around them

Building a bridge between retail and digital worlds is proving a significant challenge for many brands and businesses, with customers increasingly expecting businesses to be structured around them.

Banks are also exploring ways in which they can integrate analytical tools into core banking systems, empowering staff to deliver targeted, more personalised experiences, taking into account the different channels used across the customer journey.

Opportunities from Beacon and wearable technology

One bank that's often further out ahead in embracing new technology is Barclays, which is trialling beacon technology to personalise the branch experience for disabled customers.

Individuals fill out their information online, which in turn triggers a notification as soon as they enter the branch.

According to a recent Econsultancy report 'A Marketer's Guide to Wearable Technology' Barclaycard is also trialling a wristband wallet in London called bPay.

Going forward wearables have the potential to enable banks to deliver new customer experiences that extend the brand ecosystem.

Banks have yet to have their iTunes moment – but it's coming

Technology has already transformed many industries, the music industry being a prime example.

But banking has yet to have its iTunes moment, but it's next in line for change as new entrants enter the market unencumbered by legacy systems and silos.

Its effect could be just as significant as it was for record labels, according to Francisco Gonzalez, Chairman and CEO of BBVA, over the next 20 years we'll see the world go from 20,000 "analogue" banks to no more than serval dozen 'digital' institutions.
 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/65991 2015-01-20T14:02:00+00:00 2015-01-20T14:02:00+00:00 How consumers are embracing the mobile banking revolution: infographic David Moth
Mobile banking has taken this a step further, as most transactions can be carried out simply by pressing a few buttons on your smartphone.

Data included in this infographic from mobile agency Somo shows how quickly people have adopted digital banking services, with 77% of bank customers using online or mobile banking at least once a month.

Furthermore, there have been 14.7m mobile banking apps downloaded so far in the UK and globally only 14% of people say they go into a branch once a week.

You can see the full infographic below, but for more on this topic read our posts on the importance of mobile banking for the customer experience and digital insights from three leading Norwegian banks.

And if you work for a financial services company that needs some help getting to grips with digital, then get in touch with our Digital Transformation team.

 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/65555 2014-10-07T13:59:34+01:00 2014-10-07T13:59:34+01:00 How Whistles is tailoring its ecommerce site to international markets David Moth
Here's a run through of her main points, but for more on this topic read our post on seven common pitfalls when taking websites international.

Company philosophy

To give some brief background, Whistles is a multichannel retailer with around 40 stores in the UK alongside 40 concessions in major department stores.

It positions itself as selling laid back but luxurious fashion, and though historically it's focused on women's fashion the company has recently launched a men's range.

The business philosophy is to keep things simple. This means:

One range of clothes globally.

One website.

Whistles also believes that you should never make assumptions on customer behaviour, so:

Learn through testing.

Learn through user account preferences and feedback.

An example of this is demonstrated by customer reaction to default currency options.

Whistles' isn't currently able to show a selection of currency options, so the decision was made to switch the default currency to dollars for US visitors.

Though this seems to make good sense, the company received a few complaints from US customers who were used to paying in GB pounds.

International strategy

Around 20% of Whistles' site traffic comes from international visitors, however they only account for around 12%-15% of sales.

Therefore there is work to be done on improving the conversion rate.

To this end Whistles has implemented a four-stage international strategy focusing on:

Delivery.

Payment methods.

Translation.

Local Content.

Delivery

Whistles currently delivers to more than 50 countries worldwide and plans to increase this in the near future.

The top six locations are the US, Australia, France, Hong Kong and Ireland, which cumulatively account for 60% of international sales.

Whistles' international shipping information

Whistles also has a physical presence in five of these six nations, but all ecommerce orders are shipped from the UK via DHL.

All international orders are shipped for free "as a thank you to customers."

Responding to a question from the audience, Salt said that free shipping definitely attracts more international customers but it is also very expensive so it's constantly being assessed.

At some point we might have to do some testing to see how charging for international delivery impacts sales, and then look at the business case for making a change. But at the moment if you look at visits vs. revenue, it definitely works.

Currency

Customer groups are currently set by geo-location, so for example visits from the US default to dollars while those from Switzerland default to Swiss Francs.

As a future development Whistles will be able to select the currency options for each region, so the ecommerce team will be able to pick which currencies are available.

Ultimately customer preferences will then override logic, so once a customer has selected a particular currency it will replace the default option.

Taxes & Duties

Whistles doesn't currently factor in local taxes and duties when displaying prices on the website, instead the customer pays on receipt.

This isn't an ideal situation as it can cause delays and customers can end up paying unexpected import taxes.

To remedy this, Whistles is moving towards using a global checkout solution which calculates all taxes at checkout so the customer can pre-pay, ensuring on-time delivery.

Marketing

Marketing is central to this plan for international expansion as it sits across all four stages of the strategy.

Salt touched on what this means for specific digital channels:

PPC/Search

Localisation of SEO and translations are the obvious challenges, though the brand name also presents difficulties.

'Whistles' has several meanings, which can cause problems when establishing a brand presence in a new market.

For more on international search, download our Baidu Search Best Practice Guide or book yourself onto the International SEO/PPC & Digital Marketing Training Course.

Social

It's impossible to ignore social, but usage varies massively between different countries.

Mobile is probably the only unifying factor across all social networks.

Affiliates

Affiliates are an important channel for Whistles.

While ShopStyle is the dominant site in the UK, Salt said the company is trying to identify similar ones in other countries.

Content

Content is another major challenge, and one that is addressed after currency and fulfilment issues have been resolved.

One example is this 'Belles and Whistles' video that was created to explain the brand to the US market.

Salt said that first impressions are very important, so Whistles is careful not to rush into creating localised content that doesn't reflect well on the brand.

Email

As with most brands, email marketing is a very important channel for Whistles, though it's becoming more complex.
 tag:www.econsultancy.com,2008:BlogPost/65021 2014-06-18T11:17:00+01:00 2014-06-18T11:17:00+01:00 The A to Z of mobile marketing: 26 trends to inspire you David Skerrett
A: Adaptive Web Design & RESS

Responsive web design (RWD) is popular right now and to some it's become a silver bullet solution. However, adaptive web design (AWD) is the gold standard, if you can afford it.

With AWD, layout is determined server side to enable the delivery of the most appropriate version of the site based on the functionality of the device. This means that load times are quick, optimisation is easier, and the site is more appropriate to the device, along with being able to reach non-smartphone users.

For brands where context is king, such as in retail and travel, being more device-specific rather than screen-specific is likely to produce bigger returns. Responsive Web Design with Server Side Components (RESS) is a cross between RWD and AWD - a hybrid solution that ensures your solution is more 'next generation' by ensuring pages load faster and work on more devices.

RESS provides relevant content and call-to-actions specific to the device. In doing so the user benefits from a richer and more engaging experience.

I expect to see more brands choosing adaptive and RESS over responsive this year, especially when so many brands are experiencing RWD projects that come in late and over budget.

Lufthansa's use of adaptive design shows how experiences can be tailored according to likely user behaviour.

B: Beta & minimum viable products

Once highly popular, I predict a resurgence in launching in Beta as a way to get minimum viable products on mobile out to market quickly. It helps avoid making big decisions based on what people say versus what people do.

Early users help to inform the features, expansion and improvements on the mobile roadmap, with success (or failure) early on helping to dictate future investment. Circa 90-day turnaround minimum viable products will become more popular in getting something feasible out to market.

Doing this allows businesses to gain useful feedback early on, enabling you to alter the product to suit customer needs. This method allows you, in some cases, to fail quickly and early, which saves you time and money.

Innovation needs to get out of PowerPoint quicker and by making rather than talking, you can build the future, rather than asking your customers to predict it as per the famous Henry Ford quote.

C: Consumer first, mobile first is dead

A Google Executive recently declared 'mobile first' dead.

Driven by the rise of the smartphone, the principles of 'mobile first' are important, but the notion that the consumer is always a mobile consumer, and not a cross channel / device consumer can be dangerous.

Today's consumers switch between devices to achieve tasks and expect brands to keep up. Therefore focusing solely on mobile devices can be a myopic approach.

Instead marketers need to adjust their messages to suit consumer's multi-device behaviour.

D: Drivables

CarPlay, by Apple, enables drivers to use their iPhone apps through their car through a USB connection.

Drivers can control CarPlay using voice through Siri; they can request songs, call someone, dictate text messages and ask for directions all through voice control.

The benefit of voice control means that drivers are not nearly as distracted as they would be if taking their eyes off the road to fiddle with their iPhone, therefore CarPlay promotes safer driving.

Drivers can also control CarPlay using a touchscreen display or using the car's in-built controls.

Other companies are working on their versions of car systems; these include Microsoft Sync, and Google's Android-based system, The Open Automotive Alliance.

The 'Drivables' trend of in-car technology and evolving interface design will be important this year. As penetration increases input techniques such as voice control will become normalised which will have implications on interaction design across all connected devices.

E: Empathy

In mobile it's easy to get distracted by chasing the new trend.

Sometimes we do things because we can, rather than because we should! Empathy for the consumer is key, as is adding value with your mobile proposition: How will your audience during the course of their busy life gain value from the interaction with your brand on their most personal device?

Often being useful is a great way to stand out. Get in touch with your inner consumer, or speak to real ones, to avoid being annoying in creating a mobile white elephant.

A great way to do just this and get in touch with your consumer, is through user testing. Ask your consumers those all important questions, understand their attitude towards your brand and why they may choose a competitor over you, and most importantly ask what they want and need from you.

F: Facebook

There is plenty we can learn from Facebook's mobile journey. Facebook have cracked how to make money from mobile.

In Q4 of 2013 Facebook sales reached more than $1bn from mobile advertising alone. The number of mobile Facebook users has also rocketed; at the start of 2013 there were more daily desktop users than mobile, but within just one year there were around 200m more mobile users than desktop.

As there are 556m people accessing Facebook on their smartphone or tablet every day, it is imperative that the mobile user experience is optimised.

Before Facebook's huge mobile success, version four of the native app was rated just one-star in the app store by more than half of its users. Facebook listened to the users and redeveloped the native app in 2012, focussing on improving the speed of use and functionality through changing the programming language.

Version four was written in HTML5 so that one app could be used across all platforms, but this resulted in a lower quality performance. Version five is written in the native language for iOS, Objective-C, which has drastically improved the user experience, as it's significantly quicker.

Facebook can be used for mobile marketing in a number of ways: to build awareness, views and clicks in news feed; or by using Facebook as a sign-in to your mobile experience to make it more personal and capture data.

G: Great expectations (not good)

Our increased emotional dependency on our mobile devices is raising the bar for brands.

Good isn't good enough anymore! Simply repackaging web content, ignoring the context of mobility and the opportunities of location relevance, as well as other mobile sensors, isn't good enough anymore.

Consumers have great expectations, not good expectations. Are you raising the bar and giving your audience what they want?

H: Heavy

Unfortunately it's easy to make a responsive site overly heavy in terms of page weight, which may lead to frustrated users.

An example of a heavy site is Sony's 'Be Moved' RWD. The landing page is 53 Mb in size and to some is a month's data allowance in one page - that is not something a consumer is going to thank you for!

Due to the size, the page takes forever to load.

The lesson here is to ensure that you are being responsible with your page weight and QA for speed across 3G or Wi-Fi.

I: iBeacon

iBeacon, part of Apple's iOS7 but also compatible with Android 4.3 upwards, is a way for brands to engage with their customers once they are in close proximity to a specific location and have downloaded a specific application.

There are over 30 beacon hardware vendors already, from Estimote to Swirl, and they transmit data to your mobile based on proximity ranges via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

Marketers are excited about the opportunities, and it's important that brands use this new technology responsibly, a notable example being Tesco trialling it but not using the technology for marketing messages yet.

Outside of retail, the most inspiring iBeacon example I've seen so far is the recent "Sweeper" exhibit and installation for the UN at the New Museum in NYC which recreated a deadly minefield, in-order to raise awareness to the threat of landmines around the world.

Using iBeacon, the installation recreated this lethal experience via an app people downloaded to their mobile, and as they walked by a beacon, visitors triggered an explosion sound along with hammering home the gory details of the attack. This then led to a donations page.

What is impressive here is that they've solved the value exchange equation of seeing messages you would want to receive, and managing the barrier to entry of needing an app and Bluetooth turned on, in order to interact.

J: jQuery

I've mentioned the problem with heavy websites and the benefit of using RESS technology.

jQuery mobile is another method of optimising the Web browsing experience for mobile devices.

It allows pages to load faster by loading the necessary items on the page straight away with the rest of the page elements loading as they are needed, which is important for user satisfaction (see 'Loading times').

jQuery is a framework devised of simpler and shorter codes thus developers can implement jQuery more quickly and robustly.

Many companies are increasingly using jQuery or other mobile frameworks such as Backbone and Zepto.js due to their advantages and it is predicted to be a big part of the future of Web development.

K: Killer apps

Killer apps were all the rage during intense platform battles. For example, Halo was Xbox's killer app.

The idea of uniqueness, a first of its kind and a hook that gets you talked about can be used for mobile when thinking about the key feature(s) you will deliver through mobile.

So with a native application spend some time thinking about how you would list and PR your app and it's killer features early in the project, not when it's too late.

L: Loading

Whether you are hyper tasking, multi tasking or mono tasking, the most precious resource to a mobile user in 2014 is time.

Many studies have demonstrated the negative impact of slow sites on sales. There are lots of statistics kicking around that claim that load time should not be more than five seconds, or four seconds or even one second.

Google states that just a two second load time is disruptive to the user experience and is the maximum a delay can be. Kissmetrics say that if an ecommerce site is making $100,000 per day, then a 1-second delay could cost you $2.5m in lost sales every year.

The moral of the story is simple; make sure your load time is as close to instant as possible and your users will be happy, anymore than this and you are increasing the likelihood of users becoming impatient, frustrated, and leaving your site.

M: Multi-screening

Multi-screening, when more than one device is used at one time, is a continuing powerful trend due to our increasing need for information immediacy and ever present human interaction.

Multi-screening is often used to investigate products, to use social media, and often we start an activity on one device and continue it on another. Research suggests that the majority of consumers using a second screen to look for TV related content are either using 'search', or social media.

Twitter can actually improve live TV. Fast Web Media found that out of 10m active UK Twitter users, 60% are tweeting while watching TV, and 40% are tweeting about TV. This gives the opportunity to engage with thousands of consumers and get a conversation flowing about your brand.

Successful campaigns use specific hashtags, for example using the brand name or brand slogan. Three's #DancePonyDance is an example of a brand successfully engaging with users on a second screen; understanding multi-screening behaviour can allow you to do the same.

What's new this year is the improved ability for our devices to talk to each other.

Examples include Apple's Airplay, and Google Chromecast, which is fundamentally changing our content consumption habits.

There's also Samsung's Chord (as part of its new mobile SDK), which enables multi-Samsung-device experiences which will open up a world of screen sharing, collaborative shopping and new opportunities with multi-screen gaming.

N:Native

Consumers love Native Apps, and the data backs it up with 86% of time spent on mobiles in Apps (according to Flurry).

The challenge of App discovery has not gone away, neither has the need to build reach and engagement with an impressive solution that people love and use. Build it and they may or may not come.

Launch planning, app PR, and mobile media are on the rise, as is mobile analytics and the use of social listening tools to track conversations, to ensure the user is listened to, and the experience is constantly improved.

The benefits of native apps include the commercial opportunities, use of sensors such as location, potential for habitual use, offline mode, speed, access to camera, and they generally provide a richer and higher-class experience for users.

O: OS Wars

The leading mobile Operating Systems are always evolving and expanding, meaning marketers must keep up-to-date with the latest developments to see how they can utilise them.

The versioning evolution across platforms is very different; Apple's latest iOS7 has a penetration of more than 90% where as Android KitKat has a penetration of around 5%. So OS fragmentation is very real.

Brands developing apps for Q4 this year should be mindful of iOS 8 and the phablet user experience problems meaning potential changes ahead to swipes, back buttons and App layout.

In terms of the iOS7 major redesign it served to help hide call to actions and interaction near the screen edges on carousels caused problems.

In a recent poll investigating which emerging mobile operating system is the likeliest to succeed, the majority voted Ubuntu Touch followed by Sailfish, Tizen, and then Firefox.

Keep your eyes on these new players to see how interaction design evolves and exploit new opportunities that open up.

P: Programmatic ad buying

Programmatic buying allows you to automatically buy the right ad at the best price at the right time on the right device.

If you are a marketer that understands and implements automated buying technology then you are actually in the minority, as according to Forrester and the Association of National Advertiser 67% of marketers need to learn more about it, don't understand it, or are unaware of it entirely.

Basically automated ad buying is a way for marketers to place bids for advertising space through an automated technology.

'Programmatic' ad buying refers to the different ways of doing this, and it's taking off in mobile. Programmatic marketing works by a campaign being triggered by a set of rules that are applied by software and algorithms. Marketers establish a strategy and set up these rules, which are then implemented by the software.

For example, it can be used to send an automated email campaign to consumers that have abandoned their shopping basket on a website. Programmatic advertising is more efficient and lower in cost than human ad buying, and can be used for mobile advertising and marketing campaigns.

Q: QR Codes

QR codes work by a barcode scanner application on a smartphone processing a code, directing the user to a website or promotion.

When used appropriately QR codes can be effective, by increasing consumer engagement with print to enrich the user experience.

There is wide scepticism on whether QR codes are 'dead or alive', yet it is clear that in Asia the use of QR codes is still growing.

In China, Pernod Ricard is deploying QR codes across all packaging in-order to increase engagement and reduce counterfeiting.

R: RWD

Responsive Web Design (RWD) refers to a website that resizes itself depending on the device it is being accessed from.

It works by using fluid grids with page elements sized by proportion. It's often the first stage on a brand's mobile journey. The problem is, it's easy to make a bad RWD site.

Using RWD is a step in the right direction, although due to drawbacks such as possible delayed loading times, considering the 'next generation' of RWD, known as RESS (see 'Adaptive and Reiss Technology') would be advantageous to the marketer and the user.

S: Strategy

2014 is the year to make mobile strategy a priority.

Mobile strategy is moving up the agenda and informing business and communications strategy. Given the complexity and opportunities of mobile, I find the best way to deal with complexity is through simplicity.

So ask the right questions up front by seeking to understand the business and consumer context, along with the capabilities and constraints.

Outline the mobile opportunity and then blueprint the solution budget and tactics to help make it happen.

T: Text

It might be 2014, but don't assume text/SMS is disappearing as a valuable comms tool. It's simple, immediate and effective.

Out of all marketing text messages sent to consumers, over 95% are opened and read, with 83% being read within one hour. Redemption rates for marketing text messages can be relatively high, and due to the low cost of sending an SMS, marketers can attain a high Return on Investment.

It's an impressively versatile tool for global or local campaigns and is not smartphone only. O2 frequently uses this method of connecting with their O2 More customers.

U: User Testing

User testing is more important than ever in 2014 given the costs of creating and promoting mobile experiences.

Testing your mobile website and/or app on your current or potential customers is an effective method of ensuring your product provides a positive user experience.

User testing involves your typical customers engaging with your mobile website or app, interesting findings and any problems users encounter are noted by expert consultants.

Findings often include attitude towards a brand, ease of use, and understanding users' needs and wants.

The consultants recommend how to optimise the user experience based on the findings. The benefits of user testing includes allowing you to fail quickly and cheaply if ideas are not viable, and implementing findings is likely to increase consumer engagement and conversion rates.

V: Voice Control

Voice input with the likes of Google Now and Siri is becoming better and more mainstream: it's a game changer for us all. Voice command is convenient and beneficial for drivers, by using voice instead of fiddling around with buttons, there will be a reduction in distraction leading to an improvement in safety and user experience.

Voice is now entering mobile advertising to help create cut through and dramatise product features. Toyota implemented voice command in their mobile advert to promote a new in-car entertainment system.

The advert mimics the car system by encouraging the individual to use voice command to choose one of two apps that are presented; weather and iHeartradio. Using voice for mobile marketing campaigns is beneficial as it engages the user in the advert giving them a memorable and richer experience.

W: Wallet

Using mobile devices to make payments is a growing trend. Calisle and Gallagher Consulting Group predict that by 2017, half of today's smartphone users will be using mobile wallets as their preferred payment method.

PayPal is working with iBeacon to facilitate hands-free payments (see 'iBeacon'), whilst many others are developing their own digital wallets including Google, Apple and Amazon.

Currently in the U.S. approximately 10m Starbucks customers pay using the mobile app. The success of the app is down to the ease and speed of the service, and the way it enhances the customer's experience, for example users are exposed to instant discounts and a reward programme.

It helps marketers to build relationships with consumers and opens up a direct marketing channel.

X: X-ray

Mobile is changing the way we view the world thanks to augmented reality and mobile interface design. An example is the 'X is for X-ray' app by Touch Press that is available for iPhone and iPad.

It is a highly visual, interactive and educational ebook that shows 26 everyday objects.

With the swipe of a finger X-ray photography of these objects are presented giving users the ability to explore the inner structure of objects with a 3D view.

'X is for X-ray' is a breakthrough in how we can explore the complexity of 3D structures through a smartphone or tablet. This innovative app shows some of the new capabilities that are possible with new devices.

Y: Yoda

The following conversation from Empire Strikes Back can be applied to mobile marketing:

Luke: All right, I'll give it a try.

Yoda: No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.

Do mobile or do not do mobile. The latter isn't really a viable choice any more. So don't set out and attempt to try and do mobile. Make it a priority and make your customers a priority. Launching with a one star app isn't really an option is it?

Z: Zzzz

With the rising wearables trend along with Apple's HealthKit it all points towards even more opportunities to track your quantified self.

For example 'Sleep Cycle' is an app that senses your body movements when asleep in order to wake you up when you are in the lightest sleep state. A number of other sleep apps have different purposes, such as detecting and recording sounds to identify snoring issues.

On the subject of wearables and health, various apps aid the management of fitness and food consumption, such as 'Runtastic', 'Map My Run' and 'My Fitness Pal'. 'Fitbit One' logs the number of calories burned and can also measure sleep.

'The Lumoback' is designed to improve posture, it involves a sensor that sends data to a smartphone, which then reminds the individual to sit up straight by displaying a stickman that mimics their current posture.

Econsultancy has a range of reports looking at best practice around mobile marketing and commerce:

Mobile Web Design and Development Best Practice Guide

Mobile Commerce Compendium

Finding the Path to Mobile Maturity


text:
The Saints have had multiple RBs show flashes this year, who should get the touches in 2013?
Agree with someone's comment? Vote for it to make the Debate Highlights section. Disagree with a comment? Reply and voice your opinion. Happy Debating!Add Comment
Darren Sproles and Chris Ivory should be the 2 leads.Full Comment »
Pierre is the most versatile and way underrated he is also the most heads up of the 4 seems like if the Saints recover an offensive fumble thomas is t...Full Comment »
Mark Ingram give him 25 to 30 Carrys and he'll be great.Full Comment »
The main question is, who's gonna coach the team? If it is Sean Payton, I think he'll take the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" stance. Twice during ...Full Comment »
1. Trade Ingram for a #2 to replace the one lost in the Bounty Situation. 2. Ivory and Thomas as the feature backs. 3. Sproles as a slot back. No OLB...Full Comment »
If I had to make a decision, I Would go with Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas as my main backs. 80% of the time, Thomas is getting 5+ ypc. Ivory is just ...Full Comment »


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David B. Coe / D.B. Jackson is the award-winning author of nineteen fantasy novels. As David B. Coe, he writes THE CASE FILES OF JUSTIS FEARSSON, a contemporary urban fantasy series from Baen Books, including Spell Blind, His Father's Eyes, and Shadow's Blade. Under the name D.B. Jackson, he writes THE THIEFTAKER CHRONICLES, a historical urban fantasy from Tor Books that includes Thieftaker, Read More
I am pleased to welcome Mark Barrowcliffe today – M D Lachlan (author of Wolfsangel) – to talk about one of his favourite authors. Mark's website can be found...Read More
Readers' average rating: Stories of Your Life: And Others by Ted Chiang In his review of Ted Chiang's brilliant short story collection Stories of Your Life and Others in The...Read More
Welcome to another Expanded Universe column where I feature essays from authors and editors of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, as well as from established readers and reviewers....Read More
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The Ascension Factor by Frank Herbert & Bill Ransom
The Ascension Factor (1988) is the third book Frank Herbert wrote in collaboration with Bill Ransom and the fourth in THE PANDORA SEQUENCE, a series introduced in his novel Destination: Void (1966). It's a series plagued with problems and tragedy. The Jesus Incident (1979), had to be extensively rewritten at the last moment after a copyright issue threatened to block its publication. The Lazarus Effect (1983), was written during the rapidly declining health of Herbert's second wife Beverly. She died less than a year after its publication. Herbert himself did not live to see the publication of The Ascension Factor. He died in February 1986, with much of the actual writing of the novel still to be do... Read More
Thoughtful Thursday: Our SPFBO winner!
We have finally chosen our winner for Mark Lawrence's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO), in which 300 self-published fantasy authors contributed their work to be reviewed by 10 fantasy review blogs. This last round was really tough, containing some of the best of the 30 books we were given. In fact, we had planned to have our winner declared last week, but we needed a little more time for comparison.
In the end, we chose the book that has been at the top of our list since our first round — The Shadow Soul by Kaitlyn Davis — but it just barely edged out three of the books in our last round! We liked The Shadow Soul for its engaging story, smooth pacing, complexity of character, and overall sense of ambition. It definitely has some "issues" that we'll bring out in our review (which Tadiana is preparing), and the fact... Read More
Wonder Women: Perfect for young (and not-so-young) historians or scientists (PREORDER DEAL!)
See the information at the end of my review for a special preorder deal!
Readers' average rating:
Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History by Sam Maggs
If you know a young woman who's interested in the contributions of women to various STEM/STEAM fields, or perhaps were one of those young women at one point in your life, you'll be pleased to learn that Sam Maggs' latest non-fiction work, Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History, is an entertaining and surprisingly thorough look at the ways in which women have positively changed the world. The women featured in this book succeeded despite opposition from society as a whole, ruling theocracies, or discouragement from family members; very few of them began with the support one might ex... Read More
Blood of Elves: I thought I was tired of elves and dwarves
Readers' average rating:
Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
Based on internal chronology, Blood of Elves (2008) is the third book in Andrzej Sapkowski's WITCHER series. Its format differs slightly from the previous two books, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, which are actually story collections. (But don't think that just because they're not novels they aren't necessary; to have the requisite background information you really do need to read both of them before reading Blood of Elves.)
As much as I loved The Last Wish an... Read More
WWWednesday; September 28, 2016
This week's word for Wednesday is anfractuous, an adjective, meaning winding or circuitous. The 16th century word comes from the Latin noun anfractus, meaning a bending.
The MacArthur Foundation Fellowships were announced this week, and 23 Fellows were named. The group includes a civil rights lawyer, historians, art historians, linguists, poets, microbiologists, video artists and writers. Of the 23, ten are women. (Thanks to File 770.)
Tor.com lists the British Fantasy Award winners here.
Books and Writing:
Ruth Franklin has published a new book about Shirley Jackson, and she shares eleven facts you might not have known about one of America's premiere writers. ... Read More
The Wolf in the Attic: Like reading two different books. I really liked one of them.
Readers' average rating:
The Wolf in the Attic by Paul Kearney
Reading The Wolf in the Attic, by Paul Kearney, was like reading two different books. One of these books was a solid three-star read. The other was very familiar and ultimately unsatisfying, and would probably get a 2.5 star rating from me. I'll explain at the end of the review how I came to the overall rating I chose.
Kearney's other work is described as second-world epic fantasy and he is compared to David Gemell. The Wolf in the Attic is a departure for him. It's set in 1920s Oxford, England, and the main character is an eleven-year-old girl named Anna.
Anna Francis, like her father, is a Greek refugee, forced t... Read More
A Fine and Private Place: A gentle tale of love, death, and lost souls
Readers' average rating:
A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle
Peter S. Beagle is a well-known author of many fantasy novels, including the classic The Last Unicorn. However, I don't often hear mention of his debut novel, A Fine and Private Place (1960), written when he was only 19 years old. Given his age it's a phenomenal achievement — the prose is polished, filled with pathos and humor, and the characters' relationships are deftly described. And yet I couldn't get into the story at all, because there was almost no dramatic tension of any kind — just two central romantic relations, one between two people lonely and disconnected in the living world, and one between two recently deceased spirits not ready to let go of life.
The story bears remarkable sim... Read More
Author Marc Aramini talks to Stuart about the complicated works of Gene Wolfe
Last year I tried twice (unsuccessfully) to finish The Best of Gene Wolfe: A Retrospective of His Finest Fiction, giving up in defeat. Many SFF readers are baffled and frustrated by his stories, because they are packed with metaphors, literary references, hidden themes, and require extremely close reading to understand and appreciate. I did get a lot of supportive feedback from various readers who encountered the same difficulties, including a very knowledgeable person named "Aramini".
When the 2016 Hugo Awards were announced, Marc Aramini's Between Light and Shadow: An Exploration of the Fiction of Gene Wolfe, 1951 to 1986 was the runner-up in the Best Related Work category. It's an 826-page analysis covering Wolfe's output through 1986, including ... Read More


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Artist: The Wailin' Jennys
Album: Bright Morning Stars
Genre: Folk
The moon's on its way to its nightly shift
The frogs fill the creek below
The tall grass waves a farewell to the day
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The sun sinks from sight
Away but never gone
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A nest rustles high on a bough
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Under a red breast of down
The clouds turn and stretch, the moon checks its wrist
gathers itself with a yawn
And winks to the sun
Away but never gone
And all o'er the world as it turns and it turns
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And we come and go
Away but never gone
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Skip to comments.As Perry Rises, G.O.P. Elite Look Toward Romney
Posted on 09/12/2011 10:35:37 PM PDT by Borough Park
As Perry Rises, G.O.P. Elite Look Toward Romney By JEFF ZELENY and MICHAEL D. SHEAR
TAMPA, Fla. The rising presidential candidacy of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is stirring excitement for many Republican voters but is creating unease in some quarters of the partys establishment, particularly over his views of Social Security, which are at the root of an intensifying competition with Mitt Romney.
The decision on Monday by Tim Pawlenty, a former Republican presidential rival, to support Mr. Romneys campaign signals the beginning of an effort by some party leaders to try to slow the ascent of Mr. Perry or to push him to explain positions that are considered provocative.
In announcing his endorsement on Monday, Mr. Pawlenty said he believed Mr. Romney was the only candidate with the unique qualifications to confront and master our severe economic predicament. The judgment of Mr. Pawlenty, who dropped out of the presidential race last month, was carefully watched by some Republicans because he knows both men well.
The endorsement was a visible marker in a quietly continuing battle for the soul and direction of the Republican Party between traditional party leaders and grass-roots conservatives. To some degree it is a clash of styles and of principle versus pragmatism, but it also encompasses foreign and domestic policy differences, some of which have surfaced as the presidential campaign has intensified.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
seems almost everyone here is more interested in attacking Perry than Romney.
On a daily basis anymore, I hear the old Bush II hacks slamming and dinging Perry and propping up Mittens at every turn. That is all anyone needs to know about who the Elites are still putting their cash behind. Screw them.
At least Rick Perry wasn't enough of a hypocrite to go into the routine about whether government can force a person to buy a product or service. By executive order, he forced everyone in Texas who buys insurance to buy insurance that covers Gardasil vaccines. He's also forced everyone in Texas to buy in-state tuition for illegal aliens.
Mittens and Newtie are two candidates that I absolutely refuse to support.
Not everyone. Just a small vocal group who are still waiting for their candidate to make an appearance, if that ever happens. Perry is perceived to have stolen a reserved spot as frontrunner.
Perry v. Romney is McCain redo.
I'm not convinced it is necessarily electoral poison, but if he doesn't better explain his objections to the program and his plans for fixing it, he will be demagogued to death over it.
I'm not completely sold on Perry. But the opposition of the R establishment makes me more comfortable.
Ditto. I am of a mind to suss out who the GOP "elite" are backing.... then work to elect almost anyone else.
explain what you mean... no one is as bad a candidate as McCain was, nobody...
Romney is as uncharismatic as Perry thinks he is charismatic. Time for the Republican establishment to step in and give us the worst possible, wishy-washiest candidate they can come up with.
Well that's what we (they ) want. Right!?
Yeah yeah. Perry is a RINO. So who is your candidate and explain to me how the establishment is keeping them down.
OK Just to be a jerk, you tell me how Ford, Dole , and McCain are the best we can do on the right in the years we have failed.
And I have lived here in Texas under the governorship of Perry for the history making last 10 years. The man has positives and negatives. Tort reform was his best, cronyism invites some skepticism!
I am not on the Perry is a phony bandwagon. I don't see how a guy elected a few times in a state like TX with that population is an Establishment man like the folks you mentioned.
Yea I am sooo impressed that Perry doesn't want a border fence and has no problem giving illegals free services. Damn those GOP establishment figures who think that is wrong.
Spot on Preacher!
Not true. The Governor can NOT force to buy insurance that covers Gardasil vaccine. He also could NOT force everyone in TX to buy instate tutition for illegal aliens. They had to pay for their own. The Legislature passed the bill with only 4 No votes. Perry merely signed it into law.
If Reagan ran today, this crowd would destroy him like Perry. He signed the Therapeutic Abortion Bill in '67 and raised taxes as Gov. As far as I am concerned, Romney needs to go and then Obummer. I don't see any flaws in any of the candidates running that are not crippling in beating Obummer other than Romneycare.
Who are these so called "GOP elite" anyway? The article doesn't identify them. It just names one low level Illinois politician. The point the article makes over and over again is that these so called "GOP elite" don't think Perry can appeal to "moderates and independents".
The NYT is clearly trying to attack Perry and create internal divisions among Republicans. But the article is so poorly written and confused that it just makes the NYT look stupid. As usual.
His view is that it is structurally unsound and in need of reform to keep it from completely collapsing. Everyone else has the same view - including Romney, who said it was being run like a "criminal enterprise" vs. Perry who said it was being run like a "Ponzi scheme." Okay, they don't like Perry's terminology...say he just says something more generic like it is in "bad shape" - what does that change about the problems with the program? Absolutely nothing! The "controversy" over his comments are complete nonsense.
He's said that one of the reasons for issuing the executive order was to force insurance companies to cover the vaccine so that more people would have access. After his executive order, a family couldn't buy insurance without buying coverage for the vaccine.
He did force everyone in Texas to subsidize the education of illegal aliens. Having a difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition represents a subsidy on education for people who live in the state. Everyone who pays taxes in Texas pays for that subsidy. By signing the law, he forced them to pay for the subsidy for illegal aliens.
There are plenty of "GOP Elite" looking towards Perry, too.
I'm not sure what Romney was trying to accomplish in that debate last night. He seemed to fade into the background. Just appeared to be sitting back and letting things unfold. He's well prepared, but he doesn't generate much enthusiasm. I've been very skeptical of the idea that he might be in cahoots with Bachmann, but last night she appeared to be in kamikazi mode toward Perry. Still seems unlikely to me though.
Newt dominates these events rhetorically. Too bad he didn't travel a different path in days gone by. No matter how well he does in the debates, nobody wants him as the nominee.
I'm a Perry supporter, but I haven't been impressed with his performances in the two debates he's been in. He was a little better this time, but he just strikes me as not being very verbally facile. And probably never will be.
Cain has improved a lot over the course of the campaign so far. His presentation of that 9-9-9 plan seems a bit gimmicky although the plan itself may be a good idea.
Santorum is good on the issues, but lacks even a trace of the charisma necessary to win the presidency.
Something about Huntsman irks me. I have a feeling he would irk me even if he were just reading names out of a phone book. Heck, he wouldn't even have to say anything; he could irk me just by standing there.
I've seen Bachmann be very good in the past, but last night she just looked desperate.
Ron Paul remains Ron Paul.
Your summation of the candidates is a pretty good one. I agree in general with your impressions of the debate.
You speak with much wisdom my friend...
The GOP Elite, MSM, RINO turds and all those Dems trying to push Romney up our rear ends can pound sand.
I will NOT vote for Mitt under any circumstances.
NO more RINOs. NOt now not ever.
REAL conservatives or go fish.
The Republican rank and file don't want either one.
I haven't seen the debates.. do you know if mccotter is getting any face time?
Once called the "Rockefeller Wing" of the GOP.
"His presentation of that 9-9-9 plan seems a bit gimmicky although the plan itself may be a good idea."
Cain is a good guy and a smart business man, but he isn't ready for primetime.
His 999 plan would tax the rich at 9% and the poor ( who have to spend all they earn to get by) at 18%. There is no way he thought that one through.
I missed where the rich were exempt from 9%.
Both Mittcare and Perry are unacceptable.
Perry appeared rattled on the HPV and immigration assaults. Perry handled Social Security and stimulus assaults well and delivered a few very well timed bumper stickers in those exchanges where I actually thought I was listening to Bill Clinton (delivery, not rhetoric). As a whole, I thought it was a wash for Perry.
They will have less money spent subject to sales tax as a % of total income. If you can't see that then you aren't seeing the big picture any better than Cain did.
Yes, Mitt Romney looks like a President, but he's a two-faced RINO. Michele Bachmann is attractive and smart as a whip, but she sometimes says... some odd things. Rick Perry talks a good game, but he's more than a bit slippery. Newt Gingrich is a brilliant theoretician, but he has a matched set of Samsonite travel cases for personal baggage. Herman Cain... is great. Okay, I really like him, but he's rough around the edges, policy-wise. Ron Paul is a hero of free enterprise, but his foreign policy belongs in Happy Acres, preferably under heavy sedation. John Huntsman ...well, he should be a Democrat.
The point is that almost anyone would be an improvement over what we have now in the White House: an unrepentant Marxist who detests everything and everyone that ever made America great. I'd vote for Adam Sandler before Obama, and most of his movies sucked. But at least he's a Republican.
I still can't believe so many are giving Perry a pass for this, WFTR. Amazing to me. It is one of the most important issues of the last few years.... the rule of law and not rewarding people for breaking our laws seems to be irrelevant all of a sudden. Sad.
I still can't believe so many are giving Perry a pass for this, WFTR. Amazing to me. It is one of the most important issues of the last few years.... the rule of law and not rewarding people for breaking our laws seems to be irrelevant all of a sudden. Sad.
"As Perry Rises, G.O.P. Elite Look Toward Romney"
See...that's the problem. The GOP "elite" don't have their pulse on middle America, and they don't respect middle America. In this respect, they are no different from the 'rats.
Conversely, they are not respected in middle America at all. They seem to believe that they know what's best for us, even though we don't agree with them...because we don't don't have Ivy League degrees.
If they would let the people in middle America do their jobs without Big Brother watching over them, we would have been on the road to recovery a long time ago.
Frankly, an Ivy League degree to me is a disqualifier. We live in the real world, and we make this country work. Give me someone who has worked in the real world any day of the week, no matter where he/she went to school.
McCain...he was the last guy the Republican "elite" gave us.
How did that work out?
OT, but I would like to congratulate all FReepers in NY and NV!
Yippeee...y'all did it!
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Good article in FierceBiotech on deal making showing the focus for biotech is completing phase II proof of concept. If IMGN could ever successfully design and complete a phase II...I think they need more horsepower in clinical design. Maybe they rely on CRO's and consultants, but so far the results are unacceptable and require rapid improvement before they have another debacle.
Speaking of debacles. they really know how to step into the shyte on the cc's...too much discussion about side effects, they failed to answer the questions with confidence and left the door open to the short attack. They need better prep to anticipate questions and better control over the analysts, no questions from UBS. Perhaps if they were more shareholder friendly, they might be able to anticipate the hard questions.
very interesting article from fiercebiotech (In pharma, incremental innovation lives on). The phrase: "fail early, fail cheap" rang a bell with me for some reason.
I hope IMGN follows such an approach instead of stringing along a failure until the very last moment. ie n901
Sentiment: Buy


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Lindsay Society the History of DentistryFind out more about the exciting Anglo American conference at BDA Headquarters in London, 8-9 October 2016.
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This project gathers reminiscences through a series of witness seminars and individual oral history interviews, covering topics like the start of the NHS and the rise of private dentistry and dental education.


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Matthew 3:13-17
I have a friend who creatively blends his ethnic and religious heritage. He is a black man with an Afrocentric consciousness and also a committed Christian. His Afrocentric commitment does not nullify his belief in Jesus, while his Christian commitment does not abolish his ethnic awareness and pride.
Hebrews 2:10-18


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Falconer NY High School Baseball Team 1909
- New York |
- Jamestown NY |
- Chautauqua Co NY |
- Baseball |
- Sports |
- Falconer |
- Unknown Men |
- Bedient
Postcard of the Falconer, NY High School Baseball Team 1909
Hugh Bedient of the Boston Red Sox (center?) 1889-1965, and unknown other players
Pitching for a semi-pro Falconer, New York team, Bedient struck out 42 batters in a 23-inning, 3–1 victory against a Corry, Pennsylvania team, on July 25, 1908. Two days later, the Jamestown Evening Journal ran the headline: Broke all records. Bedient of Falconer struck out 42 men, and the Corry Journal stated Corry and Falconer make World's record. Twenty-three years later, Robert LeRoy Ripley, in his syndicated Believe It Or Not! of September 5, 1931, informed the world of Bedient's feat, giving the first national recognition of this event.
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Top Definition
Yeah man, she definitely wants my pangle.
Yeah man, she definitely wants my pangle.
بواسطة mac12341 يناير/كانون الثّاني 11, 2010
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
Short for "pee-angle" - the angle at which you direct urine while peeing at a urinal. Used to minimize amount of urine that bounces back onto your pants.
Dude, you fucked up the pangle! Look at all the piss on your shoes!
Optimal pangle, minimum piss.
Optimal pangle, minimum piss.
بواسطة richard pennywright أكتوبر/تشرين الأوّل 19, 2013
When you pretend to be a gyno
I was sitting with my boyfriend on the couch when he got a smirk on his face started to pangle me by shoving his hands down my pants trying to get me to giz.
بواسطة eatmorchiken أكتوبر/تشرين الأوّل 3, 2008


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A long-running SEC investigation into possible corruption by U.S. movie studios in China is casting a shadow over Hollywood's dealings in the country, especially as there hasn't been too much information on the inquiry's progress. At the same time, Chinese consumers have started to prefer home-grown blockbusters over Hollywood fare. Still, the show goes on, with "Kung Fu Panda 3" and "Iron Man 3" among the projects that use China for filming.
A long-running SEC investigation into possible corruption by U.S. movie studios in China is...
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The SEC should not have any difficulty finding work. Find me one foreign company who's not bribing someone in China and that will be a loser. I remember the chairman of Li & Fung (Walmart supplier) saying as much sometime ago.
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