Weds 21 Feb 2007

The Battle for Mobile Search

• Summary: A pretty basic article for the layperson on recent events in the mobile search landscape.

• Review: The most interesting thing mentioned are some stats from a new M:Metrics report: "Google had about 4.75 million U.S. subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2006," while Yahoo had 3.65 million, and Microsoft had less than 1 million.

InfoSpace Joins Forces With FAST For Mobile Search

• Summary: InfoSpace and FAST announced a partnership at 3GSM that seeks to marry InfoSpace's US carrier relationships and directories content with FAST's search technology and pay-per-click platform on mobiles. The companies will be offering their new white-label services and platform to wireless carriers in the US and Europe. That makes the combined InfoSpace-FAST effort immediate competition for JumpTap and Medio Systems, which are also offering similar services.

• Review: An interesting move, particularly in light of recent news that a bunch of US and European carriers are forming a consortium to counter threats from Google and Yahoo. But, it will be interesting to see what happens, considering that most carriers have already locked up all their search solution providers.

InfoSpace Joins Forces With FAST For Mobile Search

• Summary: InfoSpace and FAST announced a partnership at 3GSM that seeks to marry InfoSpace's US carrier relationships and directories content with FAST's search technology and pay-per-click platform on mobiles. The companies will be offering their new white-label services and platform to wireless carriers in the US and Europe. That makes the combined InfoSpace-FAST effort immediate competition for JumpTap and Medio Systems, which are also offering similar services.

• Review: An interesting move, particularly in light of recent news that a bunch of US and European carriers are forming a consortium to counter threats from Google and Yahoo. But, it will be interesting to see what happens, considering that most carriers have already locked up all their search solution providers.

Mobile phones to fuel Internet growth, Google web evangelist says

• Summary: They've come out saying it before, but here it is again: Google reckon that the mobile is the key to the internet in the future. This time it's Vinton Cerf claiming that the 5.5 billion mobile phone users in the world will eventually overshadow the 1.1 billion computer owners.

• Review: Cerf cites India in particular as a country poised for huge mobile internet growth, something we should not overlook in light of possible M&A activity a la SouFun in China.

Free mobile network loads up

• Summary: Supposedly the world's first free mobile-phone-based network was launched in Adelaide, allowing users to create and publish their own content, download games, and navigate the streets. The Podmo network will enable people to search for local events, send instant messages, create content, and play games. It will also allow retailers to make their own mobile ad campaigns.

• Review: Aimed at retailers, advertisers, community groups, etc., Podmo is available as a download to your phone, and attempts to provide location, time, and demographic-relevant advertising to end-users. Interesting idea, but probably too small to make a dent in our business.