Our Growing Hunger for Being Mobile and Attached

PC processor shipments are up worldwide. This in itself is a good sign of economic recovery, since these chips go into a lot of devices - and perhaps most interestingly, they go into mobile devices. And that's just the sector that saw the most growth - mobile phones and netbooks at 34.8% compared to 11% for laptops and desktops.

Yet another indicator of our growing hunger to be connected yet mobile at the same time. Are we developing nomadic tendencies? Digital nomads? Certainly with the growing power of the iPhone, Palm Pre and Blackberry on top of Netbooks and increasing availability of wireless Internet access it must be so.

How do you think such mobility might shape our business world in the future?

Battery Power Driving the Web: Why It's Important

Batteries. We all either like or hate that little Energizer battery flopping around the space station, while Duracell tell's us it's the battery of choice for emergency workers. But batteries play a vital role in the Web, one we don't think about, yet are an invisible technology (except when they drain on us) that are a part of being engaged online. I'd invest in battery stocks myself; OK I already have.

There's a big battle going on now over battery life in Netbooks, Laptops and Smart Phones (and here). In fact it's become a key selling feature of some devices, almost as critical as the quality of the brand. Apple has been slammed for years over battery drainage for MacBooks (I can attest to that) and then over iPhone battery life - with Guy Kawasaki quickly posting tips on how to conserve power in them. Now both Apple and Microsoft are saying their new OS will support longer battery life.

We've become more and more mobile over the years and I'm sure we can all recall the many times at a cafe, restaurant and hotel or meeting room where the first thing we've done is look for a plug. Like we horde reward points on air miles, so we horde battery juice.

The ever increasing presence of wireless Web access, even on public transit and mobile carriers coming out with wireless 3G modems to easily connect attests to our increasing engagement with Netbooks, Laptops and Smart Phones. We just keep wanting more juice to power them.

This is leading to some serious innovations in battery technology and manufacturers are finding themselves ever more deeply engaged with chip manufacturers and other hardware component makers - all working to reduce power consumption while making processing better.

For us, the Web becomes ever more ubiquitous, and it's batteries that are playing the role of keeping us connected. Don't forget, all those data centres in the Cloud are also using BBU (Battery Back Ups) a well as generators for emergencies.

Yup, investing in battery stocks is probably a good idea. It's what will keep the wireless Web hopping.

Is Hyperlocalization Still A Mere Dream? What About Enough?

Big word; hyperlocalization or "hyper-local". For those not familiar with it, essentially it means the Web being highly local, right down to what's happening on your street. It's not there yet. At least, not on a scale that has much relevance to big brands or local, small businesses. Once it has an economic impact, then it will really get relevant.

Google, along with specialized search engines, like Halifax's promising GenieKnows, are trying. And they're doing a fairly good job. Here are the three challenges I see that has been around a while and is changing, but slowly.

1. Local relevance = Enough Factor

2. User input

3. Invisible Technology

1. Local Relevance:

Does a barber, shoe cobbler, muffler repair centre, plumber need to have a website. There is an argument that they do. I wrote an article about a shoe cobbler over a year ago who see's no need for a website; and he's right. He has enough business. He's making enough money and doesn't need more, he's 2nd generation and the stores been there about 30+ years.

Most small business owners in trades such as plumbing and electrics might have a website. But for them it's just a glorified ad. They see no need to add much to their website because the Yellow Pages are working (online and in print) and well, most have enough business. There is very little motivation to extend their online presence.

It's the "enough" factor. They don't want more than the 10 or so employees they have or the headaches of expansion, capitalizing that growth and then all the issues that go with feeding a larger set of operating costs. They have "enough."

2. User/Data Input

This goes directly to user input. A Search Engine, no matter who good the algorithms are is useless unless someone is creating content to be found. I can't count the number of sites I've been on that content (locally) is well over a year old. That kind of content is stale. It takes people to input the content for the engines to search. That is, fresh, relevant content locally.

3. Invisible Technology

Which goes to the third point; it has to be mindnumbingly easy to input the content. It's not yet. It has to be as easy and as accessible as the standard landline telephone - pick it up (dial-tone) and dial. Done. But it's not. You need to have someone with the ability to run a PC or use a Smart Phone app (if you're in the biz you're snickering at me how easy it is. Take yourself out of your skill-set and be a shoe cobbler who uses a very basic POS and rarely goes online if at all...see my point?)

Localization is getting better. There are some services that have launched that are enabling people to easily input data right down to potholes on their street. Getting citizens to regularly update data still requires some knowledge.

Over the next 5-10 years this will change dramatically. In fact, it's the next logical step and I suspect we'll see some interesting models develop. As more and more people from developed nations (the Western World) get online and the technology becomes pervasive (it's still only ubiquitous) localization must get better - as must the way we input data and interact with the Web. But localization remains a dream for now. Whoever figures out a good model is set to make some serious cash.

What do you think? What am I missing? What tools are changing this? Is Twitter?

Will Boomers Be Forced Into the Cloud?

In a word, yes. A number are already there. But a blog post today I discovered through a "tweet" on Twitter set me to thunking about Boomers adopting Social Media and the Web as a whole. The survey on Social Media use by Boomers found that well over 80% don't read or pay attention to blogs, don't care for Twitter and rarely participate in forums. I'm not surprised. It goes to my research findings in Atlantic Canada.

In fact, as a whole, the time Boomers do spend online tends to be very Web 1.0-ish. Checking on health information and email being tops in another recent survey. But I argue that Boomers will increasingly adopt Social Media services and Cloud -based services. Why? Pure economics.

My primary example is banking. Banks installed ATM's just around 20 years ago. And unceremoniously thrust mundane tasks onto consumers. More insultingly they started charging a "convenience" fee for services you perform or when withdrawing from a competitive bank. Then they added insult to injury by bringing on phone banking. But we adopted the services and now Canadians and Americans make over 45% of their purchases using a debit card. Including boomers.

Increasingly, as the cost of Internet access declines, speeds increase and PC's & smart phones become more ubiquitous this will change access to services. Within a few more years, much of our activities around knowledge-based functions, will be via the Cloud.

Health: Your health records will be online, you'll set appointments with your doctor via an online calendar.

Banking: More and more activities will be done via online banking; mortgages, loans...in some cases we're already there.

Government Interaction: Drivers license renewal, license plates, fine payments (already there), deed transfers, various licenses and more...all done online via the Cloud.

But you might say "no way, the Boomers have to much economic clout." But businesses, many run by Boomers make decisions based on cost reduction and revenue improvement. Cloud-based services reduce labour costs significantly. As always, economic factors such as this will drive Boomers online. And as Social Media continues to add niches, so will they adopt these tools to connect with their families.