The Internet search service ChaCha always seemed like a bit of a throwback. In a Web populated by search services powered by sophisticated algorithms that provide instant answers, ChaCha relied on paid human “guides” to help you find things. Not surprisingly, it never took off. “At the desktop, I am positively sure we didn’t differentiate significantly from Google or Yahoo and so we haven’t got much usage,” Scott Jones, the founder and chief executive of ChaCha told me last week. But Mr. Jones hasn’t given up... lire la suite
Lien du post: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/a-new-twist-on-mobile-search-human-guides/
The Internet search service ChaCha always seemed like a bit of a throwback. In a Web populated by search services powered by sophisticated algorithms that provide instant answers, ChaCha relied on paid human “guides” to help you find things. But Mr. Jones hasn’t given up. He’s betting that the service will be a hit with mobile phone users. This week, the company is officially introducing a service that allows users to text message a question. The answer will pop up as a text message on their phones, typically, in less than three minutes, and sometimes in just seconds. A voice service is expected to follow soon. So does ChaCha mobile works? On New Year’s Eve, I asked whether SFMoma was open. Within seconds, I received a helpful answer: “The SFMoma (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art) is open today from 11a.m.-5:45p.m. They are closed on New Year’s Day.” Next, I typed, “temp in des moines.” Again, in seconds I received the answer: “The temperature in Des Moines is 20 degrees and hazy.” (Not sure the temperature was hazy, but I checked Yahoo Weather on my PC, and it was indeed 20 degrees and hazy.) What’s more, ChaCha’s window of opportunity may be relatively narrow. As phones become equipped with better Web browsers - the iPhone was a first, but phones based on Google’s Android system and others could be next - users may opt for PC-like behavior and do searches themselves. That won’t happen immediately. Currently fewer than 20 percent of Americans use their mobile phones to access the Internet, while about eight in ten use them for text messages. But the mobile world seems to be moving in a Web direction at a fast clip.
L’association du marketing mobile a mis en ligne une liste de documents concernant la publicite, les usages mobiles ainsi que des retours d’experience afin d’accelerer le developpement du marche. Les etudes mises a disposition fournissent des conseils sur les formats, les regles a respecter et les restrictions techniques et ethiques pour realiser des campagnes SMS, [...]
L’association du marketing mobile a mis en ligne une liste de documents concernant la publicite, les usages mobiles ainsi que des retours d’experience afin d’accelerer le developpement du marche. Les etudes mises a disposition fournissent des conseils sur les formats, les regles a respecter et les restrictions techniques et ethiques pour realiser des campagnes SMS, [...]
The patterns & practices group has just recently released a new Pocket Guide that is targeted at Mobile Architecture and development. It covers a ton of information and common pitfalls that you can avoid when building serious mobile line of business applications. Filed under: Visual Studio, .NET Compact Framework, Microsoft, Architecture, Windows Mobile 6.1, patterns & practices
Nokia (NOK) is partially embracing Google (GOOG) by agreeing to put Google’s mobile search on some of its phones. It already ships phones with mobile search from Yahoo (YHOO) and Microsoft (MSFT), so this isn’t that big a deal. But it does show that as Nokia prepares to compete with Google-based Android phones, the cell phone leader will incorporate some basic Google functionality into its own phones as a preemptive move. Complete Story »
Nokia (NOK) is partially embracing Google (GOOG) by agreeing to put Google’s mobile search on some of its phones. It already ships phones with mobile search from Yahoo and Microsoft, so this isn’t that big a deal. But it does show that as Nokia prepares to compete with Google-based Android phones, the cell phone leader will incorporate some basic Google functionality into its own phones as a preemptive move. Complete Story »