Topic: Mobile and Wireless
"Tap and pay" enabling cell phones to replace credit cards -- just one of the innovations Eric Schmidt sees coming soon. As mobile and internet markets grow at exponential rates, Google is building applications that will re-shape how we use that technology. Google CEO Eric Schmidt sits down with web pioneers Tim O'Reilly and John Battelle at the Web 2.0 Summit 2010 to discuss Google's new Chrome OS, Google TV, mobile technology, talent acquisition, privacy, security and net neutrality. Whew!
8000 location-based applications around the world and this number will more than double by the end of the year, Ted Morgan claims. The incorporation of location-based features accelerates growth in the mobile space. Ted Morgan started Skyhook, an innovator in location-based services, which helps app developers expand the mobile experience of their users. Morgan talks about the growing reliance of the public on location-based services and how app developers can leverage this phenomenon.
Website performance is second only to security in user expectations, claims Joshua Bixby, president of Strangeloop Networks. He suggests that web page rendering must be kept under two seconds to retain user loyalty. Website acceleration directly impacts a company's business metrics and KPIs. Bixby presents his team's latest findings about the relationship between web performance and business benefits.
DigitalGlobe fills the need for fast and accurate geospatial information, which has become ubiquitous in today's always-on environment. Walter Scott demonstrates the latest innovations in satellite imaging technology and web solutions. New developments set the pace for a revolution in GPS and GIS-based lifestyles. DigitalGlobe has over a billion square kilometers of imagery in their archive--close to collecting the land surface of the planet seven times over.
The web continues to evolve as new devices appear and new standards are adopted. The iPhone and other mobile devices are now in the mix of places where people go to connect with each other. Dion Almaer and Ben Galbraith call from Belgium where they were attending the Devoxx 2010 conference. They talk with Phil and Scott about internet protocols and social networking and how these are affected by the many different ways people and companies are interacting.
On foursquare's first birthday, 200 people in a Chicago bar called founder Dennis Crowley via Skype to sing. They all earned their swarm patches that night. In a year, 750,000 users signed up, made 22 million check-ins, and convinced 1400 venues to offer foursquare specials. Mom-and-pop venues have had their very first peek at their own marketing analytics through foursquare. People use it to find the biggest party in town. Here, Dennis Crowley talks about the foursquare phenomenon, one year in.
We have phones that take pictures, connect to the Internet, and play music. Now, Nokia is creating a line of smart phones with navigation programs for both drivers and pedestrians. Michael Halbherr focuses on describing the special features of the navigation programs, as well as how Nokia plans to continue developing media and social communication functions for their products and widening their global market.
Don't just think about the cloud. Think about where it is taking us. Online collaboration is the first wave of a movement transforming how people network. A healthy commons is the real value of open source, making collaboration easier. This collaboration has assisted response to several recent calamities around the world. Tim O'Reilly believes we will need the communication open source allows in order to overcome a wide array of future challenges.
Joshua Bixby connects web site speed and performance with return on investment, as measured by increases in the size of orders and the number of conversions. He reports that his company demonstrated a 6% increase in order size and a 9% increase in conversions with improvements in the performance of mobile web pages. He believes that the same type of data should be collected for mobile users to help developers make informed decisions when allocating limited resources.
Companies are working to develop apps software that take advantage of the growing number of hardware platforms. In addition to smartphones, browser developers are using the cloud to distribute programs. The group discusses these projects, as well as how new versions of browsers are coming that will be of even greater use with applications. They review how cross platform development is an important part of new software as well as Web 2.0 capabilities must also be included.
