Category Archives: Town centres

ONLINE Christmas shoppers spent £1 million in a single minute for the first time

Posted on December 7, 2010 | 1 comment

 

Download your free shopping apps

On Monday 6th December an article introduced by Jonathan Prynn and Mark Priggs of Byline reported that for the first time the seven-figure barrier was broken just before 1pm on the most frenzied online shopping day of the year.

The precise high-water mark was 12.58pm, when 128 transactions per second were processed by retailers. In last year’s busiest minute, on December 7, [pounds sterling]732,000 was spent. The most popular gifts being snapped up by internet shoppers are the Mini Micro T-bar Scooter, the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus game, Lego’s Winter Toy Workshop and the Apple iPod Touch

Selfridges said its online sales soared 50 per cent last week, while John Lewis said sales through its website were up 62.2 per cent. The first week in December is thought to see the peak in online buying, because it comes after November pay cheques have been paid in but before the “zone of uncertainty” when consumers grow increasingly nervous about whether their gifts will arrive in time for Christmas.

Monday lunchtime is particularly popular, because it is the first chance many people have to buy after making their purchasing decisions over the weekend.

 

So is there an Opportunity?
With more and more people shopping online, an opportunity exists to tap into a residual income by helping people to search for the best deals online.  Now I don’t easily get involved with any online money-making scheme, but I have taken a look at this apps, and I have personally used it to save me money online.  It’s quick, simple and effective.

So when the opportunity came for me to become involved in the forthcoming launch in Malaysia, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to pre register.

Shopping Genie will be  pre-launching in Malaysia & Singapore and you have the unique opportunity of registering prior to our official launch. A full introduction to this amazing “app” and opportunity, will be taking place in KL on the 28th, 29th & 30th January, 2011.

This time frame is vital for YOU to benefit in the pre-launch stage. At our introduction in KL in January 2011, you will be able to see the product in action and hear first hand what is about to sweep Malaysia & Singapore.

In the USA, Australia & the UK, TOP MLM leaders have been getting on board, which has taken the MLM industry by storm.

What is the Product Google makes $1.3 Million everyday from Pay Per Click, we will reveal how YOU, with this amazing app, can have a share of this worldwide market.

This “APP” built on the top of the Microsoft platform and sitting on top of Google, Yahoo, Bing and all major search engines is sweeping the USA, and has taken the UK & Australia by storm…we are now in pre-launch in Malaysia & Singapore.

The company’s  aim is to have this amazing “app” on every home computer and mobile device in the next 12 months.  It’s worth taking a look and registering today.

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Posted in assisted technology, Coupons and vouchers, credit cards, digital tickets, discount vouchers, ipad, isend, mobile phone broadcasting, mobile phone communications, Proximity Marketing, retailers loyality, shopping apps, Shopping malls, Smartphones, tourism, Town centres

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Bluetooth helps Hillstreet Shopping Centre snap up award

Posted on November 12, 2010 | Leave a comment

AN INNOVATIVE Bluetooth marketing system has helped the Hillstreet Shopping Centre in Middlesbrough win national recognition.

June 18 2010 Evening Gazette

Hillstreet Shopping Centre

The centre won awards in the digital marketing and community relations categories of the British Council of Shopping Centres’ (BCSC) annual Purple Apple Marketing Awards.

Competition judges praised Hillstreet for engaging with new marketing channels and achieving return on investment for retailers and partners.

The Tees side firm said its Bluetooth system was a key part of its overall marketing strategy. The technology allows retailers to learn more about the buying habits of their customers and produce targeted promotions which help to boost sales.

Five transmitters were installed in the mall which sent promotional information to more than one million bluetooth-enabled mobile devices since the scheme began in 2008. Around 100,000 downloads have been made – a conversion rate of around one in ten.

Jon Walton, Hillstreet marketing consultant, said: “Retailers see it as a value-added tool for which they don’t have to pay. A conversion rate of one in ten is a great result for any advertising campaign.”

Hillstreet plans to increase the number of transmitters to 12 and trial the technology in individual retail units.

With over 60 million Smartphones and PDA users in the UK alone, 60% of them continually Bluetooth enabled, Bluetooth proximity marketing allows ‘on the spot’ communication without the delay and expense of printing or using expensive broadcasting services.

Diane the Project Director of i-send proximity, states “It is clear that retailers are looking for a new and direct way to connect with passing consumers.  Smartphones are on the rise and with the introduction of the  i-pad, using a low energy, green multi media broadcasting transmitter to connect in real time at low costs have to be of advantage to both the retailer, consumer and the shopping area’

For more information on how to install a blue tooth broadcasting network visit http://www.i-send.co and request more information.


 

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How do blind people and the visually impaired use mobile phones? by Diane Shawe

Posted on October 21, 2010 | 4 comments

Most new mobile phones are difficult for blind or the visually impaired to use without assistive technologies, or at least built-in accessibility functionalities. A more complex mobile phone requires some kind of a screen reader or a voice recognition system to function well for people who are totally blind.

When mobile phones started to emerge on the market, their accessibility was less complex. Blind people practically had to memorize the layout of the phone’s keypad, which is very similar to regular phones, practically with two extra needed keys, send and cancel. After learning these keys, it was possible to use most of the phone’s functionality, even without being able to see the display. Of course, initially caller id was not available, but in practice that was the only difference.

With the growth of the Smartphones it required more and more effort to make mobile phones accessible to blind people. Phone manufacturers started to build voice recognition into their still simple phones.

However many goods, such as mobile phones or digital television devices, are not easily usable by people with visual impairments. Some disability rights campaigners had claimed that a previous draft of the Directive would force manufacturers to change the way goods are made.
Nevertheless, the Presidency has published amendments to the draft Directive that make it clear that the planned law does not change the legal landscape for manufacturers.

“This Directive shall not apply to the design and manufacture of goods,” said an amendment to Article 4 of the proposed Directive tabled by the EU Presidency Many goods are not accessible to people with disabilities.

A position paper from the European Blind Union published last year while goods were still potentially covered by the draft Directive outlined some of the problems.
“Inaccessible products are barriers to independent living for blind and partially sighted people,” it said. “For blind and partially sighted people, digital television is inaccessible because the interface requires the user to be able to see menus and programme information on the television screen.

The major gap started to emerge between the blind and sighted users, when mobile phones started to run operating systems, and users were able to use them similarly to a regular computer. At this point, it became necessary to develop a screen reader, which could be used on the mobile phone similarly to how blind people use the computer.

The emergence of touch screens recently made the situation much more difficult. Before, all input was done through a keyboard, which is the ideal situation for blind people. When touch screens started to emerge, software developers quickly picked up the technology, but in many cases omitted proper keyboard access to their applications. This way, even if blind people had a screen reader to use, it became increasingly difficult for them to enter information, and interact with their phone. But one may argue that there are many different types of Smartphones with keyboards, but some features then mean they omit others.

Screen reader manufacturers started to provide solutions for the use of touch screens. One approach was to disable the actual touch screen, and assign new functionality to it. The screen was divided into four equal parts, and each part represented a button. These virtual buttons were assigned to additional functionality to interact with the phone. Another virtual division of the screen was when a plastic sheet was provided to blind people with holes similar to a number pad. After laying this sheet on the phone, virtual screen areas were created responding to the regular numeric phone pad, which was especially useful with phones which did not have an actual keyboard.

Another invention was modifying the on-screen keyboard functionality. When sighted people touch an area of the screen keyboard with the stylus that key is activated. It was modified for blind people in a way that when an area of the screen is touched, the current key is announced but not activated. After memorizing the on-screen keyboard, people can slide their finger on the screen until finding the desired key. Once the user releases the screen, only then the key is activated.

There are many more inventions on using phone touch screens and on-screen keyboards, but the biggest problem is not solved yet. There is only so much a blind person can do with a screen reader on a graphical user interface, when the application is not coded to provide accessibility features. Technology is rapidly going towards using graphical interaction, while not enough information is provided to developers about accessibility. Meanwhile, screen reader manufacturers are trying to catch up with the latest developments and provide the best possible solutions.

With all this in mind, many location based technology is looking at ways in which they can communicate in real time with up to date and intelligent information. So watch this space

Diane Shawe
Project Development Consultant
http://www.i-send.co

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Mobile Devices increase usage of online tickets for travel,entertainment and sport

Posted on October 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

i-send.co has recently review a new study by Juniper Research forecasting a rapidly increasing usage of mobile devices for tickets for all kinds of travel and entertainment plus sports events will be one of the main factors driving the growth of mobile commerce.Mobile ticketing transactions are forecast to exceed $100bn (based on gross transaction value) as soon as 2012: this is more than double the market in 2010.

The mobile commerce report establishes that the rapid adoption of mobile devices for commerce related applications is by no means limited to ticketing. All segments – money transfers, banking, payments and coupons – are forecast to see significant growth rates.

Report author Howard Wilcox explained: “Our report demonstrates the spectacular growth that we forecast across all the segments of mobile commerce. Four of these segments (Ticketing, Money Transfers, Physical Goods and NFC) will more than double in transaction value over the next two years, whilst Digital Goods, Banking and Coupons will still post very healthy growth of 30% to 50% over the two years.”

The Juniper report, however, stressed that commerce providers need to keep users top of mind when developing their applications. If the initial user experience is poor for mobile payment methods – either based on cost, security, reliability or ease of use – then customers will reject them.

Further findings include:
• Mobile banking is becoming a must-have channel for banks;
• The mobile coupons market will approach $6bn by 2014;
• Mobile payments for physical goods will treble within three years as sites such as eBay Mobile and Amazon Mobile are used increasingly.

The new Juniper report features segment level assessments of mobile payments for digital and physical goods, NFC, mobile money transfer and remittances, mobile ticketing, mobile coupons, smart posters and mobile banking. The study pinpoints the key market drivers and constraints and sizes all seven mobile commerce market segments through global five year forecasts of gross transaction values.

Whitepapers and further details of the study, Mobile Commerce Strategies: Prospects for Payments, Ticketing, Coupons & Banking 2010-2014 can be downloaded from http://www.juniperresearch.com.

With all this in mind it has become apparent that mobile marketing in proximity is going to play a major role in the development of location based communication.

i-send has also published a couple of white papers which can be requested from their website on Access for the visually impaired and Can the Big society Policy generate collaborative prosperity.

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Free Wi-Fi is it worth Implementing?

Posted on October 14, 2010 | 2 comments

14 Oct 2010 by Diane Shawe

The Effects of EU Directive on Free Wi-Fi

Extract from i-send.co proximity White Paper ‘Enabling Bluetooth technology to aid location-based Big Society Partnerships for Prosperity’ October 2010
As the Prime Minister David Cameron said:

“Super-fast broadband is the electricity of the digital age….it must be for all-not just for some…We have already decided to commit public funding to ensure existing broadband reaches nearly every household in Britain by 2012”.

Many councils and commercial businesses around the UK are exploring the opportunity to deliver free wi-fi to their customers, visitors, residents and businesses.

However, there are two main points to consider.

A. Taking Wi-Fi interoperability for granted

Wi-Fi Interoperability should never be assumed. As 802.11n makes its way onto new smartphones and tablets, wireless administrators should stay sceptical about interoperability, warns Andrew Garcia from e week Europe publications.

Most of the mobile phone devices have not received Wi-Fi interoperability certification from the Wi-Fi Alliance especially if they are more than 18 months old. Nevertheless, devices such as Apple’s iPad and iPhone 4, Motorola’s Droid X, and the BlackBerry Torch 9800 are a sampling of new 802.11n-enabled devices likely to be connected to enterprise Wi-Fi networks.

B. Retention of Data

Summary of Directive 2006/24/EC (15 March 2006)
on the retention of data generated or processed with the provision of publicly available electronic communication services or of public communications networks

The requirements apply to retention of data in relation to all providers of Internet access, Internet email and Internet telephony services.

The Directive requires that data necessary to trace the source of a communication is stored. This means that the individual user ID, telephone number, and name and address of the subscriber using the service at the time of a communication must be stored. In addition, the same data must be stored so that the destination of a communication can be traced. Data must also be stored so that the date, time and duration of the communication can be traced, including the date and time of the log-in and log-off of the user.

The data must be stored for a minimum of 6 months, and destroyed after 2 years. The data must be stored securely, which means that service providers must ensure that it cannot be tampered with or altered, and that only specially authorised personnel can access the data. It must be stored in such a way that it can be supplied without undue delay to law enforcement authorities.

When did it come into force in the UK?

The Directive will be enacted into UK law before it becomes effective. This had to happen between 15 September 2007 and 15 March 2009 at the latest. Given the UK’s stance and concerns about combating terrorism, as well as their recent enthusiasm for enacting anti-terrorism legislation it seems likely that they will implement the directive reasonably quickly

Who will have to pay for implementation of this new law?

The company or county providing the Internet access to the end-user will have to bear the cost of setting up, maintaining and managing the retention of data, whether the Wi-Fi service is charged for or not.

As the objective of the EU directive is combating terrorism, it will apply to those locations that offer free Wi-Fi services even if their core business is as an Internet Service Provider and they do not profit from their service.
Importantly the EU Directive will now govern service providers not previously obligated to retain data stipulations, Frost & Sullivan notes 4.

To comply with the law the business will need the following equipment:

• Radius server for authenticating users
• Storage server for holding data
• Database to store user details and internet data

The cost of setting up such a service will increase astronomically, with hardware and labour setup costs running well into thousands of pounds, and monthly hosting, storage and data management fees exceeding hundreds of pounds per month.

This high level of cost and management will deter independent establishments wishing to entice customers to their coffee shop or hotel with free Wi-Fi from providing such a service in the future. So exploring alternate ways of communicating directly with mobile phone users is essential.

i-send intends to introduce emerging technologies that can aid location-based communication for greater prosperity. If you are interested in exploring the aspects of bluetooth proximity marketing and the advantages, then request a copy of our White Paper 2010.

Contents of White Paper                                Click to request a copy
* The Big Society Policy and Challenges for Collaborative Prosperity.
* Councils and Mobile Technology
* Technology saves Councils Quarter of a billion by using Location based technology
* Leicestershire piloted Bluetooth proximity for it Safer Community Strategy.
* Helping the local economy respond to the recession.
* How is Bluetooth developing?
* Bluetooth to launch version 4 for 2011/12
* No need for Cabling
* EU R&TTE Directive (Radio and Telecommunication Terminal Equipment)
* The Effects of EU Directive on Free Wi-Fi
* Taking Wi-Fi interoperability for granted
* Retention of Data
* Print v Digital Marketing & Data Collection.
* The rapid evolution of Mobile Smartphones
* Intelligent Mobile Marketing
* Intelligent targeting
* Access for the Visually Impaired
* Bluetooth Location Based Technology a Breakthrough
* Commissioning the launch of a Proximity or Pilot Schemes
* I-send Conclusion

Click to request copy of White Paper

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Can the Big Society Policy aid Collaborative Prosperity?

Posted on October 13, 2010 | Leave a comment

 

www.i-send.co

Retail Theraphy Bluetooth Style

Extract from i-send.co proximity White Paper

‘Enabling Bluetooth technology to aid location-based Big Society Partnerships for Prosperity’ October 2010 by Diane Shawe

 

Previous recession reports have outlined the latest impact of global economic conditions on businesses and Councils throughout the UK.

The Big Society policy forms part of the legislature programme of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition agreement. It aims to create a climate that empowers and builds communities, resulting in a shift of power away from the role of government, to the people.

Within this framework there remains opportunities for small businesses, community projects, social enterprise initiatives the public and private sector, which are all, considered a critical component of the economy in which they can interpret this policy.

Helping them share and spread a new form of partnership to mitigate the impact of the recession locally, but at the same time maintain momentum on medium and longer term economic goals with a vision to building more prosperous economies, Town Centres and public services.

Although town centres are often associated with businesses, town centres are also places where people live, work and visit.

Understanding the effects of change on people and factoring this into the planning and implementation of the Big Society strategy by channelling easier access to information will impact on people both positively and economically. It has always been said that ‘small businesses are imperative to the growth of any economy’.

We therefore feel that if the Big Society policy is to be effective, it is crucial that small businesses views along with other local and regional public and private sector companies/organisations explore ways of merging communications to form potential partners for prosperity.  Particularly as in this economic climate, smaller, leaner, better local knowledge at the points of delivery may provide small businesses with a competitive advantage against some of the larger, multinational businesses and organisations.

Council throughout the UK are adopting a proactive role by working with local partners to plan an integrated and comprehensive understanding of – and response to – the recession with the main objective of regenerating there localised economy to become leaner, better informed by using the most up to date technology.

As technology evolves more rapidly year after year, the costs and size of technology have shrunk considerably, just as the computational power of the technology has increased. i-send intends to introduce emerging technologies that can aid location-based communication for greater prosperity.

If you are interested in exploring the aspects of bluetooth proximity marketing and the advantages, then request a copy of our White Paper 2010.

Contents of White Paper      Click to request a copy

*he Big Society Policy and Challenges for Collaborative Prosperity.
* Councils and Mobile Technology
* Technology saves Councils Quarter of a billion by using Location based technology
* Leicestershire piloted Bluetooth proximity for it Safer Community Strategy.
* Helping the local economy respond to the recession.
* How is Bluetooth developing?
* Bluetooth to launch version 4 for 2011/12
* No need for Cabling
* EU R&TTE Directive (Radio and Telecommunication Terminal Equipment)
* The Effects of EU Directive on Free Wi-Fi
* Taking Wi-Fi interoperability for granted
* Retention of Data
* Print v Digital Marketing & Data Collection.
* The rapid evolution of Mobile Smartphones
* Intelligent Mobile Marketing
* Intelligent targeting
* Access for the Visually Impaired
* Bluetooth Location Based Technology a Breakthrough
* Commissioning the launch of a Proximity or Pilot Schemes
* I-send Conclusion

Click to request a copy

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Is Bluetooth better than SMS Marketing?

Posted on September 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

Bluetooth vs SMS Mobile Phone Marketing.

I get asked this question a lot, so I have set out the differences between them, you can make up your mind which you think is better value for money and targets your customer directly.

What is Mobile Marketing?

Mobile Marketing is a set of practices that enables organisations to communicate and engage with their audience in an interactive and relevant manner through any mobile device or network.

Why use Mobile Marketing?

With over 60 Million mobile phone users in the UK it makes Mobile Marketing the most effective and cost efficient strategy available with a high Return on Investment (ROI) when used correctly.
MOBILE MARKETING FAQ’S What information can we send to people?

You can send a variety of rich media to consumers (images, text, videos, sound, games etc.) Contact can be made to promote and inform a customer of special offers, product information and event news.

What is Bluetooth Mobile Marketing?

Bluetooth Marketing is the localised wireless distribution of advertising content assocaited with a particulur place. Information can be pushed towards users who have their devices enabled for bluetooth and then transmitted once the user has agreed to receive. Information sent can be text, audio, images or video and will hold information that is place or time specific.

How many people use Bluetooth?

95% of mobile phones sold today are bluetooth enabled which has increased by 5% since 2008. Statistics show that over 70% of consumers leave their bluetooth switched on throughout the day and through incentives this number has potential to increase.

Where can we use Bluetooth?

Bluetooth technology can be used both indoors and outdoors with equal success. Areas such as retail centres, exhibitions, sports stadiums and public areas are ideal, but equally people use our solution for private networks and information distribution.

What does it cost to send and receive Bluetooth messages?

Bluetooth is free to use and therefore once you have invested in the equipment , training and maintainence solution the number of transmissions are free no matter whether it is 1 or 1 million people you connect with.

Is Bluetooth permission based?

Yes – All content is delivered on an opt-in permission basis. Unlike SMS and Email it is not technically possible to fully transmit content over Bluetooth without first receiving permission from the end user.

Are Bluetooth messages SPAM?

No – Because people have to give permission to receive data this means that only people who accept the transfer will receive it. The server recognises and saves any phones that have rejected a transfer to ensure that the message is not re-sent to them.

How much data can I send?

Files up to 1MB work better, files larger than this can take longer to transmit.

How many people can I contact via Bluetooth?

Our technology can link with up to 105 people simulteaneously every few seconds per broadcasting server. There is no limit as to how many contacts can be made
per day.

Can I manage my own campaign?

Yes – You can upload your own content and schedule the delivery by time, day and date.

Can I measure how successful the method is?

Yes – The server logs all downloaded messages, so you know exactly how many and which customers have received your marketing content. Reports can be pulled down in PDF, Excel or word format using different types of graph be it by time, campaign, product or daily reporting.

How far will the Bluetooth signal reach?

The standard rules are that delivery distance works based on 3 classes:
Class 1, up to 100 metres
Class 2, up to 10 metres
Class 3 up to 1 metre

Atenna Boosters can also be used to increase delivery distance.

Here at isend we work with a team of developers meaning there is no upper or lower limit on the distance that we can deliver Bluetooth messages to. We always advise that a more targeted strategy is more beneficial as the recipient is in the right area of the offer when they receive the data meaning data is kept relevant and in real time.

What is SMS Mobile Marketing?

Brands use this service to promote brand awareness, services, offers and products by sending out a text style message to the recipient.

Does it cost to receive a SMS message?

Most SMS providers require a fee for this service for each individual message. Costs are usually associated with competition, music or subscriptions of some sort. Whilst there is not much initial investment upfront for equipment (maybe software if you chose to self manage) the on going costs in relations to bluetooth can be quite expensive.

How effective is SMS Marketing?

Information from the Mobile Data Association (MDA) shows that circa 217 Million texts are sent daily in the UK meaning this is one of the more effective ways of communicating. Statistics also show that 75% of texts are read immediantly showing this as 4 times higher than email readings.

Can we send data to our existing customer base?

Yes – We have the knowledge and experience of database integration, so you can send out marketing offers to your existing customers who have given you their contact details and agreed for contact to be made.

How many SMS Messages can I send?

There is no limit on how many SMS messages you send, this is entirely up to the company as to how much you would like to budget for SMS marketing

How much information can I send in 1 SMS?

Here at Orgatise we use a credits facility for charging usage. 1 credit is 160 characters. There is no limit as to how many characters can be sent but we advise that less is more and information should be direct and straight to the point.

What is a SMS shortcode?

Short codes, also known as short numbers are special telephone numbers, significantly shorter than full telephone numbers that can be used to address SMS messages. Short codes are designed to be easier to read and remember than normal telephone numbers. Like telephone numbers, short codes are unique.

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Smartphones to help visually impaired and elderly see

Posted on September 10, 2010 | Leave a comment
www.i-send.co

Retail Theraphy Bluetooth Style

A consultant from i-send came across a most recent press release by LookTel announcing that two mobile solutions companies, Ipplex and LinkMe Mobile, have partnered to create mobile applications for elderly and vision-impaired consumers.
“LookTel allows users to instantly interact with their world through their mobile phone – recognizing everyday objects such as text, money, packaged goods, CDs or medication bottles, even signs and landmarks,” explained Ipplex in a March 24 press release.

The application also provides additional support to the vision-impaired by way of live video, audio chat, push-to-talk audio, and GPS-tracking data.

Their groundbreaking application was selected as a finalist in the CTIA Wireless Emerging Technology Awards Healthcare/Public Safety/Transportation Category in 2010.

Augmented reality-like technology has previously been used to help vision-impaired and blind people see with their ears. Almost 10 years ago, a senior scientist at Philips Research Laboratories in the Netherlands developed a “seeing” system called The vOICe.

The vision technology offered totally blind users a sonic representation of visual sensations by way of image-to-sound renderings. The technology is now available as an Android application from the Seeing With Sound website, http://www.seeingwithsound.com/.

I-send White Paper 2010: Access for the Visually Impaired.  If you would like a copy please email promote@i-send.co to request a copy.

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Why buy a Smartpone by i-send.co

Posted on September 8, 2010 | 41 comments

We have all seen the familiar picture!  Most people actually walking around with their mobile phone in their hands, just waiting for it to ping them with a text, call or twitter!  As a busy person, you know the importance of staying a step ahead of your clients and your family.

Being  tied to your desk or home is not an option anymore, getting that important email or phone call and to maintain convenient access to essential data—proposals, schedules, contact information, business news or the stock market.

However, thousands have newfound freedom using PDA-style smartphones designed for business (and fun). Today’s smartphone traces its roots back to the personal digital assistant or PDA. (I actually found my old one the other day) Originally used as businessperson’s right hand to track important client information, project statuses, and task lists, smartphones have evolved into an everyman’s (and woman’s) tool.

Smartphones are much more than just cell phones; they provide instant access to the web. Whether you’re researching news to predict the stock market or looking for the perfect golf course on the weekend, you’ll find it on the net.

Many smartphones allow you to sync with your desktop computer by USB or bluetooth! This means you can store,  view, and work on  documents directly on your handheld. You can also receive and respond to emails as they arrive in your inbox on your home computer with real-time push email.

Smartphones can also serve as multimedia devices, so your entertainment goes with you. They can store and display pictures and videos of friends and family and even entire feature-length movies. Most smartphones take pictures and capture video, but the most common multimedia function is the ability to play MP3s—sit back, relax, and enjoy your favorite tunes while traveling or during breaks.

Another perk of using a smartphone is the fairly recent development of third-party applications (or apps). These apps range from those geared toward hardworking business tasks to entertaining games and everything in between. With thousands of apps available to download in a range of prices, there’s sure to be something that will appeal.

Check out Top Ten Smartphone

What to Look for in a Smartphone for Business

In the past, business people were easily identifiable—they carried large briefcases, binder planners and perhaps a brick cell phone. The scene has changed and so has the way we conduct life and business. A smartphone stores important data and documents, offers a calendar planner, provides instant access to the internet and email and keeps you in touch with clients, coworkers, friends and family – anytime and anywhere.

You can even use your smartphone as an effective broadcasting and marketing tool by sending different types of media via bluetooth to other devices.

Top Things to look for in a new smartphone

Design
Size and weight, along with screen size and resolution, make a difference in the display and handling of a smartphone.

Multimedia
The best business cell phones have at least a 2 megapixel camera with zoom features and the ability to play and record audio and video. Smartphones act as life management devices and include organizational features like calendars and task lists. Most sync with home computers allowing for document viewing and editing.

Call Features/Quality
The foundation of business is communication, and a smartphone’s first function is as a cellular phone. Smartphones for business should include all typical cell phone features including speakerphone, three-way calling, voice dialing, call waiting, etc.

Memory/Storage
The most practical smartphones are compact, include good input and display options, and enough battery life to last through a full day’s work and beyond.

Additional Features
Many smartphones include practical tools like calculators, map applications and GPS. Some have the ability to support third-party or browser-based programs that can perform a variety of specific functions. Third-party apps are becoming a key component of a smartphone, allowing the user to customize their phones to support their lifestyles.  Bluetooth enabled is also a standard feature of the smartphone.

If you want to find out more about Bluetooth proximity Broadcasting, then visit http://www.i-send.co

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Shops track customers via mobile phone

Posted on September 8, 2010 | 5 comments

Signals given off by phones allow shopping centres to monitor how long people stay and which stores they visit

Customers in shopping centres are having their every move tracked by a new type of surveillance that listens in on the whisperings of their mobile phones.

The technology can tell when people enter a shopping centre, what stores they visit, how long they remain there, and what route they take as they walked around.

The device cannot access personal details about a person’s identity or contacts, but privacy campaigners expressed concern about potential intrusion should the data fall into the wrong hands.

The surveillance mechanism works by monitoring the signals produced by mobile handsets and then locating the phone by triangulation – measuring the phone’s distance from three receivers.

smarter way to connectIt has already been installed in two shopping centres, including Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, and three more centres will begin using it next month, i-send co has learnt.

The company that makes the dishes, which measure 30cm (12 inches) square and are placed on walls around the centre, said that they were useful to centres that wanted to learn more about the way their customers used the store.

A shopping mall could, for example, find out that 10,000 people were still in the store at 6pm, helping to make a case for longer opening hours, or that a majority of customers who visited Gap also went to Next, which could useful for marketing purposes.

In the case of Gunwharf Quays, managers were surprised to discover that an unusually high percentage of visitors were German – the receivers can tell in which country each phone is registered – which led to the management translating the instructions in the car park.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) expressed cautious approval of the technology, which does not identify the owner of the phone but rather the handset’s IMEI code – a unique number given to every device so that the network can recognise it.

But an ICO spokesman said, “we would be very worried if this technology was used in connection with other systems that contain personal information, if the intention was to provide more detailed profiles about identifiable individuals and their shopping habits.”

Only the phone network can match a handset’s IMEI number to the personal details of a customer.

Liberty, the campaign group, said that although the data do not meet the legal definition of ‘personal information’, it “had the potential” to identify particular individuals’ shopping habits by referencing information held by the phone networks.

Owners of large buildings currently have to rely on manual surveys to find out how customers use the space, which can be relevant to questions of design such as where the toilets should be located or which stores should be placed next to one another.

Other types of wireless technology, such as wi-fi and Bluetooth, can be used to locate devices, but the regular phone network signal is preferable because it is much more powerful and fewer receivers are needed to monitor a given area.

Phone networks have long been capable of gauging the rough location of a handset using three phone masts, but the margin error can be as great as 2km. The process is also less efficient when the phone is indoors.

“You’re basically going to know that that person has been in Starbucks,” Toby Oliver, the company’s chief technology officer, said.

Even when the owner is not using it, a mobile phone makes contact with the network every couple of minutes, which is enough for the receivers to get a reading on its position.

Source: http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3945496.ece

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