3G Video Conferencing with Smartphones (Amazing Mobile Experience)

Few days back, Skype announced an update to the iPhone 4 app officially supporting full on Video Conferencing over 3G and WiFi (unfortunately, not for Android for now), in an effort to play catch-up to services like TANGO, FRING and YAHOO Messenger apps which are good for both iPhone and Android using 3G or WiFi for quite some time.

SKYPE's value-add is its vast user-base and the massive Desktop-to-PC enablement; enabling mobile video conferencing over 3G (even if only on the iPhone for now) is a huge advancement in mobile experience evolution.  Take for instance, over the new years weekend, we took a family trip out to the Poconos to do some site seeing and snowboarding.  While there, I was keeping in touch with friends and family via SKYPE video conference everywhere I went.  We used SKYPE video on SKI Lift, in a moving car (someone else in the car is using it) and while sitting down at various places (ice cream shop, IKEA, etc...).  The experience was nothing short of breathless.  The last time I felt this mobile-empowered was when I used my iPhone 4 on Virgin America in-flight WiFi service for a TANGO conference call with another friend using iPhone 4.

The official SKYPE 3G mobile-video enablement is a huge break-through for advancement of internet-computing-mobile technology.  Although the picture quality via 3G is still a little blurry for now, it won't be long before the next generations of smartphone featuring 4G or 5G data allowing us to stream HD video conferences or HD Netflix content over the web.  Welcome to the future my friend!

International Mobile Experience: GOOD!

For this year's Thanksgiving, we decided to take a short vacation and spent 5 days in the beautiful city of Barcelona.  My last trip to Europe was about four years ago and the mobile experience is obviously much better today but to my surprise, it was beyond "better"... it was GREAT!

Before I begin to describe my experience, I want to address that while my experience is based on an iPhone 4  I do believe any eligible smartphone running other OS like BB should provide similar experience.

For starters, I noticed considerable amount of more WiFi connection everywhere I went this trip, albeit most are secure and I have no access, I managed to find a decent open network to stay connected (mostly from larger hotels like the Hotel Mandarin, Hotel OMM, etc.).  I was lucky enough to have free WiFi at the hotel where I stayed.  Within 4 days, I was able to take 4th position on foursquare of all Barcelona.

WiFi also provides another layer of comfort while traveling abroad.  I was able to use the SKYPE app and TANGO app to keep in touch with friends and family in Spain and back at home.  It was really amazing that at one point, I was having a drink at a small local pub and holding a video call with my pal Dan over Tango via the free WiFi in the pub (I'm sure the Catalans must thought I was a major geek but you really get a sense that you are now living in the "future").  I was thankful to have access to wireless internet without being charged $20/MB via AT&T's international rate.

Mobile apps helped the experience considerably.  I have always have had the habit of setting up a custom My Maps within Google Maps to set various pin-points we wanted to visit.  I was able to download a cool little app on iPhone called "MyMaps".  It allows me to save map tiles on my iPhone and import the custom maps I created from Google Maps.  Even though I had my 3G data and Cellular Data turned off abroad, while standing outside, I was able to get the embedded GPS chip to pickup my position making me ditch the fold-able maps.  This experience is very empowering...

Other things like dictionary apps and powerful camera/camcorder is very helpful as well.  When we visited a famous spot, La Sagrada Familia, my amazing Canon SD4000i had ran out of power.  Thankfully, my iPhone 4's decent camera and HD recording was able to step in and fill the void.

Since we only have access to one of those European wall-outlet adapter, every night, we struggle to decide which device to charge before going to bed.  Given the flexibility and the necessity to keep my iPhone powered up, priority was always given to the iPhone.  The lesson is to remember packing more than 1 outlet adapter moving forward.

The iPad and It’s Profound Impact

Every once in a while, a unique product comes along, muddles up the mobile environment and changes the game; blurring the line amongst various appliances and interactions.  When the iPad first arrived to  the scene, I immediately dismissed it, my argument was a simple and utilitarian one: “The iPad was too big to be mobile but not powerful enough to compete with a netbook or an ultraportable laptop.”  I still find that statement to be true (especially so from a recent trip) but I’m starting to embrace the iPad’s ultimate impact.

As an iPad user, I find myself using the iPad frequently despite my negative feelings towards this inadequate device (as a computer substitute given its size).  The iPad bridges a gap for when I’m in a situation where a laptop would be cumbersome.  For instance, I often browse the iPad while on the couch in front of our television set or laying in bed.  It’s form factor and instant-on ability is why I find myself reading electronic Newspapers in the morning with my coffee at the breakfast table; prior to this, I’ve never brought my laptop along for breakfast to read the news.

As an online marketer and internet retailer, I’m starting to see iPads popping up the chart in the analytics software.  Within Coremetrics' Emerging Opportunities report, the iPad within 3 month of its inception made its way up to become the highest converting and grossing mobile device.  Again, in the beginning, I dismissed the iPad phenomenon thinking there is no need to invest in an unique iPad user interface since its large screen permits a full desktop web experience.  That is until I made the connection with my own usage to realize that while the iPad is capable of most desktop web experience, its smarter if retailers/marketers cater a dedicated device experience (either via mobile web or application) for the iPad users.

Knowing that iPad owners incremental usage and their willingness to engage and transact, I hereby urge all marketers and internet retailers to embrace and offer an enhanced user experience for iPad users.  Simple optimizations such as redirecting iPad users to an alternate website enlarging the text size/hyperlinks/buttons or changing Flash animation to GIF or HTML5 can probably improve conversion rate by a couple of percentage points.  As I’ve stated, the iPad is not quite a mobile device or a laptop, therefore its best that you cater an experience that is just in between.  If you are doubtful, take a look at your analytics software, see how your customers are using the iPad to engage with your brand.  Cheers!

Android 2.2 (Froyo) FLASH Support Video, yes it works!

I installed Android 2.2 update, aka Froyo.  This update is highly antcipated at my household because the long thought after Adobe Flash support is finally here.  I shot the video below to show you what it looks like, its not the best quality but you'll get the point.  (the noise is coming from my central air conditioner).

Ever wonder how Google Maps gets surface street traffic data?

Lately, I started to take notice that Google Maps' traffic data is more accurate than the Garmin GPS (FM-based) traffic map and for that matter, Google seems to know traffic data even down to the local/surface street level.  I've always wondered how Google gets it so right... I had a hunch it was user-generated data but this article explains it all.  It is in fact, information collected anonymously via Google Maps for Mobile users who opted in to turn on the My Location feature.  Learn more here.

All I've got to say is if anyone still doubts Google/Android mobile is the future, think again.

Mobile Augmented Reality: IKEA

Augmented reality is cool, I've always been fascinated by the USPS and SAMSUNG augmented reality demo footage (check it out if you haven't, links take you to YouTube, it makes more sense to do so before continue reading).  IKEA has hired the Mobile Dreams Factory and taken its entire product catalog into augmented reality.  You can now drag and drop a piece of furniture right into your living room as long as you are viewing your living room via your mobile screen (via the iPhone's camera).  This is insanely cool!  See intro clip below.

Mobile Best Practice in Usability

Lately, I have been spending a good chunk of time at my 9-to-5 job researching and gathering the best mobile web practices in preparation of our own mobile website launch.  Its quite eye opening to see how creative and smart some of the top internet retailers is able to present an excellent mobile experience to their loyal customers.

In my own practice, I have been going down the path of visiting top retailers' websites and jolt down notes on things I liked, my overall consensus has been studying my desktop website metrics and present the most relevant and useful features to the mobile website with larger/finger friendly UI design.  The folks at Usability Sciences have 1-up me on this topic; they are offering  free Webinars around these topics; the latest one I attended was called "Mobile Best Practice in Usability" and what a great webinar it turned out to be. The presenter broke down the topic into smaller, but informative sessions (homepage, navigation, search, listing results) and showed examples of the good and the bad. It definitely reinforced my own thoughts and helped me think about the entire process in a much structured format. If you are tasked to mobilize your website, check out Usability Sciences free webinar series, I know I will.

(The screenshot is taken from Hotels.com, one of the mobile websites that I found to be very good at creating a solid mobile experience.  It seems like they have a solid understanding of their customer's needs and only presented what is the most useful and intuitive design - large buttons with good contrast in visual design, major functions like "Find a Hotel", "View Reservation" and "Customer Care" is presented clearly on the homepage.)