When you want the night’s festivities to continue beyond the 11pm cut-off imposed by most places, it’s often a TOTAL arse to try and find an alternative venue. It’s even more frustrating when you know that the chances are one of the places around the corner is probably open late — you just don’t know about it.

That’s where 24hourlondon is incredibly useful. The app contains a list of venues nearby (located via your current position) along with a brief entry for each — and of course, opening/closing times. Helpfully, they also include the number of a local taxi firm that serves the area too.

Each entry is manually verified by the 24hourlondon team for accuracy. That makes me feel good. (Although, I have to say, since we’ve had a baby, I think I’ve been out late in London about twice…!)

But if you’ve got a social life in the city, you might well find this app highly useful. You can find it in the iTunes app store here (£1.49).

I did a quick video overview — here it is:

More from Nurit:

Have you any experience with blackberry 8900′s – specifically related to threaded messages?

One of our users has a Curve 8900 and on occasion (but not always) when he receives an SMS from one of his contacts it displays within the thread of an existing message. Tested with new messages this afternoon and couldn’t replicate but he’s retained the main threaded message for us to look at.

He’s using v5.0.0.411 (platform 5.2.0.31) – the messages all appear in one thread, looks like the first text received becomes the master record and other messages from other contacts appear in the same thread and as though coming from the first person.

Any ideas?

I’m a bit handy with a BlackBerry — but I’ve never actually witnessed this issue. Has anyone else seen this? Any ideas?

If you recall a few weeks ago I posted an exclusive from the Vodafone 360 team announcing the upcoming arrival of the Vodafone 360 Samsung H2. I’d taken a look at the H2 and found it a rather nice improvement on the Samsung H1 (the original top-end 360 handset).

Well, I’ve got some news straight from the lion’s den at the 360 team: No more H2.

In fact, no more bespoke 360 handsets.

Henceforth Vodafone is going to focus on enhancing the 360 services rather than worrying about it’s own bespoke handsets.

Here is the formal statement from the company:

Vodafone’s core strategy remains to offer the best range of smartphones in all markets in which we compete. We have decided to accelerate our Vodafone 360 services strategy, making 360 services available on as many devices as we can as soon as we can. From now we will be focusing all efforts on expanding the range of handsets and platforms that support Vodafone 360 and in developing and enhancing the suite of Vodafone 360 services. Consequently there will be no further development of bespoke Vodafone 360 handsets, and activity on the H2 ceases with immediate effect.

We have always been clear that Vodafone 360 is about a suite of services, not just about bespoke devices. Our intent was always to provide services across as many handsets as possible on as many platforms. Today Vodafone 360 is available across a wide range of over 100 handsets and on 5 platforms and this will continue to expand going forward.

On one hand I feel this is quite a shame, because I did identify with the broader strategy (if not necessarily the precise implementation along the way). I liked the vertical concept of owning the hardware, the services, the network and of course, the customer experience. But, as I have pointed out many a time, if you’re going to do this, you need to do it properly and with full conviction — and the necessary resources.

I think it’s a good step for the company. I think it makes sense to ship the responsibility for hardware design back to the OEMs rather than have the Vodafone teams obsessing over it. The H2 was always going to be compared to the rest of the company’s range — and goodness me, it must have been a challenge deciding over handsets to push in a given month. Do you push the company’s own H1/M1 360 phones? Or do you push the latest Sony or Nokia? Lots of questions and lots of problems.

So services is the way ahead. They’ve already been doing a lot of work spreading 360 across all the major platforms they support. Here’s an example:

That’s the Vodafone 360 implementation on the Sony Ericisson X10 Mini-pro (as I saw it, pre-release, a few weeks ago). As you can see, you’ve got the 360 shop, updates, music shop, apps and so on all available at a touch of a button.

In the coming months, expect to see almost every capable Vodafone ranged handset to come preinstalled with an array of 360 services such as those above.

The challenge now Vodafone? Get it right. I don’t mean half-right. I don’t mean almost-there. I don’t mean ‘leave at 4.30pm’ and do a sort-of-ok job. Let’s see best-in-class. You’ve got the right people, good resources and a phenomenal brand to work with. Brilliance and nothing but, please.

Push the boat out.

Show us what you can do. And really, really augment the OEM efforts. I want to see consumers purchasing a Vodafone Nokia N8, for example, rather than an o2 Nokia N8, *because* of all the cool stuff offered by the Vodafone 360 services.

It’s a big ask. You can do it.

(Read: You’ve got no excuse now.)

[ Excuse me whilst I go and stick my head in a bucket of cold water now. I'm not used to exhibiting positivity when it comes to Vodafone 360. Give it 6 months and I hope we'll see some seriously good results. Otherwise I'll need a job lot of sleeping pills. ]

Reader Kirk dropped me a note today about Put.io, a new online storage service that, as the site explains, fetches media files and lets you stream them immediately. You can use it to stream video, listen to your music and share your library with friends.

It’s an interesting take on the online storage conundrum that has been plaguing me for some time. I see a lot of similarities between Put.io and ZumoDrive, however Put.io offers some features I haven’t seen before, namely the ability to fetch files from many places (e.g. bittorrent, FTP, direct downloads, RapidShare and http authenticated links). They’ll also watch RSS feeds for you and download new content automatically, and since they’re rocking super-fast gigabit ports on their servers, they reckon they’ll be able to download stuff a lot faster than your home connection could. Once they’ve got the data, of course, then they can serve it to you in super-quick time.

What’s it cost? Well 10GB storage and bandwidth will set you back $4.90 a month — that’s the ‘beginner’ plan. The premium plan costs $19.90 and comes with 100GB storage and bandwidth. I also see that they are limiting sign-ups on each of the plans:

If you’re doing a lot of downloading, sharing and streaming, I reckon Put.io may well be highly useful. Do take a look!

Very impressive.

BuzzCity placed text banners across their ad network and got 1,798 respondents. Here’s some summary results:

- 90% of mobile users have purchased either products or services using their mobile phone
- 47% of respondents did not know their bank offered mobile banking as a service
- Although 68% of purchases were related to mobile phone use (mobile content, pre-paid airtime etc.), 23% have bought from online stores, paid a bill, bought prepaid utilities and made bookings and would like the opportunity to purchase more goods such as books, music, travel services and electronic appliances
- 29% of those surveyed did not have a bank account and 56% did not have access to either a credit or debit card

Very, very interesting.

You can get a free copy of the whole report (PDF) here.

The iPhone 3G! This was bound to appear somewhere, and so I thought it’s best to get it out of the way sooner, rather than later. Personally, I’m not a fan; and from what I’ve read, seen and heard accounts of, it hasn’t been all too great for Apple too. However, as much as I insist that it’s a pile of rubbish (feel free to beg to differ); it sold once again in its thousands.

Apple has conquered another market, and whether it’s because they found monopolising the MP3 market too easy, they’ve certainly made a statement. And even though the 3G came out way back in June/July the device still makes a regular appearance here on MIR. I do not doubt for a second that Apple have something lurking up their well-tailored sleeves, and if the rumours of an iPhone Nano are anything to go by… Then 2009 will be dominated with more Apples than your doctor can prescribe!

Secondly, Blyk! Hmm, well, me and Ricky between have more than enough to say on Blyk. For me, I was so hopeful that Blyk could be that turning point, especially here in the UK – where we ever so often fall behind in the world of technology and thought – and I was so disheartened with what eventually happened with them, it still annoys me now.

It can’t all be bad, and as much as I say I don’t like them and that their bound to fail… They haven’t yet. In fact, Blyk is over one year old now, and it still seems to be maintaining momentum. I think in 2009 we’ll either start to see how incredibly flawed Blyk’s aims and business model is; or dare I say it, it still surviving and the European expansion working out for the better for the company.

For me also, as I’ve begun to really take note and interest in the world of the Mobile Phone, I’ve seen certainly more usability on the rise, and a better use of SMS and mobile communications from businesses and services.

The “Knife Crime” Crime Stoppers text in service has to be, for me one of the single best things I have come across. It’s been implemented correctly in schools (well, at least in my school), without making itself appear too formal, and scary to use. And it’s using basic innovation, which as I know I have repeated many-a-time over the past few months; is severely lacking.

Slowly though, I’m beginning to see more and more use of mobile communications, for example my local hospital texting me when I have an upcoming appointment so I can’t forget; or my School using a system to ensure parents know if you’re not in school – when say you’re meant to be.

Hopefully over the next twelve months more of this good thinking and logic will be applied to other aspects of our general lives; and maybe with that, we might even get some more innovation out of that… And surely, that can only be a good thing?

Finally, my favourite mobile application… Well this has to go to MusicStation, which is available to Vodafone users. When I was first introduced to it by Ewan, I’ll admit I was majorly sceptical; I’m a music lover in every sense of the word. I don’t like the idea of being sold half-hearted 96kps versions of a song, or only having a minute and pointless library of music to download from; and this is all I expected to get.

I was wrong, and I loved the service. I haven’t yet seen it used by anyone I know on Vodafone, in fact, I’m not even sure if any of my friends are even aware of what they can get on their mobiles for a small fee per month; but if they did, then I do not doubt that it would be highly used by all of them.

Nokia I suppose are heading out in a similar direction, although I can’t comment on how the “Comes with Music” service works; I don’t doubt for a second that music services like the ones Vodafone and Nokia are offering are going to stop or end here.

—

I look forward to the next year, and I look forward to the new technologies developing, and being released, and being pleasantly surprised as I have been this year. I also see that as much optimism that I have, one cannot forget the looming “recession” and what impact will that have? I dare not speculate, but for more than one reason I’m pretty sure next year will be interesting and something to look forward to!

Anyway, I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Samantha.
samantha@mobileindustryreview.com

But a couple of months ago I signed up to a website to do with “students”, homework help, offers, competitions all that rather exciting rubbish really. And you know for some part it has been of some good use; then I got an update about a “Mobile Social Network”.

Originally, I though “ahh, I could review this, and see how incredibly wonderful it may or may not be!” then I clicked through, browsed at the website and spoke aloud to myself…

“Samantha, what are you doing? This whole idea is completely pointless, and certainly not “free” to you!”

It then suddenly hit me, like a brick that purely mobile social networks (Socials) are completely pointless, and useless.

The way I see it, with Facebook, Myspace and to some extent even the dreaded Bebo out there (plus many others), small little Mobile Networks such as “QEEP” which I was so close to reviewing, have not got a hope in hell to be of any use.

I’ll explain further; I was one of the first people out of my collection of friends to “migrate” to Facebook from Myspace; now encouraging my friends to move from their beloved Myspace accounts to something which in comparison offered no personalisation or customisation and looked rather bland was something of a headache. It was an even tougher job getting the Bebo users to realise what a pile of crap Bebo truly has become and convert them to Facebook also. Over a year down the line, if I want to see a certain friends’ latest photo’s I’ll still have to sign into Myspace of Bebo and have a browse.

Now as far as Mobile Socials go, I can’t see the point in it. A mobile phone for “most” people is merely a day-to-day tool; and I have to say there are still relatively few people I know who use their mobiles for any web-browsing need or desire. It’s simply not on the agenda.

Therefore it only appears apparent that for some young people Mobile Socials have absolutely no place in their lives.

Now for me, even though I do go on Facebook on my mobile (I think its part addiction), I go online because I know I have a few hundred friends, and that since the last time I looked at something it would have updated or changed. Similarly, I know that there is quite a large possibility I’ll have a status comment to respond to, or any other kind of notification.

But before any of that can even happen, you have to persuade your friends to migrate to this particular site or service. And that is by no means an easy task or feat; and then I realise, what is the point in having a Social just purely for the mobile?

As Facebook Mobile demonstrates, a platform you can enjoy on your Laptop, PC, Mac, PDA, and Mobile is quite possibly the best. Anyone can have access to it, and it’s relevant to you no matter what you’re doing. If I’m on Facebook at home, why would I update my under-populated profile on my Mobile Social?

There’s a time and place for Mobile Socialising, and I don’t know about anyone else, but for me it’s during times when I’m away from my computer, and when I have a bit of spare time on my hands. The hassle that I sense with even partially migrating to a new platform is pointless. There is nothing I can benefit out of a service which only serves a purpose at those very rare moments; I would much rather update my Facebook, or reply to a comment on my main form of internet socialising.

So does the purely mobile social network have any stability? Personally, I don’t think so; and just as the stories that have appeared on MIR over the past week about Twitter (and using it at home, work or play) just go to prove this. Any form of social network I believe, has to be usable and accessible no matter where you are, and what you’re doing. More than anything though, if you decide to migrate to a new platform you have to be able to ensure that your friends are going to want to follow you there; otherwise, what is the point?

I want to know what you think though. Am I completely wrong? Do you use a completely mobile, mobile social?  Feel free to send any e-mails into Samantha@mobileindustryreview.com

Also, before I forget; I hope everyone has a very good Christmas too!

I was browsing around my daily choice of news reads, when I came across an article where a simple SMS message is being used to highlighting the need to have HIV tests in Africa. I think it’s brilliant. It’s short, snappy, and highlighting a point, and trying to induce change with it.

So why then, doesn’t this happen here in the UK?

Now, I’ll tell you, I think it was around a week ago now I received a letter in the post informing me of the free Chlamydia tests I can have.  It’s a brilliant service, and I have to praise my local Primary Care Trust for providing it, and for the notice about it.  But do you know what would be better?

Tell me via the methods of communications I use most. And by that I mean E-mail and SMS.

I admit, I always check I have post, and I do write the odd letter (usually a complaint though), but I do use the “snail-mail” system. But, it’s not engaging, it’s not relevant, and it’s certainly not in touch with the speed of information transfer and communication I’m used to.

Whenever I speak to someone my age, it’s never “Oh, I got this is in the post this morning…” it’s “I got an e-mail a minute ago about…” and “Look at the text I just received!”. The old system of postal mail, I love it, it’s quaint and good to use occasionally, but it’s not good for informing me about a free Chlamydia test I can have.

What would have been brilliant would be a nicely worded (although not txt spk msg) with a link to a free WAP site. If that’s too much to ask for then maybe a service where I could text back my door number and post code to receive more information in the post, or maybe even a test pack.

This really isn’t rocket science, and nor is this asking too much. The most common methods of communication for young people (and probably, most people now), is via our phones. Not to mention, the effort required to get a reply is next to nothing, compared to the mini-form I would have to fill out, then the bother of finding an envelope.  And, with what is it, one in fifteen or ten people getting Chlamydia now, wouldn’t it only just make sense to target me, and all my peers using this method?

Obviously, there is an issue as to how, say my local Primary Care Trust would get hold of my mobile number, and then issues with data-storage and privacy – then again, I was slightly shocked at how information I’ve given to my GP has riddled its way into a mail-merging system.  But, if there was a way in which this system could work, then SMS could be used and become part of the greater-good.

But even say if Mobile Networks became obliged to send out such messages to all people aged nineteen or below, then this system would work brilliantly.

Food for though I think, and I would like to see something developed in the near future which maybe utilised the powers of SMS and even MMS more.

Any ideas, questions, thoughts or suggestions please e-mail them to me at Samantha@mobileindustryreview.com

Credit crunch? What credit crunch?

SMSGupShup, India’s equivalent of Twitter, has just taken $11m from Helion Ventures and Charles River Ventures, to help grow and develop the business (reports Silicon India).

This good news for the SMSGupShup team and for the mobile industry as a whole. The growth of mobile in the emerging markets is simply staggering. The intent with GupShup is to capitalise on contextual mobile advertising demand.

We’ll keep an eye on them. Meanwhile, congratulations to the company’s co-founders Rakesh Mathur and Beerud Sheth.

I was thinking of some kind of Texperts/AQA style service that does your drycleaning or the like.

But no!

SMSbutler is all about promoting a healthy lifestyle. Within you. Yes, you. Put down that donut.

Or doughnut, if you’re British.

SMSbutler is a new SMS text message service within diet, health and
lifestyle. You can receive motivating SMS text messages from your butler
three times every day before a meal.

Quick and easy – everyone has a mobile!

You know you want to, right?

Anyone can get started in just 10 seconds with this new SMSbutler

Text FIT to 85002
(Vodafone, T-mobile, Orange, 3, Virgin Mobile and Tesco Mobile customers)

Text FIT to 84300
(O2 customers)

The cost? £10 for ten days. Reasonable when you think about all the texts they’re going to send you:

You’ll receive 3 text messages:
> 7:00 a.m. before breakfast
> 11:00 a.m. before lunch
> 3:00 p.m. before grocery shopping and dinner.

Inspiring text messages with:
> Tips on healthy food and drinks
> Good health habits
> The latest dieting tips
> Healthy shopping tips
> Exercise motivation
> VIP fit tips
> Positive feedback

This is a rather smart idea.

Who’s game to try it out then?

Teach Your Granny to Text & Other Ways to Change the World is a new book available for £6.60 on Amazon.

Here’s the background:

In a unique collaboration between the social change organisation We Are What We Do and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), thousands of children were invited to come up with simple, everyday actions that we can all do to make a difference to the biggest problems facing the world today.

The best 30 actions, which tackle issues ranging from climate change and social exclusion to obesity and animal rights, are featured in a groundbreaking new book, entitled Teach Your Granny to Text & Other Ways to Change the World.

This book is the latest project from We Are What We Do – the organization behind the bestselling Change the World for a Fiver and the “I’m not a plastic bag” project with designer Anya Hindmarch – and has been produced with their trademark originality, creativity and wit. It includes contributions from some of the biggest names in children’s books: Anthony Horowitz who has
provided an exclusive Alex Rider short story to encourage kids to read with a pal; Sam Stern, who has provided a recipe to enable kids to cook a meal from scratch; and Where’s Wally? who makes an exclusive guest appearance to get kids to look closer. The interactive book also includes seeds, maps, stickers and much more.

Kudos to 10 year old Erica Ritchie who came up with the text-a-granny idea:

Erica Ritchie, aged 10, who contributed the title action “Teach your granny to text” explains where her idea came from: “It’s nice for grandparents and children to keep in touch in an easier way than e-mail and writing a letter and quicker and cheaper than a phone call – especially if they live faraway like mine!”

I’d recommend getting your Granny an iPhone as it’ll be an easy task teaching her with that. Don’t even bother trying with the likes of a Motorola.

Voice and messaging provider, AQL, are staging a developer competition to both celebrate their 10th anniversary and to stimulate development across the industry. Always good news.

Dr Adam Beaumont, top chap at AQL, comments:

We’re seeing a host of applications crop up start to use our interfaces, from twitter-like applications and facebook plug-ins through to integration with legal software and CRM systems

Aye. There’s actually a lot of innovation going on in the marketplace — but it’s always useful to stimulate it. So if you think you’ve got a good idea that could make use of multiple APIs (e.g. SMS, MMS, Voice, Fax and Email), then you really should give a bit of attention to the AQL Developer Competition.

Stuart, their Biz Dev chap explains:

We’re specifically looking for clever use of multiple APIs together so any combination of SMS/MMS/Voice/Fax/Email. These can be either “self-contained” applications or websites, or they can be interfaces which “enable” third party applications (such as facebook) access to aql functionality. The winners will be notified on the 15th of November. It only remains for me to wish you all the best of luck and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to send me a private message [via the AQL developer forum].

The developer rules are right here.

I’m going to be judging along with Dr Mike Short of o2, Jay Daley (CTO of Nominet), Victor Keegan of The Guardian and Dr Adam himself.

I’m thinking of a few applications already. You’ve got a lot to play with there. Lots of APIs and possibilities. Conveniently, AQL will also provide text-in numbers free of charge to developers for the duration of the competition.

Such evidence includes 4,500 complaints made in the first three months of this year, up 40 percent on last year), and 33 mobile services with total fines in excess of £360,000 in the first three months of the year.
PhonepayPlus will now be targeting unsolicited promotions, especially text messages; Price transparency and the use of words that indicate content is ‘free’ and subscription services like ringtones and the use of the STOP command. The results are out in July – hopefully the threat of coming under the regulator’s microscope will get all the cowboys to smarten up a bit.