BOSTON, USA – While it is true that I am no longer the Big Kahuna here at Nokia Conversations, I’ll still be writing (hopefully more) for the next few months as I transition my duties over to the new guy (officially coming on-board 01 Aug). What’s more, James and Mike urged me to get back to my (occasional) round-ups of what’s happening in the industry. Indeed, this is a good idea, since I have just returned from holiday and really have no idea what’s transpired in the past four weeks.
Some of this stuff might be old to you, but I think it worthwhile to point out what has caught our eye and maybe give a comment or two. Many things have happened over July, from buyouts, to spinoffs, to thinking, to worrying. Over the next few days, I’ll do some catch up and show you some things we thought significant.
Interested? Then read on for my first batch of links.
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GLOBAL – FrontlineForms, the new data gathering tool from the people behind FrontlineSMS launched today, utilising SMS as a carrier for data collection and surveys. Sticking with its core methodology of using SMS as a core technology, the new platform is designed to enable NGOs and those working in the field in remote parts of the world to gather and process data more efficiently.
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GLOBAL – I’m sure many of you will know what Twitter is, so I’ll keep my summary for those that don’t to less than 140 characters: “Twitter is a micro-blogging social network, where you write updates limited to 140 characters, and follow anyone’s ‘tweets’ via mobile or PC”. Wow, that’s 140 characters on the nose! Anyway, I’ve been aware of Twitter since back in early 2007, when I first tweeted to the world, but admittedly I’ve not been a hardcore committed Twitterer, although more recently I’m beginning to get into the rhythm of it. However, in less than a month there seems to have been an explosion in Twitter activity in the UK. Sure it was popular before, but this swell in interest and people using it seems (at least where I’m tweeting from) as somewhat of a UK second wind.
This sparked a few questions, so are you sitting comfortably? Good, then let’s begin…
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INDIA – As we watch and experience first-hand the evolution of mobile technology, the focus naturally falls on how improved hardware and smarter software push the envelope and attempt to improve our lives on the go.
The thing about Nokia Life Tools, and why we’ve selected it in our Best of 2008 list, is that it defies this tradition, instead harnessing existing technology (SMS in this case), but uses it in an innovative fashion to offer a new breed of service that is easily accessible, valuable and simple to use. Surely the core ingredients of any of the best services out there.
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LONDON, England – The other day we caught up with Ken Banks from kiwanja.net. On something of a high from the news of receiving a $400,000 grant from the Hewlett foundation, Ken gave us the lowdown on his plans for FrontlineSMS, the software designed to connect rural organisations with participants through SMS.
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GLOBAL – Yesterday’s piece on FrontlineSMS outlined how tricky it can be moving information around developing countries. But what about gathering and mapping reports using different technologies, such as mobile, email and the Internet? Ushahidi was created to do just that, acting as a platform for pulling together information from myriad sources across multiple channels, and then spitting it back out in a range of formats, including standard text (which can be added to and updated), geotagged and mapped data (highlighting hotspots) and even tracking events across a timeline. It’s genuinely interesting and evolutionary stuff, but its application is what’ll really make you sit up and think.
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GLOBAL – The lack of infrastructure in remote places can make what we in the developed world take for granted incredibly complex and in some areas almost impossible. Think about disseminating information to large groups of people. In the UK we might use a mailshot, or more likely, an email newsletter. In sub-Saharan Africa though, neither of those is an option. Which is why Ken Banks from kiwanja.net came up with a solution that focussed on the technology that was available locally, rather than that which we typically enjoy.
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BOSTON, USA – While it is true that I am no longer the Big Kahuna here at Nokia Conversations, I’ll still be writing (hopefully more) for the next few months as I transition my duties over to the new guy (officially coming on-board 01 Aug). What’s more, James and Mike urged me to get back to my (occasional) round-ups of what’s happening in the industry. Indeed, this is a good idea, since I have just returned from holiday and really have no idea what’s transpired in the past four weeks.
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