Thursday, November 29, 2007

Really wierd online initiative I came across

Today I came across this really interesting online product. Something like an online will. Not sure if it is related to any of the topics we are covering. But interesting to consider the possibilities people are exploring.

http://www.deathswitch.com/

4 Easy Steps To Build Customer Loyalty

Hay guys
today I found an email which contains customers loyalty contents please read it, hopefully it will be interesting for u


People are bombarded with over 3000 messages every day.But only a few actually deliver relevant content. How can you cut through the clutter and make a meaningful connection with your customers and prospects? Watch this 20 minute webcast and learn how to:

1. Reveal your web site visitors' current interests through web analytics.

2. Reward desired actions with incentives that are welcomed by your audience.

3. Respect your audience with messages that speak to their interests.

4. Retain your consumers through continued and relevant interactions.



http://www.webtrends.com/Resources/ExpertWebcasts/FromtheFourPstotheFourRs.aspx?vs_prgm=4Rwebcast1107wdfm&vs_type=emailext&vs_desc=solo1128

Take care

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

A Small World (ASM) : Facebook for the super-connected

Please take a look to the website I refered to during the class, which is basically the Facebook network of Paris Hilton, and where Gucci and other Louis Vuitton like to advertise!

It's called "A Small World", the invitation-only social on-line network and a very exclusive destination on the Internet!

A Small World Website : www.asmallworld.net/
Video report from CNN : www.asmallworld.net/press2/movie/asw_cnn/

Loic -2A7507-

Finally: my first Japanese Mobil phone experience

Hello class,

I know we have talked a lot about what mobile phones can do in Japan. Since I don't have one here, I have to admit that I was always a little bit skeptical if people are really using all the gadgets and are accessing sites through their mobile phone. On last weeks trip we were at a temple in Kyoto and had met a random Japanese couple and started talking about other temples, especially their opening hours but they were not too sure about them. So, just to be sure we had the correct information, the husband pulled out his cell phone and retrieved all the opening hours for us. Wow, I liked this combination of Japanese hospitality and mobile technology.

Manuel

Loyalty & Customer Generated Marketing

Hey Everyone,

Just a quick example of how deeply loyal and excited Apple customers can be:
A 18 year old student created the new iPod Touch ad, which was actually used by Apple as the formal representation of their product. Who wouldn't want customers like that?

See the article here.


10 Internet Marketing Tips

Hi all,

I found this article about 10 tips to advertise your product through the internet. It focus on driving customer to your site with low budget.

Link http://establishyourepresence.com/

Future trends

Hello all,

Take a look at these predictions on the future of e-marketing or what the writer calls, "connected marketing".

Very interesting in terms of what the future trends could be like.

http://www.attitudedesign.co.uk/journal/the-future-of-connected-marketing/

Best

Pontus

Store adds new dimension to online shopping








Brookstone book store now open 3d store in kinset.com to add new experience to people to feel like visiting the real bookstore.


you can try it here


or see the video

My Space Music

Here is an article about MySpace Music, which has contributed to make Myspace, one of the fastest growing community on the internet.

To reach the mass, many bands and artists also utilized my space as their marketing tools. Check this out

The RFID news letter. This will be good for the M payment team. Please sign up.

Header [ hide ]

Received: from ccm14.constantcontact.com [66.151.234.151] by imail.iuj.ac.jp with ESMTP
(SMTPD-8.22) id A3A619DC; Wed, 28 Nov 2007 03:36:22 +0900
Received: from p1-ws004 (unknown [10.250.0.102])
by ccm14.constantcontact.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id AAAD511C0A9
for ; Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:36:20 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <1101892140324.1100522462579.23581.4.47132004@scheduler>
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:36:34 -0500 (EST)
From: RFID Update
Reply-To: editor@rfidupdate.com
Sender: RFID Update
To: bukenya@iuj.ac.jp
Subject: RFID Update, Nov 27 --- RFID Just Icing for Imperial Sugar's NewPallet Program
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary="----=_Part_1695068_1822118031.1196188594123"
X-Mailer: Roving Constant Contact 0 (http://www.constantcontact.com)
List-Unsubscribe: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=un&v=001Nz0SB4C347NL44Rusoqt1MJG6T7slJ0HzxE6wk1PR0gpnuxJ40V14DAjTCRbZq0L
X-Return-Path-Hint: ESC1101892140324_1100522462579_23581@in.roving.com
X-Roving-ID: 1100522462579.23581
X-Lumos-SenderID: 1100522462579
X-Roving-CampaignId: 1101892140324
X-Roving-StreamId: 0
X-RCPT-TO:
Status: R
X-UIDL: 491570134
X-IMail-ThreadID: 63a50281000072e4

Preferences

Prev | Next | Reply | Reply All | Forward | Delete | Print | Move to folder...bulkDeletedIMIPSent

From: RFID Update Save Address | Headers
To : bukenya@iuj.ac.jp
CC :
Date : Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:36:34 -0500 (EST)
Subject : RFID Update, Nov 27 --- RFID Just Icing for Imperial Sugar's NewPallet Program
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Issue 729
Will Smith, Editor



Today's RFID Update
1. Featured Sponsor: Motorola
2. Editor's Note
3. Classified Listings
4. Top Story: RFID Just Icing for Imperial Sugar's New Pallet Program
5. Vertical News


FREE Motorola RFID Asset Management Kit. Click now.


Editor's Note: Today's top story is Imperial Sugar's decision to join the iGPS pallet pool, which features all RFID-tagged plastic pallets instead of traditional wooden units.

Korean electronics giant Samsung has developed an RFID chip for cell phones that will enable consumers to download information to their phones from tagged items like movie posters, clothing, and interactive exhibits. While the company expects the chip will be eventually integrated into phones directly, the first form factors are expected to be separate card-based readers that plug into phones. See more in the announcement .

Lastly, the consortium of companies whose goal is to pool RFID-related patents to facilitate intellectual property licensing has been formally established . The RFID Consortium , as it is officially named, was originally announced in late 2005 (see RFID Industry Patent Consortium Announced ).


Upcoming Events
- Global RFID ROI 2008, 29th - 30th January, Munich, Germany (site )
- Asset Management Conference & Expo, Jan 22-23, Atlanta, GA ( site)
- Active RFID and RTLS - Dallas, Texas - December 5-6, 2007 ( site)

Products & Services
- Peel - Stick - Ship(TM): SimplyRFID Pre-Programmed Tags (site )

RTLS & Active RFID
Sponsored by Ekahau

- Locate it now. How? Ekahau. That's how! ( site)

Employment
- RFID Recruiters - 100% Focused on RFID Recruiting (site )

Research & Whitepapers
- How RFID Can Decrease Manufacturing Errors ( site)
- RFID Marketing Strategies Report from RFID Update ( site)







RFID Just Icing for Imperial Sugar's New Pallet Program

Imperial Sugar is changing its pallets from traditional wood to RFID-tagged plastic, but improved traceability from RFID is not the main motivation for the switch. The environmental, hygienic, and quality benefits of plastic pallets were enough to prompt change at Imperial Sugar, even though its new RFID-tagged pallets from iGPS will be read at multiple Imperial refineries, warehouses, and customer sites.

"The decision was driven more by poor pallet quality. Wooden pallets break, and when they do they can puncture our packaging, so sugar spills and we lose product," Greig DeBow of Imperial Sugar told RFID Update. "Plus, about 40 percent of the trees chopped down in this country are made into wooden pallets. Sustainability was a huge piece of our decision. RFID was really just a bonus."

Nevertheless, Imperial Sugar is becoming a leading RFID user and one of the largest customers in the iGPS pallet pool. iGPS is a startup pallet pooling company that only offers RFID-tagged plastic pallets (see Xterprise Makes Multimillion RFID Tag Purchase for more background about the iGPS RFID pallet pool and technology).

Pallet pooling companies lease pallets to customers, making sure there are adequate quantities available throughout the supply chain. Customers don't have to purchase and maintain pallets, or manage their return from customers. For a food product company like Imperial Sugar, cross contamination is a concern because pallets are shared among multiple users. Without some form of traceability, there is no way of knowing whether a pallet carrying sugar was used the day before to carry meat or another perishable product with a high bacteria count. Imperial Sugar's contract with iGPS prevents the use of pallets that carried goods with high cross-contamination potential, according to DeBow.

Even though iGPS pallets cost an estimated four times more than traditional wooden ones, the company believes it can compete against more established wooden pallet pool providers because plastic will result in much lower maintenance and replacement costs, and RFID tracking will provide superior asset utilization.

DeBow said Imperial Sugar has installed portal readers at both of its refineries and plans to have all three of its warehouses RFID enabled soon. iGPS uses the RFID data to track pallet locations and plan its operations, while Imperial Sugar is still developing plans to use its RFID information.

"RFID is still so new to us," DeBow said. "We're still evolving on a daily basis as to how we can use the data we're gathering."

Several Imperial Sugar customers have also installed RFID readers, so iGPS can track pallets to their final destination and arrange pickup. Participating customers need to agree to read the iGPS pallets and segregate them from others for pickup. Despite the extra effort, customers have been very enthusiastic about participating, according to DeBow, noting large companies including Wal-Mart and HEB have been very supportive.

"In this day and age of reduction and simplification of the supply chain, the fact that our customers are willing to manage another pallet speaks volumes of what they think about the long-term value," said DeBow. "When you consider sustainability, plus the food safety and traceability aspects of these pallets, it's as much of a can't-miss proposal as I've ever seen."

iGPS was started by the former CEO of CHEP, which is the largest pallet pooling company. iGPS is using RFID as a competitive differentiator, but CHEP also offers RFID pallets and services (see Milestone Australian RFID Pilot Heralded a Success for details about a recent project).

Read the announcement from Imperial Sugar


Forward this to a colleague | Request reprints: reprints at rfidupdate dot com









Asset Tracking
Carolinas HealthCare Launches Huge RTLS System
Apparel Tags Provide Unlikely Solution for Pipe RFID
Intel & Siemens Launch RFID Blood Bank in Malaysia

Supply Chain & Logistics
When Will RFID Packaging Get Smart? (Part 2 of 2)
Getting a Read on RFID Smart Packaging (Part 1 of 2)
New Smart Boxes Provide Alternative to RFID Labels

Retail & CPG
Finnish Retailer Gets Quick ROI on Item-Level RFID
Wal-Mart's RFID Refresh
Dillard's Announces Item-Level RFID Pilot

RTLS & Active RFID
Active RFID Tag Supports Multiple Frequencies
New Software Streamlines Site Surveys for RTLS Rollouts
How the New 802.11n WiFi Standard Will Impact RTLS

Pharmaceutical & Healthcare
Impinj Demos New Approach for Pharma RFID Tagging
TAGSYS Announces Pre-Standard HF Gen2 Suite
RFID Solution Announced for California e-Pedigree Reqs

Middleware & Software Systems
Impinj Claims RFID Tag Direction Victory
UK Organizations Seek RFID Pilot Partners
Microsoft's RFID Offering a "Watershed Moment"

Defense & Government
Dayton, Ohio Investing $1.4M to Support RFID Firms
IDTechEx: China is Largest RFID Market in 2007
Alien Earns Protection Under SAFETY Act







Upcoming Events
Global RFID ROI 2008, 29th - 30th January, Munich, Germany
Taking place 29th and 30th January, Global RFID ROI 2008 is bringing together the leading RFID practitioners from a broad cross section of industries that will give you the opportunity of discovering the real ROI behind RFID implementation. View the full programme at http://www.rfid-roi.com/downloadpdfx2.asp and to register, please call 0044 207 202 7558.
Asset Management Conference & Expo, Jan 22-23, Atlanta, GA
How much control do you have over your assets? Failure to manage assets can result in underuse, misplaced items, poor maintenance, increased operational costs, legal liabilities, and financial reporting errors. Attend the Expo and learn to increase asset visibility & life-cycle management, implement process & operational improvement, and explore the newest technologies. www.AssetExpo.com.
Active RFID and RTLS - Dallas, Texas - December 5-6, 2007
Attend the only event dedicated to Active RFID and RTLS; Dallas, Texas on December 5-6, 2007. All the technologies and main Active RFID markets are covered from ultra wide band to ubiquitous sensor networks, from postal applications to Active RFID in hospitals. Visit www.IDTechEx.com/active to find out more and register!

Products & Services
Peel - Stick - Ship(TM): SimplyRFID Pre-Programmed Tags
Military-grade, Class 1 Generation 2 RFID Tags pre-programmed to DoD 252.211-7006 specifications shipped same day for less than $1 each. Find out why over 1,000 DoD (Department of Defense) suppliers choose SimplyRFID for their RFID needs. Visit us at www.SimplyRFID.com for no hassle RFID solutions.

RTLS & Active RFID
Locate it now. How? Ekahau. That's how!
Ekahau RTLS (Real-Time Location System) automatically tracks assets and people via your existing Wi-Fi network. Control costs and improve asset management with Ekahau. For more information, visit us at www.ekahau.com .

Employment
RFID Recruiters - 100% Focused on RFID Recruiting
Whether your company is looking for the best RFID talent or you have the best RFID talent and are looking for the best RFID employer, RFID Recruiters offers the most focused approach to your objective. To learn how the RFID industry and the RFID job market are evolving, visit www.rfidrecruiters.com

Research & Whitepapers
How RFID Can Decrease Manufacturing Errors
Specialized RFID tags that are optimized for use on or around metal are an effective and viable alternative to bar codes for error proofing applications in manufacturing. Learn the financial impact of errors and recalls and how RFID can be used for error proofing and other manufacturing processes. Get the full report now.
RFID Marketing Strategies Report from RFID Update
Thirty-nine pages of original research on RFID audience perceptions, including 30+ figures of tactics, content & messaging, and recommendations to guide marketing strategy. Also, Top-10 RFID company rankings based on 550+ survey respondents. View the executive summary free, with Top-3 sample rankings. Only $495 Individual License or $795 Corporate License. Available now




This email was intended for bukenya@iuj.ac.jp, who subscribed November 19th 2007

RFID Update is the RFID industry daily. Launched in early 2004 to provide timely analysis of RFID industry news, RFID Update publishes editorial briefings every weekday for the growing ranks of top level executives involved in the deployment of RFID. Each issue delivers the breaking news and analysis most pertinent to successful RFID implementations, allowing readers to understand global RFID developments as they happen.

RFID Update Editor: Will Smith, editor at rfidupdate dot com
Press releases and public relations inquiries should be directed to Will.

To advertise in RFID Update, email advertising07 at rfidupdate dot com to request a media kit.

RFID Questions? Ask at RFID Talk (www.RFIDtalk.com ).

Forward this issue of RFID Update to your colleagues, or tell them to subscribe free at: www.RFIDupdate.com

View all past issues of RFID Update in the archive .

Update your subscription settings: subscriptions07 at rfidupdate dot com

We take your privacy seriously. View our Privacy Policy here.

RFID Update -- The RFID Industry Daily
3213 Duke Street #266
Alexandria, VA 22314
http://www.rfidupdate.com




© 2006, ALX Technologies. All Rights Reserved.





This email was sent to bukenya@iuj.ac.jp, by editor@rfidupdate.com
Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.

RFID Update | 3213 Duke Street | Suite 266 | Alexandria | VA | 22314






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prev | Next | Reply | Reply All | Forward | Delete | Print | Move to folder...bulkDeletedIMIPSent

Google tools that can be used for e-marketing

The following article gives information about powerful tools from google that can be used for e-marketing

http://www.teawithedge.com/emarketing_articles/e-marketing%3a_strategy/10_most_valuable_free_google_marketing_tools_20061015431.html

Walmart eyes Microsoft for web buildout

Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores is contracting with Microsoft and Novell--Microsoft's preferred Linux partner--to build out the company's Web operations, according to a Wal-Mart executive.

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6152247.html

Cheers

Vijay

Marketing for Internet-savvy consumers

With the development of internet marketing, E-mail communication has become a cornerstone in sales and customer-service activities in today's enterprises. The following article will help us develop a communication strategy especially using E-mail. http://convergence.net/Emarket.pdf

Impact of Information Technology on Societal Development and E-Governance

Cyber Monday - an Internet Hype or real Value

Hi guys,

I found this article  on The New York Times about Cyber Monday, a new favorite destinations of American online shoppers. Basically, Cyber Monday is a kind of website that gives you a quick of overview of which retailers are doing promotion and how much. People get special promotion by going to the retailers through this website. A small gimmick, but the site has become big, and it is said that Cyber Monday Sales would account for 12 percent of the total online sales revenue this season.

Is this a good way of doing B2B or is it just Hype?
TOTO Ltd. is a maker of toilets, shower and bath units. Since 1999, it has been operating "COM-ET," an information provision service. After the system was established, as the number of members increased, COM-ET developed into an eCRM service. The company currently offers a variety of services to around 30,000 members. In November 2001, TOTO expanded it's the scope of the system to include consumers as well, with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction.

http://www.nec.co.jp/english/library/jirei/toto/

Mobile phone makes women better multitaskers than men: survey


Sun, Nov 25th, 2007 5:35 pm BdST
Abu Saeed Khan bdnews24.com Technology Editor DHAKA, Nov 25 (bdnews24.com) - A recent global online survey conducted by Nokia indicated that women are better at multitasking than men with 60 percent of respondents—both men and women. Only six percent of women believe that men are better at doing more than one thing at a time. Multitasking, or doing more than one activity at a time, is a way of life for everyone these days. Between work, family and social life, people find themselves busier than ever. From the total of more than 5,000 respondents, 79 percent consider themselves multitaskers, with 50 percent describing themselves as 'productive' and 31 percent as 'busy'. The majority of men and women in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark and Norway indicated they can do several things at once. The most relaxed were the Finnish people at 74 percent. An overwhelming 80 percent of respondents believe that having a mobile phone enables them to achieve a positive balance between work and social life. And, while 63 percent believe they are less productive without their mobile phone and 74 percent believe it makes them better at multitasking. "People are utilising their mobile phones more than ever," said Dom Fried-Booth, insights director, Devices, Nokia. "And with all the features available on mobile phones today, including calendars, email, and text messaging, people are using them for more than just making calls. This helps some people be more productive for work and others run the family household more smoothly. Whatever the case, though, mobile phones are clearly helping people get what they want out of life." According to the survey, mobile phones are helping people be more productive. Sixty-two percent of respondents do two or three activities while talking on their mobile phone, including internet browsing and shopping. Seventy-five percent of women said they prepare food and 50 percent put on makeup while using their mobile phone. Although the majority of respondents claimed they do more than one thing at a time while on their mobile phone, 48 percent indicated the call was their main focus. When asked what was the most fun activity to do while on their mobile phone, most said "being in bed," although no more specifics were given. Multitasking while on the mobile phone can certainly lead to amusing situations. Forty-seven percent of respondents to the Nokia survey indicated that they had sent a romantic or controversial text message to the wrong person, and 56 percent of women respondents did so. The survey was conducted online through nokia.com between October 15 and November 1 by Illuminas and was conducted in the United Kingdom, Spain, Finland, Italy, China, Brazil, Germany, Denmark, France, USA, Sweden and Norway. Nokia claims it has undertaken the industry's most comprehensive consumer survey, compiling more than 10 billion data points from 77,000 consumer interviews in 21 countries. bdnews24.com/ask/ad/1718 hours
http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=29909&cid=8

More about Toyota's Marketing activities

Toyota has been aggressively implementing appealing Marketing activities, you can read the following links to get updated of them:

- Toyota's Viral Marketing in WarCraft
- Green Toyota Ads

Nortel Showcases Hyperconnected 3G and 4G Generation Wireless Networks in Richardson, Texas

Hi all,
Nortel (NYSE/TSX: NT) announced the opening of its new Solutions Showcase in Richardson, Texas. The new showcase will allow visitors to experience innovations staged in real-world settings to depict the future era of hyperconnectivity, where anything that can be connected, will be connected. Here's the link:

http://www.bbwexchange.com/pubs/2007/05/17/page1369-593318.asp

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Best Practices

Winning Strategies in eBusiness
Delivering best or worst practices in ebusiness has nothing to do with company size or even the size of IT budgets. It has everything to do with strategy and self-examination.

Internet could max out in 2 years

A flood of new video and other Web content could overwhelm the Internet by 2010 unless backbone providers invest up to $137 billion in new capacity, more than double what service providers plan to invest, according to the study, by Nemertes Research Group, an independent analysis firm.

Improving Web site effectiveness through Interaction Design

This Forrester article - by Moira Dorsey titled "Web Best Practices At Fidelity, Staples, And UPS" - is based on the results of the Forrester's Consumer Forum 2006, which included a panel of senior managers from firms that achieve Web site effectiveness through disciplined design processes. The panelists included Fidelity, Staples, And UPS.

My take on this article is that it provides very practical advice on how these companies go about "interaction design" (i.e. how customers interact with the business over the Web) to achieve Web site effectiveness.

The importance of basic software

Because of its advanced function, software of mobile phone has been very complicated. In order to be easy to develop and customize the software, manufactures have tried to develop common standard technique. Ajax, Asynchronous JavaScript+XML, is one of important technologies to be as an internet tool.

http://blog.landspurg.net/myths-of-mobile-web20-and-mobile-ajax

Sitepal - Buy a site avatar

Sitepal is offering cheap avatars to make your site more attractive. You can create an avatar for your site for as low as $ 9.95. The avatar can be used fot a number of things:

  • creation of virtual salespeople to promote your products and services Online
  • Use it to create interactive assistants who can answer user questions or direct visitors to specific areas of your site
  • Use it to create Online help and product information systems
  • Use it to create virtual personalities for your profiles on social networking and dating sites
    And much, much more!

http://www.sitepal.com/

B2B: Getting Search Engine Marketing in Sync

B2B buyers visit the Web before any other channel in investigating solutions to their challenges, says Laura Ramos, vice president at Forrester Research. "They have to narrow down their needs." They use search results as much for a quick education as for a salable product or service.
To succeed with search marketing, B2B firms must take a gradual approach toward mastering search marketing tactics -- keyword advertising and organic rankings

Here is the link:http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/52728.html

The DMA and FBI Go After Spammers

NEW YORK, August 22, 2003 - The Direct Marketing Association (The DMA) today acknowledged that it proposed to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) an innovative and groundbreaking industry/law enforcement cooperative effort to identify and prosecute spammers.
Operation Slam Spam, as the effort is now called, represents the first concrete step by any group to publicly put all spammers on notice that federal and international law enforcement bodies now will have formal assistance and major resources devoted from industry to identify, prosecute, and lock up the bad actors who threaten to wholly undermine e-mail as a viable communications medium.
"Our message to spammers is: If you're lying to consumers, not honoring consumers' requests, trying to swindle consumers, and ruin the Internet economy - the end is near," said H. Robert Wientzen, president & CEO, The DMA. "Spammers are taking the Internet on a joy ride, and we are going to work hard to put a stop to it." ....... read more.......@
http://www.marketingtoday.com/emarketing/dma_slam_spam-Sept03.htm

NM tourism ad flap over ugly aliens

Instead of highlighting New Mexico's picturesque desert landscapes, art galleries or centuries-old culture, the ads feature drooling, grotesque office workers from outer space chatting about their personal lives.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20071126/ap_tr_ge/travel_trend_alien_ad_flap

Two interesting glossaries about eMarketing and Mobile innovations

Hello everybody,

During the last class lecture, we were talking about creating a eMarketing glossery and I thought it would be a great idea to check the following link out:

eMarketing glossary => http://www.davechaffey.com/E-marketing-Glossary

More Mobile platform oriented but still interesting, I also found an "glossary" dealing with mobile innovations in terms of technologies, infrastructures, consumers and markets :
Mobile innovation glossary => www.mobileinnovation.org/Members/Innovators/

-2A7507-

Monday, November 26, 2007

Building ePresence through Partnership

Yahoo Beefs Up Online Publishing Consortium With 17 More Newspapers - By integrating their online recruitment ads in yahoo (HotJobs), newspapers are able to gain online presence that attracts more viewers and new members.



To read the article, please follow this link: http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/60380.html

Sunday, November 25, 2007

GPS in Japan

I found not only taxi but also locul bus.

Keio Bus has installed GPS into its buses
so that people can track buses in the traffic jam.

http://web-japan.org/trends/science/sci040206.html

Mobile Healthcare

This Friday, James Nakagawa, the CEO and Founder of Mobile Healthcare KK will come to IUJ giving a speech about mobile health care.
Before he comes, I saw one article mention about the wristwatch monitor. It could monitor your heart rate, heart rate variability, movement and galvanic skin response. In the article, it said that the watch will be hitting the market early 2008.
Does James Nakagawa have a similar product? or this is his product?
Exmocare's wristwatch cares about your feelings

Saturday, November 24, 2007

For Additional Reading....

A paper on "Does the Quality of Online Customer Experience Create a Sustainable Competitive Advantage for E-commerce Firms? "

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=242774

Will internet kill TV in the next decade?



It's fair to say that in 10 years time, Internet TV will be totally different to what it is today. Higher quality pictures, more powerful streaming, personalization, sharing, and much more - it's all coming over the next decade.


Many people believe that internet will replace television by a near future.This will be true ?!?!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Facebook users complain about new tracking

Those users say they never noticed a small box that appears on a corner of their Web browsers following transactions at Fandango, Overstock and other online retailers. The box alerts users that information is about to be shared with Facebook unless they click on "No Thanks." It disappears after about 20 seconds, after which consent is assumed.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071122/facebook_tracking_071122/20071122?hub=TopStories

Kindle - The Revolutionary reading device from Amazon!

Amazon has released a revolutionary wireless reading device called Kindle. I have been always thinking about such a product and finally Amazon has done it.It is priced at $399 and it is temporarily sold out. Check out amazon.com for their demonstration videos.

Cheers

Vijay

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

GPS Taxi

I found a GPS Taxi in Japan.

They use GPS for the extention of existing radio wave dispatching system.

http://www.gpsworld.com/gpsworld/Integration+Challenge/Call-Me-a-Cab/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/310961

the BMW films

Here is a Website where you can find the BMW films. the hire chosen that our case mentioned is only eight minutes length . but the influence will be longger http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_cl00XMzcwMDM5Ng==.html

List of Brands in Second Life

Using Second Life as a communication tool has been considerably increasing. If you go to Second Life, you can see such brands as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Microsoft, Cisco, Sony-Ericsson...

You can know more about it if you read this article.

Social networking - Google and Yahoo

Social networking had been the buzz word in the internet for some time with increasing popularity of sites like facebook. I found these interesting links about initiatives taken by Google and Yahoo. Google has created a standard for creating applications across social networks called Open Social while google is coming up with a new social network called Mash.

The below article takes a look at OpenSocial.

OpenSocial to undo Facebook?
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/17238.asp


The below article takes a peek into Mash, which is yet to be released by Yahoo.

Is Yahoo! poised to make a social killing?
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/16824.asp

INTERNET MARKETING IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

Dear readers I want to share an informative artical with you.
The article says: Although banner bars had fallen out of favor by the 21st century, many other forms of online advertising were playing an increased role in the marketing plans of various companies. For example, many businesses began to use online newsletters, transmitted via e-mail, to communicate new product developments to existing customers, solidify brand awareness, and announce special promotions.
Let's read complete article on the website.

http://ecommerce.hostip.info/pages/709/Marketing-Internet-INTERNET-MARKETING-IN-TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY.html

Sibtain Ali

Viral Marketing Proven Ineffective?

According to JupitarResearch, viral marketing has failed in delivering a brand over time. It found that only 15 percent of campaigns achieved the goal of having consumers pass along the brand message.

For more information, please follow the link:
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070904005784&newsLang=en


Also, here are some of the viral marketing sites that I found quite interesting:
http://www.areyoucorruptenough.co.uk/
http://amnesty.textdriven.com/guantanamo/home/
http://www.msdewey.com/

Cemetery 2.0

Internet could be used not only when you alive but also when you passed by.
The Cemetery 2.0 device maintains a live satellite Internet connection. Visitors to the physical memorial can view related memorials on the device display, while visitors paying their respects at any of the online memorials will recognize that their browsing is associated directly with the actual burial site.
It is interesting to combine the Internet with tomb. However, it is kind of scary when you access the burial site.
Full article
Online Genealogical Repository

Word of mouth Marketing

Hallo class,

since personal recommendations in the case of BMW films was so high, I decided to look into word of mouth marketing and found a nice report on Forrester. This can be especially important when designing a website and adding features that allow for recommendations such as tell-a-friend. Check it out:

http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/0,7211,36916,00.html

Manuel

Amazon Reading Device doesn't need computer

Hi guys,

I found this article about Amazon's new reading device which allows online readers to wirelessly download their favorite books for $9.99 each. This device, named Kindle, even makes it easy for people to shop for books on Amazon without a computer. It also has many other features that make reading a great experience for customers. Another step ahead of its competitors that Amazon made to increase its customers' satisfaction!

BMW Hunt

BMW's Scavenger Hunt

Shortly after the release of the BMW's films, reports circulated about hidden links and telephone numbers which then led to a website that require to solve a puzzle to have the opportunity to win a BMW Z4.
The car was given away to a couple in a VIP Party in Las Vegas.
Read the article in Wikipedia.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Connectivity of RFID

Like computer peripherals, RFIDs also contain connectivity problems. Some RFIDs cannot use with RFIDs developed by other companies. To resolve this problem, Philips and TI tested their RFIDs to ensure thier interpretability. Sometimes, manufactures have to make this kinds of effort with their competitors in order to be global standard.


http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=DD2554DA-AF8D-456C-818F-A20E39FB7C89

B2B in Asahi Breweries

Asahi Breweries, Ltd applied e-procurement service, provided by NEC, in Internet-based competitive bidding system. After introducing, material procurement costs reduced by 10%, and time required for negotiations shortened as well.

http://www.nec.co.jp/english/library/jirei/asahi/

New Media Encyclopedia

Hey everyone,

Just a post of a more general nature, I found this online encyclopedia of new media, which contain very interesting articles on the impact that new media forms are having on every aspect of our lives. Anything from virtual identities, to file sharing, to viral marketing can be found here. Hope you find it useful!

Best Regards,

Henri Uys


Mobile Check-in @ ANA


By checking in online , passenger will be able to board ANA flight with the 2D bar code received through their mobile phones .

Learning more about this service, please visit :




BMW - From Films to Comics?

Following the success of BMW Films, BMW partnered with Dark Horse Comics in the last quarter of 2004 to publish a 6-issue comic book limited series based on the main character of the films.

This represents yet another non-traditional marketing effort from BMW, one that was natural considering the success of BMW Films.

Click here to get more information on the comics.





PayPal offers secure way to shop non-Paypal sites

PayPal, the payments service arm of online auction leader eBay Inc, has just released today to the US customers a new software utility called the PayPal Secure Card, which recognizes when a user lands on an e-commerce checkout page and automatically helps the user fill out the payment form in a secure way that also offers stepped-up fraud protections.
Besides, through a partnership with credit card issuer MasterCard Inc, Secure Card generates a unique MasterCard number each time a PayPal user arrives on an e-commerce sales checkout page that does not otherwise accept its payments.
"From a merchant's perspective this looks like any other MasterCard transaction. And it's just another PayPal purchase to the customer."



The software is set to be available for international soon

Personal RFID

Take a look at the extent to which RFID may come to influence our lives in this article by the NYT.
We may be able to take control of many of the basic daily security functions through these amazing devices.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/02/fashion/thursdaystyles/02tags.html

best

Pontus

Femtocell

I found this article from BBC click online. It talks about a device called a femtocell that acts as a base station in a building or home.

How it works is that its is connected a router or some broadband internet connection. A limited number of phones in the building can be used to access this device. The device routes voice calls and data through the internet to the mobile operators network. This is handy when your 3G connection is unreliable.

Femtocell is beneficial to both the operator and sunscriber in that it by diverting calls over the internet network congestion on the operator's network is reduced. Also calls could become cheaper. This could put companies such as skye out of business as this essentially is VOIP and more.

http://www.bbcworld.com/Pages/ProgrammeFeature.aspx?id=18&FeatureID=491
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femtocell
http://www.ubiquisys.com/ubiquisys3/


Paul

Amazon Kindle - e-book reader

Ebooks (and readers) have failed time and time again. Will Amazon's version be different? You decide.

Amazon Kindle

You can also follow this whole new product launch via the frameworks dicussed in class. All the way from Customer Acquisition to Support and Loyalty.

Rich White

The trials new technology has to go through. RFID

This is retrospective of the last class we had. I found an article about resistance to RFID about one year ago by one of the us senators on the banking committee. Today the RFID technology is being embraced world wide, though it has to clear the privacy issues related to it. This points to the customers sensitivity about privacy.

Here is the link http://www.spychips.com/press-releases/senator-denounces-rfid.html

Monday, November 19, 2007

RFID Viruses and Worms






This is an article about The possibility of RFID to be infected by Virus or Worm.
The database, or the middleware's handling of the database, is one of the areas where vulnerabilities may arise.
The virus itself could be embedded in blank RFID that can be retrieved from commercial RFID.

Please check the link here
http://www.rfidvirus.org

My future virtual life: connecting the virtual and real worlds in real time!

No posting towards another website or article this week, just my own extreme thinking about the future…

Where are RFID and other wireless technologies going to take us? I found our last lecture “scary” more than “exciting”… here are some reasons why:

- A body integrated RFID chip merged with a mobile Facebook application in your cell phone which will enable outrageous opportunities: a “no more talking-only texting world” where you will be able to target people in the streets and suddenly see their private profile… A red sign will be blinking and popping up on your screen if the attractive woman on your left side is engaged, a green dot appearing if she is single. Hence, why not sending her a message “Let’s go for a coffee next street, see you there” and follow an arrow on the phone's screen swivels.

- A body integrated chip enabling you to replace all your loyalty and credit cards by your “electronic body”: you will pay in the supermarket with your “RFID shoulder”, will be able to add some new applications via the Internet such as your ID card for the next time you are going out in Roppongi, as a door key, and obviously, as a wallet since your body will become a credit card!

- This insane project with these RFID Microchips implanted into Alzheimer's patients to hold their personal information in case they end up wandering off looking for something they are not even aware of. At least, the authorities can find out where they are…But what a violation of privacy a slippery slope to start implanting chips in the human beings…!

- Or last but not least, what the Bush administration is currently doing to know "who is in our country and why they are here," using VeriChip RFID implants to register workers at the border, and then verify their identities in the workplace.

All these technologies are going to make big waves across the globe. What will happen next…?

2A7507

RFID Pros and Cons

Hello all,
From last class, I think the RFID is very interesting and essential for the business. This article is mentioned about the advantage and disadvantage of it. The benefit of rapid working, more reliable, and high-speed inventory management is no doubt. However, there are some constrains; such as high cost, vulnerability to compromise, and exit sensor problems. Also, this website mentions about the component of RFID system, and the budget on RFID for the company. Here’s the link:
http://www.ala.org/ala/pla/plapubs/technotes/rfidtechnology.cfm

Sunday, November 18, 2007

China tests Mt. Everest cell station

China's largest cell phone service provider successfully tested a transmission station on Mount Everest on Tuesday, making it possible for people in the area for next year's Olympic torch relay to make calls, a state news agency reported.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071113/everest_phone_071113/20071113/

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Facebook Gets Boy in Worcester Busted by Boss

82% of negative information would influence how an employer would hire a candidate.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=4226712&cl=5001441&src=news

Toyota Customer Loyalty

Building on what we talked about last week, here is a very interesting article about quality problems at Toyota and customer loyalty. I highly recommend you read it.

Link to The Economist article

Additionally, consumers are using the web to condemn the company for what they see as its hypocrisy: www.truthabouttoyota.com. It will be interesting to see how this affects consumer loyalty Automobile companies like to keep consumers in the "family".

iPhone & Android: Driving Innovation

Hey,

Just another way that Android is pushing a message of user-driven innovation is by offering $10 million in prizes for the most innovative apps. The SDK is now available for download, if you guys want to give it a try. I do agree that software is key to making a platform successful, hardware capability is just as important. Things like accelerometers, touch screens, etc. just make for a more interesting hardware layer on which to build great software. Apple is also releasing its iPhone SDK in February 08 (not open source). If the iPhone becomes the platform that analysts are expecting, this is building up to be a battle for mobile hearts & minds. I doubt whether Symbian and Microsoft are aware of their imminent disruption.



See the video for one cool (non-official) iPhone app.

Henri

An Free B2B Website

E-Business is a major force in the global economy and the advent of Internet has changed the way we used to do our business. A businessman should catch each opportunity to make him known to the world. Among numerous ways, joining a free B2B website maybe a quite sensible one, on which you can upload all your products and company information, especially products and company videos, you can make others know about your company and products quickly. This way will save company cost, and be fast and convenient. Please see www.cycbiz.com

Android ------> Google Vs Microsoft

Check this article on how Android is going to help Google in the fight to control the converged computer and communication-device market, with the world's billion-plus mobile phone users sniffing out next-generation alternatives.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/biztech/android-drops-microsoft-into-googles-pocket/2007/11/12/1194766589510.html

Cheers

Vijay

Android, a hope for Internet-based applications on mobile phone

Yesterday, in the lab meeting, we were updated with a strange name: Android. It is a new mobile device software platform for mobile phone business which was unveiled by Google last week. So what is so special about Android? Android is an entirely open source which can help to foster the development of Internet-powered mobile applications. Forrester have just released a research, explaining about this platform and how it can change the mobile landscape.

Adopting Android means that handset makers can reduce their software cost, developers could have Internet applications applicable across a wide variety of device and networks, and operators could expand the networks' value. Android also promised a profitable platform for advertisement and B2B transactions.

Loic, the youtube video about Android was nice. Please also read this article for some further information about this platform.

NFL Mobile

Good evening fellows(this is actually mz blog from last week,since I had technical diff.),

while watching a football game this evening, I saw this advertisement for detailed sports newsover the mobile phone offered by sprint in the US. Well they somehow found out, that there ismoney to be made as a content provider and are now offering full-service around NFL football gamesfor only US $ 5.99 per months.check it out, it's very neat:http://www.mobiletechnews.com/info/2005/10/11/183736.html

measure the relationship between customer loyalty and profitability

Dear readers I found a valuable article on Harvard Business Review website about the relationship of customer loyalty and profitability.
The article says that much of the common wisdom about customer retention is bunk. To get strong returns on relationship programs, companies need a clearer understanding of the link between loyalty and profits.
Let's read the complete article on the following link.

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/hbr/articles/article.jsp?articleID=R0207F&ml_action=get-article&pageNumber=1&ml_subscriber=true&referral=2533

Use of RFID for strange puposes

I found this interesting article about use of RFID in some strange places.

Top 15 Weirdest, Funniest, and Scariest Uses of RFID


http://www.rfidgazette.org/2007/04/top_15_weirdest.html

CNN enters the virtual world of Second Life

Hey Trang,
I saw your post on second life as a B2B tool. Here is another second life story I found too good to leave out. CNN has launched a I-Report hub on second life. This will be used to display news collected from second life inhabitants just like CNN does in the real world. News will be available at the I-report hub or kiosks.

By having a presence in Second Life, CNN hope to learn about virtual worlds and understand what news is most interesting and valuable to second life residents.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/11/12/second.life.irpt/?iref=mpstoryview

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/11/12/second.life.irpt/?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCVideo

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The privacy issues in RFID

RFID has a potential as a next-generation barcode, automating inventory levels, and thus cutting costs for manufacturers and retailers. But, it also raise a privacy issue because of its characteristics.
- Having a Unique ID code
- Being able to read data from distance
- Being able to analyze personal behavior

http://www.rfidgazette.org/2005/03/rfid_privacy_is.html

B2B e-marketing: Time for B2B marketers to embrace interactive media?

In this Forrester article ("B2B Marketing Needs A Makeover — Now", 2nd August 2006), the author argues that most conventional B2B tactics are not working well, and B2B marketers should look towards interactive media going forward (in other words, adopt e-marketing). It was suggested that "[i]nteractive marketing offers timelier, more intimate, and more cost-effective results because online media let marketers speak to buyers directly and monitor their activities accordingly."


It appears from the survey conducted that B2B marketers agree with her - most agree that spending on interactive or e-marketing should be increased (see image below).



Sony, U.S. firm tie up to use FeliCa cards for U.S. campus

Sony and U.S. education software provider, Blackboard Inc, have agreed on a business tie-up to use FeliCa card technology for U.S. college campuses. FeliCa technology will be installed on the IDs of students under the Blackboard Commerce Suite campus card system.

http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/421215

Ford's Supply Chain: an Example of B2B


Check the Movie clip....

Extended Internet - The Next Big Thing?

The extended Internet or X Internet technology is the next big thing according to many analysts. It links the real World to digital World of internet and IT technology through sensors, RFID chips, and wireless networks. This technology is not a new innovation; in fact, RFID and sensors have been widely used in some industries for more than a decade now, and it is expected to grow rapidly for the next years (http://web2.forrester.com/Research/Document/0,7211,39217,00.html & http://web2.forrester.com/Research/Document/0,7211,39104,00.html )


Symbian dismisses Google Android

Google's dominance of the web will not translate to the mobile phone market, a senior executive at Symbian has said.
John Forsyth, vice president of strategy at Symbian, the platform that powers many of the world's phones, said Google lacked experience.
Google has formed an alliance with 33 firms to develop an open platform for mobile phones, called Android.
Meanwhile, the head of Nokia in the UK said the firm was in discussions with Google about using the platform.
Simon Ainslie, Nokia UK's managing director, said: "We are always open to discussion and debate on that. We were not ready to make any commitment to it or discuss it at the time."
"We are having ongoing discussions with Google."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7082414.stm

Using Second Life As A Business-To-Business Tool

Currently, maybe some of us still think that Second Life is a consumer form of entertainment and communications. However, in fact, some companies have been choosing Second Life as a place to carry out business discussions.

Let's have a look at THIS to see how Cisco has been using Second Life in their business. Second Life is more than just a place for entertaining, it has been a successful B2B tool so far.

RFID Mexico & Spain

RFID Implants in Mexico and Spain

The Wikipedia article about Radio-frequency identification chips briefly mentions that the Mexican Attorney General's office implanted this technology to some members of the staff to give them access to restricted data rooms some years ago. It also explains that some European night clubs use these chips on clients to pay for their drinks.

Then, I checked some websites and I was able to find a picture of the procedure that the Mexican Attorney General, Rafael Macedo de la Concha, had to go through to get the chip implanted; and also a video of a customer getting the chip implanted in his arm in the Baja Beach Club in Barcelona, Spain.


Wal-Mart and RFID: A Case Study

In addition to Daniel's blog.

When the world was still grappling with the idea of bar coding, Wal-Mart just went ahead and got it implemented, way back in the 80s.

Visit the following website to see how Wal-Mart adopted RFID to its business, advantages& limitations, and also the privacy concern of customers.

http://www.tutorial-reports.com/wireless/rfid/walmart/case-study.php

Android SDK open source system by Google

An interesting overview about the new Android SDK, an open source operating system and software platform for mobile phone.
You get through this real G-phone all the functionalities you need and want in a basic cell phone. Its creators are talking about it :

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6rYozIZOgDk

2A7507

Fifteen Rules for Starting and Managing a Corporate Blog

1. Don’t treat corporate blogs like another corporate communications or marketing communications device, it’s significantly different.
2. Don’t blog without a solid, compelling case and proper resources.
3. Have solid executive backing before you blog.
4. Choose your bloggers carefully.
5. Authenticity is critical.
6. Thoroughly train your bloggers and require an internal blogging test period before a blogger is “certified.”
7. Assign a blog approver for each blog who has some degree of subject matter expertise, knowledge of company policies and public relations.
8. Don’t hide from the tough stuff. Be willing to admit mistakes.
9. Create a blog crisis communications plan.
10. Moderate blog comments.
11. Make your blog part of a communications plan – not the whole of it.
12. Monitor your corporate blogs.
13. Determine measures of effectiveness up front.
14. Consider that the blogosphere expects your blogs to be a marketing and PR mouthpiece. Always keep this in mind and prove them wrong.
15. Manage your brand online: Monitor what people are saying about your brand online.
http://marketingtoday.blogspot.com/2006/11/fifteen-rules-for-corporate-blogs.html

Citizendium, another encyclopedia under wikipedia

Hi all,
I just accidentally found another online encyclopedia, 'Citizendium'. This project, started by a founder of Wikipedia, aims to improve on the Wikipedia model by adding "gentle expert oversight" and requiring contributors to use their real names. I think this is another type of 'Lead User', by using the savvy Internet expert to post their own project or articles and keep them active.
Here's the link, you can check it out:

http://citizendium.org/about.html
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Main_Page

Monday, November 12, 2007

Disney to launch cell phone carrier services in Japan

Hi e-Marketing Bloggers,

This is a good news for Disney lovers and Softbank Mobile users.....

Pls link and see it..........
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/421373

GPS phone for children

Disney mobile launched teen-tracker mobile in US.
In Japan, all the operators have sepcific mobile phones for kids.

Not like Disney, Japanese mobile opreators didn't allow partent to track voice, text, video and picture messages on their children's calls. (Becasue of privacy issue?)However, all the kid's phones have GPS tracking capability.

Here is an article talking about AU's Kids phone, do you want to buy one for your kid? (or yourself)
KDDI kids phone (for old folks too)

Fight over the cellular future

Hello all,

The New York Times reports on the new battle lines which are being drawn between traditional cell phone operators such as Vodaphone and AT&T and the new comers such as Google and Apple.
The debate in centered around the future of the mobile space and as the article notes is a
“It is the battle of the overdogs....The question is, how do I position myself? It is a territorial battle.”
Take a look at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/technology/12cell.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Pontus

All Mobile usage statistics

This is a very usefull website to collect mobile business related data . This site provide the statistical data of mobile sector. e.g. Mobile game user world wide and asia, Contactless payment.
Visit this link to know the trend of mobile sector: http://www.itfacts.biz/index.php?id=P5863

Sunday, November 11, 2007

FreeRice - Another use of banner links

I found that affiliate is not only for company marketing.

If you go to FreeRice, there is a vocabluary questions on the site.
If we answer correctly, FreeRice would donates money
about 10 grains of rice for each question to United Nation
to reduce poverty.
They say that with the customer's ( student's ? ) help,
WE can reduce poverty.

( In addition, they are independent from
politics, religions, or organizations )

Their privacy policy is relatively honest and
I think they USE affiliate model effectively.

This is not so bad idea how to USE banner links.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7088447.stm

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/freerice_legit_or_not_its_fun.php

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

RFID AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT.

I have been reading a book 'The world is Flat' by Milton Friedman. One of the chapters dedicated to the efficiency of the global supply chains points to the fact that a number of the corporations that are nimble in this field are aptly using the RFID technology to keep above their competitors.



It all comes with no surprise that he cites Walmart as one of the companies that are leveraging on the RFID technology, to keep the shelves appropriately stalked, manage the data generated from the stalk turnover, and to cordinate with their suppliers accross the globe. This has made them a formidable force in the US retail industry. He however points out that the adoption to RFID technology is still low due to the prohibitive costs associated with it. This is giving the bar codes and and their readers a lease of life as the world moves briskly towards the use of RFID technology, albeit with some resistance.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Google and New Generation of Phones Android Open Source

Monday's announcement of the Open Handset Alliance and the Android Open Source mobile platform is more than just a wake-up call for the cellphone market.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/tech/hightech/opensource.html

Japan's answer to Second Life

Orderly, pornography-free and safe for children, "meet-me," an online interactive virtual Tokyo, is Japan's answer to "Second Life." Or so its creators hope.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070927/virtual_Tokyo_070927/20070927/

Virtual pedophilia in Second Life causes concern

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071104/second_life_071104/20071104/

Facebook unveils ad targeting program

Facebook has begun transforming itself from an online hangout into an online business district.


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071106/FACE_book_071106/20071106?hub=SciTech

Facebook to Turn Users Into Endorsers !

Facebook wants to turn every member into a spokesman for its advertisers. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and chief executive of the superhot social network, today announced what the company calls “social ads.”

Check this link
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/business/06cnd-facebook.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Cheers!

Vijay

Ways to improve onlineloyalty programs

I found this interesting article pointing out th effectiveness of online loyathy programs and some of the best practices to make these programs effective.

Online Loyalty Programs Can Increase Repeat Shoppers

http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/527/Online-Loyalty-Programs-Can-Increase-Repeat-Shoppers/

Microsoft Launches Beta of Free Web Analytics Tool

Microsoft has released a beta version of it new web analytics tool called Project Gatineau following in the footsteps of Google's Google Analytics.

"Project Gatineau will provide marketers with information on whether users came to a Web site via e-mail, paid search, banner campaigns, offline campaigns, or other means. Funnel reports provide insight on how they left and what pages they requested. The system also ties information to personal profile information gathered through the Live ID system if the visitor has one. Previously known as Microsoft Passport, Live ID stores data on users including sex, age, income and location. The overall goal according to Ian Thomas, director of customer intelligence at Microsoft, is to allow marketers to accurately track which campaigns see the highest conversions"

http://www.clickz.com/3627474
http://blog.webanalyticsdemystified.com/weblog/2007/09/exclusive-microsoft-gatineau-presentation-and-screen-shots.html
http://advertising.microsoft.com/gatineau

Privacy related regulations

When I prepared the case report on TSO, I have found some regulations related to privacy. Among these regulatons, I believe TSO's privacy policy making should apply the federal act of USA, Safe Harbor Privacy Principles, and other related regulations. Please see

http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.shtm

2A7602

Photos shouldn’t be trapped in your camera. Set them free.



New Way to transfer Photos to your computer
or directly to the Internet

Eye-Fi is a wi-fi embedded SD Card (with 2GB capacity).. so whatever our camera is, as long it support SD-Card, with this card we can directly upload our photos to the internet from our camera whenever wi-fi network connection is available.
It supports sharing and printing websites, including KODAK Gallery, Shutterfly, Wal-Mart, Snapfish, Photobucket, Facebook, Webshots, Picasa Web Albums, SmugMug, Flickr, Fotki, TypePad, VOX, dotPhoto, Phanfare, Sharpcast and Gallery.









Please check this link
http://www.eye.fi/

Building Lasting Customer Loyalty

Another useful article from Forrester regarding the strategy on customer loyalty. The article includes a loyalty strategy self -test that can determine your loyalty techniques that best fit for you and your business.

















http://forrester.com/Research/Document/0,7211,41219,00.html

Internet Law

Online Privacy Protection


A very interesting article about legislation that protects the personal information of internet users in certain commercial sites. It explains some legal requirements such as posting the website privacy policy and how to prevent the sale or distribution of this information.

Customization and Personalization on the xbox360


Following along the lines of the SIMS case, parental control over the things their child does seems to be a big concern. The following link is to a blog entry talking about a possible new parental timer for the XBox 360. The timer would allow a parent to set how much playing time their child can have on a daily or weekly basis. This type of personalization is nice for concerned parents.

Kotaku link

The loyalty business model

The loyalty business model is a business model used in strategic management in which company resources are employed so as to increase the loyalty of customers and other stakeholders in the expectation that corporate objectives will be met or surpassed. A typical example of this type of model is: quality of product or service leads to customer satisfaction, which leads to customer loyalty, which leads to profitability.

To learn more ---->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty_business_model

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Next Generation Loyalty Shopping

Nowadays, marketers may have many strategic plans to obtain competitive advantage and maintain long-time consumer commitment. In terms of online shopping, there are some more tips for marketers to consider when they face with Customer Loyalty and Retention challenges.

You can read it here.

McDonald's, DoCoMo team up on marketing

I found the article that McDonald formed a joint venture with DoCoMo using mobile phones company's services to distribute e-coupons and gather customer information for marketing.
At that time, the user were limited for Docomo, but now every mobile user like Au and Soft Bank can use this service. Here is no McDonalds, however, when you go to Tokyo and Nagaoka, why don't you try it.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20070227a4.html
http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/fanclub/mcd/index.html

Let's Count the Ways to Improved Customer Retention

Dear readers I have found an artical about the ways to improve customer retention. I hope it will focus your attention.

Building long-term relationships with customers is essential for any sustainable business, and this applies equally to online business. Failure to build long-term relationships largely caused the failures of many electronic businesses following huge expenditure on customer acquisition.

Let's read complete article http://www.emarketinganswers.com/art/articles/111?SessionID=8rp87vq3eqjkg7o0js3ldc7sm1

Sibtain Ali
2A7202

8 guidelines to improving customer loyalty

We all probably know that customer loyalty is crucial to the survival of a business, but how do we actually improve customer loyalty? In this article, Nadji Tehrani offers eight guidelines:

1. Keep in touch frequently.
2. Build the relationship.
3. Nurture the relationship.
4. Manage your customers’ expectations.
5. Anticipate your customers’ needs and do something about them.
6. Hire sales staff with character.
7. Go the extra mile.
8. Help your customers save money.

Some of these guidelines probably seem obvious, but I think they are still worth noting. Guideline 6 is particular interesting - I haven't thought of the sales staff's character as being a factor in improving customer loyalty.

To tie in with our course on e-marketing, I would further suggest that we think about how ICTs would affect the implementation of these guidelines. For example, the ease and speed with which e-mails can be sent to customers might mean that Guidelines 1, 2, and 3 would be easier to implement, but it might also mean that customers' expectations are now higher and more difficult to satisfy (Guideline 4).

'Do Not Track' List?

Privacy groups are banding together to urge the Federal Trade Commission (US government agency of consumer protection) to install a "Do Not Track" list that would limit companies tracking users' online activities

Improving customer experiences will be key for telecom carriers to retain their customers

Gartner Research recently predicted that 80% of traditional telecom carriers will fail when they transform by primarily exploiting content. Facing fierce competition from non-traditional telecom players e.g. Apple, Google, which have a strong understanding of consumers, these telecom carriers might no longer rely on traditional tactics (i.e. price cuts, promotions and basic product bundling) to maintain customers retention. It will be about improving the customer experience, to increase customer loyalty.

According to Gartner, the winners will be those who understand
consumers’ needs, focusing on usability and actually giving control back to the users. The losers will be those who focus only on overly technical product differentiation that the majority of consumers will not understand and therefore will not use.

Gate keepers in the race for customer retention

Hi guys,

I found this article on Financial times about how online Gatekeepers like MySpace and Facebook are making efforts to innovate themselves to attract more web-traffic - a core competence in their business. Web traffic can sometimes be purely hype, we all know that. But look at how Yahoo enhanced the level of "stickiness" to their website by creating a family of internet services and media sites. Google looks like they are moving in the same direction with OpenSocial...

If you are interested, take a look at this link: 
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e79c8702-8b15-11dc-95f7-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1




Smart Pit + Mobile Phones -> Value conflict ?

Mitsui Liquefied Gas and NTT Comware provide Smart Pit service
for billing of LPG gas by mobile phone.

If we do not think carefully about which level of the system
component protects what personal information ,
we might say like following.
----------
If the private information in the mobile phone is not
secured carefully, some customer might think mobile phone
violates Smart-pit's value "anonimous".
"Can we keep our indivisual information anonimous with mobile phone?"
----------

But this is not the case of a value conflict.
I am sure this business model is considering customer privacy
very carefully and provide high level customer service
because they install software which creates Smart Pit
card number only in the salesman's mobile phone and
the customer uses Smart Pit as "anonimous" as usual.

The value "anonimous" has not changed.

http://www.nttcom.co.jp/english/news/en07080601.html

http://www.smartpit.jp/business/service_mobile.html

Mobile Marketing: Monopolizing Customer Downtime


we’re really taking our first steps into a seachange of how companies will communicate with their customers. I think that Adobe’s Flash Lite are positioning themselves well to take on this transformation and with exciting products such as Apple’s iPhone about to be released, marketers should take note if they want to keep their customers ear.
Here is the link:

The Value Of Customer Retention: A Business Without A Customer Retention Plan Will Lose Revenue And Market Share












A business model should have customer retention program since it saves you from loosing your revenue....... Naveed;)
Check out this article: