Gartner, Inc. has revealed its key predictions on the use of social software and collaboration in the enterprise. These predictions focus on offerings ranging from team collaboration to dynamic social networking applications that offer rich profiles and activity streams.

“A lot has happened in a year within the social software and collaboration space. The growing use of platforms such as Twitter and Facebook by business users has resulted in serious enterprise dialogue about procuring social software platforms for the business,” said Mark R. Gilbert, research vice president at Gartner and co-chair of the Portals, Content and Collaboration (PCC) Summit. “Success in social software and collaboration will be characterized by a concerted and collaborative effort between IT and the business.”

Gartner offers five key predictions for social software:

By 2014, social networking services will replace e-mail as the primary vehicle for interpersonal communications for 20 percent of business users.

Greater availability of social networking services both inside and outside the firewall, coupled with changing demographics and work styles will lead 20 percent of users to make a social network the hub of their business communications. During the next several years, most companies will be building out internal social networks and/or allowing business use of personal social network accounts. Social networking will prove to be more effective than e-mail for certain business activities such as status updates and expertise location.
Read the rest of this entry »

Sony Ericsson have announced their long awaited arrival into the android phone market with the forthcoming release of their new Xperia X10 handset.  And at first glance it seems that not only have they joined the race, but they look to be setting the pace.

The Xperia X10 measure in at 119 x 63 x 13mm and weighs 130 grammes, so far pretty standard for an Android based device.  The handset incorporates a 4″ TFT screen with an impressive 480 x 854 resolution.  The screen is a capacitive touchscreen with the handy addition of having a scratch resistant surface, a feature which has long been desired on the new breed of large screened devices.  Auto rotate functions are possible due to the built in accelorometer chip.

Read the rest of this entry »

UPS today announced an industry-first application for BlackBerry(R) devices that not only ships and tracks packages but also finds the nearest UPS location.

Available tomorrow for free downloading at www.blackberry.com/appworld, the new UPS Mobile(TM) App for BlackBerry enables users to track shipments, create shipments using the My UPS address book, calculate shipping rates and time-in-transit and then find the nearest UPS location.

Read the rest of this entry »

Aggregate Mobile Coupons for Businesses – 8coupons.com, the best place to find mobile coupons and deals in your neighborhood is evolving and growing. Once only known in New York City for Mobile Coupons and OCHO LOCO! promotions, 8coupons.com has improved into a one-stop shop for locating all of your favorite deals, regardless of where you live. With a loaded database of over 60,000 mobile coupons and deals throughout the country, consumers can now find all their money-saving information in one place.

“Savvy consumers will check 8coupons.com before they head out to eat, drink, shop, or do anything in their neighborhood”, said Landy Ung, CEO and Co-founder of 8coupons.com. “There’s a high chance that we can help shoppers get more for their money and let them know about a great nearby deal that they wouldn’t otherwise know about. 8coupons.com aggregates thousands of mobile coupons and local deals throughout the country.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Fortumo Mobile Payments Start Covering The Whole East- Service Launched in Russia – Fortumo.com the leading Mobile Payment Provider for SME-s in Eastern Europe and Asia announced today its expansion to Russia. According to the company, Fortumo is planning to cover all the major Ex Soviet Union countries soon. Ukraine and Belarus will be made available shortly after New Years Eve.

“Easter European and Ex Soviet Union countries are still difficult to access for most of the western internet companies “, – says CEO Fortumo Martin Koppel. “Fortumo sees itself as a gateway, which helps those companies monetize their user base in region without risks and costs”, – adds Koppel.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mobile devices, mobile phones and PDA’s are one of the last great frontiers of viral advertisement opportunities. However, we have become experts at filtering everything, our air and water, our e-mail and pop-ups, and our mobile devices as well. We are good at filtering.

The very idea of unwanted advertising streaming through our Blackberries is abhorrent. Mobile devices are the ultimate opt-in medium and, therefore, a great way for marketers to connect with users…if that’s what the users want. “WANT” is the key word here. How should marketers approach the medium?
Read the rest of this entry »

Nokia has introduced Nokia Money – a new mobile service operated in conjunction with Obopay – calling it “a new mobile financial service offering consumers with mobile device access to basic financial services. For many consumers, this will be the first time they have had any access to such financial services.”

According to the company, “Nokia Money has been designed to be as simple and convenient as making a voice call or sending an SMS. It will enable consumers to send money to another person just by using the person’s mobile phone number, as well as to pay merchants for goods and services, pay their utility bills, or recharge their prepaid SIM cards (SIM top-up). The services can be accessed 24 hours a day from anywhere, meaning savings in travel costs and time. Nokia is building a wide network of Nokia Money agents, where consumers can deposit money in or withdraw cash from their accounts.”

Read the rest of this entry »