A Brand New Communications Channel has Opened
That channel is serving localized content to smart mobile devices from LOCAL servers.
Nothing new about pushing content to mobile devices based upon geolocation. That has been a driving force in tech for years.
What has changed is the number of people carrying smart mobiles, and their expectations of quick access to exactly the information they desire in rich media formats.
Digital Media is the New Media
Acceptance and consumption of digital media is growing, at an accelerating rate. The change happens faster every day. People have time in each day for only so much media consumption. The consumption pattern is shifting toward digital, and the pace of the shift is picking up.
Last holiday season, Amazon reached a milestone, when one day sales of e-books exceeded the number of hard books sold. In the first quarter of 2010, 143 e-books per 100 dead tree copies were sold. In June 2010, the ratio is 180 e-books per 100 hard books. --Source wired.com.
Smart mobile devices share the same accelerating rate of adoption. Almost every form of publishing beyond notes on the fridge is digital. Digital bits and bytes require little space, no ink, and are easily distributed. New media content on the Web can blend text, audio, and video to create an appealing message, even an emotional experience.
Serendipity is the circumstance when something unexpected and pleasant "just happens". Those who have stumbled upon a free and open broadband wifi hotspot in an unexpected location can relate. Unfortunately, broadband internet access always costs somebody money. The choke point for local delivery of rich new media content is limited internet bandwidth, a situation that is not expected to get better any time soon.
Serving Content
Serendipity could be discovering a rich new media experience, highly relevant to current time and place, delivered to a smart handheld device. Major internet players are trying to figure out how to do this, but suffer from a location problem. They are in the cloud, not local. They cannot comprehend the nuances of local populations. They cannot update quickly enough to be always relevant. And the bandwidth problem is going to get worse as more people consume richer media.
It is possible to meet and exceed user expectations with local intranet servers. They are easily networked with wireless routers to deliver new media to any mobile device within wifi range. No bandwidth charges need apply, no world wide wait, no need for search engines. Reality augmentation that deepens the sense of local involvement is not only possible, it may be preferable to the distractions of the internet.
The historic limiting factor for intranet server deployments is high cost and confusing requirements. Apple is changing this with a server system approaching the simplicity of a consumer device. The Mini Server may not be as user friendly as the iPod, but it is a leap forward in server simplification. After setup with Web services enabled, updating new media content can be as simple as drag and drop. Turnkey systems are available..
Keeping IT Simple
Simplification is a big hit with end users. Google, iTunes, youtube, and twitter, all had their share of detractors at the start. Generally, they were not nearly complex enough to suit tech gurus and did not cover all the angles and possibilities.
All they did was make it simple to:
- find something on the internet
- legally download music
- watch a funny video
- tell others what you are doing right now
The value proposition in each case was simplifying access to something people want. Then word of mouth advertising, goodwill from serendipitous joy, grew a following. "Looky here, this is easy and fun, try it."
Make It Easy for People to Get WHAT THEY WANT!
Today, people simply want to use their smart mobile devices to view rich content, particularly content relevant to place and time. Those who give them what they want stand to prosper.
The first hyperlocal wifi intranet content may be just a rehash of the advertisements currently consumed/ignored on local newspapers, radio and TV.
These advertisements become more relevant and build goodwill when available on demand in the context of an imminent purchase decision. Delivering the message 24x7, serving exactly what customers request, when they request it, is a win-win for marketers and consumers.
The possibilities expand from there. Basically anything done on the internet can be done on a local intranet. Hyperlocal information begs for original content such as local history, upcoming local events, things to see and do nearby. The best designs will provide valuable services, while building brand recognition and loyalty.
Content that makes no sense on the internet may be quite relevant served local only. Maybe not quite down to the refrigerator door post-it level, but close.
Easy for Consumers, Easy for Producers
Paired with a wireless router, a local server with Web services enabled, is a great way to deliver new media. It becomes the modern equivalent of a billboard-kiosk-flashing white sign, bulletin board, bookshelf, library, radio station, television station, that serves customers, employees, and the general public upon their command. No worries about internet bandwidth charges. All local users need do is select your server from their list of available networks.
Easy for producers, because they need not worry about chasing the tail of the next great internet phenomenon to provide great content to smart mobile devices nearby. Today, 1 in 2 cell plans sold are for smart devices. In two years that number is expected to rise to 3 of every 4.
Now It is a great time to begin crossing the old media-new media digital divide in search of better ways to serve people when they are on your turf.
Wireless connection from Smart Mobiles