Mobile Traffic and the Seismic Shift
Whenever I travel, my iPhone becomes my communication workhorse: My go to device for talking to customers, to team members, to friends, to family. However, there’s a definite shift taking place in how I use this device. I’ve just returned from two weeks in Munich and checked my usage. While away, I used only 17 minutes of traditional voice calls. However, on the data side of the house, the figures were a little higher. I racked up 200 megs of data roaming. O2, you’re welcome. And my data usage was drastically higher over WiFi.
In fact, what amazed me most was how WiFi actually directed my travel. There were only a few occasions when I wasn’t connected to a WiFi network. From my hotel to bars to restaurants, one of the first questions I asked was, ‘Does it have WiFi?’ If the answer was no, I’d more than likely look at somewhere else (a note for any restaurateurs). For any regular readers of the blog, this should come as no surprise. I’ve discussed on numerous occasions the importance of WiFi and the need for increased adoption of WiFi blankets.
The challenge of 4G networks
Our insatiable thirst for mobile connectivity is pushing mobile networks to new extremes. The demand for data wherever and whenever is rapidly altering our mobile needs, making the rollout of 4G technology an urgent necessity. However, we have some way to go here. Check out my latest video to see some of the major obstacles that we still need to overcome.
Coding a better government
Check out this inspirational talk from Jennifer Pahlka. It’s incredible to see how with some coding skills and a desire to drive change we can develop a better community, a better society, a better government.
Time to brush off my coding skills.
I share, therefore I am
Fascinating TED talk from Sherry Turkle that addresses our fervour for social networks and mobile technology and questions whether these tools are bringing us closer together or pushing us apart. Watching this talk I couldn’t help but look at my own state of connectedness. Do I spend too much time engaging on social platforms and not enough disconnecting? How has this state of connectedness changed me?
Interesting questions. What have you noticed here? How have social platforms and mobile technology impacted upon you and your relationships?
You are the web
We often take for granted how the Internet has impacted upon our lives. How it’s changed the way we interact, how we communicate, how we work, how we play. The Internet has touched every aspect of our being and continues to drive new possibilities.
Google plays a central role here and has started a discussion that asks what the Internet means to you. Click on the image above to see more on Google’s campaign and to share your thoughts.
Bringing the community to mobile payments
One of the most interesting aspects about Square is how it’s building a community into mobile payments. How it’s essentially leveraging its platform to try and push mobile payments into a cohesive part of our lives. Check out the video above to see this in action.
There are tantalising opportunities for retailers here, especially for small to medium-sized companies who are perhaps more capable of building personal relationships with their customers than larger businesses. Now processing over $4 billion in revenue annually, it will be interesting to see how Square starts to scale.
A day in the Internet
The online social explosion has forever altered how we communicate, how we engage, how we interact. The ability to express ourselves and effectively curate an online history of who we are shows no signs of slowing. Click on the image above to see some incredible figures on how much we’re sharing on a daily basis.
It’s all about teamwork
One of the most incredible aspects about my role is working as part of a cohesive team. Working collectively on a global scale to achieve something different, something special. Making this video, we tried hard to capture the team and their spirit. For us, teamwork is in everything we do.
Create. Collaborate.
I’m continually inspired by the tech industry, by its level of creativity and collaboration. It’s one of the few industries where I’ve experienced such unbridled joy in sharing new ideas, new passions and working together to make these dreams new realities. I never tire of this and Hugh’s cartoon is a great testament to this continued circle. Create - Collaborate - Create - Collaborate. If you’re not part of the circle, it’s time to join.
