So, after about 15 years of the term “convergence” being bandied about, the audience are converged.

But, the content is lacking.

Each study talks to the massive growth opportunity for 2nd Screen apps.

We have little doubt there will be a mad-rush to fill in this gap with aggregated content apps and superfluous layers of data streamed to the 2nd Screen.

But, what interests us (and where the contentAI platform is perfectly well suited), is to create personalized, extended story experiences on the 2nd screen that are indigenous to the television screen content.

For drama or any fictional content, the audience are already in a “suspension of disbelief” mode, as they are emotionally engaged in characters and story.  Creating seamless experiences that are personalized and interactive, that deepen the engagement in the television content, is where this all gets fascinating.

http://gigaom.com/2011/12/07/interactive-ebooks-take-on-fiction-novels/

While our interactive narrative is a unique branch of “interactive fiction,” seeing this as an emerging topic is terrific.

We are releasing the 2001 MySantaTalk mobile web (and some native app versions) tomorrow!

The URL:  http://m.MySantaTalk.com will redirect to the new app as soon as it’s “live.”

Our new UI is featured — While the UI is still undergoing upgrades and responsive design enhancements, this is a true Ver. 1.0 release as we move out of Beta.

We’re looking forward to the “App of the Week” status from our friends at INTEL’s AppUP…We’ll post links there next week too.

Have a wonderful and safe Holiday Season.

And, have a chat with Santa while you’re out and about, from your mobile!

Oh, right, yes, all of our web properties are undergoing a makeover the next few days…so, that’s our final year-end clean up…

See you at CES?

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/2011/09/06/quaker-uses-qr-codes-to-start-dialogue-for-nick-jonas-promotion

But, it’s an important step to see a major Brand move into conversation based mobile engagement — Our position that mobile devices are, at heart, communicators, is clearly key in the campaign thinking for the above.

Thanks @Mposada for sending the link and seeing the connection!

*****

UPDATE:  Another article this week with an excellent quote and perspective from Mike Wehrs of Scanbuy:

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/strategy/10915.html

“It is also an empowerment tool that allows for a one-to-one conversation…”

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=156030#

So I turn the tables on my better, skeptical half and pose the question to her. “How would your smartphone best serve you here?”

She is a lifetime shopper. This is actually a no-brainer for her. She points to the cosmetics counter as we pass. “Tell me what shades match my skin color. There are too many choices here.” We pass by the women’s clothing section. “Tell me what that skirt goes with that you also have in the store.” We go to a restaurant and she suggests, “Tell me what the nutritional value of this menu item is — and whether it has any ingredients my kid might be allergic to.”

In other words:  Let the customer ask a contextual and relevant question and give them a reply.

This is exactly what our MOBILE FAQ product offering is designed to fulfill.  In fact, we’ve started prototyping a cereal product that touches on the specifics in the quote (allergies, nutritional value, etc.).

Carrying this one step further, this is why we believe that personalized mCoupons are going to replace the one-size-fits-all model — Customers don’t want to be pushed the same offering that everyone around them is receiving — They want their smart phone to deliver “smart” to them.

The closing paragraph is worth inserting:

Why would we as an industry squander that opportunity on half-measures and disappointing brand puffery that runs the risk of poisoning the well and turning people off to the prospect of a clickable world. They can tell us what they want to know, apparently without breaking a sweat, once we stop trying to impress them with what is new and cool — and instead focus on answering their simplest questions.

People “get it” quickly.

Then, they start thinking, “hey kids don’t have smartphones…”

Here’s the study:

http://adage.com/article/adagestat/25-toddlers-a-smartphone/229082/

25% of TODDLERS have used a smartphone (never mind, our cereal box example is more for 4-8 year olds; well, plus those of us who are older and want to chat with Cap’n Crunch, so, greater than 25% of population).

Now if 40% of mobile users have a smartphone, this means that Toddlers and kids are one of the largest mobile demographics!

We like the cereal box example.

One day we’ll put it into practice.

“Precision oftentimes kills the ability of the learner to discover multiple real-life applications.”

There have been a couple of follow up blog posts to the WIRED article entitled: IN PRAISE OF VAGUENESS.

One notable blog post is here:  VAGUE STORIES HELP LEARNERS DISCOVER.

This is very consistent with the responses we’re receiving from ESL teachers that note how our ESL conversational simulations allow vague and varied responses — they don’t encourage precision and fixed responses — they encourage conversational exploration.  We allow the vague. 

Please stop by our http://ESLai.com unit and try out the simulation/stories developed with the contentAI engine. 

The articles are worth reading, here’s another quote. . .

“Sometimes, precision is dangerous, a closed door keeping us from imagining new possibilities. Vagueness is that door flung wide open, a reminder that we don’t yet know the answer, that we might still get better, that we have yet to fail.”

Does this same “wide open door” deepen user engagement for mobile marketing and entertainment applications?

We’re guessing, “yes.”

We’re trying out new mobile web analytics this week; which include graphical representations of the devices which are accessing our mobile web applications – AND, our native-apps (Android, AppUP, etc.).

In a 24-hour period, this is the picture that’s painted:

http://www.gomonews.com/your-mobile-device-phone-web-browser%E2%80%A6-secret-lover/

This was perfect:

“People are experts at “humanizing” their devices, attributing human characteristics, moods and behaviors to their communications devices. Now, it’s nothing like the connection you have with an actual person. You can never feel as close to your phone as you can to a real person. But those feelings are there, even if they’re only faded reflections of the real thing. And I think that advertisers and marketers would be wise to pay heed to that…”

http://anthrostrategy.com/2011/06/01/entertaining-the-customer/

This is the line that bounces off the page:

What this means for shopper marketing is that the best retail experiences, those with the highest degrees of loyalty and sales, are those that project a story and invite the shopper into the narrative

 

It was terrific to see a panel gathered from a range of perspectives within Mobile – Including panelists from Nokia and Opera (almost felt like living in a real city): @globalmoxie, @ourmaninjapan, @tyhatch, @Hinman and @tkadlec

The premise of the evening was that all of our perceptions about mobile context are in flux.  People use their mobile devices in places, situations, etc. all co-mingled in such a manner that “contextual” awareness is, at best, fairly muddled.

So, what was the upshot?  Can “Mobile” add contextual value or not?

The general opinion was that it’s too early for mobile devices to be truly intelligent in terms of contextual awareness — While “location” is valuable contextual information, it can’t differentiate between (for example) being in Wal-Mart while casually wandering about and killing time (if that’s where you  kill time?)  and being in Wal-Mart with specific shopping intentions — Therefore, delivering a mobile experience that presumes one, or the other, fails to add true contextual value to the End User.

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So, what was the take-away?

*  First, it was interesting that the discussion of “what constitutes “mobile” continues?  To my way of thinking, “mobile” is first and foremost a device that is a COMMUNICATOR.  We purchase them so that we can have two way communication with friends, family and business colleagues, whether by Tweets, Wall Posts, SMS, IM (continues to increase on mobile by 30% annually), in-App messaging – And, occasionally, voice.

Then, the cherry on top, are all the other features a “mobile” device can offer — but, at it’s heart, it’s a COMMUNICATOR FOR 2-way conversations.

*  While waiting for device and software “intelligence” to grok relevant contextual analysis and awareness — and provide added value to the End User — There’s a far simpler solution available today: Just ask them.

i.e. Use the 2-way “communicator” channel to engage and allow the User to specify the information that will add contextual awareness to the engagement.  Mobile devices are now packaged and sold as “messaging devices” (low data plan IM and light mobile browsing) — But, Developers seem hell-bent on bypassing the non-sexy text-level engagement that would add instant contextual value, in favor of future allusive technology solutions that are years away (not that people shouldn’t work on it; but, why not add value today?).

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As we consider the range of advertising/marketing, mHealth and mLearning opportunities on mobile, we remain convinced that contextual value is readily added via textual communication (inclusive of communication via mobile web and in-Apps, where we deliver 2-way chat applications).

Of course, that’s what we’d think, since that’s the foundation of http://contentAI.com and our mLearning spin-off, http://ESLai.com

@MobilePortland is increasing in both size and sophistication — It’s becoming a “must attend” event, rather than something to occasionally drop in on — the conversations and perspectives are much needed as we all endeavor to create truly valuable mobile experiences for global users, in a plethora of contextual circumstances.