Archive for Business Communications
Microsoft Unveils its “Social Phones”
Posted by: | CommentsAfter weeks of speculation, Microsoft (MSFT) finally unveiled its new line of smartphones dubbed “KIN.” The launch took place at an April 12 media event in San Francisco. The company hopes the launch will revive its flagging mobile-business.
The new smartphones will run on Microsoft software manufactured by Sharp Corp. The KIN devices are the first Windows-branded phones in the history of Microsoft and represent a significant shift in its longstanding mobile-strategy. The new devices were developed under the project codename “Pink” but will be known as KIN One and KIN Two. They are being positioned as “social phones” and will be available exclusively through Verizon Wireless in the United States in May. Vodafone in Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom will follow later this year.
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s entertainment-and-devices division, released a statement, saying: “We built KIN for people who live to be connected, share, express and relate to their friends and family. This social generation wants and needs more from their phone. KIN is the one place to get the stuff you care about to the people you care about most.”
By playing a greater role in the hardware design of the mobile devices running its software, Microsoft is hoping to counter the growing influence of Apple’s iPhone, Reseach In Motion’s BlackBerry, and Google’s Android platform. From November 2009 to February 2010, the number of smartphones running Microsoft’s operating system fell from 19.1% to 15.1% in the U.S. market, according to data released last week by tracking firm comScore, Inc. Microsoft began revealing plans for its mobile turnaround in February at the CTIA wireless trade show in Barcelona, where the company showed off the latest version of its mobile software, Windows Phone 7, set to be released this year.
Windows Phone 7 will replace the company’s legacy Windows Mobile operating system and will feature integration with Microsoft’s other consumer products including its Bing search engine, Zune media marketplace, and Xbox Live video-game network. Microsoft plans to use the KIN devices as a way to introduce its social services (e.g., Zune Marketplace, Bing and Live) to younger audiences. The strategy is aimed at transitioning those users to devices running Windows Phone 7 as they get older.
Both KIN devices will feature touch screens with slide out keyboards. KIN One is designed to be the smaller of the two devices, whereas KIN Two features a larger keyboard, more memory, and a higher-resolution camera (8 MP compared to 5 MP in the KIN One) as well as the ability to record high-definition video.
The home screens of the new devices will be known as the KIN Loop, which will draw in feeds from the user’s social-networking accounts including Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. Users will also be able to prioritize the messages coming from certain friends.
Another new service, known as Spot, enables users to “focus first on the people and stuff they want to share rather than the specific application they want to use.” Once a user decides what to share and the friends with whom they want to share, they can select which services (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) they want to use. Microsoft is also including a version of its MyPhone backup-service with the KIN, calling it KIN Studio. KIN users will now be able to automatically back-up all texts, photos, videos, contacts, and call history with an online account that can be accessed through a PC.
The KIN devices will also include Zune’s multimedia software, which will allow users to download music, movies, and podcasts as well as listen to FM radio. The feature is similar to the online accounts associated with the T-Mobile’s Sidekick device, which ran on technology produced by Danger Inc., a company Microsoft purchased in February 2008. Sharp also manufactured the Sidekick.
Conferencing: A Strong Driver for Unified Communications Platforms
Posted by: | CommentsAs the buzz around unified communications, web based SaaS call centers, and web based conferencing in the corporate and small business environment builds, there are certain technologies that may come to mind. Consumers may quickly think VoIP or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and even Skype.
One thing that has remained obvious is the consistent drive for communications-enabled business processes. To keep streamlined communications on the forefront of doing business, players have to be provided with the necessary tools. According to industry research firm IDC, such tools include conferencing and collaboration applications.
Conferencing and Collaboration as Lead ApplicationsWhile not typically considered to be an important element of unified communications, conferencing and collaboration are instead considered to be more lead applications instead of those that unify the activities within the enterprise. This approach is rapidly changing as conferencing and collaboration are demonstrating their worth to the enterprise.
IDC notes that the unified communications market in Europe will grow at a cumulative average growth rate of 39 percent to 2013 to reach $13.5 billion. This is a significant increase from $2.6 billion in 2008.
Short Term Expense Reduction a Key Focus
In a challenging marketing where spending tends to be plummeting, solutions that can reduce expenses in the short term will remain a top priority. Such solutions include video and audio conferencing, as well as collaboration applications. On the call center front; virtual call center and skype based call centers have become the norm. For instance, see OnState.
For those operating in the European market, the drivers for conferencing growth go beyond merely cutting travel and reducing costs. Business owners are more concerned about their environmental impact and making internal changes to reflect their approach to their carbon footprint.
Conferencing and Environmental Responsibility
According to Chris Barnard, IDC research director, European Telecoms and Networking, “Not only can UC reduce an organization’s travel budget; it can also reduce that company’s carbon footprint and improve its corporate social responsibility standing.”
While industry analysts believe the long-term opportunities lie in communications event management platforms that enable for the build out of new applications, the enhancement of existing applications with better communications will continue to be a key focus for a number of companies. In addition, the near-term focus is continuing to shift to conferencing and collaboration.
Web Conferencing Will DominateFor the Asia-Pacific market, similar trends tend to be emerging. “In the future, the adoption of Web and video related collaborative applications will take precedence over voice related collaborative applications,” said Shalini Verma, IDC Research Manager for IDC’s Asia/Pacific Communications Group.
One obvious shift throughout the global market is the increase in telecommuting. Companies the world over are assessing the possibility of implementing such a platform, but must have the proper communication tools in place to make it viable.
As unified communications and more specifically, conferencing and collaboration, take a stronger foothold in the market, growth for both telecommuting and unified communications through conferencing and collaboration is imminent.
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