Like most things in the twenty first century, banking has also evolved and changed significantly thanks to the internet and the immense advancement in technology, not least of which are mobile devices. With new banking facilities comes a plethora of new banking terms many of which are somewhat confusing! There’s Mobile Banking, known by some as M-Banking and then there’s internet banking or is it online banking or E-Banking? Well, what we do know is that neither mobile banking nor internet banking means having to locate and physically go into a bank to visit a teller but other than that, is mobile banking different from internet banking?

It is important to distinguish the various new terminology before one gets a clear idea of whether there are marked differences between these two types of banking via the Web. M-Banking or Mobile banking or text/SMS banking as it is sometimes known, is designed to allow you to access your banking features through your mobile device such as a smartphone. It is still relatively new to many and it does not cover every type of banking facility but it can be used for performing balance checks, account transactions, payments, credit applications by example. It has earned the term ‘anywhere’ banking for its accessibility and it has seen a phenomenal growth over the past ten years and more recently, particularly to those who use their smartphones a lot.

Internet banking, or E-Banking refers to a system where a customer can access their accounts and banking information via a personal computer or similar device. This was first introduced in the 1980’s but has seen a massive growth of usage over the past decade. So the two concepts sound relatively similar, but just use a different device – or do they? With the huge advances in smartphone technology and the blurring of lines between smartphones, tablet PCs and so on, one wonders if it is quite so easy to distinguish between mobile banking and internet banking to the same degree.

Some reviewers say that E-Banking has better security features than M-Banking and that its reporting and information capabilities are more refined. Some say that M-Banking is merely a feature of E-Banking. Some say that mobile offers more and with the speed at which smartphones are being adopted in the US, this could well soon be true. What we do know is that both types of banking are taking hold of the banking industry and changing it beyond recognition.

M-banking is definitely the way of the future for many. As smartphones adoption continues to rise and as these devices generally now have larger screens and bigger memory capacity so mobile banking will inevitably become increasingly popular with these users. Mobile is the way of the future for so many things including marketing and if your business hasn’t yet tuned into what mobile marketing can do for you, visit us now to find out more.

Looking to find the best deal on mobile marketing, then visit www.txt2get.com to find the best advice for you.

Smartphones have certainly changed the way we view and use mobile devices whether it is for personal or business use or both and with every new version, there seems no end to the consumer appetite for them. Technology is becoming better, prices are more competitive, graphics are fantastic but are smartphones actually being adopted at predicted rates?

Consider for a moment that apart from the Blackberry which has been the stalwart of the enterprise market for some years, smartphones in general are a relatively new product for most of us. Google only acquired Android 6 years ago and Apple only unveiled iPhone in 2007. It was probably less easy to predict the meteoric rise that smartphones would enjoy by 2011 back then. Late 2009 and most writers were predicting smartphone sales would continue to boom in 2010 but that was hardly rocket science. After all, Apple, who sold 5 million iPhone units in its first year had by early 2010 sold 51 million, so that was a pretty good indicator that things in the smartphone market were going well!

When Gartner released their smartphone sales stats in 2008, they reported better than expected results despite the overall economic downturn worldwide. Fast forward 3 years and even with recession, Smartphones in 2011 are not only selling at an amazing rate in the US but also worldwide with no reports of any slowdown in sales. Smartphone sales in the Asia Pacific region for example are set to grow by 30% to 2015, with North America at 21% growth and Western Europe at just under 20%.

It would seem that predictions are fairly accurate and that smartphones are currently being adopted at predicted rates. Nielsen research tells us that 1 in 2 consumers will have a smartphone by the end of 2011. With mobile commerce and mobile banking uptake also on the rise, this too would have a huge impact on sales.

Smartphone are certainly being adopted at predicted rates and seem to be on target to reach that magical1 in 2 consumers by this Christmas. These sorts of figures matter to those in the mobile marketing industry as its important to know what their target audience is buying and using. Mobile marketing is arguably the fastest growing marketing strategy these days to promote brands, businesses, services and organizations, so if you haven’t yet considered it, why not take a closer look today.

Want to find out more about Mobile marketing, then visit www.txt2get.com on how to choose the best solution for your needs.

HTML5 is the latest version of the easy-to-understand computer language that enables the user to place content online and is a generic term for the three most popular web languages- CSS, Javascript and HTML itself. Hailed as the technology leader in many smartphones, its popularity is growing. But what does HYML5 mean for mobile marketing?

For mobile marketing, HTML5 is enabling rich-media standards and it is said it will do for mobile what Flash did for online. As a result, it will help brands and agencies in the advertising sector to achieve more compelling creative advertising displays and reach across more mobiles, more effectively and provide even more “immersive advertising experiences”.

Dreamworks and Paramount Pictures used it as part of their multi-channel campaign when promoting their movie Shrek Forever After. They went beyond the static banner ads with their creative and compelling interactive ad campaign which targeted iPhone on the Yahoo mobile homepage was said to have boosted ticket sales for their opening weekend.

The potential of HTML5 is very big indeed and heavily in its favor is that it works across multiple devices so there is no need to develop specific platforms for it and that has to be a huge bonus. This language of the web promises a whole new world of what is possible in mobile advertising and that is very exciting indeed. Accordingly, advertisers are now regularly demanding HTML5-based-rich-media ad units and it is having a significant effect on mobile advertising as a whole.

For mobile marketing, anything that enriches and enhances mobile content has to be great. Mobile marketing is becoming increasingly popular and with every new exciting enhancement and technological development, it becomes more and more successful. If you haven’t yet considered using mobile marketing, please take a look today.

Learn more about mobile marketing. Stop by www.txt2get.com where you can find out all about TXT2GET and what it can do for you.

The smartphone has become as synonymous with the notion of what makes a business man as the briefcase once was. It is the must-have status symbol in whatever make or model, whether it is Android, Windows, iPhone, Palm or the ever-popular Blackberry. It is how today’s modern professional stays up to date and stays in touch wherever he is in the world. The smartphone’s ability to allow instant access to email, text, the Web amongst other things has been heralded as one of the ultimate tools to keep communication flowing; it is efficient and allows for better overall productivity.

Until recent years, RIM’s Blackberry was the smartphone with the stronghold on the enterprise market but now there are other companies vying to challenge Blackberry for a bigger share of the business market, not least of all, Apple. With its trendy iPhone 4 currently flooding the market and iPhone 5 heralded as the next big thing for Apple and rumored to be due for release in June, could the iPhone really challenge and capture the business market.

Blackberry has been the king of business devices for such a long time now but with Apple’s fifth generation iPhone announced recently, its dominance could be under threat. Take a well-known bank in the UK which in 2010 announced that it was migrating its workforce from Blackberry to iPhone. That company has 75,000 employees and this type of shift can also be seen by some companies in the US. It would seem that iPhone became much more palatable to businesses when it added a number of critical security features. Blackberry has always prided itself and built a reputation for being secure, which is what businesses need and demand.

How does Apple itself market towards the business world? It describes as “…the most powerful, flexible, and intuitive phone ever. With new features like multitasking, FaceTime video calling, improved mail, and enhanced security, iPhone makes even more sense for your business.” Some critics say that Apple does not provide the powerful enterprise tools needed by the larger corporates. No doubt Apple would disagree.

Apple definitely seems to be making a concerted effort to capture at least some element of the business market but whether it can truly challenge Blackberry remains to be seen. It does seem to be extending its reach however and it is one to watch. If you have a business and have not yet taken a close look at what mobile marketing can do for you, seize the day!

Learn more about mobile marketing. Stop by www.txt2get.com where you can find out all about TXT2GET and what it can do for you.

The smartphone was certainly on many people’s Christmas wish list in 2010 with Nielsen reporting that one-third of mobile owners in the US had a smartphone by the end of December last year. Smartphones were definitely rocking and according to Gartner’s statistics of the staggering 1.6 billion mobile phones sold globally that year, 297 million were smartphones! That’s 72% more smartphone sales than in 2009. So given this huge upward trend and the phenomenal popularity of smartphones for both business and personal use, is smartphone adoption expected to stagnate any time soon?

For lovers of statistics, even they may be surprised to know that over 1.6 billion mobile phones sold globally just in 2010 alone and of those almost 300 million were smartphones. Pretty phenomenal statistics; one could wonder, therefore, if having sold so many last year, whether the numbers will plateau or fall. Looking at just the US market, it would seem not. According to Nielsen, their forecast is that 1 in every 2 mobile phone owners will have a smartphone by 2011 and that would mean that smartphones would overtake feature phone sales for the first time.

The future development of smartphones looks very bright indeed with dual-core processors, 3D display capability, front-facing cameras, improved video capabilities, smarter phone chips allowing for use of multiple SIM cards – all these concepts either just introduced, about to be introduced or something for the near future. With so much going on and with every new smartphone being announced, it can be hard for many of us to keep up.

Looking ahead to what reviewers say US consumers are likely to purchase in 2011, Smartphones even outrank laptops and desktop computers. This, they say, is partly due to continued low retail pricing of handsets and overall lower-cost monthly data plans. Demand is strong and expected to increase over the coming year. So smartphone adoption is not expected to stagnate anytime soon either in the US or worldwide.

Whether it is iPhone, Android, Blackberry or the like, how smartphone sales are trending now and in the future, is very important for mobile marketers so they can identify their target audience. Like smartphone sales, Mobile marketing is also trending upwards and if you haven’t yet considered it to enhance your business, today is definitely the day to take a closer look.

Want to find out more about mobile marketing, then visit www.txt2get.com on how to choose the best solution for your needs.

In the world of mobile today, there is a vast range of mobile features, applications and services that can be found on an equally wide range of mobile devices and platforms. Because of this wide range however, mobile developers are discovering a key issue in mobile, which is Fragmentation. With mobile being such an exciting and promising venture, it pays to know what exactly mobile fragmentation is, and why it is seen as an issue.

Mobile Fragmentation refers to the varying specifications and capabilities of the vast range of mobile devices and platforms across the world, and the inability for designing and developing a single application that can operate across the board. This often means that many mobile ventures have to target a single device in their strategies as designing and developing the application for each of the major devices and platforms is time consuming and highly cost inefficient, in both the short term and the long term.

If we look at how far mobile fragmentation goes, then we can better understand the degree to which it can become an issue. As Damith C. Rajapakse, lecturer at National University of Singapore School of Computing says “Mobile fragmentation includes; hardware diversity, including “differences in screen parameters (size, colour depth, orientation, aspect ratio), memory size, processing power, presence of additional hardware (camera, voice recorder), and connectivity options (Bluetooth, IR, GPRS, etc.).” Mobile fragmentation is also caused by “Software diversity: Platform diversity, such as differences in platform/OS (Symbian, Nokia OS, RIM OS, Apple OS X, etc.), and differences in multimedia support (e.g., codecs), maximum binary size allowed, etc.

To further indicate the extent of the issue, Mr Rajapakse says that “mobile fragmentation also stems from implementation diversity, resulting from implementation bugs/quirks and is considered one of the most tiresome type of fragmentations, according to practitioners.” There is also “user-preference diversity, in elements including language, style, etc. environmental diversity, such as diversity in the deployment infrastructure (e.g., branding by carrier, gateway characteristics, restrictions on access to outside the network etc.), locale, local standards.”

Mobile fragmentation is most certainly a significant hurdle in the development and design process of mobile then. It possesses a seemingly never-ending range of diversities that make a single and functional application for all major mobile devices and platforms impossible. However, with the debate about whether or not it is in fact a detriment to the evolution of mobile as whole still raging, only time will tell if the “magic bullet” myth is in fact a myth, or if it is a holy grail waiting to bring mobile into a new age.

Want to find out more about mobile marketing, then visit www.txt2get.com on how to choose the best solution for your needs.

With mobile being one of the largest and most diverse global markets, diversities in devices and platforms are inevitable. So too then is the resulting ‘fragmentation’ of mobile. However, is this fragmentation any real detriment to the growth and success of mobile? Or does it simply reflect the nature of the globally diverse market? Is mobile fragmentation helping or hurting the growth of mobile?

As discussed in a previous article, we have seen how mobile fragmentation has been labelled as the major issue facing the growth and future success of mobile. The huge spectrum of diversities in mobile platforms and devices makes creating a single application for all mobile impossible. Some have begun a search for a potential unifying technology, dubbed the “magic bullet” by its sceptics. It is many of these sceptics who also stand by the idea that mobile fragmentation is a natural part of healthy competition and that it is part of mobiles growth and success.

However, the flipside to this argument takes an approach that suggests that in fact mobile fragmentation is not a bad thing. It is a natural part of a globally competitive and diverse market that reflects the desires and demand of its consumers. Mobile is one of the most impressive global markets when it comes to meeting consumer demand and diversity. Mr. Richard Wong attributes mobile fragmentation to this diversity. He points out that in India, one of the world’s leading and fastest developing mobile market’s, Nokia dominates the market share at 70 percent. In other key markets such as the U.S and Japan however, Nokia does not even feature in the top three.

In many ways mobile is already an indescribable success and Richard Wong suggests that rather than try and “solve” the fragmentation “problem,” instead companies are better off spending their time and money at the strategy drawing board. He states that rather than search for unifying technology, companies can consider whether they need a wide spreading market approach, or can they be efficient and successful by targeting a few thousand “profitable users.” Co-Founder of Symbian, Juha Christensen also supports mobile fragmentation and suggests that in the same way mobile is producing applications for all sorts of consumer needs, it is only a matter of time before mobile produces mobile devices for specific consumer types and demographics.

To a large extent mobile fragmentation is not a problem for the growth of mobile. It is indeed a challenge for some developers, but these developers may simply need to head to the drawing board and determine whether they want to reach as many customers as possible with their mobile strategy, or is it possible to be effective and aim to reach a few thousand profitable users? Mobile fragmentation is an inherent part of a globally diverse market, and it is this diversity that makes competition thrive and thus the market so successful. In which case, mobile fragmentation is most certainly not hurting the growth of mobile.

Looking to find the best deal on mobile marketing, then visit www.txt2get.com to find the best advice for you.

Advertising has come a great distance from the time when one had to sketch up presentations, pitch them to businesses, and then have the company physically get the information into the palms of prospective clients. These days, this same marketing data is sent directly into the hands of potential clients using their cellular phones. Mobile marketing is proving to be a successful tool for helping to brand one’s self and his or her products and services.

A mobile advertising network is an entity somewhat like a middle-man in wholesale marketing. These networks work by putting one’s company’s info in the hands of those with mobile devices. The network will pull together advertisements and text them out through the mobile phone network to the appropriately targeted audience base.

However, prior to starting, there are quite a few crucial points that one should comprehend. Budgets and target audiences are just a few of the very important considerations one must make when starting a mobile marketing campaign. There are six fantastic tips that should help any entrepreneur become a successful mobile marketer.

The first step to creating a profitable campaign is to plan a budget. One must know firsthand how much he or she has to put into a project. This can help decide how much cash is spent on which applicable items. Having a definite plan will help this campaign run more easily.

When one has determined a budget, he or she must not be afraid to spend it. Decide which type of platform one is going to use for the campaign, and then hire the type of company that specializes in that area. There are companies that can handle every aspect of a mobile campaign. Again, one’s budget will dictate what kind of marketing will benefit him or her the best.

Spend time defining the demographics of one’s targeted audience. Factors such as age, gender, and other things will dictate the set of individuals for whom the advertising campaign will work best. After one has established his or her campaign, it is always possible to expand afterward.

A targeted location is also crucial. If one can’t feasibly supply his or her services to someone on the other side of the planet, it is best to scale down and target just a local audience to start. This can be very significant when one considers the potential return on his or her investment.

Campaign tone is also an important part to cover. If targeting teens, slang terminology can be used to a slight degree; if targeting business professionals, it is best to stick to a more professional tone. The way in which the campaign is perceived has much to do with its success or failure.

Tracking achievements and failures is particularly critical. The amount of effort put into a campaign can be for naught if one does not maintain proper records. Only reinvest if the project is going well.

There are professional companies that can help with aspects of one’s campaign. There are even companies that can handle a complete project from start to finish. Having trust with the company that one chooses is of the utmost importance, as this company will be handling one’s brainchild.

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RIM’s Blackberry has long since been an established player in the enterprise market, in fact, has without doubt been the stronghold of the corporate world for many years. Favored as the smartphone of choice for professionals, it has had little real competition and has built its company upon this loyalty. However, nothing stands still, especially in the world of technology. Let’s look at whether two strong players in the smartphone market are making any inroads and posing any notable competition for Blackberry. Are Apple and Google genuine threats to Blackberry’s stronghold on the enterprise market?

RIM’s Blackberry range has long since had the lion’s share of the enterprise market, liked for its robust email platform, which is self-described as “…can be customized to meet the needs one person or an entire enterprise, to any scale, in any industry.” It has always been seen as the only option for security purposes too. The Corporate world has always been a fan but that maybe shifting as Apple and Google make inroads into this territory.

With Corporates in mind, Apple now offers users a new facility; the ability to remotely erase a lost or stolen phone, giving better security for sensitive data and information and this has been a real hit with businesses. Some Corporates are also listening to what their workers want and some have migrated their entire company from Blackberry to Apple. Apple’s own website claims it now has “…new features like multitasking, FaceTime video calling, improved mail, and enhanced security, iPhone makes even more sense for your business…” Competitive talk, indeed!

That said, some reviewers feel that the latest OS offering from Android is not as refined as it needs to be for the enterprise market. Android is apps-centric where Blackberry is business-centric. Blackberry still has the best email platform by far, in my opinion. Apple is certainly making a good challenge on the issue of security with a new facility which gives the user the ability to remotely erase a lost or stolen phone, giving better security for sensitive data and information. it is certainly stepping up its challenge to Blackberry with a tagline “…new features like multitasking, FaceTime video calling, improved mail, and enhanced security, iPhone makes even more sense for your business…”

What we are seeing here is more choice, more competitive pricing and the consumer is the real winner which has to be good. It is interesting, exciting times especially for mobile marketers who watch carefully what their target market is buying. With mobile marketing on the rise, what better time to explore what this can do to enhance your business.

Looking to find the best deal on mobile marketing, then visit www.txt2get.com to find the best advice for you.

Making money by adopting the proper marketing plan can be a tough choice. The availability of numerous marketing strategy options further makes the choice complicated. Nonetheless an alternative that is growing fast is the text message marketing. Communicating with a sizable number of people via a cell phone can be very rewarding as every person has one. Companies that text messages to many persons are able to add to their sales by a higher conversion rate.

SMS is the acronym for Short Message Service that enables users to send and receive info through their mobile. This is a common feature in every mobile handset and is a very popular method to exchange information. An upgraded version of SMS is the MMS, Multimedia Messaging Services. Here users can send multimedia files like pictures, video clips or audios to other compatible handsets. This is still in its nascent stage but has a potential to become an effective marketing tool.

For businesses wanting to explore this advertising tool, there are 2 solutions available. The first option is the bulk messaging system that uses a database to text messages to a large number of users. The other option is to use short codes such messages to request information. For example, one may use ’send message to a certain number for additional information’.

Text based message advertising is cheaper than other advertising tools. With this tool, business owners can share info on promotions and offerings on their products to clients. Product owners can create an informational focal point that users are able to access only through a mobile phone. One other option available to business owners is to exchange information with customers only via a mobile phone.

Providing limited time period offers to clients only through these messages can help small businesses grow their business. Providing customers after sales service through this advertising will help clients recall the brand of the company. This helps companies bring in more repeat customers and new customers through word of mouth marketing.

To make new customers give your offerings a trial, companies can send coupon codes on their mobile phones. Sending one-time-only promotional coupons to customers is appealing to them and can also assist companies sell more. One may consider using other such innovative methods to woo customers to increase sales and profits.

For an event that a company hosts either in person or on the internet, using text marketing can be incredibly effective. This approach enables companies to provide up to last minute special offerings, updates and reminders to customers. Moreover the company can keep the excitement of the event alive through these messages sent out to a large number of individuals.

Offering clients the choice to choose the topics on which they would like to receive regular info is beneficial. Small company owners can send out detailed information to targeted clients and help increase their product sales. Text marketing is a method that offers owners an opportunity to grow quickly without spending a lot on marketing. SMS based advertising has made it possible for small and medium businesses to grow quickly and easily.

For the best rates in text message marketing or just to keep up with text marketing check out OptIt.com