Android Wearables for iOS

This is a big development.  Android is going to open up the Android Wear platform for interaction with iOS.  You will be able to use your LG Android Watch with your shiny iPhone 6 Plus, or some such interaction.

Very interesting development.  Here is the story:

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/08/android-wear-gets-ios-support/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Google has announced that iOS is an officially supported operating system for Android Wear. Users with an iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, 6, or 6 Plus running iOS 8.2 and above will be able to pair with "newer" Android Wear devices, download the app, and be off and running.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Facebook's New Milestone

1 billion users visited Facebook in a single day on Monday.

That is an incredible new milestone.

Here is what Mark Zuckerberg wrote about this news:

We just passed an important milestone. For the first time ever, one billion people used Facebook in a single day.

On Monday, 1 in 7 people on Earth used Facebook to connect with their friends and family.

When we talk about our financials, we use average numbers, but this is different. This was the first time we reached this milestone, and it's just the beginning of connecting the whole world.

I'm so proud of our community for the progress we've made. Our community stands for giving every person a voice, for promoting understanding and for including everyone in the opportunities of our modern world.

A more open and connected world is a better world. It brings stronger relationships with those you love, a stronger economy with more opportunities, and a stronger society that reflects all of our values.

Thank you for being part of our community and for everything you've done to help us reach this milestone. I’m looking forward to seeing what we accomplish together.

Did YOU visit Facebook on Monday?  I bet you did so and were on your mobile phone when you did it.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0231 The Megaupload Story and the Internet's Grey Areas

Best Reading of the Day

Great read over on Wired.com that exposes the grey areas of the internet.  Megaupload.com was a website for storing files and it stored a lot of files.  Fortune 100 companies used it, governments used it, private citizens used it ... and pirates used it to, to distribute ludicrous amounts of pirated media such as music, movies, and more.  The owner, "Kim Dotcom" is still waiting his fate in New Zealand but the case raises questions of privacy concerns, and all sorts of others.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

The DOJ claims Megaupload was anything but ignorant of the pirated material on its site. In fact, the indictment claims, Megaupload’s generals engaged in illegal file-sharing themselves, encouraged it with an incentive program that paid cash for popular content, and were slow and selective in complying with takedown notices, only pulling infringing content and dropping the incentive program when the company was at the peak of its power. Megaupload counters that policing the billions of files on its service would be both impossible and a violation of their customers’ privacy, that they did their best to comply with takedown notices as the law required, and that they had reasonable expectations of the same DMCA safe harbor afforded to YouTube.

But unlike the Viacom versus YouTube case, the charges against Megaupload are not civil but criminal; the key players aren’t being sued, they’re facing jail. Not for the first time, Kim finds himself embroiled in a criminal case based on uncertain tech precedent.

Here is the full story:

http://www.wired.com/2012/10/ff-kim-dotcom/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Dunkin Donuts Mobile - Is it Awesome?

Yes it is.

Read the full story here:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/dunkin-donuts-overflows-competition-with-mobile-gift-and-coupon-blitz

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Dunkin’ Donuts is dispersing mobile gift cards to winners of its latest social media sweepstakes and is offering a coupon to application users ahead of back-to-school season, proving it has the wherewithal to dethrone Starbucks as a food and beverage leader in mobile.

The fast feeder sought to ramp up sales of its new Tailgater Breakfast Sandwich by rolling out a social media sweepstakes encapsulating fans’ enjoyment of eating breakfast at any time of day.

...

Those guys are all in for mobile and it shows and it is paying off in a big way for them.  Awesome!

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Want to try Samsung Pay?

You will have to check a lot of boxes to be able to try it.

Here are a few:

• Either a Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, or a Galaxy Note 5 smartphone.
• A current Samsung Account. You’ll probably have one of these if you own a Samsung smartphone, as it’s used for Samsung’s own apps and services. If not, you can always sign-up for one here.
• Connected to either AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or U.S. Cellular.
• A Visa or MasterCard from the Bank of America, or a U.S. Bank Visa card.

Here is the full story:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-pay-news/

I see no way this can be a fast growth capability.  Too many limitations.  Like Apple Pay, it will grow with time as the options to use it grow. All of these limitations mean there is only a tiny subset of Samsung phone owners who are able to try it.

The biggest challenge may be that time is against them.  As EMV comes in to full focus this year, chip and pin, this technology will become increasingly obsolete.  This seems like too little too late to me.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Chili's Tabletop Tablets

The work being done by the folks over at digital in Brinker, and the Chili's banner, is quite excellent but possibly unproven in this space.  That makes it innovative and interesting.  So how is it doing?

Here is a story from the folks at Mobile Commerce Daily:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/how-chilis-tabletop-tablets-are-driving-charity-donations-and-loyalty-signups

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Chili’s Grill and Bar is leveraging its tabletop tablet devices to make it easy for customers to donate to its annual fundraiser for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and is rewarding those who have signed up for its mobile loyalty program with bonus points for each donation made.

To celebrate its thirteenth year participating in the campaign, the food marketer has partnered with band Lady Antebellum to encourage guests to donate to the charity of choice, which treats childhood cancer and life-threatening illnesses. However, consumers will likely be swayed to open their wallets by the promise of receiving additional loyalty points each time they use an on-site tablet to donate to the cause.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Target Personalization Kicks Up Sales

Target is acting as a digital leader blazing a trail for others to follow and establishing itself for future success.  Their latest is an in-house personalization engine that is having a significant impact on redemption in the Cartwheel app.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/targets-cartwheel-enhances-personalization-and-sees-10pc-more-offers-downloaded

Here is a snippet from the story:

Target recently introduced personalized recommendations to Cartwheel, resulting in a more-than 10-percent increase in the number of offers downloaded per user.

This is just one of the ways that the merchant continues to fine-tune the Cartwheel application, which manages offers and lets users see what their friends are saving on.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0230 Amazon's Corporate Culture

Best Reading of the Day

Has anyone not heard of the New York Times story on the work culture at Amazon?

Time to read it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-in-a-bruising-workplace.html?_r=0

Here is a snippet from the piece:

On Monday mornings, fresh recruits line up for an orientation intended to catapult them into Amazon’s singular way of working.

They are told to forget the “poor habits” they learned at previous jobs, one employee recalled. When they “hit the wall” from the unrelenting pace, there is only one solution: “Climb the wall,” others reported. To be the best Amazonians they can be, they should be guided by the leadership principles, 14 rules inscribed on handy laminated cards. When quizzed days later, those with perfect scores earn a virtual award proclaiming, “I’m Peculiar” — the company’s proud phrase for overturning workplace conventions.

At Amazon, workers are encouraged to tear apart one another’s ideas in meetings, toil long and late (emails arrive past midnight, followed by text messages asking why they were not answered), and held to standards that the company boasts are “unreasonably high.”

The founder and CEO has already responded indicating this story does not represent the Amazon he knows.  That begs a simple question: does he know Amazon?

I interviewed with Amazon in 2007 at a DC.  I remember one of the VPs interviewing me answering a cell phone and yelling at the person on the line their "data is shit".  This happened as we were touring the DC.  Okay, I thought.

Amazon didn't invite me for employment.

Having spent a fair amount of time with startups since 2007 there wasn't much in the article that surprised me.  It is a tough world.  Most concerning, however, are the issues around work illness and treatment of women.  This story isn't going away any time soon.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Gap Attempting to be Cool Again

I certainly recall when Gap was everywhere, but that seems like a long time ago.

Business Insider has a good story on Gap's plans to become cool (and relevant?) again.  Excellent read on business in general and how supply chain assists with "cool" in today's world.

http://www.businessinsider.com/gaps-plan-to-be-cool-again-2015-8

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Gap was once so cool that Sharon Stone wore one of its turtlenecks to the Oscars.

But as consumers turned to cheaper fast-fashion alternatives, Gap failed to catch up. In the age of Instagram and instant fashion, the retailer's designs feel dated.

Now, America's largest apparel retailer is embarking on a turnaround plan to recapture cool customers by reinventing its supply chain to compete with brands like H&M, Zara, and Forever 21. It's also overhauled marketing and made key hires.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Kohl's Wallet Success

Kohl's is having some excellent success with their wallet as a new story details over on Mobile Commerce Daily:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/kohls-in-app-wallet-drives-30pc-of-mobile-traffic

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Kohl’s is bullish on mobile’s role for the upcoming holiday season, with 30 percent of its mobile traffic being driven by a new wallet feature in its application and plans to bring a new click-and-collect service to mobile.

During a conference call with analysts last week to discuss the retailer’s second quarter results, Kohl’s executives talked up the success of its new app, which has had more than 2 million downloads this year for a total of more than 8 million users.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Windows 10

I did it and it was very painless.  I upgraded my main desktop machine at home to Windows 10.  Piece of cake to do, and wow it is a really nice OS.

The nerd in me must admit it felt good, almost comforting, to once again be going through a Windows OS upgrade process. So, how about a couple good stories on this?

First is a review by CNet:

http://www.cnet.com/products/microsoft-windows-10/

Here is a snippet from the review:

THE GOOD Windows 10 bridges the gap between PCs and tablets without alienating anyone. The new OS combines the best bits of old and new Windows features into a cohesive package, while correcting nearly all of the missteps of Windows 8. The upgrade process is mostly painless, and free for most Windows 7 and 8 users.

THE BAD Many of the new features will be lost on those who don't care about touch. Automatic, forced updates could spell trouble later on. Cortana's features are better suited for smartphones.

For those interested in the process used to develop this new version of the OS, to learn before launching, and to set up a flywheel of ongoing development for the new "Windows as a Service" concept read this excellent story that contains examples of A/B testing and much more:

http://venturebeat.com/2015/08/13/how-microsoft-built-and-is-still-building-windows-10/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The Windows 10 team started with the basic capability of having multiple virtual desktops, then added functionality to see what users wanted: Over the release, the team would look to incorporate the top feedback items. First basic switching was added, then keyboard support was requested and implemented, then users asked about being able to sort contents in the taskbar that map to the desktop, and so on. Aul considers virtual desktops a “great example for where the feedback really led the development of the feature.”

Eventually, an A/B test was required. For the taskbar, there were two different ways to show your running apps: Display all the apps or display a filtered view, where for any given desktop you only see what you’re running in that desktop. Microsoft offered the options to two different groups and asked each how they liked their variant.

Microsoft has become a very different company today, and it looks like a change for the good based on the products and services beginning to come out of Redmond.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0229 Amazon's Challenge

Best Reading of the Day

Your best read today comes from the folks over at Re/Code.  The story covers Amazon's difficulties getting customers to find new products, or products they didn't know they wanted/needed.  This is the phenomenon long relied upon by traditional brick & mortar stores.  Walk in looking for one thing and walk out with several more things.

Here is the story:

http://recode.net/2015/08/10/amazons-next-big-challenge-getting-you-to-buy-stuff-you-didnt-know-you-wanted/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Amazon’s pitch to these startups, which sell their goods to Amazon at wholesale prices, is that the e-commerce giant can get their products discovered by way more people than through other sales channels. But some of these categories of goods may pose problems for Amazon because they fall out of Amazon’s sweet spot. Amazon is an amazing place to shop when you know the exact brand, or at least type of product, you want to buy. It is, at its core, a search engine — one that’s fast, precise and increasingly a big competitive risk to Google’s own product search business.

But it is still a long way off from being a top source of inspiration for shoppers to discover completely new goods they had no intention of buying.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Big Data Coupons as you Drive

The era of big data is upon us as techies around the world scramble to figure out the best ways to use all of that data floating out there (with much more data still to come as the Internet of Things grows).

A startup has figured out how to hit you with coupons on the fly, in a relevant way, and has some major retailers interested.  Here is the story:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/techflash/2015/08/startup-hopes-to-push-shopping-offers-to-you-while.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Repeat entrepreneur Sanjay Chopra and Eric Nyberg, professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science, have teamed on an ecommerce startup that will use mobile data to create personalized shopping offers.

Cognistx, which is based in Gibsonia, launched in July and expects to debut its first product in early fall. Via language processing and data manipulation, the young mobile marketing firm enables retailers to offer personalized offers to customers, Chopra said. That includes their history with the retailer and to-the-minute information such as their location. Nyberg had consulted with IBM on the Watson project, the supercomputer that won on “Jeopardy!” four years ago.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Welcome Alphabet, Move Over Google

In a quiet and, for many, very surprising late-day announcement yesterday the company named 'Google' has just been radically re-organized.

Say hello to Alphabet.

Google as a company will continue within the the superstructure provided by the parent company Alphabet, as will a collection of other companies.

Here is a story from the Silicon Valley Journal:

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/08/10/google-names-new-ceo-under-new-company-led-by-page.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

"For Sergey and me this is a very exciting new chapter in the life of Google — the birth of Alphabet," Page wrote in a blog post. “We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity’s most important innovations, and is the core of how we index with Google search.”

The company announced the moves after the market closed on Monday. Google shares traded about 6 percent higher in after-hours trading around 3:33 p.m. Pacific time.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Brick & Mortar Marriage to Social Media

I'm a big believer in blurring the lines between the digital and the physical world. We have tremendous access to information in the digital world, something that cannot be replicated in the physical world, but we need that information in our daily lives.  Intertwining them is the path that makes sense.

So why would retail businesses continue to maintain a firewall between their physical stores and their digital presence?  Doesn't make sense to me and some brands are taking a much better path.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/retailers-adapt-social-media-for-real-world-in-store-sales-impact

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Big retailers such as Nordstrom, Victoria’s Secret and Lowe’s are increasingly bringing physical manifestations of social media into their stores to excite mobile-savvy shoppers and drive sales.

With more shoppers using their phones in-store, often to connect with social media, and throughout the path-to-purchase, it makes sense for retailers to carry over the interest in social media to their window displays and other store marketing efforts. The strategy is an example of the blurring of the lines between marketing, content and advertising as omnichannel marketing matures.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Wendy's Nationalized Personal Offers Through Mobile

Wendy's has been making some news recently as you can see in the pages of this blog and that continues today.

Here is a snippet from the story:

Wendy’s sees an opportunity to add personalized offers and national coupons to its mobile ordering and payments experience, underscoring the growing convergence between leveraging mobile to build customer loyalty and drive added convenience.

During a conference call with analysts to discuss the company’s second quarter financial results, executives discussed its ongoing test of mobile ordering and mobile payments as well as plans to take a new innovation lab to the next level later this year.

Here is the full story once again by the folks over at Mobile Commerce Daily:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/wendys-sees-opportunity-for-personalized-national-offers-with-mobile-ordering

Looks like interesting, fun, and cool things happening at Wendy's. What I can't quite see yet, however, is how traditional QSR that typically caters to lower socio-economic demographics is going to see a huge uptick in adoption for mobile apps, etc.  I'd expect that of the fast-casual crowd such as Chipotle but am more skeptical here. As a vehicle for differentiation this makes perfect sense to me and appears to be excellent work by the team at Wendy's. We'll see how it does.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Mobile Loyalty Failure by Retailers

The folks over at Mobile Commerce Daily have a story of a recent study around mobile and loyalty among retailers and it isn't pretty.

Here is the story:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/73pc-of-retailers-do-not-offer-mobile-access-to-loyalty-report

Here is a snippet from the piece:

While 47 percent of retailers increased their mobile marketing budgets this year, 73 percent still do not offer mobile access to their loyalty programs, according to a new report from Boston Retail Partners.

However, 56 percent of retailers are working towards offering more mobile capabilities in the next two years, such as the ability to track point balances, redeem rewards, send alerts to customers near a reward threshold and offer special promotions.

The piece also talks to the rise of gamification. Overall it is a good read and worth your time.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0228 MLB.com Streaming Video

Best Reading of the Day

The story behind MLB.com and the success of its digital efforts and streaming video is impressive reading.  When you add the recent addition of HBO cutting the cord through this service, and now the news of the NHL coming onboard it becomes truly impressive.

This is your best read of the day:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/4/9090897/mlb-bam-live-streaming-internet-tv-nhl-hbo-now-espn

Here is a snippet from the story:

When baseball’s then commissioner, Bud Selig, created BAM back in 2000, he had relatively modest goals in mind. The unit would be in charge of creating websites for each of the teams and consolidating MLB’s digital rights. By pooling resources, he would prevent the bigger teams from outpacing their smaller market rivals. And to keep the division honest and efficient, BAM would operate as its own company. The teams agreed to contribute a combined $120 million to the venture, $1 million each over the first four years, with each taking an equal ownership stake.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

More About Target's Mobile Beacons

Great little story by the folks at Mobile Commerce Daily.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/target-innovates-in-store-beacon-marketing-with-newsfeed-like-content-stream

Here is a snippet from the piece:

One of the more interesting aspects of the program is the Target Run page. Once a shopper has downloaded the Target app and enabled Bluetooth in the settings of an iPhone, product recommendations related to the department they are located in may pop up as a push notification or in-app update on their phone.

This same information can also be found on the new Target Run page, which operates similar to a social media site’s newsfeed, with the latest content – meaning product recommendations or coupons based on the user’s location – being added on the top of the page.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Pay Declines

PYMTS.com has been working with a retail tracking company to follow the progress of Apple Pay and to garner some numbers the folks at Cupertino aren't interested in providing.  How is Apple Pay doing, in the store, among the addressable market, those who own an iPhone 6?

Here is the story:

http://www.pymnts.com/in-depth/2015/apple-pay-adoption-the-falling-side-of-the-bell-curve/#.VcNhfPNVhBc

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Disturbing Declines

In March, survey data indicated that 15.1 percent of eligible Apple Pay users had tried the service – when surveyed in June 2015 that had fallen to 13.1 percent.

Usage fell as well – when asked in March, “Did you use Apple Pay on this transaction,” 39.3 percent of consumers said yes. When asked the same question in June, only 23 percent replied in the affirmative.

“These are people who have tried it, who just had a chance to use it because they were at their phone and were at a merchant who accepted it – but they just didn’t choose to use Apple Pay,” Jared Schrieber, CEO of InfoScout, told the assembled at R2 while explaining the figures.

With quotes from representatives from Paydiant (PayPal), Samsung Pay (LoopPay), and LevelUp this is a good article to read on loyalty, mobile payments, the digital wallet, and more.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Target Tests Mobile Beacons

Wow!

The age of the beacon is upon us (forget the whole idea of the "year of the beacon" we are way beyond that).  I've been waiting for one of the really big retailers (other than Macy's that is doing a TON in mobile) to take on beacons.

Here we go.

http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/target-testing-beacons-50-stores-more-stores-features-come

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Target Corp. has made its first major foray into beacon technology as the retailer continues to look for ways to enhance the in-store shopping experience with digital tools.

The retailer announced it is testing beacons at 50 stores nationwide, including locations in Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, New York City, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle. The company said it plans to expand the service to more stores later this year.

Target joins Macy's, GameStop, Lord & Taylor, real estate giant Simon and others that are experimenting with beacons.

Given the Target app already has Apple Watch interactions I expect it will be just a short jump to personalized notifications tapped on your wrist as you walk through Target.  Cool!

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Very Cool Mobile Coupon Capability

A company I'd never previously heard of named 'Slyce' has some news of what looks to me like a very cool new mobile coupon capability for retailers.  Offered as a service the customer will be able to scan physical coupons with their phone and use them at checkout.

Here is the story:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/slyce-launches-snap-to-coupon-capability-and-digital-coupon-author-platform-for-major-retailers-2015-08-04-7173397

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Slyce Inc. (SLC) announced today the launch of a new enterprise level product for retailers: Snap-to-Coupon. The technology, when integrated into a retailer app, enables consumers to snap a photo of any coupon they see from that retailer - whether via newspaper, catalog, or receipt - and instantly generate a mobile-optimized version which can be stored on the retailer's app. The retailer is then able to leverage push notifications to remind the consumers to use the coupon. These reminders can be automatically triggered based on pending expiration dates of coupons or when a consumer is near a physical store.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Outback Steakhouse Mobile Payments

Another restaurant is enabling mobile interaction with their customers and a pay at the table mobile payments option.  The well-known steakhouse chain Outback Steakhouse is joining in:

http://www.pymnts.com/news/2015/outback-steakhouse-beefs-up-with-mobile-payments/#.VcIQm_NVhBc

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Dining chain Outback Steakhouse is on track to release a smartphone app by the end of the year that will let customers pay their tabs at the table, with the help of their smart devices.

Nation’s Restaurant News said Tuesday (Aug. 4) that executives from Bloomin’ Brands, the parent company of the chain, unveiled the plans that day during a conference call with analysts.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0227 Tech's Great Man Myth

Best Reading of the Day

What comes to mind when someone mentions 'Steve Jobs'??

Greatness?  Arrogance?

The myth of the great man, moving history rather than being moved by history, has been written about for nearly 200 years in Western culture.  The concept is largely disproven but does seem to continue in technology today as this article calls out.

http://www.technologyreview.com/review/539861/techs-enduring-great-man-myth/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

The idea of “great men” as engines of change grew popular in the 19th century. In 1840, the Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle wrote that “the history of what man has accomplished in this world is at bottom the history of the Great Men who have worked here.” It wasn’t long, however, before critics questioned this one–dimensional view, arguing that historical change is driven by a complex mix of trends and not by any one person’s achievements. “All of those changes of which he is the proximate initiator have their chief causes in the generations he descended from,” Herbert Spencer wrote in 1873. And today, most historians of science and technology do not believe that major innovation is driven by “a lone inventor who relies only on his own imagination, drive, and intellect,” says Daniel Kevles, a historian at Yale. Scholars are “eager to identify and give due credit to significant people but also recognize that they are operating in a context which enables the work.” In other words, great leaders rely on the resources and opportunities available to them, which means they do not shape history as much as they are molded by the moments in which they live.
Why does the great man myth continue in technology and in business in general?  How else does one sell all of those books and take in fees at speaking engagements?

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant