Comments on: The mobile web is knocking on our doors

By: bnerunner

bnerunner — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 11:56:23 +0000

There is a great new site that started up 2 weeks ago called

mobile.barcle.com Easy, smart, and lightweight. Barcle has compiled 15 Million SKUs from over 20 000 brands at almost 1 000 online stores. Nothing complicated, just type in the SKU

while instore shopping and Barcle will show you the lowest online prices available, as well as a product photo and description.

That way you can instore shop confident about the prices you see

and not have to visit 5 different outlets to compare. If the merchant will not match the lowest price, go elsewhere or buy it directly from Barcle. If you scan alot, Socketmobile sells SDIO/mini SDIO readers. Barcle does not ask you for your name or ask you to join anything. Check it out.

By: ceciiil

ceciiil — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:11:43 +0000

I used to work with Fred. He really is a fantastic IT professional. He has the vision, the business approach and the passion.

Actually he is noumero uno on my blogroll underground (http://ceciiil.wordpress.com/2007/08/22/blogroll-underground/).

By: Jeremy Fain

Jeremy Fain — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:51:59 +0000

Wow, this guy Fred you Ceciil point out definitely has a point in his insightful post. Impressive.

By: Matthias Schwenk

Matthias Schwenk — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:27:52 +0000

Thanks a lot for the link to Fred Brunel’s article. Anyway I am still convinced that content (and not market infrastructure) will bring the breakthrough.

And: Apple is a hope, too (Revenue sharing with carriers!)

By: Vincent van Wylick

Vincent van Wylick — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:16:40 +0000

But don’t you think this has a possibility to change if the frequencies were to open up, like is happening in the US (hopefully)? The reason why change is so frustrating is because the mobile operator market is an oligopoly, dominated by a small number of very large and powerful players.

If, like on the internet, these players were to be pushed back towards a simple infrastructure-role, I think there are a lot-a lot of options for mobile development. Basically this whole world is waiting for good solutions to take the web with them and integrate it into their daily lives.

That said, I do share your scepticism about whether this will in any way be easy. I do think that the EU is showing an active interest in curtailing the power of these types of companies, so in that regard I am hopeful.

By: ceciiil

ceciiil — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:47:20 +0000

Basically, the mobile market is pretty complicated and it is extremely diffcult for a small mobile company to offer new services and innovate.

I guess that’s why we haven’t seen Mobile as a Internet terminal taking off as we thought it would.

I can only recommend you to read fred post on this : http://fredbrunel.com/journal/2006/09/5-reasons-why-mobile-business-sucks/

By: belhassen

belhassen — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:38:06 +0000

i have a qtek9000 with 3G sim.

with such screen surfing is when needed and focused – not for fun.

-> i dont feel need for more bandwith.

By: Vincent van Wylick

Vincent van Wylick — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 10:35:32 +0000

I don't know. I'm waiting for both WiMax or something similar to bring some form of "net neutrality" to the medium. I think both Google and maybe Skype are currently arguing for the frequencies to be opened up for more web-based solutions to compete. I really hope that they succeed. In addition because I (clearly) like to write a lot, I really prefer the ultra-mobile laptop-format to the not-so-mobile mobile format. I like a regular keyboard, and am not a fan of iPhone's touch-screen-solution. I think the Palm Foleo is a step in the right direction.

By: matthiastech

matthiastech — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:08:16 +0000

Well, the question about bandwith really is interesting as Apple for example did not adopt for 3G with the iPhone.

My Blackberry Pearl is also limited to EDGE but the real problem is the poor visibility on the small screen (I admit)…

By: nicolas belhassen

nicolas belhassen — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:49:16 +0000

“But still we do have one major problem: Surfing the internet on a mobile device is (very) expensive compared to the fees for home computing.”

it s not sure huge bandwith will be necessary for mobile devices.

Ergonomy and visibility are de facto poor on mobile devices. Surfing is then difficult.

Connectivity to peers around simple & relevant information extraction from NET may be the resulting solution.

Those constraints push the emerging NFC solutions (barcode RFID..)

Qode, Scanbuy ..

minimum customer activity on the mobile (barcode reader) and relevant information extraction from the net – Price, advice, all kind of information.

In parralel other initiatives try to improve mobile visibility: Microsoft deep fish (zoom in) but still you re lacking some space.