MobiTMS introduce its 2D barcodes search engine in Facebook

WE have the pleasure to unveil the launching in Facebook of the “TMS Search” application, an adaptation for social networks of the TMS search engine of 2D barcodes.

MobiTMS the provider of “TMS” a (SMS 2.0) suite of tools and applications to develop D2MC (Direct to Mobile Consumers) businesses announced the launching of a suite of Social Networks mini applications to link mobile and digital media. This first application allows an access to “TMS Search” (the mobile search engine of barcode already accessible on mobile phones via www.TMSsearch.com) directly on Social network pages with a first version developed for Facebook.

The application allows the preview of the landing page associated to a TMS Code and 2D barcode and to send the link directly to a mobile phone.

The service also offers users the ability to create their own TMS code and 2D barcode associated to a “mobilized” content or to reference an existing 2D barcode in TMS Search to increase its audience of mobile users. In complement the service offers access to a feed of codes to get mobile goods.

“2007 saw the emergence of a high number of 2D barcodes companies but as the concept becomes inescapable, the number of different technologies used pushed us to think that an interoperable solution was necessary to provide the service on a worldwide level such as Facebook”, says Frederick Saurat one of the MobiTMS co-founder.

“The TMS Search application which offers an easy way to “decode” 2D barcodes (which doesn’t require the download of a mobile application, an entrance barrier broken by MobiTMS), also provides the possibility to share mobile goods with friends by uploading the content on a mobile “landing” page, create the associated TMS code and send the code to friends via a simple SMS allowing them access to the mobile goods. The size of a file such as song or video is no longer a problem for mobile users to exchange” add Frederick Saurat.

Don’t design for “mobile” - design for mobility

by peterme from "AdaptivePath Blog"

In 2007, Adaptive Path conducted a significant amount of research and design work in the mobile space. Typically, we can’t talk about much of it, though the paper Rachel co-authored with folks at Nokia addresses some of it.
In discussions on designing for mobile, form factor often dominates. The devices have to fit in your pocket. They have smaller screens. They have (or don’t, in the case of iPhone) some set of buttons.
Another common theme is “they’re not small PCs.” Initial attempts at mobile design tried to squeeze the PC (particularly the PC Web experience) into the phone, which simply frustrated users.
What I’ve seen in our work is that form factor, though important, is not crucial. In fact, it might be a misleading concern. The thing that’s interesting about designing for mobile isn’t the form of the device. It’s that the device comes with you.
What we’re realizing is that the key item of concern when designing for mobile is the context in which the device is used. What this means is that discussions of “PC” versus “mobile” are misguided, because we shouldn’t be focusing on the device. We are not designing for mobile — we’re designing for mobility.
It’s helpful to contrast designing for mobility with designing for sedentariness. What we hadn’t realized until we were designing explicitly for mobility is that, in the past, we had been designing not just for the “PC,” but for a sedentary experience. We shared unstated assumptions that people would remain in one place for long periods of time, with little change in their environment. We could take advantage of this with software experiences that rewarded deeper engagement, encouraged exploration and play, allowed for more complicated interactions to achieve a goal.
A key characteristic of mobility is that the environment around the user is dynamic — they’re walking, driving, on transit, in restaurants, theaters, offices, moving from place to place, context to context. Things around them are constantly changing.
And what we as users want in that kind of dynamic environment is a highly predictable, straightforward, get-in-and-get-out software experience. We don’t want to explore cyberspace when we’re out-and-about. We want to quickly get a key piece of information, or make a key connection. We want key functionality at our fingertips.
Whereas in a static environment, we’re much more willing to explore, assess, and analyze. We’re willing to take the time, to try new things, to invite surprise, because our environment is stable and supportive. So there’s an inverse relationship between the dynamism of your environment, and the complexity of use you’re willing to put up with.
Now, the thing is, it doesn’t matter what device you use in these contexts. If I’m out-and-about, and I pull out my laptop to find an address, I want to get in and get out. And if I’m at home or at the office, and have time to relax and engage, I’m perfectly willing to get exploratory with my mobile phone.
I believe we’re missing big opportunities when we design for the device, and not for the context in which the device is being used.

Another major wireless carrier adopts Scanbuy's mobile bar code reading application.

Scanbuy the 2D barcode MobiTMS partner, announced today that Vivo, Brazil's largest mobile telecom operator, will support its Barcode platform and become the first mobile operator in Latin America to utilize 2D barcodes.Vivo, a joint venture between Telefonica and Portugal Telecom, is the largest mobile telecommunications operator in the Southern Hemisphere.Vivo chose Scanbuy's platform after an extensive bidding process for a completely integrated solution combining client and server applications. The platform has also been deployed in France, Spain, the Philippines, China and the United States. Several other markets are expected to launch in 2008.

This is why to promote a mobile site on other support is a need

Only 16% of the US mobile user access the web with their phone and only 4% use the classic web search engine in their phone....

Mike Shields JANUARY 17, 2008 - A lot more people are using their mobile devices for search--but few are conducting such searches via the mobile Web.Approximately 46.1 million mobile subscribers used some sort of mobile search option during the third quarter of last year, according to a new report released by Nielsen Mobile, representing 22 percent of the nearly 208 million wireless subscribers in the U.S. But most of those users conducted those searches not on the Internet, but through dialing 411 or by sending text messages.In fact, just 9 million users, or roughly 4 percent of the total mobile audience, conducted searches via mobile Web sites like Google and Yahoo this past August, found Nielsen.
And despite the excitement surrounding Apple’s iPhone and its descendants, just 16 percent of the mobile audience, or 33.7 million users, accessed the Internet at all using a mobile device as of Nielsen’s most recent estimate from November.Thus, for the moment, most mobile users are sticking with mobile devices’ basic communication functions to conduct searches – perhaps limiting the short-term ad opportunities for mobile search. Nielsen found that 18.1 million users utilized 411 for searches during the most recent third quarter. Meanwhile 14.1 million users conducted searches – whether for local business, news or sports scores – by sending text messages to top mobile media players such as Google or Yahoo.

January 14, 2008 12:00 PM

Seventy-eight million U.S. consumers received advertising on their mobile phones in the fourth quarter of last year, according to a new report released by mobile entertainment provider Limbo.

The survey of 1,000 adults in the United States was fielded by GFK/NOP Research.

It found that the Short Message Service, also known as text messaging, is a very effective way of reaching consumers with mobile advertising. Out of 250 million mobile phone users in the United States, 141 million -- or 56% -- use SMS, which is the most popular nonvoice communications service.

As a comparison, 67 million consumers use the mobile Web, which means SMS's reach is twice as high as Internet reach for advertising on mobile phones, according to the report.

The report found that one in three mobile phone users have seen or heard mobile advertising in the fourth quarter of last year, with SMS being the dominant medium delivering the ads.

One-third of people who received mobile advertising recalled a brand being promoted; 41% of women recalled the ads, while only 27% of men were able to recall them.

The sectors and brands that were the most memorable include wireless carriers Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless and AT&T (NYSE: T); mobile phone products from Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and BlackBerry; entertainment brands BET, Fox, MTV, and various movies and music artists; consumer packaged goods like Coke and Pepsi; sports brands NFL and Nike; mobile services and ring tones; electronics; automobiles like Chevrolet; and quick-service restaurants like McDonald's.

But SMS isn't the only way mobile adverting is starting to reach consumers.

Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) last month began displaying ads to MSN Mobile customers for the first time, in hopes of generating additional revenue. When U.S. mobile users visit Microsoft's MSN Mobile Web page on their cell phone and smartphone browsers, they'll see banner and text ad placements.

In September, Google (NSDQ: GOOG) introduced AdSense for Mobile, its service for placing contextual ads with mobile Web content. AdSense publishers earn money based on the number of ads clicked on by viewers.

While some are skeptical about the future potential of mobile advertising, sales generated from mobile ads in the United States accounted for $421 million in 2006. That number is expected to reach nearly $5 billion by 2011 in the United States alone, according to

MobiTMS "Season 2"

With "TMS Search" we have already broken the barrier represented by the need of “a mobile application to download” to use TMS.
The year 2007 was really great for the Mobile Media and MobiTMS. We achieved a cycle of applications developments to offer the “TMS suite” of Internet Mobile services.
This year was also used to develop some test markets with our initial partners (a dozen of magazines and brands) in the different TMS focus domains and the results have shown us the needs and wishes of consumers and advertisers in relation to Mobile Media.

On the consumers side we noted:
- A strong demand for multimedia and interactive contents from the Internet Mobile users
- A large majority are ready to accept to be connected on mobile ads but only if they can receive a “Value Added” for the connection cost. They wish to earn: Goods, Cash back, Discount coupons, Invitation, High value info to store…)
- If a large majority feel the “2D barcode: cool” they still are not ready to download an application on their phone for diverse reasons (they don’t know how to, they don’t want or they don’t have a phone compatible).
- They are more comfortable to use a service “SMS Premium like” first to have a better mobile user experience and to test the service and appreciate the benefits.

On advertisers side we noted:
- A large majority expect to include the mobile media in their ads campaign strategy. According to eMarketer, advertising spent on mobile media will rise to $12billion by 2011.
- They foresee not to consider anymore mobile as a stand alone network but they still continue to feel the approach is very complicate in terms of mobile formats distribution.
- They wish to use a platform which can synchronize digital content between web and mobile.
- They are really interested in the 2D barcode concept as a way to promote and integrate the mobile media into a global media strategy including Print Digital and Mobile, but they are concerned about the impact of the “entrance barrier of the service”, which requires the download and installation of a mobile application, for a early adoption of the concept by a large majority of users.
- They are open to spend a part of their campaign budget on mobile if the users can be identified and if some data can be collected.

Considering the value of all of these informations collected MobiTMS propose for 2008 the “MobiTMS Ads platform” to use the mobile media as a part of a global campaign to offer consumer something personal
The platform has two high value components in direct consideration of the above reflexions.

- The first one offers assistance to create mobile multimedia content, synchronize web & mobile interactive contents (like RSS, Blogs, Videos…) and to distribute the mobile contents generated automatically in all the mobile formats (including iPhones). MobiTMS provide all the tools to offer consumers goods, coupons, cash back, invitations … to be viewed, stored or downloaded and tools for data collection and campaign online management.

- The second component offers solutions to promote and provide a direct access to the mobile content generated with TMS Codes and 2D barcodes to be printed or/and embedded in web widgets or social networks application such as Facebook application

With “TMS Search” the mobile search engine of Codes and barcodes, (which is a Mashup of “SMS Premium” and “Google Search” user experience) TMS now offers, a way to access directly the mobile contents which does not require the download of a phone application. (Read the PR: http://www.pr-inside.com/are-2d-barcodes-the-next-revolution-r295282.htm)

The user who does not want or does not know how to download an application on his phone can use TMS by just going to www.TMSsearch.com with his phone web browser (web icon) and enter the TMS Code. (We can also use a SMS to send the link to the search for the “dummies”)

The users can also choose to download the Free TMS barcode reader and scan the 2D barcode associated to the TMS Code.

With these 2 options TMS is the first service in the world to offer all mobile Internet users a direct access to mobile contents.

Our experience has shown where SMS is predominantly used the TMS Shortcode and the browser solution (which is very close to the SMS premium experience) is the way to access for people who don’t want, can’t or don’t know how to download the application on there phone (or to show them the benefits of the service with some initial campaigns, before asking them to download an application).

Happy New Year and think mobile.