Michelle Megna tag:blog.internetnews.com,2008-01-08:/mmegna/64 2009-11-03T18:55:52Z Megnabytes: Observations on mobility, online ads and e-commerce Movable Type Enterprise 4.25 Creative: cooking up an e-reader? tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.59110 2009-11-03T18:13:59Z 2009-11-03T18:55:52Z Michelle Megna Google extends Voice party line tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.59003 2009-10-13T20:23:28Z 2009-10-13T20:46:25Z The Internet giant today said it will start allowing more people to use its Google Voice call management app. "As a token of appreciation for all of the feedback our users have been sharing over the past few months,... Michelle Megna The Internet giant today said it will start allowing more people to use its Google Voice call management app. "As a token of appreciation for all of the feedback our users have been sharing over the past few months,... Storm 2 brewin' for late October release tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58991 2009-10-13T14:59:35Z 2009-10-13T15:15:41Z Mobile rumor alert: the BlackBerry Storm 2 is coming out Oct. 28 on Verizon. Research In Motion's Storm 2, its answer to the iPhone 3GS and sporty Android handsets debuting this month, has been suspiciously absent from the mobile hoopla.... Michelle Megna Mobile rumor alert: the BlackBerry Storm 2 is coming out Oct. 28 on Verizon. Research In Motion's Storm 2, its answer to the iPhone 3GS and sporty Android handsets debuting this month, has been suspiciously absent from the mobile hoopla.... Dell and AT&T to offer Android smartphone? tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58958 2009-10-07T20:01:11Z 2009-10-07T20:08:34Z Michelle Megna Pricing, sale date set for Motorola Cliq tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58909 2009-09-29T19:58:07Z 2009-09-29T20:25:03Z T-Mobile today issued details on the launch of Motorola's Android handset, Cliq: it costs $199 with a two-year contract and pre-sales for existing customers begins Oct. 19. The Cliq impressed industry observers when unveiled at Motorola's press event Sept.... Michelle Megna T-Mobile today issued details on the launch of Motorola's Android handset, Cliq: it costs $199 with a two-year contract and pre-sales for existing customers begins Oct. 19. The Cliq impressed industry observers when unveiled at Motorola's press event Sept.... iPhone owners buy boat, Lamborghini with eBay app tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58894 2009-09-24T19:02:32Z 2009-09-24T19:27:20Z The eBay iPhone app is proving to be profitable for eBay, with the company realizing $380 million in sales through the iPhone within the first nine months of this year, said CEO John Donahoe, during a keynote speech at the... Michelle Megna The eBay iPhone app is proving to be profitable for eBay, with the company realizing $380 million in sales through the iPhone within the first nine months of this year, said CEO John Donahoe, during a keynote speech at the... Google updates WinMo app with location, more tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58891 2009-09-24T18:23:52Z 2009-09-24T18:29:12Z Google's app for Windows Mobile phones got some love today from the search giant in the form of three new features. Designed to make mobile search of Google faster and easier, the updates include My Location, Google Suggest and... Michelle Megna Google's app for Windows Mobile phones got some love today from the search giant in the form of three new features. Designed to make mobile search of Google faster and easier, the updates include My Location, Google Suggest and... Sybase, Siemens streamline mobile management tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58890 2009-09-24T17:45:29Z 2009-09-24T18:04:07Z Sybase and Siemens Enterprise Communications (SEN) Group just joined forces to provide customers with an integrated mobile and fixed-line voice and data service targeted at making unified communications and mobile work together more efficiently. The new offering marries Sybase's... Michelle Megna Sybase and Siemens Enterprise Communications (SEN) Group just joined forces to provide customers with an integrated mobile and fixed-line voice and data service targeted at making unified communications and mobile work together more efficiently. The new offering marries Sybase's... IBM-RIM mobile service gets subscription model tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58888 2009-09-24T17:26:51Z 2009-09-24T18:05:41Z IBM today released a new subscription-based management service for the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution platform aimed at helping companies to budget their mobility costs more efficiently. The newly unveiled IBM Mobile Enterprise Services for the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is a... Michelle Megna IBM today released a new subscription-based management service for the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution platform aimed at helping companies to budget their mobility costs more efficiently. The newly unveiled IBM Mobile Enterprise Services for the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is a... Study: Palm Pre Cool, BlackBerry Not So Much tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58886 2009-09-24T16:21:30Z 2009-09-24T16:40:38Z In just over four months, the Palm Pre is making progress in mindshare, second only to the iPhone 3GS, says a study out today. While the iPhone and its apps are nothing less than a cultural touchstone, it appears... Michelle Megna In just over four months, the Palm Pre is making progress in mindshare, second only to the iPhone 3GS, says a study out today. While the iPhone and its apps are nothing less than a cultural touchstone, it appears... Is it time for Time Inc. to enter e-reader market? tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58806 2009-09-11T18:47:45Z 2009-09-11T20:07:22Z Time Inc. wants a slice of the burgeoning e-reader market, though it remains to be seen exactly how the magazine publishing giant will go about it. After an internal document was leaked to a news outlet, reports circulated speculating... Michelle Megna Time Inc. wants a slice of the burgeoning e-reader market, though it remains to be seen exactly how the magazine publishing giant will go about it. After an internal document was leaked to a news outlet, reports circulated speculating... Verizon map: Storm 2, Motorola's Android Sholes on tap tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58688 2009-08-24T17:25:19Z 2009-08-24T17:30:50Z Research In Motion's answer to the iPhone 3GS, for now being called Storm 2, is expected to be released by Verizon in October, along with Motorola's Android-powered handset code-named Sholes. A leaked Verizon Wireless document outlining upcoming smartphones hit the... Michelle Megna Research In Motion's answer to the iPhone 3GS, for now being called Storm 2, is expected to be released by Verizon in October, along with Motorola's Android-powered handset code-named Sholes. A leaked Verizon Wireless document outlining upcoming smartphones hit the... Wikipedia Mobile debuts; Upgrade for Facebook iPhone App on tap tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58669 2009-08-19T21:44:06Z 2009-08-19T21:48:48Z Wikipedia is going mobile today with the release of an iPhone app while Facebook awaits approval of a significant upgrade to its existing iPhone program. Wikipedia Mobile is available today for those wanting on-the-go access to the online, collaborative encyclopedia.... Michelle Megna Wikipedia is going mobile today with the release of an iPhone app while Facebook awaits approval of a significant upgrade to its existing iPhone program. Wikipedia Mobile is available today for those wanting on-the-go access to the online, collaborative encyclopedia.... Study: iPhone is a detriment to carriers tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58644 2009-08-17T20:47:15Z 2009-08-17T22:07:32Z The iPhone is not a run-away success increasing profits for carriers -- or shareholders -- and reports of such are the product of Apple's "unique PR campaign" and uncritical media, according to the Danish consulting firm Strand Consult. The company... Michelle Megna The iPhone is not a run-away success increasing profits for carriers -- or shareholders -- and reports of such are the product of Apple's "unique PR campaign" and uncritical media, according to the Danish consulting firm Strand Consult. The company... The report summary is also critical of Apple's policy regarding the iPhone. "Not only do they want a kick-back from the data traffic generated by the phone, but they also keep all revenue from the iPhone-generated sales of Apple's own applications and music.

"Is it not fair to say that Apple is actually in the process of positioning the mobile operator as a dumb bit pipe that is spending subsidies on reducing the price of Apple's hardware, while at the same time letting Apple keep all the premium revenue streams generated by the product after the customer has purchased it?"

And, despite Q1 and Q2 earnings reports of increased users and favorable demographics of iPhone users by AT&T, the exclusive carrier in the U.S., Strand claims the iPhone isn't healthy for operators' bottom line.

"There are already a number of operators that have issued profit warnings related to their iPhone ventures and our research shows that there is not one single Apple partner in the world among the mobile operators that has increased their overall turnover, profit and market share due to the iPhone. So apart from the press coverage, what value has the iPhone actually created for the shareholders of the operators that have chosen to become Apple iPhone partners?," reads the newsletter.

The report goes on to say that carriers are better serving their shareholders by skipping the iconic handset.

"The conclusion is simple. This is not good business for shareholders of operators that are Apple and iPhone partners -- on the contrary it is far better business not been an Apple and iPhone partner. Operators that choose not to carry iPhone products have an increased probability of serving their shareholders interests over those that move their management's focus, subsidies, marketing and distribution power on a product that is as beautiful as Paris Hilton, but increases production costs and where there may not be a relationship between revenue and costs.

"The fact that the iPhone is currently receiving so much attention from the press is probably due to an uncritical press that have allowed themselves to be seduced by Apple's unique PR machine -- and that have not analysed and examined the underlying business models and the financial success of the iPhone from an operator's point of view."

By press time, Apple had not returned calls to comment.

]]> Can spreadsheets save Google Checkout? tag:blog.internetnews.com,2009:/mmegna//64.58515 2009-07-31T19:17:15Z 2009-07-31T19:24:33Z Google just released a Checkout store gadget that works with Google Docs and allows users to set up an online store using spreadsheets. Google Checkout users can list items they want to sell online in a Google spreadsheet, and... Michelle Megna Google just released a Checkout store gadget that works with Google Docs and allows users to set up an online store using spreadsheets. Google Checkout users can list items they want to sell online in a Google spreadsheet, and...