High Road Communications

There has been some interesting experimentation with mobile applications in Canada thanks to the Mobile Experience Lab. Started in 2005 at the Ontario College of Art (OCAD), the Lab aims “to pursue research projects that bring together art practice, design and research methodology with software and hardware engineering capabilities.” They focus on the areas of user interface, locative experiences, collaborative games and augmented reality narratives.

One of their coolest applications has been a “Your News” newspaper box to which people could text in their own headlines. The project was just one example of how mobile technology could be used to create an interactive cultural statement in the urban core.

Compared to other countries, Canada has been a bit slower to adopt mobile applications, so it’s great to see OCAD students embracing Bluetooth, WiFi and other technologies to engage Torontonians in creative, and amusing ways. A full video of all their mobile experiments can be found on YouTube (check out the bicycle wheel that spins with human movement).

(Cross-posted to Next Great Thing)

What was once a dream is now reality.

The ability to push tailored content and market relevant products and services to interested individuals, all happening on screens they take with them everywhere, has finally arrived. The true mobile generation.

Marketing to all of those handsets has advanced some big steps with the introduction of new smartphones and networks upgrading towards 3G. That was 2007.

2008 should see enormous momentum (R word or not) and competition for share of mobile marketing dollars. With a bevy of new devices, software and services to make it all sing, the future looks quite bright for MM.

A future replete with new tools, (and terms) for would be mobile marketers to add to their ever expanding toolboxes.

Disclaimer: LG and Microsoft are clients.