Important Emerging Media News This Week

0 Comment(s) | Posted Jan 29, 2010 by Pat Morrell

Patrick Morrell

1) The Apple iTab.  CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the device Wednesday and described it as "so much more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smart phone." The Apple iTab represents the fusion of the laptop and the smartphone.  It's similar both in look and functionality to the iPhone or iPod Touch, and the base model lists at $499, so it presents a reasonable option for mobile gadgeteers everywhere.

So why is this relevant to businesses?  Two reasons.  First, the iPad opens itself up to the same abundance of applications as the iPhone and iPod touch, meaning that an increasing number of app developers will continue developing mobile commerce apps, but will design them to accomodate the more flexible, more visually impressive iTab.  Second, with its wider screen and eReader capability, it has many rumbling that "content is on a comeback" i.e. iPad users will seek out more indepth content than other mobile users.  This opens up significant opportunity for businesses to capitalize on their industry knowledge, and communicate with potential customers through blogs and online content.  An iPad user is (projected to be) more likely to scroll through a compelling piece of writing than an iPhone user - to capitalize on these mobile users, businesses can work to fill the content void.

2) CitySearch UnVeils CityGrid.  CitySearch, the online visitors guide for everything from restaurants to entertainment to retail to travel (an online, consumer-updated YellowPages, of sorts), is expanding its appeal to local small businesses across the country.  CityGrid is an API that will allow CitySearch's immense library of business information to be accessible by other Web sites and mobile applications. 

In other words, CitySearch's archives - which include over 15 million local business listings and 3 million user reviews - are now open to developers seeking to establish local online directories.  And while a CitySearch page will often pop up in a Google or Bing search before this announcement, CityGrid is an innovation that will empower local developers to create their own online directories, thus furthering the reach of a small business's online advertising.

We'll be sure to monitor developments around both of these announcements.

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