You’ll be hearing a lot this week about multi-source news readers, because Google Reader will finally go offline next week. These readers allow users to “subscribe” to dozens of news sources, blogs and even web sites using RSS feeds. Everybody seems to be getting in on the act, with Digg, AOL, Reddit and even Facebook […]
Half of us — including the wealthier and better educated — own tablets
A major new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project confirms what most of us already knew: Tablets are continuing to penetrate the market, especially among those in the more attractive demographics. Here are some highlights of the study: On the whole, 34% of American adults (18 and over) own a tablet — […]
Just say no to smartphone news apps. Your handset’s browser works just fine.
It’s no mystery to me why news organizations feel they have to create “apps” to deliver their news. What I don’t understand is why we feel compelled to use them. The usual argument offered by the publishers is that an app allows them to enrich the reader’s experience in various ways, but that doesn’t wash […]
Dumping PDFs on your readers is rude and sends all the wrong messages. Time to let it go.
If the venerable Adobe PDF format were a person, it would be old enough to vote, and it hasn’t changed much in all that time. It’s an easy shortcut for posting anything from academic papers to brochures. But for any purpose related to marketing, it’s time to bury it. A new report from the Pew […]
Time to make your web site and blog mobile friendly
Sure, you have a gorgeous web site. You spent a fortune and endless hours on it. But how does that beautiful site look on an iPhone? Or a Blackberry? Or an Android? With some 60 percent of cell phone users now using handsets to access the Internet, it’s increasingly important to make sure your site […]
Reaching the consumer on the handset
iPhones, Androids and other smart phones have changed the game when it comes to reaching consumers. In fact, one could argue that people on the go often have more time for reading your email blasts and even visiting your web site. After all, what do we do when we’re sitting in a waiting room or […]
Kindle for Android clears the way for Android-based tablets
Amazon has announced that its Kindle software will be available on Android handsets this month — a move that will likely clear the way for the Android-based tablets that are expected to appear in the coming months. It’s a big move, because it means that manufacturers of Android tablets will have a ready-made application that […]
Handsets a key to reaching consumers
So you’re on Facebook, Twitter and the Web. Congratulations. But what about the consumer’s phone? That’s where a growing number of consumers are getting their news and other critical information. And the numbers are reaching a point that communications professionals can no longer overlook. A recent major study by the Pew Center for Excellence in […]