
The ProgrammableWeb web API directory now has 900+ open web service APIs, see the API Dashboard.
ceo

The ProgrammableWeb web API directory now has 900+ open web service APIs, see the API Dashboard.
ceo
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Today is the last day to cast your vote for next year’s SXSW Interactive sessions… The mobile and wireless sessions are looking great. This year I am part of the advisory board for mobile and wireless, but sorry, I take no bribes…
Go check out the session and cast your vote!
ceo
As (I) expected (and predicted), Google has launched its own application store or marketplace; see Android Market: a user-driven content distribution system (Android Developers Blog).
And with the Android Market solution, Google is addressing the problem of application discovery and download; and their approach is user-centric, similar to YouTube — very, very good; exactly as how I would have approached it… YouApp!

Developers will be able to make their content available on an open service hosted by Google that features a feedback and rating system similar to YouTube.
:
Similar to YouTube, content can debut in the marketplace after only three simple steps: register as a merchant, upload and describe your content and publish it. We also intend to provide developers with a useful dashboard and analytics to help drive their business and ultimately improve their offerings.
Very cool…
Related to this see The Next Big Thing in Mobile: Local Applications, and how the iPhone will, and how the OHA and Android can change perceptions.
Interesting to me is Google’s user-centric approach to the mobile application market, as I had started a project on my own, YouApp.mobi, whose goal or paradigm is exactly that: a user-centric application discovery, sharing and download — Google beat me to it
ceo

A quick note about the Mobile Web Megatrends event, organized by Ajit Jaokar of FutureText. The event is on Sept 8th.
The event is a gathering of mobility practitioners/experts including Mike Rowehl (Skyfire), Barbara Ballard (Little Springs Design), Michael Mace (Rubicon Consulting), William Volk (MyNuMo), and folks from OMTP, Oracle, Cellfire, and many other. Me, I was scheduled to speak, but can’t make it.
From the event web site:
The Mobile Web Megatrends is a unique one day event that addresses the strategy and best practices relating to key current trends for the Mobile Web. The simple idea behind Mobile Web Megatrends is to create a small, niche event focused on developments that are key to the Mobile Web currently (2008/2009).
Also, remember the MobileWidget Camp Austin, a day before Mobile Web Megatrends, on September 7th, 2008.
ceo
A good intro article about MSA2 at the Sun Mobility website – see Mobile Service Architecture 2 — Coming Your Way.

Related to this see Mobile Service Architecture (MSA) 2 (About Mobility Weblog).
ceo

If you work on mobile web technologies and/or applications, or are just interested on learning about them, you should consider attending Mobile Web Strategies 2008 event (September 9th 2008, San Francisco).
The are lots of interesting topics being discussed, including Who is using the Mobile Web and why, the strengths and weaknesses of the mobile web, to who and what will drive the next generation of mobile web applications and business models.
The event, organized by my good friend Ajit Jaokar (Futuretext), looks solid with expert speakers from all the mobile industry… (I was originally scheduled to attend and speak on the topic of mobility and analytics, but unfortunately I can’t make it).
Who Should Attend?
Carriers – Software Developers – Online Retailers – Media Outlets – Search Engines – Web Developers – Content Providers – Service Providers – Internet Marketers – Information Providers – Entertainment Companies – Investment & Commercial Banking – Venture Capitalist – Educational – Game Developers – Advertising Agencies – Consultants – Government Agencies – Brand Managers – Directories – Location Based Services – Billing and Payment Companies – Internet Security Providers – Analysts
A very interesting event that you should consider attending…
ceo
Technology Review has published a Special Reports on the 10 Emerging Technologies for 2008:
Two of the emerging technologies listed have direct implications on future mobile software and applications: 1) offline web applications, and 2) Reality Mining.
What they call Reality Mining is an area of great interest to me, as it deals with taking into consideration user’s mobile context (and related behavioral analytics) to bring a better user experience, to bring the right information that matters and when it matters the most, to bring more value to both the end-user and the business-side of the equation:
Reality mining, he says, “is all about paying attention to patterns in life and using that information to help [with] things like setting privacy patterns, sharing things with people, notifying people–basically, to help you live your life.”
See the video on Reality Mining, where Alex (Sandy) Pentland, director of the Human Dynamics Group at MIT, describes “a future in which cell phones log data about their owners’ behavior, data that can be used to strengthen social networks, generate recommendations, help track diseases, and monitor personal health”.
As the tagline for this blog reads: Mobility is (about) People, their Interactions and their Data.
ceo
SMS is King, from the end-user’s perspective. SMS is heaven, from the operators’ perspective, as it is a cash cow. And SMS is hell for businesses offering messaging, but that don’t have a good plan for monetizing it…
SMS is way expensive to offer. For example, in the U.S.:
Startups must do appropriate planning and have a business model that will cover SMS operational costs, or your SMS support will be short-lived. For better or worst, the above costs are barriers to entry for startups and anyone wanting to play the game. But SMS is King, a necessary “evil”, an important channel to support.
Twitter recently killed its support for SMS on the UK; for a long time many of us have been wondering how the hell Twitter has been able to support its offering without a business strategy that allows them to make money and cover operational costs.
So I’m not surprised to see Twitter cut costs, but what I’m surprised to see is that they decided to cut support for U.K. instead of introducing a revenue model and validate it; people will pay for useful services.
The question is not “Will someone kill SMS already?”. But the question is “Will SMS (costs) kill a Startup already?”.
“To SMS” or “Not To SMS”; that is the question…
ceo
Some people calls it a scam, others calls it smart…
At $999.00 and for those who can afford it, the “I am Rich” iPhone application (which implements no real run-time functionality, is a statement.
But Apple decided to remove the application from its App Store; and with it, it has set a precedent…
In my opinion, the “I Am Rich” application is a very interesting exercise. Here the author identified a segment of users who doesn’t care about functionality or cost, but cares about differentiation and exclusivity… A niche with great potential returns; cheap to build application with high returns. That is very smart.
So, as long as the author properly describes the application and what you get for the money, the app is totally valid, and should not be removed by Apple… people will buy.
See Apple’s iPhone-App-Approval Mouse Falls Off Treadmill: Buy The $1000 App That Does Nothing (AAPL).
ceo
According to the Tiobe Programming Community Index, Java is the top/dominant programming language (Aug 2008):

Tiobe Programming Community Index, August 2008 (Credit: Tiobe)
The same reports indicates that COBOL scores a new all time low (at position 19), yet it still is above Objective-C (at position 42)!
Top 10 programming languages:
1. Java
2. C
3. (Visual) Basic
4. C++
5. PHP
6. Python
7. Perl
8. C#
9. Ruby
10. JavaScript
:
19. COBOL
:
23. Fortran
:
37. Smalltalk
:
42. Objective-C
:
50. Caml
ceo
[Via c/net Java still top programming language)

Hecl is a scripting language engine that runs on MIDP2.
The scripting language is a wrapper for MIDP, and allows you to very quickly create UI elements, access the record store, use HTTP, access the file system (if available) and even use kxml2 XML parser. You can call Hecl code from Java, and even create your own new Hecl commands…

This kind of reminds me of TCL.
ceo
[Via Hinkmond Wong's Weblog]
Is Ruby the new BASIC?
For those looking to learn about Ruby, the Interactive Ruby Tutorial is a great way to get a quick introduction. This interactive tutorial would also be great for children wanting to learn about programming. MIT’s Scratch is another interesting tool to teach children about programming.
ceo
A day like today, on 1948 (ABC) “Candid Camera” original run made its TV debut. But original title was “Candid Microphone.” Is “Candid Cameraphone” next? That would make sense: from microphone (audio) to camera (video/audio) to anywhere-and-anytime-(mobile)-camera… Hm, maybe there is an idea right there…
ceo
I like Seth’s brief yet meaningful essay on architecture, see Is architect a verb?
So I reserve “architect” to describe the intentional arrangement of design elements to get a certain result.
:
Architecture, for me anyway, involves intention, game theory, systems thinking and relentless testing and improvement. Fine with me if you want to call it design, just don’t forget to do it.
ceo
$150MM for startups that create new and exciting mobile applications, that uses context, location, payments, advertising, music and entertainment… very neat…
See Nokia to Invest an Additional USD 150 Million Through Nokia Growth Partners.
ceo
"Great individuals invent their own values and create the very terms under which they excel." -Kierkegaard and Nietzsche