China's Top 10 Fastest Developing Cities - 2009

The cities were evaluated on what China.org.cn calls “a comprehensive assessment basis,” that took into account the size of the economy in each city, the number of employees, fixed assets investment, gross output of industrial enterprises, per capita GDP, population urbanization, added value of the first, second and third industries, disposable income of the urban population, eco-environment, location and infrastructure, endowment insurance engagement, new job opportunities, dwelling space per capita and the amount of scientific research taking place.

Source: China.org.cn [via Marketing Charts]

IBM : Five Innovations that Will Change Cities in the Next Five Years

Today, IBM unveiled a list of innovations that have the potential to change how people live, work and play in cities around the globe over the next five to ten years: Cities will have healthier immune systems. City buildings will sense and respond like living organisms. Cars and city buses will run on empty. Smarter systems will quench cities’ thirst for water and save energy. Cities will respond to a crisis even before receiving an emergency phone call.

Source : IBM

Cool Xmas Mobile Phone Video

Experience Mobile Mobile from James Théophane Jnr on Vimeo.

Merry Xmas - This best Xmas gift

Michael Bay who directed Transformers had recently directed a spot for Victoria Secret (One Gift. A Thousand Fantasies). Its a big online hit, both AdAge and Visible Measures list the ad as number two on their weekly top 10 viral video ad chart. In fact, the spot pulled in nearly one million views online — 985,329 to be exact last week.

Watch the racy top spot below and i m sure you this will give you some gift ideas. Merry Xmas to everybody and have a fantastic celebration.

Morgan Stanley: Mobile Internet to overtake desktop in five years

The mobile web is experiencing faster growth than its desktop predecessor ever did according to a new study by investment firm Morgan Stanley, which forecasts more consumers will access the Internet by mobile devices than PCs within five years.

Morgan Stanley's 424-page Mobile Internet Report contends the mobile web cycle is just beginning, with material wealth creation and destruction expected to surpass previous computing cycles, galvanized by the growth and convergence of 3G adoption, social networking, video content, VoIP and advanced hardware (including but not limited to smartphones, tablets, ereaders and wireless home appliances). Another significant catalyst: Opportunities in emerging markets.

It's notable that, after years in the backwaters of global mobile development, American companies (led by the likes of Apple, Facebook, Amazon.com and Google) are becoming mobile Internet innovation pacesetters. Wwhile Apple currently leads in mobile innovation and impact, long-term winners will be determined by the depth of individual application ecosystems, the user experience and pricing.

The report firmly believed Facebook has the potential to serve as a communications platform/engine of one-to-one, one-to-some and one-to-many (and visa versa) for the mobile Internet. Facebook has already become a primary way for millions of people to stay connected and Facebook's lead is likely to be extended as more consumers use increasingly powerful mobile devices (with photo/video + high-speed access) and the communications options on Facebook (like voice/video chat and other services) continue to rise.

Additional platform companies that appear to be well positioned for the rapid changes related to the evolution of the mobile Internet include Tencent and Skype, companies that appear to be at the most risk from rapid changes related to the evolution of the mobile Internet include Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony.

For the full report on Mobile Internet, you can download it here.

Where on earth are all the iPhones?

By the end of December, according to Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster, Apple's (AAPL) will have sold 78 million iPhones and iPod touches worldwide.

So where on earth are the devices located?

A report issued Friday by AdMob, the world's leading supplier of mobile ads, tries to map the location of Apple's handsets country by country based on the number of users who requested at least one of its ads in November — a number that increased 150% in 2009.

Here are the findings:

• In November, 50% of unique Apple visitors were located in the United States. The next four biggest markets were the U.K., France, Canada and Germany.
• In total, 23 countries had more than 100,000 unique Apple visitors.
• 50% of unique Apple users were located outside of the US, up from 39% in January 2009.
• The iPhone accounted for 71% and the iPod touch 29% of the total unique Apple users in November. In raw numbers: 18.0 million iPhones; 7.3 million iPod touches; 25.2 million total.
• The fastest growing countries between January 2009 and November 2009 were Japan, France, Australia and China. See the bar graph below.

You can download their November report as a pdf from metrics.admob.com.

How to access Facebook or Twitter in China? Try the latest Skyfire on your mobile broswer!

The alpha version of the Skyfire web browser for Symbian S60 touch devices have been released. Browse your favorite websites on Skyfire exactly like you do on your PC. The skyfire mobile browser is the only browser to support all major Web 2.0 standards – Ajax, Javascript, Flash 10 – it just works. Follow your friends’ Facebook and Twitter updates, watch tv on phone plus keep track of news, sports, video and other content in your own customizable activity feed.

Download the app from Skyfire's website.

Please note that this is the alpha version so expect a few bugs!

Sms safely while walking with The Type N Walk iPhone App

The Type n Walk app allows you to type while viewing your surroundings courtesy of your iPhone’s camera. When you are done with your message simply cut and paste it, and you can send it however you want: via text, email or tweet.

Apple's New '12 APPS OF CHRISTMAS' TVC

From YouTube to Hollywood

Panic Attack 2009! is a 5-minute short directed and animated by Uruguayan producer Fede Alvarez with a total budget of $300. And thanks to this video, Mr. Alvarez was apparently able to secure a $30 million deal with Hollywood.

Top 100 Youtube Hits of All Time

How many of them have you seen?

Steaming Bus Shelter McDonald’s Ads

A steam machine was built to fit inside a transit shelter and periodic bursts revealed a message during a free coffee promotion at McDonald’s. Certainly an ingenious way to capture people's attention.

New Google Chrome Promo Video

The folks at Google have just released an awesome new video promoting the Chrome browser with its many features. You will love it.

Snap and Search with Google Goggles

Browsing information from your mobile phone just got easier and cooler with Google’s newest search tool Google Goggles. Designed for handheld mobile devices, the application lets you search the net using visuals rather than text.

Want to know the name of a painting? Snap its photo and Google Goggles will find it. Visiting a historic landmark? Grab a quick photo of the attraction and Google Goggles will provide you with info as well as the GPS location. Google Goggles also has a text reader, so it’s fast and easy to save your info by shooting a quick picture.

Though Google Goggles is currently only available for those using Android on their mobile device, visual recognition technology like Google Goggles stands to change the way we search the Internet.

Google's Branded Phone?

According to Techcrunch, Google had confirmed that they are testing internally a HTC-made-for Google branded mobile phone. The phone will be called the Google Phone and will launch in early January, 2010. It won’t be sold by any one carrier, but instead will be an unlocked GSM phone.

The phone is “really, really fast,” says someone who has seen one in action. It runs on a Snapdragon chip, has a super high-resolution OLED touchscreen, is thinner than the iPhone, has no keyboard.

So for those of you who is thinking of buying a mobile phone or Android based device, you may want to hold on to your cash until January. I m sure its going to rock the device market.

Source : Techcrunch

Move over iPhone, check out the new xPhone!

Check out the promo video below, you’ll understand why what I mean right away. haha...

This is what i call a Creative Retail Windows

This holiday season, passersby on the 5th Avenue might be getting a little more of an eyeful than usual. Fashion retailer XOXO has soared to new heights of seasonal marketing with their naughty XOXO peep window which, instead of displaying traditional holiday sale items, features fashion models changing their wardrobes in front of mass crowds on the street.

This would be great way to attract passersby for sure. Happy Holidays!

The new 30-second ad for the Google/Verizon/Motorola-built Droid phone

The ad is a must see though i m clueless what Motorola is trying to position the product. It has a good beginning but the follow through was poorly executed.

Cheap & simple credit card processing thanks to the team at Square

An entrepreneur may have the best product in the world, but if he or she doesn't accept credit cards, it can be a problem. That's something St. Louis glass artist Jim McKelvey learned the hard way, and it's also why he was inspired to create Square.

Cofounded with Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, Square lets small business owners begin accepting payment cards immediately without the contracts, expensive hardware, monthly fees or hidden costs that are typically required. Using Square's intuitive app and a small plastic device that plugs into a mobile phone's audio input jack, payment cards can be swiped and read anywhere.

Customers can have receipts sent to them via email or mobile phone and then access them securely online; they can also use text messaging to authorize every payment in real-time. For those who create a Square account, meanwhile, there's faster transaction processing and the option of photo verification. Now in limited beta, Square will donate a penny from every transaction to the cause of the user's choice. It will be widely available in early 2010. The reader devices will likely be free, while the app will cost about USD 1, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. Square promises to open up a whole new world of opportunity for minipreneurs.

Square had closed a hyper-competitive venture round. Valued at a massive $40 million or more after raising $10 million in funding, and the service is yet to launch publicly for anyone to use.

Check out below for the interview with Jack Dorsey, one of the 2 founders of Square.

Knocking Live Allows Mobile Users to Share Videos in Real-Time

The iPhone applications just keep getting better and better. They’ve now introduced a live video-sharing app called Knocking Live. The software allows iPhone users to instantly share live videos with friends who also have installed the app. This cool video sharing system will come in handy allowing users to share those unforgettable experiences as they happen, from wherever they happen.

The Knocking Live application can be purchased for $2.99 but if you’re one of the first 50,000 users you will get it on iTunes for free.

Couple Says I Do on Altar with Facebook and Twitter updates

Status updates are a big deal in the world of social networking. Everyone has to know what you are doing right when you are doing it. This couple decided to let the world know they were married during the middle of the ceremony. You will love this one.

Be sure to check out the video featuring the newly married Dana Hanna and Tracy Page changing their status updates. I love weddings.

Good health - You may want to try this formula for drinking water at the right time

Two (02) glass of water - After waking up - Helps activate internal organs

One (01) glasses of water - 30 minutes before meal - Help digestion

One (01) glass of water - Before taking a bath - Helps lower blood pressure

One (01) glass of water - Before sleep - To avoid stroke or heart attack

Correct timing to take water, will maximize its effectiveness to Human body .

Do you know all Men are blessed with auto-focus capabilities?

Find your beer hangout with The Stella Artois Le Bar Guide app

The Stella Artois Le Bar Guide app—the first “3D augmented reality iPhone application for beer,” according to The Digital Buzz Blog was developed by Stella Artois to lead beer-lovers to bars that serve Stella Artois beer. Users can search for the nearest bars via location, rating, or by using their phone’s GPS.

Lenovo back in Mobile

PC firm Lenovo is buying back its handset unit for approximately $200 million, twice what it sold the business for less than two years ago.

China’s largest PC-maker said Friday the deal was aimed at “gearing up its efforts” in China’s mobile internet market.

It will buy Lenovo Mobile Communication Technology from a group of investors led by Hony Capital, the private equity arm of parent Legend Holdings, for $200 million in cash and shares.

Lenovo sold off what was then a loss-making business for $100 million in January 2008, saying it would focus on its core PC business and allow the mobile group to operate independently.

It is now following rival PC-makers Dell, Acer and Apple into the mobile device market.

Since it was sold, Lenovo Mobile has maintained its position as China’s biggest domestic mobile brand, and no. 3 behind Nokia and Motorola, with around 6% market share.

It has also gone comfortably into the black. It recorded a 235 million yuan ($34.4m) pre-tax loss in 2007 and has since posted a pre-tax profit of 34 million yuan in 2008 and 40 million yuan in the first half of 2009.

Tobi.com's Augmented Reality Dressing Room

Tobi.com has launched their Augmented Reality Dressing Room, the FIRST virtual fitting room that actually delivers an adequate fitting room experience.

Tobi.com’s Augmented Reality Dressing Room is completely integrated into their online store. After watching a quick tutorial, customers print a ‘marker’ which they hold up to their webcam in order to activate the application’s sensors. Watch the video below to see how it works!