Web 2.0: Google to fund Gadgets + Mashups
Google just a while ago announced about a new intiative – Google Gadget Ventures to encourage independent developers from around the world to develop mashups and products around the Google or Web 2.0 platform and pocket $5,000 if the community likes it. Looks like they are extending the Google Summer of Code, which was restricted to students only, to any Developer now.
Google is also willing to seed fund your venture upto $100,000 depending on the business proposal. So are you that creative developer who can build great products and services ? Then Google wants you 
Tags: Web2.0, Google, Seed Fund, Web India
GSM lobby shatters Reliance GSM dreams
TRAI, DoT and Ministry of IT have a unique spectrum allocation policy. Call it the upper hand of early GSM mobile operators or the short sightedness of TRAI and its associates.
We have a subscriber-linked spectrum allocation criteria which is far from perfect as it does not factor in subscriber density as well as intra-circle differences in traffic intensity. Now that Air Force is finally releasing a band of spectrum, Vodafone-Hutch-Essar, Aircel and Idea are likely to consume bulk of it with Reliance having to take the leftovers. [Reliance was late in paying the fees to get itself a slot in the Queue.] This is assuming that Spectrum is available with imemdiate effect. However, this is unlikely to happen. October / November is when the real allocation will be done. By then their will be more demand from existing GSM operators thus leaving nothing for Reliance to pursue its GSM rollout.
Reliance GSM can get spectrum in the following circles if allotted imemdiately.
Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Karnataka, AP, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Haryana, Punjab, UP(West), J&K, and Rajasthan. Reliance already has GSM presence in other circles except UP(East) where it won’t get any spectrum.
If Spectrum allocation is made in late 2007, Reliance will get only in the following cricles
Chennai, Karnataka, Haryana, UP(West) and Rajasthan.
So what will Anil Ambani’s next move be ? Enhance CDMA operations for now.
Tags: Mobile India, Telecom India, GSM
Saudi Telecom Buys 25% in Maxis + 51% PT Natrindo Telepon Seluler
Just last week, Maxis Communications went private with T Anand Krishnan’s firm Binariang GSM Sdn Bhd buying 99.44% stake in the company. Yesterday their were rumors that Anand Krishnan sold 51% of Maxis to Saudi Telecom. However, in a news flash to Tadawul – Saudi Stock Exchange, Saudi Telecom said it has bought 25% of Maxis for $3.03 Billion. Saudi Telecom will also get 51% stake in Indonesian Mobile Service Provider PT Natrindo Telepon Seluler. Here is the Translated Version of the Page for our readers.
Maxis owns 74% stake in GSM servcie provider Aircel which has licenses to operate on PAN-India basis. This deal will help Maxis invest more aggressively in India.
Tags: Telecom, Mobile, Maxis, Saudi Telecom , Natrindo Telepon Seluler
Bharti Airtel introduces SMS 2.0 in India
India’s Number One, Mobile service provider, Bharti Airtel in association with Affle has introduced SMS 2.0 in India. Currently the service is available only in Airtel’s Delhi circle.
What is SMS 2.0 ? SMS 2.0 is an enhancment to existing SMS features directly borrowing ideas from PC based Instant messaging platforms. SMS 2.0 messaging application converges messaging, content and advertising. Features such as,
- Colored text for messaging
- Emotions and Smiley/ Icons support
- Free content from Bollywood to Cricket. Free means its absolutely Free because it has an embedded advertising platform from which the operators make money.
- Advertising is really cool because it has Click-To-Call feature embedded in it. How about embedding Click-To-SMS keeping the cost lower for consumers
- ICICI, Levis, Makemytrip, Perfetti Van Melle, Indiatimes, HPCL are some of the advertisers on SMS 2.0 platform in India
- Cost of SMS 2.0: They say its FREE [Content Access] without any hidden charges. Regular SMS charges on your subscription plan apply for messages sent through SMS 2.0.
Mr. P.S. Parasuram, Head – Content and New Product Development, Cellular Services, Bharti Airtel Ltd said,
Airtel has continuously aimed to provide a superior user experience across all its services. We selected SMS 2.0 as we feel it enriches our users’ experience with SMSing, while at the same time creating a viable and extremely exciting revenue model.
To download the SMS 2.0 application, you need to be a subscriber of Airtel in Delhi/NCR and send an SMS – sms2 to 121[Toll free]. Delhiites can try this service and let us know your XPerience Refer for more details on SMS 2.0
Tags: Mobile India, SMS2, SMS 2.0 India , Mobile Advertising
Nivio CEO Sachin Duggal’s Apology
The overhyped Windows Desktop as a Service could be a Joke. Had you signed up for Beta, then you are an angry soul with 100s of crap and junk e-mails in your Inbox due to server configuration error at Nivio. If the company can’t handle a simple Beta request e-mail, do they have the knoweldge and expertise to build Windows Desktop as a Service ? Here is what Sachin Duggal, CEO of Nivio has to say.
Dear Sir/Madam
First and foremost I would like to personally apologise for the trouble you have faced and the inconvenience caused due to the email / list server situation today. I fully understand how frustrating it would have become.
What happened
We were wanting to send an email out to all users that are waiting for the Beta activation just to keep them informed on the status. In order to do this we compiled a list of the addresses and put them into a list box on our mail server.
Due to human error the list box was not configured correctly and when people started replying-to-all the emails circulated and caused mass inconvenience to all that were pending activation.
Your email addresses
Your email addresses have not been shared with anyone, the offending list server has been taken offline and the email addresses in that particular list box have been deleted; that list box has also been deleted so that anyone emailing nivians@nivio.com will now get a bounced email message.
Apology
I cannot apologise enough for this mistake but assure you that this will not happen again. We value your trial of our new service and sincerely hope that today’s incident will not put you off from trialling the service.
Kind regards
Sachin Duggal
Chief Executive Officer
Nivio
Someone hacked his message and the new alias to spam on Nivio is emailnivians@nivio.com which will send your e-mail to the rest on mailing list. Jeez!!!
Tags: Nivio, Web 2.0, Software as Service, Windows
Advertising Innovation: Tyroo’s Click to SMS live in India
What’s driving the new economy ? Innovation. I don’t see or hear about “Innovation” from many Indian companies. A small company from Erode – AirVoice Infocomm is sitting on a pretty good patent that will let users make free call after listening to an Advertisement.
I had written about my experience with Google’s Click to Call. Tyroo an Indian company implemented the obvious and the best fit medium in the context of Indian Advertisers – Click to SMS service.
Tyroo’s intelligent Adserver allows customers to contact you directly. Once a customer clicks on your ad, he or she can send you an SMS, an email or visit your website (if you have one). Thus Tyroo gives you actual customer contact along with publicity!
In e-mail resposne received from Tyroo on Click to SMS service,
Just register your self as an advertiser and choose the sms option and you can go live. Its a pretty straight forward process.
I had not seen anybody using SMS in Banner Advertising. This is fantastic means especially in India where not many Advertisers have websites / good websites and will be a platform for SMEs to advertise online. Recall Google AdSense in the US that revolutionized online advertising mainly because of support from SMB/SMEs. Secondly, AdSense kind of platform has lot of spam and fraud which Google is trying to wipe out. I am inclined to say this can be very effective in India where SMS is very popular and widely used. However, Ads targetting is something which Tyroo needs to improve on.
E-mail sent to Yahoo! asking details on Panama in India went unanswered. Are they still planning to milk Fat Clients ? Good Luck.
Tags: Advertising, Online Ads, Click to SMS, Mobile Web
Minor Updates – My Bad.
Feed
Display Ad
