 RAIN 5/21: Google charges ahead with wireless, mobile Flash developments GOOGLE PREVIEWS FLASH ON ANDROID, WIRELESS iTUNES STREAMINGAt Google’s I/O conference yesterday, the company previewed an assortment of coming features including the ability to run Flash 10.1 on Android mobile devices.This may open up some web-based webcasts Google also showed off the ability for users to wirelessly stream their iTunes libraries from their desktop machines to Android phones. The feature uses technology from Simplify Media, a company Google recently bought. “The demo was quite slick,” notes Engadget (here). “You just open the app and push ‘all,’ and all your music is instantly available.” NPR DIGITAL MEDIA EXEC: FOCUS ON MOBILE WEB, NOT APPSRobert Spier is Director of Content Development for NPR Digital Media. He was interviewed by MobileActive.com and talked about NPR’s mobile strategy. He spoke specifically about NPR’s mobile web site — redesigned in December with Finnish mobile software company Conmio, and made accessible to all web-enabled phones.
Spier revealed that NPR’s mobile audience is “much more loyal, they engage more deeply” than visitors to NPR.org. What’s more, the iPhone and Android apps generate six times more page views per visitor, and mobile users spend more time, than visitors to the web site. “We also know that it’s a much more 24/7 audience. We see our traffic hold up 18 hours a day… whereas on NPR.org it’s always been a workday, workweek phenomenon.” Spier says, long-term, media companies should focus on their mobile web presence more than worrying about developing apps. “Make sure your mobile web is in good working order before you get too far down the road in terms of apps. Apps are very compelling right now, they’re very sexy, they’re very appealing on any number of levels. But they’re hard, they’re very demanding, they are different from one [device] to another […] Your mobile website will enable you to serve all audiences, so I would argue that you should start by making sure you have a good, solid mobile website and then from there be very selective and mindful about whatever apps you deploy.” Read more in MobileActive here. IPADS, OTHER TABLETS EXPECTED TO BECOME MUCH MORE MAINSTREAM OVER NEXT 5 YEARSMarket research firm IDC predicts worldwide sales of media tablets (like Apple’s iPad) to explode from 7.6 million this year to 46 million in 2014. IDC expects Apple will lead the category then, as it does now. The firm also says that while the devices are currently marketed for entertainment, the machines will also gain ground in the enterprise market through productivity apps, and will become necessities for many consumers. Read more in MediaPost here.
SMARTPHONE SALES UP 49% IN Q1The Wall Street Journal reports that smartphone sales continue to grow, with 54.3 million units sold in the first quarter — a 49% increase and the “strongest annual increase since 2006.” Indeed, smartphone sales are driving the mobile phone market, WSJ reports. That means there are more and more potential online radio listeners out there every day. Read more from the Wall Street Journal here.share: del.icio.us.  Reddit  Digg  Yahoo  Wink  Windows  Google  Newsvine 
CommentCommenting is closed for this article.  Other stories RAIN has upgraded (and moved)! RAIN 9/13: RAIN Summit Chicago takes place today! RAIN 9/12: First Summit in RAIN's hometown takes place tomorrow RAIN 9/9: Summer holidays, "doldrums" impact July Webcast Metrics, but audience up over last year RAIN 9/8: Clear Channel launches new customizable iHeartRadio beta; RAIN goes hands-on RAIN 9/7: Meet more speakers you'll hear at RAIN Summit Chicago in less than a week RAIN 9/6: Clear Channel taps The Echo Nest to take on Pandora RAIN 9/2: RAIN reviews Spotify's radio-like product Artist Radio RAIN 9/1: UK online radio aggregator Radioplayer campaigns b'dcasters to create "all radio" ratings RAIN 8/31: Execs from Merlin, Triton Digital, jacAPPS and more to appear at RAIN Summit Chicago |
to Android mobile users, though the Flash is slightly handicapped (sites like Hulu, for example, are not functional). Additionally, Engadget notes (
