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The company will instead focus on HTML5 development, which enables web browsers including those on mobile phones to perform essentially the same task as flash but without relying Adobe's proprietary technologies.

There have been many attempts to create a WORA platform but none has really succeeded. WORA stands for Write Once Run Anywhere. Some progress was made in the pre iPhone era where platforms were getting developed which could support majority of the feature phones. It tackled the challenge of different screen size and varying user interaction standard reasonably well.

Here are 3 possibilities: 1)      Tablet usage expands to significantly eat into the desktop and laptop usage 2)      Voice technology becomes robust and usable enough to offer a new dimension to user interface design 3)      The Metro UI from Microsoft effectively manages to create a uniform container for application to run in smartphone, tablet and desktop

62 percent of US mobile users between the ages of 25 and 34 own smartphones, compared to just 43 percent of all US mobile phone users, according to the latest mobile report from Nielsen.

Older folks rank low on smartphone adoption, but Nielsen points out that those between 55 and 64 are the second-fastest growing group, jumping 5 percentage points this quarter to reach 30 percent.

Make it easy to share.

Don't assume your name for something should remain its name.

Keep an eye on trends.

Recouping even the typically modest investment needed to deploy a QR code often depends on a few key steps. One is offering those who read the code something they can use. "The codes are a bridge," Strack says. "When the user crosses the bridge, there needs to be something of value." That might be useful information, a coupon or another promotion.

Similarly, the site to which the code leads should be developed specifically for mobile phones. A website designed for computer monitors usually is difficult to view on a phone, Pinto notes.

Finally, in order to reap the full benefits of a QR code, you want to find some way to gather information from the user, such as an email address, so that you can contact them again. The QR codes and the scanning applications don't capture this information.

When the customers used the QR codes to reach the portal, they now have many options available. Those who scan the QR codes are able to pay their bills on the internet, but they can also have a look at detailed information regarding their energy use, and read about rebate programs and energy savings tips that can help them to reduce the amount they are spending on this service. House added that “It’s a kind of one-stop-shop for members.”

iOS and Android are neck and neck when you look at web usage on cellular networks. So the question becomes not why do Android users not browse the web as much as iOS users do, but why don’t they browse the web on Wi-Fi connections?

Unfortunately, many of the consumers find that even when they do know what QR codes are and they use their mobile devices to scan them, they rapidly discover that the mobile marketers didn’t take the time to make the scan worthwhile. For example, if all the code does is direct the user to the homepage of a website, there will be a far poorer response than if scanning the code allows the smartphone owner to gain access to an exclusive discount coupon.

Among the main problems are that while they have become highly popular among companies, many consumers still haven’t figured out what they are. This is a slow learning process that is catching on, but that hasn’t included the majority of smartphone users quite yet.

At one point, QR codes were just looked at as cool and fun.  But now, they are proving to be reliable way to share information. 

1. Front Door or Host/Hostess Area:

2. Foursquare:

If you haven’t yet heard of Apple’s Siri, a feature of the iPhone 4S, you may not be aware of how this new technology could transform Search Engine Optimization, especially on the local level.

What can the tools of sales 2.0 do for your small business? Well, if you or your sales team are already effective, the Web tools offered by Sales 2.0 will likely make you better. But be warned. These tools will not turn a bad sales team into a good one. Proven techniques must exist behind the technology.

Online marketing can be effective even for local business and such a campaign need not be expensive if set up correctly.

Why are U.S. retailers slow to adopt NFC payment technology? One reason is the expense and effort required to install NFC-enabled point-of-sale equipment in stores and to integrate it with merchants' systems.

It's a bit of a chicken-and-egg dynamic: Retailers typically don't invest in offering a new payment option until they see widespread consumer demand; but few consumers are likely to prefer a payment option that's not yet widely accepted.

Another Open Mobile Summit panelist, PayPal's VP for mobile, David Marcus, made this point: "Today, retailers learn about customers at the least effective time -- just when they're leaving the store. They'd like to know about you when you arrive at the store, so they can customize your shopping experience and treat you properly."