Bruce Orr asked:


This may be the year when the convergence of hardware, software and consumer behaviour makes a business’ ability to be found through local search an online marketing necessity. The importance of having a business web page that ranks for local search terms on Google, Yahoo!, MSN and the plethora of other search engines that drive Internet commerce is particularly pronounced for small, local businesses that compete for the foot traffic that pass their storefronts in competitive marketplaces.

The hardware that is driving this convergence and fuelling the emergence of local search as a business-critical issue for small business is the new-generation of handheld mobile phones and PDAs – particularly Apple’s iPhone, the next-and-latest version of which is being rolled out in 22 countries July 11th. The software is search engine giant, Google’s Google Maps and the similar mapping applications on the other search engines.

More and more consumers, particularly in the youngest and most coveted marketing demographics, are using smart phone technology as a preferred method for searching the Internet. Typically, the products and services these young and mobile consumers are searching for online are local products and services – be it a coffee shop, a live entertainment venue, a clothing shop or any of the other myriad goods and services that are advertised both online and off.

Google is set as the default web browser on Apple’s iPhone, and the iPhone is the leader in smart phones – a position that is only likely to be enhanced when the next generation of iPhone comes onto the market in July. Google has long been the hands-down leader in Internet search. The synergy of having the world’s leading search engine as the default setting on the world’s most popular smart phone gives a huge impetus to the emergence of mobile search as the rising tide in small business marketing. Already, Google – thanks to its collaboration with Apple – is riding the rising tide of mobile search. In the first quarter of 2008, Google captured 61% of the mobile search market, while Yahoo! raked in an 18% share and third-place MSN accounted for only 5% of mobile searches, according to survey numbers from Nielsen Mobile. This, of course, leaves a paltry 16% market share for all other search engines combined.

As more and more smart phones come to market with advanced Internet search capabilities and GPS functions hoping to cash in on the market already dominated by the iPhone (and RIM’s BlackBerry line for business-types), Google’s dominance of local search and mobile search is likely to be cast in stone. Accordingly, for small businesses who wish to turn web traffic that is already searching for products and services online into foot traffic that will drive customers to and into their storefronts, having an online presence that will rank on Google becomes ever more important.

Survey results from Nielson/NetSurvey, in conjunction with marketing firm WebVisible, indicate that 86% of all Internet users in 2008 search for local products and services online. This number is up from the 70% of Internet users who were conducting online local searches in 2007. Significantly for small, local businesses whose focus is their company’s storefront, rather than an online business, the Nielson results show that 90% of the transactions that are initiated through online local searches are completed offline.

Thus, the importance of local search, mobile search and an effective online business profile for small businesses that are seeking to stay competitive in an increasingly crowded and digital marketplace. And, hence, the importance of Google Maps, perhaps the chief software application that is refining and defining the race for local business web pages that rank well in search engine – read Google – results. Google Maps gives the potential customer who is searching for a local product or service on the fly from his or her mobile handset the maps and directions that specify where the products and services can be purchased in the geographic locale where the customer is.

There are a multitude of 200+ factors that are constantly being tweaked by Google to determine a specific page’s ranking, and over 45 factors that are used to determine a site’s specific local ranking. Optimizing the on-site and off-site factors that determine a web page’s ranking and local search ranking is no easy feat. Yet, at a minimum, small businesses will want to have a web page that sets out there products and services, and to register that site with Google’s local business listings so that they can tap into the web traffic that is increasingly turning into foot traffic thanks to the emergence of mobile search and its convergence with smart phone technology.

David Urmann asked:


They are here to make your life better and convenient. Yes! We are talking about the best of handheld devices that are available in the market. Let it be finding your way through the woods or storing your precious data, these devices can handle the job better than any other conventional way of doing so.

That is not all, this is done by a device that can easily fit in your palm and slide in your pocket. These new age tools have added an altogether new dimension to our lives and it is not an exaggeration that within the small period of time, they have made themselves irreplaceable.

Today, the PDA device or the digital organizer is an integral part of our day to day life not forgetting about the useful handheld GPS devices that helps us to find any location within few clicks.

Let’s learn more about the best of these devices that are functional and have eased our lives to a great extent. The first that comes to mind is a PDA or Personal Digital Assistant. In a nutshell the PDA device can be called as a “smart” pocket computer.

The handheld PDA devices are completely functional devices that offer portable electronic productivity and entertainment that come in several sizes with varying capabilities. They range varies from basic devices typically used to look up appointments and phone numbers to more advanced units that play music and videos or connect you to the Web.

With the advance of technology, the most significant trend in the present time is the use of such devices for communication via wired or wireless networks. A handheld PDA device gives you the much sought after freedom to access important data without geographical limitations, and with convenience.

That is why the this device is very much popular among those who have to spend most time out of the office and carrying a laptop every time is not a possibility. In fact, considering some occasions, you will find that a PDA is more useful as it is handy and can be carried in the pocket. A handheld PDA is even more useful with some of its interesting features like handwriting recognition software, which makes using it convenient.

On the other hand, a handheld GPS device offers navigational help and is really handy for outdoor adventure like camping, hiking, mountain biking, etc. Although a handheld GPS device is meant to help you navigate with the help of a satellite, most of them slide down in your pocket and provide you with the essential features, which are useful for more than finding directions.

One of the features of this unit is the UTM grid data maps or local grid maps. Many of the handheld GPS devices have multi-parallel channels to ensure that several satellites are tracking you at one time rather than just one.

TheStreetTV asked:

iPhones are sold out, but Gary Krakow says Research In Motion, Garmin, Microsoft and Verizon are teaming up to give Apple a run for its money.

Stocks in this video: S | VZ | NOK | RIMM | GRMN | PALM | T | GOOG | AAPL | MSFT | MOT

Alice Erin asked:


The Nokia N80 is loaded with numerous innovative features that it can really prove your true assistant to take care of your personal and professional life equally. Lots and lots more to do with so many features like email, personal organiser, a three-megapixel camera, WLAN connectivity, MP3 player, games and many more. It is because of these compatible features that N80 has been applauded around the world. The Nokia N80 is also known as one of the most advanced all-in-one digital packages. Currently, Nokia N80 is also available among clearance mobile phones, which do come with added offers.

With your Nokia N80 , you can easily stay connected with people and various other things, which have certain importance for you. All has been made possible because of N80′s Infrared connectivity, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Because of wireless back up, you can easily copy your media to your laptop or PC. In addition you can enjoy your treasured music on your own stereo with high sound. Wi-Fi is responsible to add speed, so you get an easy and quick access to the Internet with a high speed. You can easily stay connected with the whole world with its quad band.

With your Nokia N80 , you would never feel the pressure of your workload, as it enables you to do many things even when you are not in your office. The Nokia N80 is equipped with many assistant features such as task list, contacts, email, calendar and PIM. You can easily view all the documents on its high definition display. Moreover, you can also carry out important video conference calls and share your files.

Enter the pulsating world of music with your Nokia N80 , as its integrated music player would let your feel the beats of your heart. It does have enough space to store your various favourite tracks. Just play them and enjoy with the superb audio quality. For more fun, you can also use your favourite songs as ring tones. To add more, you can also download various games and ringtones. Any user looking to have a Nokia N80 can go for clearance mobile phones deals to get some extra benefits.

Nokia N80 on 3 , O2, Vodafone network .

Caroline Telford asked:


In the world of 3G technology the Pocket PC has become a large selling product in the world of communications. With many competitors in the market it’s essential for manufacturers of any mobile device to be able to remain competitive in order to meet the demands of the public. The HTC Touch Diamond is the predecessor to the HTC Touch has far exceeded expectations by reaching sales of one million during a six week period, a figure it took its predecessor five months to achieve. These early sales figures have caused HTC to revise their initial 2008 projects to three million in spite of the fact that it did not being available until late summer and still will not be available in some countries until later in the year.

Like other 3G entrants, the HTC Touch Diamond includes a camera, phone and music capabilities. The internal memory is 4 GB and is expandable to 8 GB for the true music fan. The only real disadvantage of this phone is that it includes a standard keypad instead of the QWERTY keyboard that is common with most smartphones. Of course, the other features of this phone make that a non-issue. For example, the 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera with 4 MB of internal storage allows you to take all the pictures you want and capture those special moments on your phone’s digital camera.

For many people a PDA is a way of life, and the HTC Touch Diamond fills in that gap. Whether it’s for home or business, you can send and receive email, search the Internet, listen to music or talk on the phone. All of these features are part of the new 3G technology, and HTC is there to meet the demand. This successor to the HTC Touch is a step into the direction of phones of the future, and HTC is ahead of the world of technology. Of course, for those who want a slim line flip phone, the HTC Touch Diamond is out of your league, but at the same time you have the quality and functionality that only the HTC Touch Diamond offers.

With the HTC Touch Diamond Pocket PC mobile phone, everything you need is right at your fingertips. When you read an HTC Touch Diamond review, you will discover the quality and many functions this phone can offer for both personal and business use. With access to the Internet you can not only search for information you need but have access to Internet-based email accounts and be able to map your route with a GPS system or using MapQuest. Many options are available when you purchase the HTC Touch Diamond, and mobile phone deals will make it even more affordable and attractive. If you are a small business owner, you will not need to have a phone for personal and business use because the HTC Touch Diamond has everything you need to stay in touch with business contacts. This is a great phone to use for both home and business use.

TigerDirectBlog asked:

The HTC S620 is a messaging-centric smartphone that is slim, stylish, and compact. With Microsoft® Windows Mobile® 5.0 Direct Push technology, you have instant access to your e-mails, calendar, tasks and contacts. This sleek-looking phone supports quad-band GSM/EDGE/GPRS and has Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® capabilities giving you a wide-range of connection possibilities. With the HTC JOGGR™, viewing documents, browsing web pages or going through menus is fast and simple on the HTC S620. To learn more, go to TigerDirect.com or just copy and paste this link to your web browser:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3079386&sku=H224-1004