Some months ago, Unkasoft sent its candidature to the International Dell Small Business Excellence Award. Some days ago, Dell call us to comunicate us that we were one of the ten award finalist. We will know the final result on September. From Unkasoft we are happy to continue participating in different awards and events, because is the best way to recognize the effort we are doing at technical and human level. We think that every company must base it success in the recognize of well done work, the good evolve of the business and a sucessfully corporative social politic. If we win this award, that will be part of the recognize, we expect to return part of it to the ecosystem that is around us.

If you want to know more about the award, try Dell Pymes.
Good luck for all contestants !!!

Labels: award, Dell, excellence, finalist, small business

The first edition of Mobile 2.0 Europe is over. Always organize something like this is knotty, so congratulations!.

The event has begun with Nokia and m: metrics. From the data supplied by this second, surprise me especially those about the U.S. market. They indicate that 27% use 3G services, which actually don’t exist. The only thing I saw in the U.S. to use 3G is using the 3G Sprint modems.

What about iPhone, definitely it’s the best marketing campaign in the history. Everyone talks about the magic of those handsets that make people use mobile services several times over. In addition, it’s the cool picture for all the presentations we have.

The slot about Mobile Social Media has left disappointed me a bit, to be frankly.

Then time for the Early Stage Start-ups presentations, we felt the pressure:

• Aka-aki, social networking with location capabilities, reminded me what I saw in the Spaniard Tooio.
• Dial2Do. hands-free service, even supports Twitter, for the most dependents. You can dictate what you want to twitter.
• Shout'em. It reminds me of what I said Roberto, sell 'picks and shovels'. They offer a tool for microblogging sites. Its focus on having support multiple languages and move into local communities.
• ViaMobility. Another site for widgets, they want to be the 'player' for widget.
• YouLynx. Our friend, Jorge has just received investment from La Caixa. They will be focus on the convergence PC - Mobile, but also decisive on the social network. There are playing in a hard arena.
• Zipipop. I agree with the jury, have offered a very fresh service with a very good image for organizing social activities. If I would be a VC, I would have missed some information about the business model and team. But they have potential, for sure.

I liked the Venture Capital panel. And I heard many interesting messages:

They want invest in companies which a clear business model. The leading edge technology or ideas are not enough. They begin to be reluctant to revenue share models with mobile operators.

Not having data flat rates continues to affect everyone in the industry.
Maximilian from Atlas, spots that there are much innovation and products, but little business.

We must have the right model at the right time. Many have failed by removing an idea ahead of time or later.

The executive team is vital –point that few have shown at the event-. it’s essential to have a plan and a team of people who can execute the plan.

Then began the Pre-series A:

• Kooka. Visual search engine. I mean I've seen something similar in AquaMobile. They presented the idea clearly, indicating what they need from the VC.
• MobiLuck. Friend-finder. Frankly I liked more the Zipipop service.
• Rummble. Location system that has a sensational team. They are selected as the best in the pre-series A.
• Secufone. Service focusing on security. It allows you to send SOS alerts or track you for security reasons. From the VC seems they mentioned many points, but the presentation wasn’t enjoyable at all.
• Unkasoft. Well, I will be objective. The beginning not good enough, not booted the presentation and suddenly played the video. From our side, we failed to don’t make clearer the business model. However, asking people, they love the concept and solution. The presentation goes into the team and investment required, points needs for the VC. Jaime has made an enormous effort and great strides to improve.
• Viif, have a community around mobile entertainment. But I admit that I disconnected : (

Panel discussion with ops starts and security people close nearly enter in the room, as saying in Twitter. Do operators support innovation whether or not? What do you think?

Operators commented that they are building the highways for our mobile services. But people do not seem very happy.

Alike, an operator commented that 'rather than the business model', they concerns 'quality of service,' because in case of problem always call them.

Commented that are open to negotiate data flat rates, for example, ‘iPhone has agreed flat rates with an interesting model for both sides’. Here I make a remark, I do not know if apple and unkasoft, would have the same opportunities for that.

The moderator asked, 'but in the short term, How are you going to help Start-ups?'. First answer from an operator is, 'the next two months we’re on holidays but then things can move on'. Carlos Domingo, reacts soon, and said is open to ideas and help start-ups today, and is giving his e-mail.

The rest of the panel commented they support open markets, and called an effort to entrepreneurs to do the homework and prepare always how monetize the projects.

Post-series A large:

• Futurlink. Wimob rocks, allows us connecting the web and mobile world. Wimob send mobile content from the PC, in an easy way. They point high. Les judgement on video (and it broke a little presentation.
• Mippin. A site to have your Widgets, I know, I know, there’re many players in this arena. But Mippin offers improvements to display content and to speed up the browsing experience.
• Nimbuzz. It integrates all IM services (MSN, Yahoo,…) in a single application. The jury selected them as the best post-series. In my humble opinion, I've already seen many service like that, and another Post-series did the presentation better.
• Palringo. Messaging service, the presentation wasn’t enjoyable, and perhaps because it was late. They missed information for a presentation for these events.
• Taptu. A mobile searcher. But I don’t know if they can be an alternative of Google hegemony.

Finally there was a panel moderated by Mike of TechCruch on Open Business Models, quite persistent on the advertising model. Mike did a good job; the rest has left me eager to hear new ideas. The only thing that called my attention is a question from the audience, 'Where is google?'.

Just to finish, mention a change in our society. Time ago, the audience of an event was just hearing the presentations. Some years later, we got our mobiles, and sometime we were left outside to talk. Now people around me have their laptops, blackberry, everything, to keep working and twittering,… What will be the next stage? printers, and a coffee table? : )

Thanks to Rudy, Carles and Penélope for this great event.

Labels: events, m2eu

My fellow Narciso of Elondra (better known by Basemovil) has received investment, as he twittered to me. Although I already know who has invested, I wait until he send the PR, and I can only say that they are very good people. I think they will make a great tandem.
We commented about basemovil time ago, because they have an excellent framework for developing J2ME applications that require store information, and management it. They have also opened some tools for the community base on a GPL license, which have had wide acceptance, particularly in countries of northern Europe.

If that were not enough, I was last Friday in TOOIO presentation (pronounced TUUYOO : ). A mobile social network based on location, which is led by people who know well the Internet and mobile, between those are Alberto and Salvador (Mobile Dreams), also I recognized to Agustin.

The idea sounds good and I know that explode with the service you ever call advertising 2.0. Today I spot in the Carlos Blanco’s blog something that I have heard several times:
"Sample clients disoriented phrases "we should create a viral and to reach a lot of people "or" create a post and I want to send it to all blogers". Or “Advertisers are wrong with such presence in TV advertising and so little on the Internet.”

I would like to hear from you typical phrases such as:

• "make a viral campaign"
• "use social networks to see what the whole world"
• …

What is a viral content? What content or information you have recently send to a friend? for sample, I send that what I thought was very funny. If we review what we have sent, 80% or even 90% will undoubtedly humour stuff.
Therefore, if there isn’t a great creative team full of original ideas, forget about the virals. To broadcast certainly it, you need a good technical team. If you see something you like on TV, you can not do very much. Internet and mobile, allow send content forward. So it is time to invest more in on-line advertising.

Labels: advertising

The new advertising age has come. I don't now if our company rocks, :) as our friend Bena mentioned , but the advergame concept rocks for sure.

Cheer up!

Labels: advergaming

As our blog title state "Blog Unkasoft, Unkasoft's blog, where we talk about mobile games development, gaming industry, agile methodologies and all that matter we're handling every day."
And what’s more important than the eurocup soccer and I should say we are…… the Champions !!!!!!
I missed the game against Italy, against Russia, but live in Germany deserves it. A picture of Madrid celebration:

It has been an unbreakable event, but actually interesting. Yesterday my colleague Jaime, did the best advergaming presentation long time ago, to an audience with at least 6 mobile operators.
I still spot that kind of content will be a key within the mobile marketing. I also know operators are considering the flat rate is something we should deal, now.
In addition, I had the chance to chat with with Leif Fågelstedt, COO BLYK -meanwhile Germany won the match-. BLYK is a new big player landing in Spain, Just imagine a mobile operator in which you shouldn't pay;) . It will be the booster for mobile marketing, for sure.

According to Informa telecom investment in mobile marketing in the world is and will be (billions of dollars):

• 2006 --> 0.87
• 2007 --> 1.50
• 2011 --> 11.4

Forecasts for the year have been present throughout the event. Clusters of thunderstorms will continue to trek across the country. The thunderstorms have the potential to produce damaging winds, pounding hail, drenching downpours and a few tornadoes. And for sure January 4, 2009… will rains. Forecast and more forecasts.
Even matters worse I've seen errors in presentations based on errors in the press, which broadcast a message even more wrong. For example, 2010 will be invested in mobile marketing mobile, 250 billion dollars-based on some of the GSMA. Ehhhi! Jaime gets some Ferraris that sales are going to multiply by x250.

Also people still confuse between GSMA and MMA (Mobile Marketing Association), the MMA is a non-profit in order to define and educate on best practices. Is NOT an standardization entity.

One thing that I see important to rethink values, people use 10 times more mobile services if they have an iPhone. Not because it's iPhone, but because it is easy, a word of warning.

Now it's time to return to Madrid -I can’t see the match with Russia, -. We have to prepare the Mobile 2.0 event. Companies presenting projects: (http://mobile20.eu/)
PRE SERIES A companies

kooaba (Switzerland) - Mobile Image Search
Mobiluck (France) - Mobile Location-based IM, Chat and Social Networking
Secufone (Netherlands) - Mobility and Safety
Unkasoft (Spain) - Mobile Advergaming
ViiF (Germany) - Mobile Entertainment Community

POST SERIES A companies

Futurlink (Spain) - Proximity Marketing
Nimbuzz (Netherlands) - Mobile IM and Text Message Service
Mippin (UK) - Mobilizing the Web
Palringo (UK) - Vocal Instant Messaging
Taptu (UK) - Mobile Social Search

Early-Stage companies

It's good to start seeing Spaniards companies on the list.

Labels: company, educational, events

End of second day at Mobile Advertising IIR event. After the shock that takes me yesterday hearing ‘2010 will be the year of mobile marketing’. My God! Since we started this advergaming idea it was supposed to be the Mobile Marketing year. It reminds me a movie: ‘Groundhog Day’, where the protagonist 'After repeated several times the same situation, Phil begins to think that it makes no sense to live every day as well, so it decides to change drastically events. "

After two-day seminar listening to the vast majority of ops saying:

• 'It’s risky to do something with big brands as Coca Cola'
• ‘The volume of users is not very big '
• 'We have no measures'
• 'We do not have staff'
• 'Is hard to sell'

Fear, Fear, Fear… lack of courage, lack of bravery.

What differentiates the big from the small, the attitude! I’m sure if I give you a list of operators, some of you don’t put Turkcell on the top. But they prove Turkcell took advantage and is far away from the rest.

A group of ten strong people working side by side with 20 agencies. Elif Tozge, Head of Mobile Advertising in TURKCELL, has seen exactly how to success.

From a chair in Brussels, dead beat by the effort :) says:

• Personally she makes monthly a workshop with their advertisers
• Even boost by inventory of 18 mobile marketing tools, focuses its advertisers with the message in the campaign. And do not try to use the entire inventory for the campaign, helps them fitting the best 3 tools for them.
• Thanks to the work they did yesterday; today they have information which would facilitate improvement of their advertiser’s campaigns.
• When everyone thought the risk of losing Coca-Cola or another brand. Turkcell launched "TonlaKazan" ringback tones service with Akbank, Coca-Cola, Digiturk, Garanti Bankasi, Kraft, Nestle, Nivea, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever. With this service users receive free air-time in exchange for publicity, and to join it, the user must opt-in. I think she has commented that have 6 million users who have opted-in.
• Incentives for brands with new products. Definitely a cool concept.
• What do you think about the carrier’s staff size such as AT & T, Orange, Movistar, Vodafone, compared to Turkcell?
• It is a branch with fresh benefits for them and for their advertisers too.
• They are also active members in the MMA (Mobile Marketing Association)
  

Turkcell, has not been asked whether this year was the year, or whether it’s the next.

They just did it and success.

It has begun the countdown, today I started to spot the list of people who will attend the event and I liked it.
In the event we will defend the values of mobile advertising, and I say that because, sustainable publicity, respect for the environment, innovation and respect for users are more necessary than ever.
An example of traditional advertising I see -suffer- every day, advertising hand in hand, windscreens, and leafleting.

I suffer due several reasons; I didn’t ask for paper on my car’s windscreens, intrusive, obviously is something that anyone asked. The second and more importantly, the Amazon forest is disappearing at an alarming rate, so every time I see that we abuse of our forests to do something so pointless, I get grouchy. And therefore, the publicity achieved is absolutely negative.
I also believe that companies who use these means have a low level in their marketing departments.

The digital advertising, online advertising, I hope to grow and the event will IIR ideas to advertisers to work in a more sustainable way.

So we need to save our natural resources to do their job better.

Labels: advergaming, company, events

Once again we must update our business plan. A business plan is a tool that every project or company must maintain for getting funds or to inform any agent. I always say that Unkasoft success came in part by our business plan. We are near to launch our last plan version and it smells very well.
Note: I am writting this entry with an iPod touch and it's a nice experience.

Advergaming On The Fly is a killer in-game advertising solution for any Mobile Marketing Campaign. Such innovation, received the Innova Aetical Award.

Federación de Asociaciones de Empresas de Tecnologías de la Información, Comunicaciones y Electrónica de Castilla y León (AETICAL) delivered last Friday May 16, which promotes and rewards the work and professionalism of businesses and individuals more have contributed to technological development.

Unkasoft, was recognized in the category of most innovative regional ICT Project for its work in the field of in-game advertising. Jaime Lanchares, CEO of Unkasoft, received this award from Jesus Garcia-Cruces, General Director of Health Development of Regional Administration.
Jaime Lanchares, Unkasoft CEO: "We didn't know that couldn't be done and we did it."

Labels: company, events