Fresh from Mobile World Congress (MWC), and energized with ideas, insights, and a slew of exclusive interviews. I’m also inspired by the positive response to the Netsize Guide 2009, a comprehensive mobile almanac I wrote that has already been downloaded a whopping 2,000+ times since it formally launched last Tuesday during MWC. Some of you twittered that you had difficulty downloading the 360-page tome, but those issues have since been resolved. It seems that no one expected so many people to access the guide over such a short period of time.

Another surprise, numerous requests during the launch party for me to autograph copies. We captured it all on film, conducting interviews with a who’s who of attendees including Blinck, Irdeto, T-Mobile Hungary, Universal McCann, Velti, YouTube, and Zed. A special treat for me:  Connecting with Thomas Husson, Forrester Senior Analyst, and a colleague whom I highly respect.

Thanks again to Stan Chesnais, Netsize CEO, and Alexander Vlasblom, Netsize Group Marketing Communications Director, and the Netsize team for making the evening possible and teaming up with MSG to plan the next step.

The aim is to make the Netsize Guide a completely interactive experience, and so encourage a lively discussion about the book, and with the 34 C-Level executives that kindly granted me interviews. I’ll have more details soon, so please check back regularly – and download your guide for free here.

Many of you have asked me why I am convinced this year’s Netsize Guide sets the bar. The reason is simple. In line with last year’s Netsize Guide (which I also wrote), this new edition draws from news, reports, and exclusive interviews to document the on-going impact of mobile on industry sectors ranging from content to commerce. But this year I had the green light to take it a bold step further.

Rather than try to identify the next big thing, I went for a big picture view of where mobile is now and where it is going.

In line with this  focus I emphasize the people-side of the equation, and examine the pivotal importance of relevancy and targeting in everything from mobile advertising to mobile gaming. I also explored how the rise of the mobile Web is blurring the boundaries between the virtual and physical worlds, allowing us to live work and play in a state of hyper-connectedness. From contactless payment services, to interactive mobile advertising campaigns that hyperlink real-world items and experiences using cameraphones, coupons or 2D barcodes, I have recounted the examples and collected the interviews that give a glimpse of the future.

Enjoy!

Tags: 2D barcodes, Blinck, irdeto, Mobile Advertising, Mobile Content, Mobile Coupons, Netsize Guide 2009, T-Mobile Hungary, Universal McCann, Velti, YouTube, Zed

This entry was posted on Monday, February 23rd, 2009 at 8:29 pm and is filed under Barcodes, Content Discovery, Mobile Advertising, Mobile Content, Mobile Research, Mobile Social Networking, Personalization. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.