Mobile and broadband technology may be as important to entrepreneurship as the Internet itself, but the future of both seems in a state of flux. Here are some of the major news items and issues shaping both of these technologies and how your business may be affected.
The Times, They Are a Changin’
Vanishing in an iCloud of smoke. As of Sunday evening, MobileMe, a cloud storage and syncing service debuted by Apple in 2008, was no more. If you haven’t heard yet, the service has been replaced by iCloud, but for those seeking a stable way to store important data and share between devices while on the go, it may be time to consider your options. MacWorld
Walmart won’t stand still on mobile. The retail giant is introducing a new pre-paid MiFi service starting at $10 for 100 MB with no expiration. Though the new service, called Internet on the Go, is promoted as being for “casual users,” it can provide a WiFi experience using multiple devices and offer automatic online refills. Engadget
Mobile Tech
Gadgets to go. From mobile power to smartwatches and other wristband tech, mobile gear is exploding with many possible applications. As business moves out of the office, increasing your productivity and flexibility, these devices can go along with you to improve your effectiveness in transit. The Next Web
Mobile and Privacy
Location, location, location. Besides access on the go, mobile companies also offer a wealth of potential marketing information. These companies collect and hold onto location data about customers sometimes for years, and provide it to outside companies, whether privacy advocates like it or not. ProPublica
Privacy as product. As an aside to the discussion about the amount of personal data now collected by mobile and other tech companies, one entrepreneur suggests some small businesses might consider using protection of customer information as a unique selling proposition. Solo Small Business
A More Accessible Web
Broadband opportunities not so broad. South Carolina has become the latest state in the US to pass legislation making it difficult, if not impossible, to create publicly owned Internet providers. While some insist providing cheaper, more accessible public Internet isn’t the role of government, others say it would benefit many including small businesses. Ars Technica
Access equals growth. From California to Australia, communities are seeing the connection between adequate broadband and economic growth. Riverside, CA received the 2012 Intelligent Community award for establishing a municipal broadband system, while Australia’s Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy was named the Intelligent Community Forum’s Visionary of the Year. ComputerWorld
Business Access Equals Success
Slow and expensive. In an effort to advance broadband and the economic prosperity it can bring here in the US, the White House recently announced “US Ignite,” but critics say the plan falls short of addressing the real problem—slow and expensive connectivity in the “last mile” that connects the Internet to homes and some small businesses. PC Mag
Leveling the field. On a recent visit to South Africa, Stephen Carter, executive vice president of global telecommunications giant Alcatel-Lucent, suggested a broadband policy is second only to a nation’s economic policy in terms of the prosperity it can bring. Carter suggests good access evens the playing field for all. Think about how your business benefits from such access. BusinessTech
Call To Action
Mission possible. Take a look at the story of Pagosa Springs, CO. The town council has recently embarked on a mission to provide municipal broadband to the rural community. The town’s experience is an important example of how these communities are working to improve access for their citizens and businesses, creating better economic opportunities in the process. Pagosa Sun
