Skip to content
Now more coverage! Still unlimited talk & text for $30/month

Category Archives for Mobile Internet

Mobile Internet

What is it?

There are three key factors that have seen the mobile internet become a reality:

1. better handsets, screens and memory

2. better data connections through 3g

3. flat rate data-pricing.

Most mobile users in the UK now have both internet browsing and email capabilities on their phones. In fact surveys have shown that 46% of people in the UK have accessed the mobile internet. With such a large number of users there is significant potential for marketing and advertising.

With the advent of internet focussed phones, such as Apple’s iphone, some have argued that the mobile and PC internets are the same, and thus specific strategies or content for each audience is unnecessary.

The other side of this argument is that the mobile internet is significantly different for a number of reasons:

1. handset screen and keyboard size make the functionality and experience different

2. the user experience with mobile means that they will tend to access in the internet in short bursts or ‘snacking’

3. the MNO portals and repurposing of content means that the mobile user will see a different internet to the PC user (see below).

How does it work?

When most users log in to the mobile internet they will be taken to their operator portal, Vodafone Live! or T-Zones. Although many of these portals or ‘walled gardens’ include search tools, they make it difficult for the user to navigate outside of them.

To log on to the mobile internet outside of these walled gardens requires a good technical knowledge of the phone and internet settings.

Significantly, the MNOs repurpose content, ostensibly to improve the speed and compatibility with the mobile device. This can mean that the look and functions of a website are quite different to the PC-based internet. It also means that some sites, depending on the network are blocked entirely.

A few examples

Google have already made significant inroads to providing mobile search and mobile applications, such as email and maps. As yet, the company has not included it’s AdWords advertising into these applications but is widely expected to do so at some point.

under Mobile Internet

Automatic Driver Updates

Programs that are seemingly invisible to computer users are actually working hard in the background to keep a PC’s operating system running efficiently. Computer drivers are part of this behind-the-scenes activity, fulfilling a specific purpose. To be precise, a device driver is a small file containing data that the computer needs in order to communicate and control a particular device, such as an optical drive, keyboard, or speakers.

For example, sometimes it is necessary to update your sound drivers to get the best performance from your system. Driver updates are easy to find and install, and they can be downloaded for free from your sound driver card manufacturer’s website.

Different programs are assigned to both the PC and the peripheral devices they support. In other words, they all speak a variety of command languages, so the “interpreter” or device driver translates between the computer and the peripherals to ensure that the hardware is communicating properly.

Checking for the latest driver update is critical to enhancing PC features, updating functionality, and preventing or eradicating common bugs. Microsoft and other manufacturers produce new drivers download on a very regular basis, and because of this, Windows may require frequent driver updates, especially Windows Vista.

Manually updating your drivers means you’ll have to be vigilant with regard to how often driver download updates must occur. You can choose to download an individual driver download on a device manufacturer’s Website or use Windows Drivers Update to update some drivers, but a popular alternative is to rely on automatic download driver services or programs.

under Mobile Internet