Decius wrote:
] Dolemite wrote:
] ] Being able to print out a coupon would certainly be
] ] helpful.
]
] Would it? If they SMSed it to me, why can't I SMS it back to
] them to claim it? Better yet, why can't I send it to the cash
] register over bluetooth. The hardware on Starbuck's side isn't
] going to be more expensive then what they'd need to prevent
] paper coupons from being copied. Furthermore, I'm not going to
] have to replace little rolls of paper in my phone all the
] time.

HP gets the majority of their profit from the consumables division. They want you to replace the paper rolls in your phone all the time! I never said that I was an advocate of it, just telling you what the example applications are that the Telcos think you'll want. Maybe I should have told you about their ideas that they'll send you coupons for other things that they think you might like. That's right, SMS spam. woohoo! It's no wonder that I requested to stop working with Telcos.

Starbuck's was probably a bad example since they're wired to the internet in many locations and more likely to have a full time connection. Think instead of other places, like a movie theater or a Mom & Pop diner. Paper is simply a bridge that allows old technology companies to provide new technology benefits and access. How much do you think a bluetooth cash register would cost? Or how much is the Telco going to charge that company for an SMS gateway? Remember, it's much easier for you, the consumer, to pay for the bridging technology. If a company has to pay for the bridging technology, it enters into the ROI equation, where there needs to be an increase in revenue or in asset efficiency. The coupons may bring in more people, but probably just enough to offset the discount of the coupons. The problem with LBS is that the provider will hold the keys to the gate - you can't offer a service unless you pay the provider to let you. Providers understand this and are looking for ways to market services that appeal to both sides - the consumers who drive the demand and the businesses that will pay to provide a service.

] It sounds like the problem is
] that your phone is shutting off. You should be able to tell it
] not to. (My last Ericson had this annoying habit of
] automatically returning to the main menu if you left it in the
] phone directory for too long. Too long being about 30 seconds,
] so if you're in the car and trying to look up a phone number
] it was basically useless. I've gotten a Nokia again.) Bad UI
] is not an excuse to create more bad UI.

True, but some people just feel more comfortable printing something out and looking at is versus the screen. I'm not saying that I'd use it - I'm the type who will have printed out MapQuest maps before even leaving the house. All I'm saying is that this is one possibility that the consumer base will see value in. Those of us on memestreams are not the target demographic to the Telco/Provider, we're the early adopters. In the customer life cycle, we're the ones who pay for the initial implementation, but also become a liability as the mainstream adopters feel that if we like it, it must be too hard for them. There's a book that addresses this, called "Crossing the Chasm," that explains why this chasm between early adoption and mainstream exists, but you just got my synopsis... if the geeks like it, then it must be too hard for Average Joe to use.

Dolemite

RE: Can you hear me now, killing a tree?