As the activity grows in popularity, we’re here to fill you in on the major players and what social TV check ins mean for marketers. Some networks have created their own apps, such as MTV’s Watch With, but we’ve focused on general apps that work across all networks.

GetGlue

One of the first major players on the social TV scene, GetGlue has 2 million users and garned more than 100 million check ins in 2011. The app lets users check in to everything from movies to TV shows to music to books. The check-in process is simple; type in the media you’re using or find it on a list of trending shows, songs, etc. Like Foursquare, checking in earns badges. Some brands have partnered with GetGlue to offer rewards, such as discount coupons, free items, and sweepstake entries.

Once checked in, the app begins to show a stream of comments that others are saying about the show that’s on, making the whole watching experience more communal and interactive. Users can follow other users to find out what they’re into and discover new shows, bands, books, and more.

Viggle

The newest app to make waves in the media world, Viggle launched in mid-January offering more tangible rewards for its users. During its Viggle Bowl event during the Super Bowl, it notched more than 1.4 votes on the halftime show alone. Viggle is specifically a TV check in app. Users can earn high point values for checking in to featured shows, and smaller point values for other shows. The Viggle check in process works like Shazam: tap the check in button on your screen and Viggle will listen to the sound emanating from your TV. Points aren’t rewarded automatically; it verifies that users watch a significant portion of the show.

Because it requires a little more of its users, Viggle’s rewards are pretty sweet — users can earn points toward gift cards to Starbucks, Burger King, Sephora, iTunes, and more, as well as subscriptions to Hulu Plus or free movie tickets. During its Viggle Bowl, users could answer trivia questions, rate the ads they watched, vote on who they thought would win, and more. They could earn thousands of points for their engagement and opinions.

Miso

Miso is another app that has been around for a little while. It’s check in system is similar to that of GetGlue, which allows you type in what you’re watching without verification. Along with connecting users with other fans, it connects them with bonus content. Nope, not video clips, but “SideShows,” that clue users in to the songs used in the show (with a link to Spotify); the fashion that the characters are wearing (with pricing info); quips, quizzes, and quotes to prompt comments; and more. Each slide can also be shared on Facebook and Twitter when users connect their accounts. Both fans and networks can create SideShows.

Miso has partnered with DirecTV, Boxee, and AT&T U-verse so that users of those services can sync its SideShows with the timing of the show instead of having to manually scroll.

What Does It Mean For Marketers?

Social TV can draw viewers into a deeper engagement with the show as they talk about it with other fans, encouraging them to come back regularly — to the show and the app — to “meet” with their friends to watch “together.” And viewers are more than happy to share their opinions, particularly if they know networks and brands are paying attention.

On the other hand, the apps can also serve as distractions if the shows and commercials aren’t enough to hold their attention. With their phone or other devices already in hand, it’s only a click or two to find other, more entertaining content online or via another app.

According to stats released last week from Pew Research, tablet ownership more than doubled among Millennials between December 2011 and January 2012. At the same time, e-reader ownership also more than doubled, but tablets are outpacing e-readers. Nearly a quarter of Millennials (24%) have tablets, compared to 18% who have e-readers. We think that divide will continue to grow. The iPad is still the most coveted tech device among Millennials. And what’s more, why buy an e-reader when reasonably priced tablets like the Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Nook Tablet are just a little more expensive and have far greater capabilities?

With the number of tablet-toting Millennials on the rise, marketers have a new challenge to break through the clutter. Now, when Millennials sit down in front of the TV, for example, they not only have their phones within arm’s reach, many also have a tablet within reach. Tablets, with their robust apps and big screens for surfing the Web and watching video, offer a new distraction for those bored with whatever they’re watching or doing. It’s yet another fracture in an already crowded media environment, making it harder for marketers to secure Millennials’ attention.

On the bright side, tablets, like their smaller smartphone cousins, can also be an advantage to marketers. With the rise of social TV, tablets make it easier for viewers to engage with other fans online while watching a show. During commercials, if a product interests them, they can comfortably look it up online without having to squint at a small phone screen or pull out their laptop. They can also share their thoughts on Twitter and other social nets. (During the Super Bowl, expect just as many tweets about the ads as the game.)

The other benefit is that tablets go where their owners go. They have constant access to a sizeable screen to engage with any media they want. Tablet owners can watch TV shows online, play games online and via apps, listen to music and find out what song is playing wherever they are, and engage with brands whenever the mood strikes them. They are always active, and always just a click away.

Marketers won’t convince Millennials to put down their devices and pay attention when they don’t want to, so it’s time to embrace tablets and find ways to use them to reach out to young consumers.

Oh, the perks of going to school in 2011. And just as much a sign of our times as its elegant and efficient functionality is the backstory of seven undergrads developing the app over the course seven sleepless days of coding at the University of Waterloo. Cleverly dubbed the  Seven Cubed Project, the caffeine-fueled effort was recorded in a YouTube video. It’s a marketing move hard to imagine pre-Social Network that’s now making the viral rounds thanks to a plug from Fast Company.

Still working out more than a few kinks — information embedded in the barcode is sometimes abbreviated or incomplete and books and specific articles without barcodes are out of luck — the coders promise to address problems “soon” and will continue responding to feedback as it comes up. Our guess is between buzz-induced demand and inevitable competition they’ll have plenty of motivation to get the bugs out ASAP.

Quick Cite is not the first student innovation to bubble up in the crowded tech space and it won’t be the last. So here’s hoping campus officials and sporting companies recognize this small but growing trend as an opportunity to meet mobile student needs head on. While companies like BlackBoard Mobile and MIT and Harvard teams compete as external Research & Development departments for schools, brands willing to invest in young, eager developers could help universities foster forward-thinking internally as well, i.e. within computer science departments and student tech communities at large. Just think of problem-solving power that could be tapped!

In an ideal world, as we’ve mused before, this would involve industry outreach a la sponsored competitions (think Google Science Fair or the NYC BigApps Contest) and incubator camps, where trailblazing students and educators could  explore best practices for using mobile technologies to meet student needs. Rather than being developed in isolation by university officials and third party companies who might be behind the curve, this type of transparent collaboration could clue in higher ups to the most pressing problem areas, as well as possibly provide a solution.

Best and Worst of 2010: Technology

Best

Apple iPad. The iPad was released in April of 2010, and sold over 3 million devices in the first 80 days. Back in February, I wrote about both the skepticism and the Apple-powered potential of a tablet computer (not quite a phone, not quite a laptop) would meet from college students. I also mentioned that it might encroach into Amazon’s dominance in the e-reader territory, where their Kindle was priced at $489. The Kindle is now $139, and Apple posted Q4 profits of a record $4.31 billion, thanks in part to the iPad. Between that dent and the growing number of households using the iPad as the new “family computer,” the magic of Mac clearly still holds.

Microsoft. Microsoft should really be on both the Best and the Worst list. Kin was a massive flop in 2010. But despite being one of the biggest product failures Microsoft has ever had, the Redmond based tech giant has had massive profits over 2010. This can be attributed to the 25 million Xbox Live subscribers and to the strong sales of Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010 (the paper/presentation software of choice for most college students I know). It can also be attributed to innovation. Microsoft capitalized on their strong Xbox brand with the Kinect. Launched in November, it is expected to sell 5 million units by the end of the year. It’s also set to revolutionize the way we play video games. While Sony and Nintendo also have motion based gaming, the Kinect is different in that it does not need any controllers to work. It has been well received in the subculture of the hacker community, with many releasing open source software to modify the Kinect and its uses. Microsoft also was innovative in the mobile department. After a rough first half of the year with Kin, they bounced back by launching Windows Phone 7. Utilizing a unique Metro UI, which gives it a distinctly different look from the iOS and Android platforms, Microsoft has set itself up to become a legitimate player in the youth mobile space once again.

Samsung Galaxy S. In the mobile segment, the iPhone is king. Every new phone that comes out with a touch screen and is labeled the “iPhone Killer”. Let’s face it though, there are a lot more pretenders than contenders when it comes to the competition. That didn’t phase Samsung. The Galaxy S line of phones, launched on all 4 major carriers in the United States (as well as others globally), is climbing towards selling 10 million units for this year. Although this doesn’t compare to the 14 million iPhone 4′s sold in Q4, when you consider that the market is over saturated with Android devices, it makes the number much more impressive. Even more impressive is the power of this brand. While many companies do not capitalize on successful brands by expanding across the board (fearing the fate of the Microsoft Zune), Samsung is not hesitating to do so. The Galaxy Tab, launched in early November, has already reached 1 million sales. Next up for the Galaxy line of products? The Galaxy Player, to challenge the iPod Touch.

Worst

Google TV. Apps are everywhere, and Google’s attempt to capitalize on this by providing a web experience on your television has proved so far to be a failure. While Apple TV has sold over a million units this year, those  households who opted for Google TV have discovered a decided lack of DVR compatibilities outside of Dish subscribers. Further, Google TV access has been blocked by an exhausting list of networks such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon and, most importantly for time-shifting young viewers, Hulu. Some might remember WebTV from the 1990′s, which is eerily similar to Google TV. WebTV was bought out by Microsoft in 1997 and never passed the 1 million subscriber mark.

Blackberry. A lack of innovation and positioning has lead to Research In Motion’s rapid demise over the past year especially with young users. While Android and iOS surge ahead and WP7 working to play catch up, the BlackBerry line of phones lags behind.  While the Torch is a nice phone, it came a little too late and by the time it launched it was already behind the curve in terms of raw power. The BlackBerry PlayBook, which many think could save the brand, may end up with the same problem. While the iPad gets ready upgrade to 2.0, and the Galaxy Tab is making great strides, BlackBerry is watching from the sidelines.

About Bryan

Bryan is in his final year at the University of Kansas, set to graduate with a degree in Communications Studies in July. Currently, Bryan is preparing to go to Nanjing, China to study in the spring. He has held multiple internships while in college, in fields such as advertising and market research. In the past, he has been a contributing writer for AOL. His freelance work in digital strategy has helped develop a successful online presence for numerous brands. Although his plans after graduation are yet to be determined, he hopes to land somewhere in the digital world, where his passion for the latest technology and his keen insights on trends will make him a valuable asset.

Yesterday I attended the FCC’s forum, “Generation Mobile”, on tweens and texting at McKinley Tech High School in Washington, DC. The event was headline by “Glee” star Jane Lynch who is also the spokesperson for LG’s new Text Ed campaign to educate parents and kids about texting responsibly.

The event was broadcast live at www.fcc.gov/live, and students from local high schools and middle schools participated throughout the morning. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski opened the day with remarks about the McKinley High football team’s recent win and then segued to a live video chat with Jane Lynch via Skype – this was definitely not your typical school assembly.

When students were asked how many of them were checking their mobile phones for texts during his remarks, nearly every student raised her hand. This is not surprising given that more than 70% of kids ages 12-18 have a mobile phone according to Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist at the Pew Research Center. In fact, most of the statistics about teen and tween mobile phone usage cited during the day were confirmed by the audience.

Some tidbits from the forum on tweens and texting:
- “The future of security online has to start with the individual. Safety means reputation, privacy, and identity.” – Michael Clark of SafetyWeb
- Teaching “digital literacy” is shared responsibility among parents, schools and kids (they have things to teach us too!) – Dane Snowden of CTIA-The Wireless Association
- “It’s important for parents to teach kids that no digital communication is private – it is all public because regardless of your own privacy settings, others can save and forward anything online.” – Marsali Hancock of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition
- “When you delete something on Facebook, it is deleted from your profile (but photo tags are NOT), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful with what you post.” – Tim Sparapani of Facebook
- 42% of parents opt not to use parental controls on mobile phones – is it because they don’t want to or don’t know how? Michael Clark of SafetyWeb says, “Make sure you know what apps are on your kid’s phones – that way you know what information is being shared.” – Michael Clark of SafetyWeb

Tween parenting author Rosalind Wiseman moderated the second panel comprised of teens from local high schools and a few industry experts including SafetyWeb’s Michael Clark (they offer a kind of reputation monitor for kids) and Marsali Hancock from the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (an international non-profit).

Some takeaways for this author?
- Sexting isn’t as prevalent as the media makes it out to be; about 15% of kids ages 12-17 have reported receiving a sext and 4% have sent or forwarded a sext.
- Tweens and teens view mobile as a right; if they are not in the classroom, they expect to be able to use their phones otherwise on campus. They view mobile phone policies as a barometer of how their schools respect them and view their maturity. (And even though most schools say that mobile phones are not permitted on campus, the usage stats prove that kids are finding ways to use them during school hours anyway.)
- Parents need to proactively teach safety, etiquette, and basic usage rules for mobile phones and all online communication as early as possible. Kids as young as 2 are playing on devices when parents “pass back” their phones, but very few families explicitly discuss behavior expectations online or with phones.

About Ms Twixt
Ms Twixt writes about all things tween on her blog (all about what’s new and cool for tween girls), the Examiner’s DC Tweens newspaper column, and host events for tweens in and around the D.C. area (we recently sponsored the Girl Power Expo in Washington, DC and the National Tween Summit). MsTwixt draws from her experience owning Twixt (Washington D.C. Best Kids’ Stores in both 2008 and 2009), workshops with hundreds of tween girls and their parents (on everything from how to design your dream room to design workshops for the Inaugural gowns for Malia and Sasha Obama to preparing for the perils of high school to the mother/daughter relationship dynamic), and her own trials and tribulations as the mother of three tween daughters.

Location-based app shopkick has launched “The 12 Days of Kickmas,” which gives shoppers a chance to win one of 12 daily prize packages by checking into retail partners such as Best Buy, Target, Macy’s, American Eagle Outfitters and the Wet Seal. The promotion runs from Black Friday to Christmas Eve, culminating in a grand prize of 4.25 million “kickbucks” toward product purchases, and seems to be targeting the youth market with its choices — 11 days of “jeggings,” anyone?

Coke is also directly targeting social media-savvy teens this year by partnering with the start-up SCVNGR platform for a Black Friday promotion called “Coke Secret Formula” that will have shoppers scouring participating malls for “hidden shopping experiences,” performing challenges and redeeming rewards such American Express gift cards and Coke-branded merchandise.

Meanwhile, the cross-promotional love affair between Foursquare and Gap continues, with Foursquare’s founders appearing in the store’s latest ad campaign benefiting various charities. For each “Like” one of the videos receives on Facebook, $1 will be donated to the charity featured in the video, on top of a base $150,000 donation from Gap — and the “liker” receives a 30 percent discount on one item at Gap. Meanwhile, the Gap brand is hoping to tap into the indie- and local-shopping movement with a New York pop-up store curated by Cool Hunting.

American Eagle Outfitters has clued into the fact that teens are “essentially fused to their mobile phones,” as VP of the company’s customer relations said, and launched a series of mobile gift cards just in time for the holidays. The Facebook-synchronized promotion is good for shopping online or in stores.

JC Penney seems to be one of the few retailers putting stock in a new TV ad campaign, though it also includes online coupons and social media features. And Toys “R” Us might get the early bird award, having teamed with Facebook Places, Foursquare and Yelp to offer 15 percent-off coupons to the first 3,000 people who check in…starting at 9:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving night.

It’s interesting to note, as with Back-to-School campaigns, more and more retailers are flocking to mobile and location-based services with the idea that even the term “check-in” will attract  youth — when, according to our BTS research, the majority of teens aren’t using them, and traditional marketing is still incredibly effective. That said, among those teens that were incorporating mobile tech into shopping, value and exclusive offers were the main draws. Will the promise of savings be enough to get more young people on Foursquare and its ilk this holiday season?

Three Tips NOT To Use When Using Mobile Tech With Teens

I was in the midst of the hubbub at the second mHealth Summit in Washington, DC. This year, over 2500 participants from 40 countries were in attendance. This summit focuses on cross-sector (health and tech) collaboration in the use of mobile technology to improve health outcomes in the U.S. and around the world. Bill Gates did the luncheon keynote; very inspiring (and open to new ideas!).

I was delighted this year to see there was a panel on “Adolescence, Technology and Culture,” with discussion by Susannah Fox, one of my favorite researchers from the Pew Internet and American Life Center.

The panel covered a range of health issues relevant for teens, including safer sex, vaccines, asthma, liver transplants and lifestyle tracking. Huh?!?! What these presentations really had in common was that adults studied these particular topics using teens as the subjects. An inauspicious beginning. Over the next hour and a half, I learned what not to do when using mobile tech with teens.

Three Tips NOT to Use When Using Mobile Tech with Teens

1) Hand out smart phones in inner city neighborhoods.
- Two projects handed out thousands of smart phones in urban, low income environments and then were surprised that the phones were lost, service turned off, and apps deleted.

2) Make everything into a complicated app.
- One project created an app where youth had to download a survey, spend 20 minutes answering questions, then upload it in order to begin participation.

3) Assume that youth will only do what you ask them to do on their phone.
- Two projects seemed surprised when kids went to social networking sites, sent racy messages to their friends, and sent silly pics in addition to participating in the health project.

Many members of the audience were disappointed that the projects chosen for the panel. None took into consideration normal adolescent development (RIGHT NOW), youth culture (take advantage of what you’ve got), or technology (not a tool, but essential to youth’s lives).

Next year, I’m hoping that youth marketers who are doing fabulous things with mobile phones (obesity prevention, geotagging fitness games, suicide prevention, etc.) will submit abstracts for the mHealth Summit so we can have a more relevant discussion of Adolescence, Technology and Culture.

About Deb Levine

Deb Levine, MA, is the Executive Director and Founder of ISIS, Inc., a non-profit organization using tech and new media for sexual health promotion and HIV prevention. ISIS launched the first text messaging service for youth in the U.S., SexINFO, in 2006.

Less than six months later, will the taint of that botched effort (among others, ahem, Zune) to connect with youth carry over to feelings towards Microsoft’s latest mobile offering? Maybe not according to Youth Advisory Board member Bryan Spencer, a college student, ad agency intern and current iPhone owner. Here’s what he had to say..

A Gen Y’er Buys The Buzz For Windows Phone 7

I love my iPhone. I love Angry Birds. WordsWithFriends has a special place in my heart, and I’ve long since tossed my GPS in favor of carrying Google Maps in my pocket. But the thing is I still use a 3GS because of the numerous problems associated with the iPhone 4. Because of this, I’ve vowed to wait until the 5th gen iPhone comes out. But what happens when other phones start tempting me to leave my beloved iPhone for greener pastures?

This hasn’t happened with Google’s Android platform (mostly because AT&T doesn’t offer any devices for that lineup), but recently an unlikely, long forgotten contender in the smart phone world has started to catch my eye: Microsoft.

When I first heard about Windows Phone 7, initially I thought of the Kin. All hype, and no substance. The Kin, which was designed with Millennials in mind, was a massive flop. A quick survey of my friends showed they were actually clueless to its brief existence.

So why would I give up my apps, and switch from Google Maps to Bing? Because Windows Phone 7 is everything the Kin wasn’t. What it keeps was what was great about the Kin (entertainment and social media), and sheds its weaknesses (WP7 is a full-fledged smart phone with and powerful hardware under the hood). Further, with a half-billion dollar ad spend planned to garner interest, it’s unlikely that my peers will manage to ignore this phone. Windows Phone 7 has what users are craving when they don’t want the iPhone 4′s laundry list of problems.

It’s tile interface is innovative and easy to use. It is much more social-centric out of the box than the Google and Apple counter parts, with its unique take on the “People” category that will bring many future fans. Playing with the Windows Phone makes you feel like you are using a Windows phone, where as on more than one occasion I’ve heard the Android interface described as an uglier, more complicated iPhone.

Despite hundreds of thousands of applications available for Android and iOS currently, Microsoft isn’t stepping into the ring without some ammunition of it’s own. It’s estimated there will be a few thousand apps available at launch, and the focus around Xbox Live and Zune give Microsoft something Apple (in-house gaming) and Android (native music store) don’t have. Furthermore, the Office Suite included will be attractive to users who have been slow to abandon the productivity of their beloved Blackberrys.

Is Microsoft showing up fashionably late, or is the party already over for them? With their focus centered around entertainment and social media, Gen Y’ers could be early adopters in the upcoming holiday season. Product launch is a few weeks away, and of course only time will tell. But for this Gen Y’er, Microsoft may have a chance to steal my heart with June and the iPhone 5 feeling like an eternity away.

About Bryan

Bryan is a lost soul. Not in a bad way, as it keeps things interesting in life. When he is not studying Marketing at the University of Kansas, Bryan is busy maneuvering his recently started fraternity, mentoring high school students from his alma mater, and too often texting. While he tends to spread his talents to many fields, his forte may be in his ability to hold a conversation with just about anyone about the finer aspects of cuisine, both cooking and consuming. He does not hold quite as much writing experience as others on the board, having never taken an English class at the collegiate level. However, he still finds himself too opinionated to not express his thoughts on paper.

If you work in youth media or marketing and have an idea for a guest post, feel free to email me.

Teen Hangouts 2.0: Timeless As Ever

Teenagers have always wanted their own hangouts. Remember “Happy Days” with Fonzie holding court at Arnold’s or who could forget “90210′s” Peach Pit? In the immortal words of the “Cheers’” theme song, “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came.”

In today’s ever increasingly digital world, consumers of all ages are finding new ways to stake their claim at their favorite places (and luckily, it doesn’t involve running a tab to the extent of Norm’s on “Cheers”).

Young adults and teens are using their GPS enabled smartphones to “check in” to places via location-based services such as Gowalla, Foursquare and MyTown. Part city guide, social network and casual game (think Yelp+Twitter+Farmville), consumers discover and promote locations, earn accomplishments and offers while communicating and competing with friends and others. All of these communications can also be linked to your profile on a social network such as Facebook.

For example, here in San Francisco, you can check into cult favorite coffeehouse, Ritual Roasters in the hip Mission District, write a short review (e.g., “mind blowing latte”), get a badge if you’re a first time user (Newbie) and over time, if you visit more than anyone else, you can become the “Mayor.” (The current Mayor of Ritual Roasters, Chikai O, has already checked in 76 times.)

The buzz that started when early adopters embraced Gowalla and Foursquare, darlings of the recent SXSW festival in Austin, has steadily built with audiences. While still relatively small (Foursquare and MyTown have recently reached 1M users each), these services are experiencing exponential growth, given the fast growing iPhone and Android platforms where they are most commonly used. (Foursquare and Gowalla are available on a variety of additional platforms such as BlackBerry and Palm, while MyTown is only available on the iPhone and iPod Touch.)

Companies small and large are taking notice.  While Ritual doesn’t currently have any special offers, down in Southern California, the hip, young patrons at the Standard Hotel can check-in for a free dessert. And over in New York, fro-yo favorite Pinkberry will give you 10 percent off your bill.

Why are these services so popular? Primarily, they leverage our natural word of mouth tendencies. Nonetheless, an earlier mobile service, Loopt, had limited appeal. However, these services expanded the concept to increase “stickiness” or repeat visitation, by incorporating customization, community and challenge, all tenets of successful casual games. Recent statistics for MyTown (which has a Monopoly-like game mechanic) show that average users spend more than 1 hour per day using MyTown, and the service is averaging 3.5-4M check-ins daily.

Thus, consumers are compelled to check in, interact with friends and others, gain badges or achievements, and of course, receive regular rewards. (Who wouldn’t want a free cookie with a latte?) For young adults, It also provides a safe and strong sense of community, breaking down large cities into familiar and recommended locations, all of which resonates with today’s Millennials and Gen Xers, who crave comfort, community and quality experiences.

While it appears the brands best suited would be food and beverage retailers catering to young consumers (e.g., Starbucks, Jamba Juice, and Taco Bell), any company with a retail presence can leverage these services, especially to discount or incent trial of new products and services. For example, Nike or Adidas might want to offer discounts to shoppers that check-in at their stores. Sephora might give away samples of a new type of acne skin care to first 500 check-ins.

Media creators such as magazines, TV outlets, or movie studios could also use the service to promote their properties. For example, National Geographic just announced a partnership with Gowalla, where participants can check-in along National Geographic branded pre designed city tours. Bravo TV has developed badges and check-ins that align with locations in Bravo shows, like “Real Housewives” and “Top Chef.” Will users soon be able to check-in to the hangouts popularized by JWoww and The Situation? It may just be a matter of time…

Finally, these services are a natural fit for young people, who in particular, tend to be more avid consumers of food outlets, restaurants, bars, entertainment and lifestyle products and services. The only limitation is that currently, younger consumers are less likely to have smartphones than their older Gen X brethren. However, with smartphone adoption rapidly increasing, this will become less and less of an issue in the future.

Marketers need to take notice of these newfound location services, as they are yet another innovative and interactive way to communicate with today’s audiences. By leveraging the ubiquity of mobile devices and the social grid, they are extraordinarily powerful. Executed appropriately, they are a cost effective way to foster customer acquisition, loyalty and retention (and less calories than a Peach Pit milkshake!).

Sorta Related

How Location-Based Social Networking Gets Creepy [Ad Age, reg. required]

About Robin

Robin Boyar is the founder of thinktank, a San Francisco Bay Area market research and strategy consultancy specializing in the digital consumer. Areas of focus include gaming, online, mobile, entertainment and young people. Robin has over fifteen years market research experience in interactive mediums. Previous to founding thinktank, she led research efforts for Electronic Arts and Pogo.

Remember, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com…or just leave a comment below.

An App For Every Occasion [And Any Smartphone]

Since the invention of the iPhone and subsequent creation of the app store, applications for cell phones have shot into the mainstream improving the quality of life for folks (err.. smarphone and iPod Touch-owning folks) around the world. I for one can’t go a couple hours without checking my cell phone, something that I would have done two, maybe three times a day in the past, and that’s if I got REALLY bored.

Now with my Droid, I can get my email, texts, chat, music and internet all on my phone, among other distractions. Side note: if you missed that brand dropping, I’m running Android, so your mileage may vary in regards to these apps.

Like most, my apps vary in their purpose, but one of the main functions is to serve my musical needs. Shazam, for instance, is a great app that tells me what song is playing on the radio at any given time, or Pandora, which is a mobile-version of the delicious multi-purpose musical app that I use as a radio in my car, for relaxation during a nap, and anytime I’m tired of my music collection. Speaking of which, another notable app, iMusic, allows me to obtain “legally owned songs” from the internet. Again, one step closer to never needing to open my iTunes on the computer.

As far as social networking, Facebook on the Droid is also pretty great. Facebook on Android, or at least on my phone, connects to my phone like the Na’vi to Pandora. I can type in a name on my phone, and even if I don’t have their name, as long as they have a phone number on Facebook, they will show up. This unfortunately means that my phone is also a bit of a creeper…

It won’t come as a surprise that chatting with my friends is also a priority, and AIM (AOL instant messenger) for Android is a godsend. This is not just because it’s better than the third-party apps, but because the newest version of AIM connects your Facebook chat to your phone, which means you’re one step closer to never going back to a computer ever again.

Unlike what Steve Jobs would like you to believe, for me the phone is actually a great way to read books, and Aldiko is my reader of choice. It has a sizable bookstore of free, original ebooks, and allows you to import your own.

There are also more irreverent apps with little practical use at all. I have one that allows you to “imitate” Mario of Nintendo fame. There’s an app for the creation of lolcats, and a synthesizer app that allows you to make music by just moving your fingers around the screen. There’s even a dog whistle app! This ironically attracts my cat more so than annoys my dog, though. Apps in smartphones are huge these days, and as you can tell, they come in wide varieties. I may have an Android phone, but even I can appreciate that there really is “an app for that.”

About Michael

Michael lives a simple life in Allen Park, MI. When he is not attending Henry Ford Community College for his Associates, he can be seen chatting and socializing around campus and the local coffee shop. He enjoys a good iced caramel cappuccino, or a regular coca-cola. Michael loves what he calls “The Blog Music,” and he was and still is raised on a steady diet of electronic music and old-school hip hop. Michael hopes to work for Spin magazine one day, and screams like a little girl every time a new issue comes to the local coffee shop.