Spoiler alert: Tablets are not mobile devices.
Now, back to the beginning.
There is a common practice in the technology industry of putting tablets and smartphones together in a single category and calling them "mobile" devices. Both are compelling and relatively new types of devices that exhibit a similar look and feel, and share some key characteristics. However, there are significant differences between them that make one a mobile device, and the other not.
Why shouldn't they both be considered mobile? More importantly, why is this an issue?
Because mobile is the most transformative revolution in computing since the emergence of the Internet. Mobile takes advantage of extreme portability and continuous network connectivity to enable a completely new set of user experiences that traditional computing platforms cannot. Knowing which devices are mobile and which are not helps us better understand what is happening and how to better plan, and create, the future.
What’s useful is a simple definition of what "mobile" really means.
A primary characteristic of mobile devices is that they are small enough to be continuously carried around through almost all daily activities, including walking, running, and driving, and are found at home, in the office, in-store or anywhere in-between. Mobile devices... Read more
Tagged 'tablets' 
Tablets are not mobile devices
What is a connected device, anyway?
It seems a day doesn't go by that we don’t come across “connected device,” but what does “connected device” really mean?
Tablets are changing streaming media and you need to take advantage
With the release of the new iPad in March and increased Wi-Fi availability, the tablet adoption continues to grow. In fact, Forrester Research predicts that by 2016, there will be 760 million tablets in use!
Consumers are utilizing tablets to stay connected on-the-go for both personal and business uses, and they are quickly becoming the screen of choice to view media content. Tablets are an effective platform for marketers to reach new audiences, but they create challenges and changes to the way content is developed, presented and watched.
Here are a few tips to maximize your messaging and audience engagement:
Increase Frequency – Since tablets allow users to stay connected 24/7, it’s important to consistently and frequently distribute information. Although you may have great content, if it takes too long to develop and there is too much of a lapse in sharing information, your audience will tune out.
Fresh Content - In conjunction with regular content postings, it is essential to share relevant and current content. Viewers are digesting information quicker and more often than ever, so try to correlate your messaging with up-to-date news and trends. Otherwise, you might become old news.
Simplicity – While many tablet devices offer users a rich viewing experience,... Read more
Publishers Forging Key Partnerships to Bolster Tablet Products
In 2011, the world witnessed the iPad become one of the year’s most popular gift items. Now that more affordable tablets - such as the new Kindle Fire – are coming to the market, it’s no surprise that a recent study by the Pew Research Center found that tablet and E-reader ownership has nearly doubled in the U.S. over the holiday gift-giving period. As the surge in tablet use continues to grow, some publishers are looking to leverage the popularity of tablets through strategic partnerships.
Two examples point to the trend of publisher/tablet maker partnerships. MediaPost reported that Barnes & Noble joined forces with The New York Times to offer consumers who buy a digital subscription of the newspaper on a Nook $100 off of a Nook Simple Touch or Nook Color tablet. AdAge reported a slightly different model, with the announcement that News Corp’s The Daily app will now be available on certain Verizon-marketed devices. Consumers that already own a Galaxy Tab will have access to The Daily app through a software update. Both approaches aim to incentivize tablet purchase and increase app usage.
Since tablet maker/publisher partnerships are relatively new, we will have to wait and see how this seemingly... Read more
