Tag Archives: mobile devices

Mobile Websites: Do I Really Need One?

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If you’ve got a business of any size (even if it’s just you at home), I probably don’t have to convince you that you need to build a business website at your own domain name.

Your customers expect you to have a website to consider you a legitimate business.

That’s why we started offering our web hosting services way back in 1995. But a lot has changed in those 18 years. Just having a website isn’t enough for many businesses.

Most businesses also need a mobile website.

If you’re wondering why, remember the immortal (if apocryphal) words of the notorious bank robber Willie Sutton. When asked why he robbed banks, Sutton is said to have responded, “Because that’s where the money is.”

That’s a pretty concise summary of why you need mobile site for your business. More and more, mobile is where your customers are. And if that’s where your customers are, that’s where your money is.

Our Mobile Planet - study of smartphone usage and need for mobile websitesConsider these stats from a 2012, Google-sponsored study of smartphone usage called Our Mobile Planet (PDF):

  • 96% of smartphone users have researched a product or service on their device
  • 94% of smartphone users look for local information on their phone
  • 90% purchase, contact the business or take another action after local research
  • 66% access the Internet every day on their smartphone
  • 57% search on their smartphones every day
  • 37% have researched on their smartphone and then purchased on a computer
  • 35% have made a purchase on their phone
  • 32% have researched on their smartphone and then purchased the product offline

That’s a lot of money to leave on the table.

Also consider that smartphone penetration is still growing and 31% of smartphone users expect to make even more mobile purchases in the future.

That’s why most of our web hosting plans and all of our ecommerce hosting plans include a mobile website with click-to-map and click-to-call functionality. Because we don’t want you to miss out on the ever-growing mobile market of smartphone and tablet users.

These are the EarthLink Web Hosting plans that include a mobile-optimized website:

 

 

New Products from Apple & Microsoft In the News

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The two iconic companies that have long represented the personal computer industry to most consumers – Microsoft and Apple – have been making big news in the past couple of weeks, with major computer and mobile product announcements and updates. Lets take a look at what’s new and what it means for you.

Apple – New Laptops, OS X, iOS

New Macbook laptops, OS X, and iOS 6

New Mac Products Unveiled

On June 11, Apple announced updates across its line of laptops. Updates to the base Macbook Pro and Macbook Air were considered good but relatively minor. Most notably, they all got bumped up to the new third-generation Intel “Ivy Bridge” Core processors, which deliver improvements in computer speed, battery life, and graphics performance. The biggest news, however, was the introduction of the very expensive (but some say worth every penny ) Macbook Pro with Retina Display. The laptop is considerably thinner and lighter than other Macbooks (not called Air), but the headline new feature is the high-resolution 2,880×1,800 pixel “retina” display found on the latest iPads.

Read CNET’s reviews of the new Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, and Macbook Pro with Retina Display.

If you’re looking to purchase an Apple computer, prices have already gone down for the previous generation. Here’s a CNET article on how to get the best deal on a previous-generation Macbook.

Deals on the next-gen computers may take a while to materialize.

Apple also announced the July release of its next OS X operating system, called Mountain Lion  (continuing Apple’s big-cat naming convention). The new OS is supposed to be more intuitive, operating more like an iPhone. It will also have much better social network (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) integration, increased iCloud online storage integration (allowing you to seamlessly sync information from computer to phone or tablet), enhanced type-as-you-talk dictation capabilities, and other new features and enhancements. The new OS X will be available for download at $19.99 (or free if you buy a Mac between now and the July release).

Details were also confirmed about Apple’s fall release of iOS 6 for iPhones and iPads. The new mobile OS will boast many improvements to Siri (including iPad support and integration in some cars), greater Facebook integration, a totally new 3-D maps app with turn-by-turn navigation, FaceTime calls over cell networks (not just Wi-Fi), game and photo enhancements, and more. Read all about the coming new iOS 6 here.

Microsoft – New Tablet/Laptop, New Mobile OS

New Microsoft Surface tablet

This Monday, Microsoft did something it had never done before: it showcased a Microsoft branded computer, a versatile tablet called the Surface. On the surface, the Surface may look a bit like the market leader, the iPad. It is similar in size and weight. But a couple of things make the Surface stand out: it has a built-in stand and a cover that converts into a keyboard. The two features – plus the fact that it will run full productivity tools like Microsoft Office – position the Surface more as a laptop replacement than other tablets. The new Microsoft product is expected to launch along with the new Windows 8 operating system  later in the year. Read a review of the Surface by the Wall Street Journal.

And just yesterday, Microsoft a new version of its Windows Phone OS for mobile devices: Windows Phone 8. The new mobile phone OS is expected to give Microsoft a better chance to compete against rivals Android and Apple in the red-hot mobile device marketplace. The new OS is expected to be both more robust and intuitive to use, with attractive features like Live Tiles, which automatically update various kinds of information based on user customization. Another headline feature is a new mobile wallet app that will let users pay for things with their phones and also track and use coupons, loyalty cards, and other shopping information.

While these next-gen phones are getting good initial reviews, they do present one big problem: the current Windows 7 phones will not be able to be upgraded to Windows 8 when it comes out. So if you think you might want a Windows phone, you should probably wait until later in the year when Windows Phone 8 comes out.