Startup Houston » Wireless and Mobile

SpacePoints Mobile App Game Un-Conference

kurtstoll — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:18:26 +0000

SpaceUp Houston is hosting its 2nd conference and the goal is to develop a concept, rules, and application for a mobile game called SpacePoints with the goal being to educate and excite the Houston community around space research, exploration, and innovation in aerospace. Cost is $10 and includes lunch. Registration is limited to 40 people.

Topic: SpacePoints Mobile App Game Un-Conference

When: Saturday June 25th, 9AM to 3PM

Where: 3600 Bay Area Blvd, Houston TX 77058, Lunar & Planetary Institute

More Info: http://bit.ly/hdHd5T

Android surpasses iPhones in U.S. markets

adamtrojanowski — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:25:14 +0000

According to ComScore, Android has now surpassed Apple’s iPhone in U.S. markets by capturing 6.4% of the market share. Android phones now possess 26% to Apples 25% market share putting it in second place in the smart phone market behind RIM, while also making it the fastest growing phone operating system in the United States.

This has happened for many of reasons, but I believe the most important reason that Android not only survives, but thrives, is because it caters to entrepreneurs ensuring constant innovation.

How does Android do this?

First, there is constant competition among the major phone companies in the production of Android phones. Each company is striving to create a better Android phone then their competitors. This competition has led to the Android OS being put onto over a 100 different phones or tablets since 2008 from big names in phone development like Samsung and Motorola, compared to Apple who have released less than 10 since 2007. Apple has put itself into a position to where its operating system competes against most of the big names in the phone industry.

The second reason, and the most relevant to an aspiring developer, is that the Android’s app market is the fastest growing in the United States. The reasons for this are easy to see.

To develop apps with Androids software you must pay a one time $25 registration fee , while Apple requires you to pay a $99/year to become a developer.
Apple and Google take 30% of the developer’s revenue from an app but, Apple keeps the 30% of revenue, Google gives it to wireless service carriers, not including billing settlement fees. This helps keep wireless providers friendly to app developers.
According to Apple, 20% of all apps are denied access to the Apple market. On the other hand, Google has said “Approximately 1% of all applications that have been uploaded to the Android Market and subsequently made available to consumers subsequently have been taken down by Google.”
Apple has more restrictions keeping some developed apps from being published because of content. Apple has made some effort to change this by instituting application ratings. Some examples of banned material are:

Apps are banned if they contain offensive or mean-spirited commentary (Professional political satirists and humorists are exempt).

Apps that create alternate desktop/home screen environments or simulate multi-app widget experiences.

Apps that include games of Russian roulette.

Apps containing pornographic material, defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings.”

If your user interface is complex or less than very good it may be rejected.

How does this relate to entrepreneurs? Well, I believe it shows a trend that should continue into the future. If you want to design apps for phones, go with an OS that is more friendly, that gives you more leeway into what you want to do, and a larger user base that is forecasted to increase at a staggering rate. Learn and use the Android system. If you have an interest in Android app development, follow this link to check out the Houston Android Developers Meetup Group.

Advologix Announces Spring 2008 Release of AdvologixPM

Josh Tabin — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:26:47 +0000

Local Houston startup Advologix has announced the Spring 2008 release of AdvologixPM, a web-based law practice management solution for law firms of all sizes. The Spring 2008 release has significant new user, firm, mobile, and support enhancements that bring new levels of productivity, revenue generation, and ease of use to lawyers and their practices.

We covered Advologix some time back and introduced our readers to them. Since then, Paul and Jonathan have been regulars at the Houston Startup Happy Hour and active members of the vibrant Houston startup community. Make a point of getting them to demo AdvologixPM at the next happy hour on April 3rd.

Bookmark That Ad with qtags

Josh Tabin — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:53:09 +0000

Itâ€™s rare to find someone in the advertising industry that appreciates the value of turning your customers into raving fans. Allison Gower is such a person.

Allison Gower is no stranger to startups. In 1998, she founded The Platform Group Gallery, a Houston based manufacturer of promotional packaging. Just make a cursory review of their website and you can feel the how the customer experience permeates every section of their site. Now, Gower has taken that same approach that has made The Platform Gallery one of Houstonâ€™s fastest growing companies (they were #77 on the 2007 Houston Business Journalâ€™s Fast 100 list) to her newest startup, qtags.

The service is built using short-codes that allow users to send â€œquick tagsâ€ using their text messaging service to effectively bookmark an advertisement they see that display varying qtag words. This will then store the advertisementâ€™s info in the users inbox for review at some later, and more convenient time. An example of this can be seen through the image below featuring a campaign in Boston for Lucida Healthcare Group.

â€œI came up with the idea soon after becoming a mother. I found that I consistently saw ads that were interesting to me but could not keep track or recall the important information about that ad when my day settled down. My thought was that if I could find a way to work with advertisers to develop a platform for bookmarking those ads, it would provide advertisers with a more concrete way to measure campaign ROI and make ad placement more effective,â€ says Gower.According to a 2006 study by the Shosteck Group, an international telecommunications consultancy providing comprehensive strategic market, competitive, and technology analyses for a broad range of clients in the global cellular and telecoms markets for over 23 years, â€œmobile advertising is a huge opportunity with the potential to generate in excess of $10 billion in annual revenues by 2010.â€ I personally have seen reports that have this market ranging anywhere from $1 billion and up. Why else do you think Google and Apple is so focused on the upcoming 700 MHz auction?Although qtagâ€™s model is similar to that of another recently featured startup, WHAMtext, the models target different niche segments within the mobile advertising space. Both are based here in Houston but interestingly enough, are not seeing much traction in the Houston markets.â€œMost of our business today is coming from major markets outside of Houston, like Boston and Chicago. I think that Houston is slowly developing a stronger presence in advertising, but we still have a ways to go,â€ said Glower.

Cell)))it lets you serve up video classified ads from your cellphone

kurt — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 06:12:12 +0000

I found out about Houston-based Cell-it in this article from Webware, talking about the state of video classified ads today.Â In the article they talk about how the broader use of video classifieds is overdue and whether smaller companies can get enough traction in the market before someone like Google or EBay tries to take over the space.Â Cell-it appears to make it very easy to get started with uploading video classifieds shot from your cellphone.Â Here are some excerpts from the about section of their site:

Cell)))it makes it easy. Just take a picture or video and email the media to 4sale @ cellit.us.

Early interest is high perhaps because the first listing is FREE for new accounts.

The site feeds all items to Google Base for re-listing with the available thumbnails and user supplied description.

For sellers this is a real bargain. Video thatâ€™s quick and easy. Using your cell-phone eliminates the need for pc completely. Look for Cell)))it to partner with the major cell carriers that are looking for ways to extend their data networks.

There you go, free and easy, so get out there and give it a try.Â I know that most of you are probably thinking about selling your old gadgets to buy an iPhone next week, so here’s your excuse.

The Houston Web Design Meetup Group gets together on April 11th

kurt — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 05:26:05 +0000

I got an email from Eric Shafer, organizer for the Houston Web Design Meetup Group that their next meeting will be on April 11th @ 7pm.Â He went on to say:

Tyson Weihs, one of the creators of http://www.mymetar.com will be joining us to demonstrate the design process of a real, live phone based web site! His site is for pilots to get weather information from any number of electronic devices. A very cool concept. He will be presenting his work and then we will have a cool activity to get everyone thinking about mobile design concepts.

Wear your hip clothes, cause we are stepping out to the Davenport Lounge. It is across the street from the Stag’s Head pub.

This topic was chosen by those at the last meeting. “The world is run by those who show up.”

It should be a good meeting. I already found a new startup from Houston I hadn’t heard about. More soon…