Gawkwire: Web Hosting and Internet News Resource

Mobile Web Users to Top 1.7bn by 2013

2008-06-24T00:45:00-04:00

The number of subscribers using mobile Internet services will rise from 577 million currently, to top 1.7bn by 2013, spurred by demand for collaborative applications known collectively as 'web 2.0', and greater 2.5/3G penetration.

Established mobile players face increasing competition from web-based brands and will have to adapt their commercial strategies to accommodate greater collaboration with other members of the value chain, if future revenue growth in the mobile web 2.0 space is to be achieved.

An Open Mobile Internet
According to a new report from Juniper Research, the emergence of applications such as: Social networking; User Generated Content (UGC); Instant Messaging (IM); Location Based Services (LBS); Search calls for delivery of the mobile Internet as it was originally conceived - i.e. an open environment in which users are able to share, collaborate and exploit content/information without any one party controlling the value chain.

This marks a fundamental shift for the industry towards the D2C (direct-to consumer) model and places growing pressure on mobile network operators (MNOs) and handset manufacturers in particular, to relinquish some of their control over the value chain, by opening up their networks/devices to third-parties.

New Business Models
"Major web players have already crossed the Rubicon and established themselves in the mobile domain, placing the onus on MNOs and other members of the value chain to form innovative relationships and grab a share of the new revenue streams being created,"
- comments Ian Chard, Juniper Research Analyst and author of the report 'Mobile Web 2.0: Leveraging 'Location, IM, Social Web & Search 2008-2013'.

"The mobile web 2.0 market is still nascent and business models remain in a state of flux, so there is still time for players to establish fruitful partnerships that build on their strengths and are reciprocally beneficial. The window of opportunity, however, is closing."

Other findings from the report
* The Far East & China region will be the largest market for mobile web, reaching almost 416 million users by 2013, up from a year-end figure of 190 million users in 2008

* The greatest untapped potential for mobile web lies in South America, while growth will be more measured in markets such as Eastern and Western Europe - where fixed broadband penetration is relatively high

* As with the fixed Internet, many mobile web 2.0 applications will need to be provided at base cost/flat-data rates (or even free of charge), forcing industry players to seek new revenue streams

Juniper Research assesses the current and future status of the Mobile Web 2.0 market based on interviews, case studies and analysis from representatives of some of the organisations leading this growing market.

Whitepapers and further details of the study 'Mobile Web 2.0: Leveraging 'Location, IM, Social Web & Search 2008-2013' can be freely downloaded from www.juniperresearch.com Alternatively, please contact John Levett at +44(0)1256 830002. http://www.gawkwire.com/technology/251.html

Social Gaming Site Helps Women and Seniors Engage for Better Health

2008-06-25T10:45:00-04:00

Women and seniors who love the social aspects of games but aren't able to get out and about with others, are finding new life with Winster.com, a social gaming site that connects people through games and puzzles on the Web.

What sets Winster apart from other game sites is that players cooperate, rather than compete, to win prizes. The more they help each other, the faster they win. Winster.com caters to adult women who play online games for social purposes, just as knitting or bridge clubs did for previous generations of women and seniors. Players can create a profile and maintain a list of friends that they can easily find and join in game rooms.

For Ramona Hernandez, a 52-year-old from Sunnyvale, California who spends much of her time at home due to her chronic back pain, Winster has opened up an entirely new world of health and happiness. "Winster is a Godsend for me. I play everyday, have met new people, learned new skills, and established strong personal relationships that keep my mind active and my spirits high. I'm convinced that Winster is a big reason I'm feeling so great these days, despite my condition."

Studies show that people who are more socially engaged and mentally stimulated stay sharper longer. According to a recent study by the American Journal of Public Health, which looked at the relationship between social networks and dementia, 18 percent of women with low "social network" scores developed dementia, while only 10 percent of women with stronger social networks did.

The link between close friendships and greater mental acuity is one indicator that people live healthier, more fulfilling lives when they have positive social interactions with others. Winster was designed to address the natural human desire to cooperate with others, but in the novel form of an Internet game site. By combining the fun of online games with a web-based social network, Winster is helping women and seniors strengthen their own social networks to lead more rewarding lives.

Hernandez's story is just one of thousands of women and seniors who are finding a new way to form rewarding social relationships online. Since its launch in the fall of 2006, Winster has developed ten cooperative games -- from Slot Social™ to Spell Squad™, and has attracted over 250,000 players, many of whom visit daily to play for several hours at a time.

"We've reinvented the social club through online games," says Winster Co-founder Michelle Kaplan. "By combining the fun of playing group games with the power of the web to bring people together, we are creating a new type of pleasant social experience. And if people are happier, healthier and more engaged in their lives because of Winster, then we're on to something special." http://www.gawkwire.com/technology/250.html

InfoRelay Expands Bandwidth and IP Networks

2008-06-20T10:27:00-04:00

Reston, VA and Los Angeles, CA - InfoRelay Online Systems, Inc., an IT solutions and connectivity provider, announced today that it has successfully completed a round of upgrades, increasing capacity in its Los Angeles, CA market and deploying its new "IAD3" facility in Reston, VA.

In order to increase capacity to its network in Los Angeles, InfoRelay has deployed a private dark fiber optic path between its "LAX1" facility at 600 W. 7th Street to its "LAX2" location at the One Wilshire building, located at 624 S. Grand Avenue in Los Angeles. This private fiber backbone provides InfoRelay with increased capacity at the One Wilshire building, and additional redundancy and capacity in both of its primary data centers in Los Angeles.

In Reston, InfoRelay has completed its expansion into its IAD3 facility, located within CRG West's Reston Exchange building. At this facility, multiple IP backbone networks are utilized to power InfoRelay's network. Fiber connecting this node to InfoRelay's location at 1275 K Street in DC further enhances redundancy and performance at each location.

InfoRelay has stated that both of these expansions were necessary in order to keep up with recent sales levels that it has sustained for its colocation, dedicated server, and bandwidth offerings. "Explosive growth of our client base at the One Wilshire facility in Los Angeles has caused us to expand our capacity in this market in order to continue to serve our existing clients as well as new clients," stated Russell Weiss, Vice President of Technical Services for InfoRelay. Speaking about the expansion into InfoRelay's "IAD3" facility in Reston, VA, Weiss further commented "Despite being a new facility, InfoRelay's IAD3 facility benefits from the extreme level of security and redundancy found within Reston Exchange."

Both the upgrade and expansion were set to happen by July 31, 2008, however InfoRelay has completed both tasks more than a month ahead of the intended schedule. "By completing the upgrades early, we've been able to meet customer demands for additional bandwidth, and turn up new customers without sacrificing network capacity or performance," stated Russell Weiss.

About InfoRelay Online Systems, Inc.
Founded in 1995, InfoRelay Online Systems, Inc. delivers enterprise-level managed services to businesses of all sizes. Utilizing seven data centers worldwide, InfoRelay serves over 100,000 clients through its main product lines and subsidiaries. InfoRelay's unrivaled network is powered by multiple Cisco routers, and boasts approximately 80 gigabits-per-second of network capacity. InfoRelay's staff and management combine decades of diverse experience in the fields of Information Technology, Storage, and Networking with today's best enterprise-level hardware and software technologies. Each enterprise-level client is assigned a dedicated Technical Account Manager and support team, allowing InfoRelay to further differentiate itself from the competition by providing a comprehensive, personalized support infrastructure. By demonstrating unparalleled levels of responsiveness, concern, and overall service, InfoRelay establishes a unique trusting relationship with each client, allowing InfoRelay to act as a 24x7x365 extension of its clients' IT departments. This partnership allows InfoRelay's clients to focus on their core businesses, rather than on the day-to-day concerns of hosting infrastructure. For more information, please visit www.inforelay.com, or call (703) 485-4600.

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