Apple Computer, Alcatel-Lucent, Sundrop Mobile Take Home Choice Awards at Annual Andrew Seybold Wireless Dinner
SANTA BARBARA, California, January 11, 2011 – Convenience, capability, and expanded mobile access to ever more types of information continued to characterize the winning entries for the Annual Choice Awards, presented at the annual Andrew Seybold Wireless Dinner on January 6, 2011 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas following the opening day of the Consumer Electronics Show. The winners were Apple Computer, Inc., for the iPad tablet computer; Alcatel-Lucent for its Mobile Smartloading technology; and Sundrop Mobile for its Rewards Card Wallet.
“This year’s winners again underscore the fact that innovation is not the province only of the rich, well-established companies, but that good ideas exist everywhere and only need a creative imagination to set them free,” Seybold said. Apple and Alcatel-Lucent are well established leaders in the technology field and have long records of creative achievement. Sundrop Mobile arrived on the scene only in 2010 and very quickly joined the ranks of the leading innovators.”
Most Innovative Mobile Device: Apple iPad
Apple Computer’s iPad is a tablet computer intended and optimized for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. An immediate success, the iPad was released in April 2010, selling nearly 4,200,000 of the devices in the second quarter alone. Weighing in at about 1.5 pounds, it runs the same operating system as Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch as well as the same multitouch display. The iPad features a virtual onscreen keyboard and with modifications can run programs sold both by Apple and by others. It employs Wi-Fi data connection to browse the Internet, load and stream media, and install software.
Most Innovative Mobile Technology: Alcatel-Lucent’s Mobile Smartloading
Alcatel-Lucent Mobile Smartloading effectively turns smart phones into mobile digital video recorders (DVRs), enabling end-users to download and use content they want without concern for usage caps. Using “Smart Content Pre-Placement,” mobile service providers (MSPs) push content to subscribers over the best network at the best time for storage on their devices and access as desired. End-user generated content, such as smart phone movie clips or high-resolution photography, similarly can be uploaded to the Internet on the ideal network and time.
Most Innovative Mobile Application: Sundrop Mobile’s Rewards Card Wallet
Sundrop Mobile’s Reward Card Wallet eliminates the need for consumers to carry physical loyalty cards, allowing them to store the card’s information on their Apple iPhone or Android mobile devices. Consumers must first download the application as part of a loyalty program registration process, after which they can add other cards using built-in barcode scanner technology. In use, they simply allow cashiers to scan the on-screen barcode representation of the respective loyalty card. Local businesses, meanwhile, can push location-based marketing alerts to the devices.
“While we congratulate these winners, we also express our thanks and congratulations to the other contenders,” Seybold said. “The companies in our industry continue to make the selection process a difficult one.”
About Andrew Seybold, Inc.
Andrew Seybold, Inc. is dedicated to solving client challenges through strategic consulting, client-specific research and analysis, publications, speaking engagements and educational programs. Company founder Andrew M. Seybold and his partners provide deep technology and business expertise, proven best practices and long-established relationships with industry leaders. Mr. Seybold is highly regarded for his COMMENTARY and Public Safety Advocate e-newsletters and the Andrew Seybold Wireless University. For more information, visit www.andrewseybold.com.