Mobile Initiative Coming From VISA - Next Week

VISA is looking to make a huge splash in the mobile payment sphere in a big way next week.  At least that's what its CEO said during a financial call. How big?  I'm guess it's bigger than the one that AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon ambitiously tried to create before scaling it back, even before its launch.  

Only time will tell when, not if, we will start paying for things with our mobile devices.  What of AMEX, Mastercard, and Discover? 

I was always curious about how the wireless providers could have came up with a payment system without involving the credit card companies.  Even if the likes of eBay (with Paypal), Google's Checkout, or even Apple's database of hundreds of millions of credit cards, they would all still have to go through the credit card companies.  

I envision VISA creating its own protocol or API that would allow developers and device makers to use of NFC abilities that more and more smartphones will support.  Maybe there won't be a splash from VISA.  We are looking at a move from a bunch of credit cards in our wallets to a bunch of credit cards in our mobile devices.

Still, I'm pretty excited.  

More at RCR Wireless.

Space Shuttle Delay Shows We Need A Newer Robust Launch System

As nostalgic as it is to see the 2nd to the last shuttle launch is, I'm not sure I'm going to miss it.  Another delay.  I look forward to the day when we can launch something into space without much consideration for weather and that the equipment and the launch vehicles are robust enough so that we won't have to have thousands of people working on one launch.

In fact, I want those same thousands of NASA scientists and technicians to be launching multiple vehicles in different parts of the country on a more regular basis.  Or, these same workers could be working in the private space sector doing the same thing.  I don't know when that day will come but I certainly hope it'll be sooner rather than later.  

Yes, the space shuttles are a reminder to the enthusiasm for space exploration.  That was then.  What does the future hold?  It's hard to say.  I'm beginning to think the public is confusing exploration with launch telescopes, robots to Mars, and make sure we have a web of satellites for our TV and Internet.

I loved it when President Bush announced that we would go back to the "moon and beyond".  Of course, it was more about sound bites.  I knew that.  But it was still nice to dream.  

With the Chinese working hard to catch up to the US and Russia, I think America always needed a challenge, staying ahead of everyone else, I don't know what is.  

More at News.com.

iOS Making More Money For EA…than DS And PSP Combined?!

According to EA, it's mobile revenue is $70 million while DS and PSP pulled in $28 million and $16 million respectively.  Not bad right?

It's hard to say since the margins can vary.  EA probably makes more from DS and PSP sales considering how much more expensive those games are but it more than makes up for the smaller margins on mobile sales through volume.  All in all, not a bad quarter.

Now consider this.  Apple's popular iOS devices, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, dominates the app store revenue with about 80% of the market.  Taking a bit of a leap and extending that to EA's mobile revenue, Apple's ecosystem could be helping EA generate $56 million of total mobile sales.

That means the iOS platform is taking in more sales than DS and Sony combined!  

Of course, this is just some fuzzy math I'm throwing out there but I am pretty sure I am not that far off.  Without knowing the margin, we won't know if developing and selling games for the iOS is more profitable than for dedicated gaming devices.  Still, with the explosive growth that mobile is experiencing, not only will mobile revenue dwarf handheld gaming revenue, but mobile profit will eclipse those generated by DS/PSP many times over.

More at TUAW.

Should The Media Be Talking About the SEALs So Much?

If we know the identity of the shooter who put Osama Bin Laden's sorry ass out of his misery, I'll among the tens if not hundreds (even billions) of people who want to buy the guy a beer or two.  Reminds me of Jack Bauer.  My friends, who are 24 fans, and I actually joked that it was Jack who did it.

And jokes aside, should the media be talking about the SEALs and talk about where they're based and such?  Team Six.  They're my heroes but reporting where they are stationed and where they train, I just don't know.  Or how about a local report that says where they go eat?

I really appreciate what these guys did.  They're humble warriors.  The best of the best.  And they put themselves in danger time and time again.  I just hope the media is more careful about these reports. Just make sure they're not put into more danger than they put themselves into on our behalf.

Here's a most from WP that profiles what the kind of soldier who sent Osama to hell.  A nice article that doesn't reveal more about the SEALs than it has to.

Streaming Videos And iPads Caused TV Ownership Drop First Time in 20 Year

Neilsen reports that TV ownership has dropped from 98.9% to 96.7%, the first drop in 20 years.  They gave two reasons: poverty and technological changes in how we consume content, specifically, the NYT article mentioned laptops.  

I think I've got another couple of reasons that are more important.  Streaming video and tablets.  It's no accident that this drop came now and not earlier or not change at all.  We've had other recessions in the past 20 years and that has not changed TV ownership as dramatically as this 2% change.

While Neilsen is right about streaming videos as a cause, it's not just due to laptops.  Ask the netbook makers and other PC makers being thrashed by the iPad.  And yeah, though they won't admit it, the iPad, with 75-80% of the tablet and mobile media device marketshare, has changed how we consume video with its greater portability than laptops and its awesome 10+ hour battery life.

So don't be surprised if we continue to see a drop in TV ownership in the next few years.  But don't worry, that percentage of TV ownership will only drop to a point - big screen HDTV will still be the number source for media consumption.  The real question to ask is if tablets will outnumber TV in households.  

And the answer to that is obvious, at least, to me.  So, it's important for the studios to begin to consider new deals and models that will cater to a growing mobile audience that might spend more time watching videos on tablets and smartphones on the go than in the living room.

More at NYT.

How I Found Out About Osama Getting What He Deserved, AP Told Me

It was Sunday when the Americans and much of the Western Hemisphere learned about Osama Bin Laden getting what he deserved.  This is one of those events in our lives that we will always remember where you were when you found out.  I was at home when I started up the browser and shocked to read about it.  This was a day that many of us would not think we'll see.  At least, now that I've read up on how the special op went down, not in the way that was so dramatic.  

Like I said, I was at home but it was earlier when my AP app on the iPod touch informed me that the President will be making an address.  This was around 1900 PST.  Yeah, President Obama wanted to talk to Americans on a Sunday night.  This could not be good.

When I got the notification, I was in my drive way on the way to go get dinner.  I immediately went back into the house to grab my mobile hotspot just in case I needed to read up on what's going on.  

Went to the supermarket, got food for the week as well as dinner.  Came home.  Along the way, I got a couple of more notifications from other apps and e-mails. Then around 8:30, stuff started going crazy.  Texts, e-mails, calls.  Even a FaceTime chat with my uncle and aunt about it.

After that, the President addressed the nation from the White House to confirm it.

Is this how we are going to find out about breaking news from now on?  Push notifications?  For many of us mobile warriors, I reckon that to be so.  I don't watch much television and I catch up on my video on Hulu.  News I get each morning on the Web.  Ordinarily, I don't use my Macbook unless I want to tweet or update my blogs  

Had I not have my touch with me, I probably would not have known about this until Monday morning.  

FBI Agents In Cyber Security Have No Adequate Skills

One out of three FBI agents assigned to work on cyber intrusion or similar cases lack the necessary skils in networking and other counterintelligence for a list of variety of reasons.  

This conclusion was initiated by the Justice Department inspector general.  While there are courses offered by the FBI to help agents acquire the necessary skills, agents did not have the time to complete the training.

And just as disturbing is the information sharing that are restricted at times.  According to this audit, a NCIS investigator had requested information on a hacker but the FBI did not provide the information - excuse was need-to-know policies that was put into place.  However, the NCIS said the level of sharing depends on who at the FBI they make the request for information.

I don't know about you but I find this kind of thing very disturbing.  I guess I'll keep an eye out on this to see if things change.  It is still incredible to find such reports in the aftermath of 9/11.  Reports upon reports, hearings and hearings, and other investigations, and pissing contests still exist.

More at MSNBC.