Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.

Digital technology has changed the conventional media model in which information flows exclusively from a media institution to passive consumers. The media mix has now become more varied and interactive, and personalized elements have gained a foothold. All media industries print, yellow pages and broadcast have been struggling to reinvent their product line to slow the movement of advertising dollars online as societal trends can not be ignored.

As marketers we find ourselves advising our clients in an era of idea diffusion. Arriving at the right mix to attracting attention to drive sales for our customers has never been more challenging. In the old days it was about interrupting now it’s about getting ideas to spread. Whatever we do we can not be boring. No one has time for boring. And the safe route is risky.

While the Internet is only 5,000 days old it has dramatically affected how we interact, search, find and buy. Did you know there are over 100 billion clicks a day, 55 trillion links, and 2 million emails per second?  

It used to be about computers linking over the Internet and the sharing of packets of information. You could call this Stage 1 in the evolution. Stage 2 was about linking pages and sharing links. Stage 3 (where we are now) is about linking data and ideas through XML, RSS and AP. The Semantic Web or Web 3.0 is like a giant global graph. So what does Web 4.0 look like?

I believe we are moving very quickly towards linking the world data and every object. The Web of the future is going to be us. It knows our search habits, is smarter, more personalized, more ubiquitous. Think of a big machine that is global and responds as a system.

A new unity is emerging….

All screens will look to one. No one will be on the outside. To share is to gain. Let the “one” read as the “one” is us.

So where does the media fit in? There will be one platform and it wants to be liquid but the currency will be attention.

September 2008, the first Google Android phone T-Mobile G1 was unveiled and it caused much fury in the already effervescent world of technology. Now whether, this excitement was the result of the novelty of the software or the brand Google associated with it, is still not resolved. It  was the latter reason if some people are to be believed. The Google Android has amassed some not-so-good reviews about its technological brilliance, in terms of not really being an innovation but only an extension of the existing technologies in the mobile industry.

Nevertheless, The Android is definitely something that has the potential to evolve into a reckoning software stack or operating system. If we are to go by what its promoters have to say then the Google Android is the most developer/user-friendly, advanced open software. According to them, the new mobile operating system for mobiles runs on Linux Kernel and has relevant Java libraries.

The core applications that the Google Android consists of, such as the email client, SMS program, calendar, maps, browser, contacts, etc are all written in Java programming language. Along with these the other software frameworks include Dalvik virtual machine optimized for mobile devices, 2D graphics library, 3D graphics based on Open GL ES 1.0 specification (Hardware acceleration optional), media support for common audio, Bluetooth, Edge, 3G and WiFi(Hardware dependent), tools for debugging, memory, and performance profiling, and a plug-in for the Eclipse IDE. Sounds techy doesn’t it? All these are powered by a set of systems that are user-oriented themselves. Android also includes a set of C/C++ libraries as well that are both lightweight and powerful.

There is no doubt that the Google Android is highly functional and efficient, but is it the first of its kind? Well not really but definitely a beneficial tool for both consumers and advertisers. Google, with its Android has forayed into the telecommunications industry a progressive phenomenon, that of pervasive advertisement. One of the most advantageous features of the Android is being able to support quality content advertisement both static and video.

Obviously with the increase in the number of smart phone users, the advertising industry would definitely want to cash in on the opportunity of reaching out to its target audience so readily. Google is already the pioneer of web-advertising as it dominates the web world with Ad sense and Ad words. Thus, with Google Android, mobile advertisement will definitely encounter an unprecedented boon.

As far as its impact on the consumer is concerned, the software has already been compared to software installed in iPhone. However, certain factors give the Google Android a definite edge like security control, access to library of groundbreaking softwares, new signature unlocking tool (by drawing a shape or form on a 9 inch square which only a user knows) and others . As the market is already ripe for mobile browsing devices, Google by manufacturing a software and not a phone has allowed the consumer to exercise his or her choice and preference in terms of selecting the Handset and still acquiring the operating system that satisfies their dynamic cell phone needs.

Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt said during the demonstration, “This partnership will help unleash the potential of mobile technology for billions of users around the world. A fresh approach to fostering innovation in the mobile industry will help shape a new computing environment that will change the way people access and share information in the future,”.

I can hear Google Android calling, are you there?

Everyone thought Yellow Pages was dead, but Sensis believed that print never loses its touch. The recent financial success of ‘Australia’s Search Engine’ has actually proved that, in order to succeed, good management and determination are the most important factors. Taking a cue from the success of online search engines and Yellow Pages, the Sensis team thought ‘why not?’. The results for the year 2008 have been amazing. The company’s revenue has grown almost 10%, which is no small feat considering the fact that the Yellow Pages was almost a dead concept.

In a recent convention, which was held in Sydney, Telstra revealed to the world it’s success story and how, along with a current workforce of 46,649, it grew into one of the biggest names in the world of directories and advertising. Breaking ground in the fields of advertising, directories and the Yellow Pages, Sensis has shown tremendous growth and increased its revenues with strong and proper management.

Complete transcript of the convention and the details about Sensis’s progress have been released for the benefit of the general public. The firm seems to have no qualms in sharing everything with the consumers!

After looking at the statistics, it is certain the Yellow Pages is not dead, print has not lost its appeal and touch, and hard work and good management are all that are needed in order to succeed. Sensis is calling 2010 a big year for the firm. New developments are envisioned and the company’s revenue is expected to be at an all time high.

Sensis CFO, John Stanhope says, “We are reaffirming our fiscal year 2010 free cash flow objective of between $6 billion and $7 billion. This is a critical target. It is one which we watch very carefully, and it is the overall objective of our transformation”. Will it happen? Looking at the current results, most definitely. When a firm focuses more on satisfying the general population and aims at doing good without thinking too much of the profits, it is bound to grow!

All the best to Sensis for its future and many congratulations for the present success.