Hook Mobile Subscriber Protection Explained

The Hook MAX Platform protect mobile subscribers from unwanted content via 7 level of rules enforcement.

1. SNS Network Standards
2. Hook Content Standards
3. App opt-in / opt-out
4. Friend opt-in / opt-out
5. Mobile Service opt-in / opt-out
6. Mobile Tab (user controls)
7. Message receipt opt-in / opt-out

GSP East and mobile

I'm going to be speaking on a panel at the upcoming GSP East event outside Washington, DC in June. I'm excited about the discussion we will be having about mobile and social media. I've been thinking more and more about a framework for understanding the options one has when pursuing mobile. I believe there is a spectrum of opportunities in mobile that vary in cost and complexity. Each has its benefits and challenges. In the next week I hope to give an overview of the following technologies on my blog.

Mobile technologies for social media:
SMS
MMS
WAP (mobile internet)
Java/Brew applications

Stay tuned!

MMS Privacy Policy

My colleague, Brian Kathman has been doing some great work documenting the many ways in which the Hook Platform protect subscribers from unwanted messages. This approach is going to be critical to the growth of mobile social media extensions. Many in the space don't understand the need for such rigid policies, but anyone who has worked with the wireless operators will know that it is essential. See excerpt below:

"Hook Mobile understands the importance of subscriber protection in order to protect users of social networks from receiving content or services unwillingly, incurring charges without proper disclosure, and gaining access to content or services that is inappropriate for the audience. At the same time, Hook Mobile understands the potential liability risk mobile operators can take on when the proper subscriber protections are not in place, especially in the context of the new social networking environments in which the flow of communications and content is not always of the old ‘one-to-one’ variety, but in some cases among and between friends and shared interests.
So to achieve the optimal mobile subscriber protection in a social networking environment, Hook Mobile has extended social networking applications with opt-in only MMS push platform, M.A.X. 2.0. This protects users by utilizing the double-opt-in process of normal mobile marketing, along with two additional opt-in processes for i) application acceptance, and ii) Friend confirmation. So at the very least, mobile subscribers receiving services through M.A.X. 2.0 are protected by an integrated ‘triple-opt-in’ of the content, services, and friends that are part of their “mobile social” experience."

Hook Mobile in Mashable

Hook Mobile got some great coverage in Mashable today.

See article at: http://mashable.com/2008/05/21/hook-mobil/

Ztail - The Kelly Blue Book for everything else

My good friends Bill, Jordan and Dave just launched a site called Ztail (www.ztail.com) that aims to help you find out what things are worth. Personally, I think it is a great idea. As a gear head, I have a whole garage filled with stuff I don't use and probably should sell. But how do you know how to value a bike that was build of misc. parts? By asking the community what something is worth, you can get a sense for how much to expect should you throw it up on eBay.

Check it out when you get a chance. It gets addictive when you are 'worthing' products!

Hook Mobile to sponsor GSP East

O'Rielly puts on a great social media conference called Graphing Social Patterns. I attended the last conference in San Diego after I joined Hook. It was really insightful from a content perspective and very fruitful from a networking perspective.

The next GSP event is being held on June 9th-11th just outside of Washington, DC in Arlington, VA. Since the Hook Mobile HQ is just down the road in Vienna, VA, it made sense for us to jump on board as a Gold Sponsor.

We are very excited to be part of the program now that the Hook MAX Platform has been launched. We look forward to meeting more of the community. Make sure to reach out to me if you will be in the area.

http://en.oreilly.com/gspeast2008/public/content/sponsors

My Social Times Podcast

Check out my podcast on the Social Times with Nick O'Niell
http://www.socialtimes.com/2008/05/interview-with-craig-dalton-of-hook-mobile/

Interview With Craig Dalton of Hook Mobile
Posted by Nick O'Neill on May 9th, 2008 11:19 AM

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with Craig Dalton of Hook Mobile. Hook Mobile has developed a platform which helps integrate MMS technology with social applications. They’ve already launched one application on Facebook called PicToPhone. The application enables users to view their friends photos on a daily basis through MMS technology.

The application has been used as a demo so that developers can see how to integrate MMS technology into their own applications. Throughout the podcast, Craig and I discussed the various challenges facing the convergence of social and mobile technology. We also discussed the various ways that businesses are trying to monetize applications in the space.

Just yesterday, Nielsen released statistics that in the first quarter of 2008, 1.6 percent of all mobile users in the United States had accessed a social network via their mobile device. While it is only 1.6 percent, this space is growing rapidly and could become one of the most dominant areas for social technology to expand into. Listen to my interview with Craig Dalton below to hear more about how the social web can leverage mobile technologies.

Why MMS? Just some thoughts I had documented for a client

MMS is an evolved form of SMS. It is a technology that enables the creation and sharing of messages with rich content. MMS-compatible devices can send and receive multimedia messages, such as graphics, video and audio clips, etc. MMS messages can convey content up to 250 KB today on a cross carrier basis with those thresholds improving quickly.

MMS has several significant advantages over WAP-Push/SMS delivery.

- MMS is the most efficient way to deliver multimedia content as the content is encapsulated in the message itself. Users simply need to know how to hit a single soft key button to open a message. Once the message is opened, the multimedia content can be viewed / played.
- MMS’ can be single images, multi-image slideshow or full motion video today.
- MMS is a better user experience. Users can watch video, scroll through slideshows and read inputted text within the standard MMS client on their handset.
- Pricing. MMS is typically subscribed to within a message bucket or can be used on a per use basis. Unlike WAP-Push which requires both a messaging and data plan, MMS only requires a capable device as users can make single use purchase decisions.

Back to blogging

Its been a long time since I've actually written anything on the blog and even then you could barely call it writing...more posting. I been getting into microblogging via Twitter which has renewed my interest in the whole concept. I'm going to start sharing some more verbose thoughts on this blog to cover some of my interests in mobile and social media along side a bit about my racing activities.