This month's menu

Just off the wire

Chrome users to pass Firefox by end of 2011.

Blot Links

Websites go Mobile

It's pretty obvious that more and more people are accessing the internet on their mobile phones and tablets.

And the success of mobile apps means that it is easier than ever for hand-held users to access web information.

A trend we're now seeing is that clients are looking for a 'mobile version' of their site. Neilsen Research reckon a good mobile site will extend your website reach by as much as 13%.

These mobile sites look very similar to apps in that they are designed and styled like an app and use a similar user interface, but they are usually cheaper to build and maintain, and only one version is needed across multiple devices.

So if you're looking to extend your website reach, this might be just the way to do it.

Read more. . .

Microsoft unveil Metro

This month Microsoft unveiled their new operating system, Windows 8 with its dual personality and 'Metro' touch screen interface.

Although it won't be available for a year or so, it's a significant release and a response to a market where PC sales are dropping and tablets are increasing.

There will also be a Metro Store where users can find and download applications (sound familiar?).

Read more. . .

A lesson from University

This month we spent some time working with the students at Napier University's Entrepreneurial Exchange Programme.

The students, local and from Germany, had a brief to study local businesses and come up with growth strategies. Interesting that every group included improved web presence and social networking in their approach!

The social networking aspect was especially interesting in that so many established (and successful) businesses that we know completely shun this avenue of promotion.

In student's age group however, this is simply a 'given'. So if you're targeting a young demographic, it should be a given, and remember that young people quite quickly become older!

Read more about Napier's Entrepreneurship Institute. . .