Data shows US mobile data usage ready to pass the UK

Data shows US mobile data usage ready to pass the UK

from VentureBeat by Chris Morrison

Before long, the United States may become the world’s top user of the web on mobile devices, according to analytics and billing firm Bango. The company is releasing figures this morning showing the US at almost 19 percent of the world total, just short of the top country, the United Kingdom, which has about 19.4 percent...

Bango’s numbers also corroborate data released earlier this year, including Google’s report that mobile web usage of its sites is increasing...

It seems reasonable to assume, however, that devices will continue to innovate (or copycat, as with the Instinct, Samsung’s version of the iPhone), and prices for both devices and data will edge down as carriers compete. Applications and services also tie in; for more on how they’re helping expand mobile web usage, check out our article on five trends driving the mobile web.

In case it’s of interest, here are the runners-up that Bango listed: India had almost 11 percent of total usage, South Africa was approaching 9 percent, and Indonesia had 4 percent. 

JumpTap Raises $26 Million Series D For Mobile Web Ads, Portals

from Silicon Alley Insider by Dan Frommer

JumpTap, the Cambridge, Mass. mobile Web services company, has raised a $26 million D round. JumpTap makes mobile Web portals for carriers like AT&T (T) and U.S. Cellular (USM) and sells mobile ads for carriers and publishers, including NBC Universal (GE)...

Andreessen Invests In Mobile Live Streamer Qik

from Silicon Alley Insider by Michael Learmonth

Qik, a service that allows users to broadcast live video from mobile phones, has taken a "significant" investment from Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, NewTeeVee reports. Andreessen, co-founder of Ning, worked with Horowitz at Netscape and Loudcloud. The two are joining Qik's board. Qik has raised $4 million in two funding rounds from investors including Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff of Salesforce, TeleSoft Partners founder Arjun Gupta and Jingle Networks CEO George Garrick.

A perfect application for the service happens to be under way right now, and the company says there are 15 "quikkers" shooting live video from the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Hi5 introduces its mobile app in 26 languages, to bolster international growth

from VentureBeat by Eric Eldon

Hi5, one of the larger social networks in the world after Facebook and MySpace, is launching a mobile version of its site in 26 languages. Point your mobile browser to m.hi5.com to check it out, or take a look at the screenshot...

Wikipedia Comes to the iPhone with Wikipanion

from ReadWriteWeb by Corvida

A new school year is about to start and students nationwide will be clamoring for ways to keep up with their school work. With many schools starting to offer free iPod Touches, iPhones, and laptops, the iTunes App Store will be one of the first places to go for back-to-school apps.

The new school year also means that research via Wikipedia is going to be on the rise. Fortunately for those with iPhones and iPod Touches, they can now access Wikipedia anywhere while on the go with Wikipanion from the iTunes App Store...