Mobile Content Writers - MoCo Commentary by Lynn Walford

Think Outside the Handset into the Hearts and Minds of Users

In the world of mobile content, I see a lot of copycatting going on, licensing of other formats for the mobile screen instead of creating new art forms.

In a recent essay in the The Los Angeles Times Magazine(West), "“Shrink Wrap," Dan Neil reports that he thinks that highly visual films will not translate to the small screen of the iPhone or iPod and give "iHeaddaches". I say, lets create a new from and give the public more bang for their mobile screens.

Mobile content creators ought to be creating tools, entertainment and text that enlightens informs and makes the world a better place.

One place where there is a vast capacity for solving problems is in location-based-services (LBS). I flipped out when I saw an app that with GPS in the phone actually kept track of mileage. After having survived an IRS audit where I had reproduce, I mean produce, a year of mileage records, the possibility of a downloadable mileage not only made me smile, it made me bless the GPS chipset and satellite.

Yes, GPS is great to find a Starbucks, pizza or movie, but there can be so much more. How about a clean public restroom? Where your car is parked? The best fresh strawberry or corn road stand? This where knowledge is power and intelligence rules. In a world where everyone wants something instantly, few businesses take the time to do the research to find the answers. Instead, they just aggregate other sources for long lists of way too much information. It’s not just location, location, location, but edited directed precise information.

What ever happened to customer service? The development of services that take the work out of the web surfer’s hand and delivers it directly to handset. ChaCha is starting to make things a little bit easier for cell phone users with human-generated responses that are far better than computer-generated answers.

Do I know the answers yet? One thing I know for sure about innovation, is that every question is usually answered with a wish from somewhere. Right now, my friend is at track meet with her son and she can’t leave, she’s beyond a soccer mom. She’s an attorney and wants to work part time while managing the lives of three boys. What kind of things could we help her while she’s at the soccer game all day? I have an hour ride to airport coming up to pick up a friend. How can I check the arrival time of the flight and the traffic without running into the guy watching video on his Razr?

There is an all too important question I learned when I was a sales associate at posh retailer, “How can I help you?" That should be answered with new inventive mobile content.

Lynn Walford is a freelance writer who writes mobile content.

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