A new cyber "eavesdropping" program to "Track
the Yack" among mobile computer users has analyzed thousands of
conversations, comments and opinions in online discussions groups to gain
revealing insights into the sentiments and preferences of today's diverse
digital user base worldwide.
) launched by the
CMO Council's Forum to Advance the Mobile experience and Phoenix
Technologies (NASDAQ: PTEC), the monitoring of virtual chatter and digital
discourse in blogs, forums and review web sites by Fractal Analytics has
produced some clear and apparent needs among Internet actives using mobile
computers.
The new Track the Yack voice of customer (VOC) study released today
gathered nearly 10,000 distinct sentiments based on some 4,000 online
conversations between mobile PC users. Topping the list of gripes and
groans among users are poor customer service and prohibitive repair costs,
often leading to unnecessary obsolescence and eWaste. In addition,
discussion analytics revealed these top concerns for users:
-- Systems are overloaded and congested, taxing memory and performance
-- Boot-up time is wasted time that lasts too long and reduces
productivity
-- Too many unnecessary software add-ons are slowing down mobile PCs
-- The tribulations of too many trial software offers and applications is
an issue
-- Heat build-up and noise during continuous operation is a hot area of
irritation
-- Power management and batteries need a boost to buy more operating time
-- Trying to connect is often a disconnect, particularly in the wireless
world
-- Weight weighs heavily on their decision about what system to buy
-- Poor ergonomics and badly designed input devices are a strain
-- Insufficient RAM, weak graphics, faulty motherboards are big areas of
complaint
-- Complaints about poor sound quality are something vendors should
listen to
Track the Yack also evaluated customer sentiments for specific models from
many leading mobile computer brands, including HP, Dell, Lenovo, Apple,
Toshiba, Acer, Sony, Compaq, Asus and Fujitsu. Using the Eavesdrop tool
developed by Fractal Analytics, researchers looked at the
consumer-generated conversation and commentary to assess perceptions,
satisfaction levels and experiences with each brand's product.
Importantly, analytics was used to accent what mobile computer users tend
to care about and value the most. This includes:
-- Greater reliability and accessibility of connectivity (especially WiFi
& Bluetooth)
-- More efficient and less RAM-hungry operating systems
-- Lighter weight, more comfortable and stylish designs and colors
-- Quality and clarity of screen displays
-- System performance and disc size
-- Automated, universal connectivity and USB port availability
-- Instant on power up and application access
"Using the Eavesdrop system from Fractal Analytics, we will continuously
calibrate how the vendor community is performing in meeting end-user
desires and wants," noted Donovan Neale-May, executive director of the CMO
Council. "The efficiencies and value of online listening and sentiment
tracking using 'spidering' and 'agenting' technology is now available to
the industry and brands will have the ability to use eavesdropping for more
customized, deep dives in the marketplace."
Track the Yack is part of a ground-breaking online community building
campaign that aggregates a global audience of mobile computer users to form
a vibrant new channel of co-innovation, feedback and market engagement.
Funded by Phoenix Technologies with computer ecosystem and media partners,
the Reinvent Mobile initiative gives technology vendors, suppliers and the
channel an always-on, real-time listening, learning and leveling
environment for optimizing the design, delivery and acceptance of
next-generation systems.
At the center of the program is a new landmark, Web 2.0 social media and
community portal --
-- a content-rich
destination that promotes ingenuity and breakthroughs in mobile computing,
and enables visitors and contributors to:
-- Interact and share mobile computing experiences and views
-- Discover and submit innovative ideas and insights
-- React to future designs, concepts and prototypes
-- Receive special deals, discounts and benefits
One innovation coming to market that addresses key frustrations and desires
among mobile computer users is Phoenix HyperSpace(TM). On display at the
Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this month (Jan. 8-11), HyperSpace
is a revolutionary new instant-on, always-connected, fun and easy to use
application and Internet access environment that makes operating a mobile
PC as efficient and easy to use as a cell phone. HyperSpace allows users
to instantly launch important web-based applications (before Windows
boots), automatically connect to the best available network, dramatically
extend battery life, and achieve new levels of uptime and security
protection
"We're excited to play a leadership role in the Reinvent Mobile community
and help promote greater insight and engagement with today's mobile
computer users community," said Woody Hobbs, CEO of Phoenix Technologies.
"We're also encouraged to see that insight coming out of Reinvent Mobile
demonstrates a strong desire for instant-on computing, greater power
management, smarter network connectivity and other capabilities that are
delivered by our new HyperSpace product line."
"A year ago we announced a vision for the next revolution in the PC
industry, which we call PC 3.0(TM). PC 1.0 was DOS and PC 2.0 was Windows.
PC 3.0 is a completely new architecture defined by Phoenix, which brings
together the very best aspects of how mobile phones work with the best of
PC designs to create a radical transformation of the PC user experience. We
have been working in partnership with Intel, AMD, VIA and many of the
world's major PC and component manufacturers to achieve this vision, and
now this vision is a reality for all mobile PC users out there," added
Hobbs.
The Forum to Advance the Mobile Experience (FAME) is a member advocacy
group and strategic authority leadership initiative to accelerate marketing
programs and research around advancing the wireless user experience. Formed
by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council (
), FAME
promotes the adoption of wireless applications in the best interests of
industry players. FAME brings together influential senior marketing leaders
from top mobile technology companies that will join in the pursuit of
innovations and best practices tailored towards the advancement of end user
wireless applications. More information on FAME is available at
.
The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council is dedicated to high-level
knowledge exchange, thought leadership and personal relationship building
among senior corporate marketing leaders and brand decision-makers across a
wide-range of global industries. The CMO Council's 3,500 members control
more than $100 billion in aggregated annual marketing expenditures and run
complex, distributed marketing and sales operations worldwide. In total,
the CMO Council and it's strategic interest communities include over 6,000
global executives across 57 countries in multiple industries, segments and
markets. Regional chapters and advisory boards are active in the Americas,
Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The Council's strategic
interest groups include the Coalition to Leverage and Optimize Sales
Effectiveness (CLOSE), Brand Management Institute, and the Forum to Advance
the Mobile Experience (FAME). More information on the CMO Council is
available at
.
About Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PTEC) is the global market leader in
system firmware that provides the most secure foundation for today's
computing environments. The PC industry's top system builders and
specifiers trust Phoenix to pioneer open standards and deliver innovative
solutions that will help them differentiate their systems, reduce
time-to-market and increase their revenues. The Company's flagship products
and services -- AwardCore, SecureCore, Embedded BIOS, FailSafe, HyperSpace,
BeInSync and eSupport -- are revolutionizing the PC user experience by
delivering unprecedented performance, security, reliability, continuity,
and ease-of-use. The Company established industry leadership and created
the PC clone industry with its original BIOS product in 1983. Phoenix has
159 technology patents and 136 pending applications, and has shipped in
over one billion systems. Phoenix is headquartered in Milpitas, California
with offices worldwide. For more information, visit
Phoenix, Phoenix Technologies, PC 3.0, AwardCore, Phoenix SecureCore,
Embedded BIOS, Phoenix FailSafe, Phoenix HyperSpace, BeInSync, eSupport and
the Phoenix Technologies logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks
of Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
Contacts:
Dave Murray
Executive Program Director, ReinventMobile.com
Tel.: +1 650 433 4141
E-mail: Email Contact
Shauli Chaudhuri
VP Marketing, Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
Tel.: +1 408 570 1060
E-mail: Email Contact