In the month of March every year, basketball aficionados that include President Barack Obama focus their attention to what the media calls “March Madness”.
This is the NCAA tournament where 64 college basketball teams are chosen to compete for the NCAA Championship Crown. These teams are assigned to regional divisions/brackets in the U.S. Each team is seeded according to how strong a contender is in the region and its possibility for reaching the Sweet 16, the Elite 8, the Final 4 and the Championship.
In last Sunday’s edition of the Washington Post, the paper aptly described what it called the “Mobile Madness”. Beautifully drawn in a graphic format (See photo) a la “March Madness”, it presented a guide to the path of choosing which Smartphone and/or Tablet should one purchase for use or gift for the holidays in this Digital Age.
The Final Four have been chosen and seeded based on the market share of the contenders whose numbers were provided by the International Data Corporation.
No. 1 Seed is APPLE with 46.4 percent market share; No.2 Seed is GOOGLE with 44.1 percent; No. 3 is AMAZON with 8.4 percent; and No. 4 Seed is MICROSOFT (Windows) with 0.6 percent.
In Basketball you deal with Field Goals, Free Throws, Assists, Rebounds, Steals and other intangibles. In Mobile Devices, you look at the features that deal with Video, Audio, Gaming, Reading, APPS, Operating System, Hardware and of course, the X-FACTOR.
According to the Washington Post, as I analyze the factors that they have illustrated and featured, you would choose APPLE if you prefer the following: VIDEO – Seamless integration with your TV; AUDIO – Loads of podcasts; GAMING – Never lose a high score; READING – A showcase for the magazines and newspapers; APPS – To be where quality apps launch first; OPERATING SYSTEM – One that’s intuitive and easy to use; HARDWARE – A sleek exterior built with precision; and X-FACTOR – A product that is energy efficient and recyclable.
You would choose GOOGLE if you prefer: VIDEO – Cheap video rentals; AUDIO – Excellent sound quality; GAMING – More types of games and peripherals; READING – The largest selection of free books; APPS – Cool, cutting edge apps; OPERATING SYSTEM – One that’s always up to date; HARDWARE – Many devices to choose from; and X-FACTOR – To customize your device.
You would choose AMAZON if you prefer: VIDEO – Free movie streaming; AUDIO – 89 cent tracks; GAMING – A well-curated list of games; READING – A library that goes with you, no matter which device you use; APPS – Well-curated apps, not having to sift through junks; OPERATING SYSTEM – A super fast Web browser; and X-FACTOR – A shopping mall in the palm of your hand.
Finally, you would choose MICROSOFT (Windows) if you prefer: VIDEO – Nothing more than access to Hulu/Netflix; AUDIO – Free music streaming without Pandora; GAMING – A system with strong gaming roots; READING – You prefer pulp. Better in case you drop it in the tub; APPS – Business apps. Let’s get to work; OPERATING SYSTEM – Something that works well with your P.C.; HARDWARE – Computing power and ability to plug in printers to mobile devices; and X-FACTOR – To make PowerPoint’s from your sofa.
The above is the analysis of the Business Section of the Washington Post of the Mobile Madness as I interpret it.
Depending on your level of comfort, values, and priorities, any of the four choices would be a good one.
According to my barber, the Top 3 Seeds (APPLE, GOOGLE, and AMAZON) are akin to North Carolina, Duke, and Kentucky, not necessarily in that order. MICROSOFT would be the Cinderella team at this point in time.
But whether in the “Game of Thrones”, in the “Boardwalk Empire”, in the “Newsroom” or in your “Homeland”, you will always remain as the King, Emperor, Anchor, Spymaster and Champion of your mobile device.
Having any of them is like having your own Kingdom dubbed Planet of the Apps connected to the Universe with local knowledge globalized and global ones localized in multimedia formats.
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| Mobile Madness |
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