Use text! A picture usually isn't worth "a thousand words"

Most moblogs, like most Weblogs, are banal, boring and useless to just about anyone except the person who is posting and a small circle of friends, relatives or voyeurs from afar. That's okay. If you enjoy writing a Weblog or posting photos to the Web, go to it. Much of life is banal, boring and useless.

But if you examine, as I do, how to build viable wireless data businesses and create real value for all participants, you look for ways to ameliorate or eliminate banality.

How do you increase value in moblogs? Text!

Pictures versus words

You'll get no argument from me about the value of photographs. I love photography. And all you have to do is spend a couple of minutes at the National Geographic Society Web site to see the beauty, power and value of photos -- that don't require text to explain them.

But most of us aren't National Geographic photographers. And even National Geographic photos can benefit from text, which is why the magazine also includes words!

That's why I'm using this opportunity to rant and express the need for customer education -- and to impress upon moblog users the value of text. It's also why I think the future of moblogs will be greatly enhanced by the continued introduction of keyboard-based cellular phones.

Increasing value through text

Americans generally hate to use a cellular phone's keypad for entering text, although the younger generation might be more willing (is more willing) to use the keypad. For most moblogs -- such as conference moblogs -- photos without text have far less value.

As an example, look at the moblog textamerica created for the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association's Wireless I.T & Entertainment 2003 conference. (Disclosure: I consulted for textamerica for the event, but don't do consulting for the company now.)

I looked at every photo on that moblog. The overwhelming majority included no text. Some -- many posted by textamerica employees -- had a line of text. Even a few words can be a big help, such as identifying an exhibit booth.

More text is good!

The person who included the most text? Uh, me! I took three camera phones to Wireless I.T., but the one I used the most was my Hitachi G1000 from Sprint PCS because it includes a keyboard.

Without text, the photo (see above) of the head of a Japanese moblile computing association would be pretty useless, except to him! With text, the value to others increases dramatically. It's funny -- I shouldn't have to write about this.

Including text with a photo -- why is that a big deal? Alas, for most mobloggers, text is still a big deal because it's a pain to enter.

No blame

You can't blame textamerica. The company included a box on the CTIA moblog that strongly recommends people should include text, but most people didn't take that advice.

Customer education is the key. Camera phones with keyboards are important. Too bad Research in Motion isn't likely to offer a camera phone model in the foreseeable future. The company's newest BlackBerry pager/phones incorporate the best keyboard on the planet for this type of handheld.

But RIM doesn't see cameras as being important for business -- and neither do many businesses.

That attitude will change.

One suggestion

My consulting includes helping companies to make it easier for users to employ wireless data. Here's one recommendation for camera phone users: Suggest that users store a generic phrase in their camera phone's "quick text" section. Phones typically include the ability to store stock phrases, such as "Thanks," "One my way," etc. for use with SMS messages.

If you know you're going to be at a conference, for example, and want to post photos to your moblog, enter a phrase, such as "CTIA Wireless I.T." You only have to enter the phrase once, and you can use it whenever you post a photos at that event.

While it would be better if you also included more text to explain the photo, some text is better than none.

Comments

[Max Hadley]

I agree this isn't the ideal way to send text! But there are many uses beyond just text. Need to give travel directions? Draw a sketch map & image it. Calling these devices 'camera phones' risks locking the industry in to a restricted mind-set: they can do so much more.

[Alan A. Reiter]

Using a camera phone to store text and other non-graphic information will become increasingly popular as users understand the value of this new way of utilizing a camera in a phone.

However, for most people, writing a message on paper is simply too much of a bother, although I could see it turning into a fad! The answer to entry problems is better entry methods, such as more devices with good keyboards or voice recognition or writing an a screen.

[Max Hadley]

Write your text on a whiteboard or a piece of paper. Image it & post the image...

[Alan A. Reiter]

Mike Lee's moblog is excellent. The resolution of the hiptop camera notwithstanding, his photos show flair and the words certainly add to the interest.

The Based on a True Story moblog is one of the better moblogs. Interesting photos. But the more interesting the photos, the more I want to to accompany them!

Thanks very much for recommending both.

[mikepop]

I forgot to add above that I also enjoy the picture only "Based on a Moblog"

http://www.basedonatruestory.com/moblog/index.html

[mikepop]

Since phones based on the Danger hiptop design have a full keyboard, you can use the moblogs at hiptop Nation to see how text enhances pictures. For a very good example, check out Mike Lee's moblog there.

In addition to the full keyboard, I also use the "AutoText" feature you mention above to speed things along.

hiptop Nation:
http://hiptop.bedope.com/

Mike Lee:
http://hiptop.bedope.com/mlee/