In May, it seems like there’s something to celebrate every day. May Day. Mother’s Day. Star Wars Day (you guessed it — May the Fourth). No Pants Day (an Austin original). And, of course, Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day. May is also National Barbeque Month, National Salsa Month and National Bike Month — three things we love most about Austin. With so many holidays and events to enjoy, we just can’t stop moving. We figure that’s as good a reason as any to dedicate the May issue to mobility — from high-tech to low-tech and everything in between. Enjoy! It’s a great day to be alive, Steve

When it comes to information, delayed access to data is no longer acceptable. People want what they want...and they want it now. And with tens of millions of people projected to “go mobile” by 2008, companies everywhere are feeling the pressure to deliver vital information and services in an “always on” world. But the real surprise isn’t what’s driving this new mobile revolution, it’s whom. In many cases, it’s the biggest and most established names in back-office software and technologies. One such company is Sybase, an organization with a long, rich history in database software. In the past few years, Sybase has reinvented itself as a leading provider of enterprise mobility. Through a series of strategic acquisitions and the introduction of innovative new products, Sybase has vaulted to the top of the mobile database, mobile device management and mobile security markets among others. Their key to their success? Leveraging their extensive database roots. It’s their ability to deliver critical applications and information to users anywhere on any device that has made Sybase attractive to a wide range of businesses. And with their recent acquisition of messaging service provider, Mobile 365, they’re becoming a vital part of consumers’ daily lives as well. Chances are, if you are using your cell phone to text, there is a good chance that you are sending your message over a now-renamed Sybase 365 network. This global network, which overcomes the maze of global telecom and networking standards, provides a seamless, interoperable route for more than two billion messages every month. So feel free to text your friends in the UK about the latest soccer (or is it football?) scores. Your information, no matter what it is or on what device it was created, will arrive at its destination—safe and secure.

Looking for another way to get to work or around town? Check out these Web sites for some great ideas: Car Sharing: www.carsharing.net Carpooling: www.erideshare.com League of American Bicyclists: www.bikeleague.org 100 Best Walking Cities: http://www.prevention.com Carfree Lifestyle: carfreefamily.blogspot.com

Martians have all kinds of ways for taking the road less traveled, whether it’s by foot, bike, bus or carpool (and someday, we hope, by flying car, traversable wormhole or one of those really cool Dr. Seuss-mobiles). But until then, here are just a few of the reasons why we use alternative transportation: “I ride the bus whenever I can. It’s easy and entertaining, with a menu of personalities that truly describe the city’s motto, ‘Keep Austin Weird.’” — Jim “My wife and I carpool or ride the bus, and it has not been the slightest bit inconvenient. Not only does it help the environment, but we save about $4-6K a year by not owning a second car.” — Zach “I started riding my bike to work because my doc diagnosed type II diabetes and advocated ‘lifestyle changes.’ Now I ride my bike because I love to ride my bike.” — Jon “I bike or walk to work because I live really close and we’re a one-car family.” — Josh “I ride the bus every day because it gets me to work by 8:00, saves energy and natural resources, helps reduce air pollution, gives me time to read, and only takes five minutes more than driving.” — Evelyn

We are in a world where the channels to reach consumers keep growing and changing as manufacturers race to deliver the next “must-have” device. You just have to look around to see the ubiquity of mobile devices: whether it’s the teenager text-messaging her friends at the mall, the road-warrior checking email on his smartphone or the baby-boomer updating his retirement portfolio on his BlackBerry, one thing is clear: content is no longer static. It is positively liquid. Some pundits predict that the “small screen,” be it a phone or an iPod or another device, will replace TV as the advertising medium of choice. Others see the consumer experience as more of a continuum between the big screen (HDTV is now in 23 million households in the U.S., by the way), the medium screen (PC penetration is at least 73% of households in North America) and the small screen. This means that users will probably want content that’s contextualized to the device or channel, as well as a seamless experience between devices. Technologies like Slingbox are already addressing how to port content from TVs to laptops with a smart set-top box. Now the question is, how does advertising leverage these new technologies and experiences? The answer: advertising must evolve. We as marketing professionals must find new ways to deliver messages through relevant and effective channels. We have to understand the opportunities of converging mobile devices, content and user experiences. And, it wouldn’t hurt to be both a technophile and a polymath. But the bottom line is: prepare to dive into the next generation of mobile technology and swim around in the sea of delivery channels. Because that’s where the consumer is. We’ll see you there. Aloha!

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