Do I max out on an iPad Mini?

MCC Director Graham Thatcher looks at the new Apple iPad Mini and wonders if the price will be the crunch factor for its success:

 © Apple

On Wednesday evening I, along with the rest of the IT world tuned in to listen to the most eagerly expected launch from Apple, the iPad Mini.  But unlike other Apple product presentations it wasn’t the all new features that we were all waiting for, but the pricing model.

Rumours were around the £200 mark for the entry level model, putting it at half the price of the iPad, but the big surprise was £269 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only version.  Immediately the online chatter began and battle lines were drawn between those who adore Apple (probably already have an iPad and will no doubt buy the iPad Mini to complete their ecosystem), those who hate the company (typically the open source brigade) and people like myself who are somewhere in the middle.

Adding fuel to the fire was the further surprise that the iPad itself would be getting an unexpected upgrade. This won’t be good news for the wife of a chap in HMV, who I overhead last weekend saying: “Go on, treat yourself, buy the iPad, you know they won’t be releasing a new version any time soon.” I would love to be a fly on that wall!

For people like me, Apple has created a bit of a dilemma with this launch. The iPad Mini looks great it can do everything I want from a handheld tablet, but I was expecting it to be more competitively priced. It is already a crowded market and there are already some good products available, particularly the hugely popular Google Nexus 7 which you can pick up for a little over £150, albeit with 8GB storage (although this is rumoured to be discontinued in the next few weeks, with the 16GB replacing it as the entry level model, making it even better value), or even the Kindle Fire (even if some people do think of it as just an Amazon shop window). Of course, it is hugely cheaper than the Microsoft Surface with its unique Touch Cover, but it would only be fair to compare that device with the higher specification iPad.

So, now I have a head or heart decision to make. I don’t have a preference over iOS or Android (which reminds me I must get round to upgrading my iPhone to iOS 6) and the features are all very similar, but as we know, Apple have the knack for just making you want it. One thing is for sure, the queues will stretch far out the door when it goes on sale early next month. The question remains as to whether I will be in it.

It would seem that my only hope is for Santa to make the decision for me!

Don’t be a daft Tweet!

Twitter is undoubtedly a modern phenomenon, equally embraced by high powered politicians such as Barak Obama, publicity hungry celebrities and sportspeople, business leaders and anyone wanting to air their views. It democratizes publicity (even the press will quote the Twitter posts of the influential and famous) and tweeters are as successful as the audience they attract, whatever their status in the offline world (although already being well know undoubtedly makes all the difference!) but it’s rapidly becoming clear that this (like most instances of fame) is a two way street. If the tweeters aren’t saying something controversial (or potentially libellous!), innocent people can the victim of so-called Internet Trolls (a good example being the Twitter abuse of Tom Daley by a malicious Troll during the Olympic Games) – the fallout can be uncomfortable and potentially damaging to your public image and reputation. Perhaps it is a history of private online conversations (email and even the likes of Facebook generally have a limited audience) that catches some people out, but it’s important to remember that Twitter is very much a public forum and should be treated as such. At MCC we encourage our clients to think about what they post and equally to be vigilant about the followers they have and the potential they have for making comment which can reflect on your reputation and public image.

One of the biggest IT stories this week has been Apple’s formal announcement of the new iPhone 5 - as covered by Tech Radar. There are probably no great surprises (it must be getting more and more difficult for Apple to outmanoeuvre the anticipation of new products from its fans and the press alike!). Its slimmer and has a bigger screen than before, fairly obvious requirements for anyone who treats their smartphone almost as another appendage. As well as a new operating system which promises to offer new delights, it’s the first iPhone to offer 4G.

There has been fairly comprehensive coverage in the press this week about the soon to be launched UK 4G mobile networks and what this could promise those of us that use and rely upon mobile data - as reported by the BBC News website. There are big promises from 4G, the ability to run your online life through a mobile device at the same speed, if not quicker, than a fixed landline service. But there are a lot of hurdles in the way, some technical some legal and business related, and the mobile network providers still have to roll out coverage across a big enough percentage of the potential geographic market to recoup their investments. Considering that 3G coverage is often weak outside urban areas, there is also the battle to convince consumers that 4G will truly offer the service we would all like to have.

The end of the summer

As August draws to an end and the balmy summer days draw to a close (and the kids go back to school), many businesses will look towards getting back into full swing of things, the whole team back and rested, chomping at the bit to push forward with the last quarter of the year. Previously, I have mentioned ‘The Silly Season’, the part of the summer when the media are often scratching around for good news stories, which can be a great opportunity to grab a few column inches. Whilst that may be drawing to a close, it also means that the audience for media coverage is also rising and the benefits of placing a good story increase with it. Traditionally, the last quarter is another popular part of the year for trade shows and product or service launches (Apple is rumoured to be launching the new iPhone 5 this autumn), so expectation is high from the press for exciting news stories. It’s an ideal time to launch or re-launch a key PR push and at MCC we encourage our clients to consider this as part of the wider PR campaign.

The sparring of smartphone heavyweights Samsung and Apple came to head this week with a landmark US court decision on intellectual property infringement, as reported by the BBC News website. Samsung now faces having to make a $1billion (£665m) damages payment to Apple and technology commentators are buzzing about the implications for consumers of such legal rulings. Both companies have locked horns in courts around the world, both claiming that the other has copied its technology. It’s perhaps an inevitable repercussion of the level of rivalry between them, especially when you consider their combined sales account for more than half of the worldwide smartphone and tablet sales. The mobile sector has gone from a marginal one to perhaps the key consumer IT market in only a few years and these kind of judgements will inevitably help to shape the way we communicate in the future.

Whilst the technology giants squabble over market share, Australian scientists have been promoting technology for far more altruistic reasons – creating a bionic eye that is helping blind people to regain a degree of their sight. As reported on the Telegraph website, patient Dianne Ashworth is trialling the technology which promises to restore at least some level of vision and could be a first step toward the dream of restoring lost sight and giving blind people a greater degree of independence.

Southampton PR Agency Shortlisted For Award For Local Britain's Got Talent Campaign

MCC International shortlisted for ‘Best Use of Media Relations’ in the 2012 Wessex and Channel Islands CIPR PRide Awards

MCC International, a PR and Communications agency based on Southampton's University Science Park, has been shortlisted for the ‘Best Use of Media Relations’ in the 2012 Wessex and Channel Islands CIPR PRide Awards, chosen for its outstanding publicity campaign which helped Latin Ballroom dancers Kai and Natalia reach the Grand Final of Britain’s Got Talent 2012. The category is set to be hotly contested, with six companies/individuals shortlisted. Over 1,000 entries were received from freelancers, consultancies and in-house teams across twelve UK regions and nations.

CIPR CEO, Jane Wilson MCIPR, commented: “The CIPR PRide Awards celebrate the best PR and communications campaigns and teams from the profession across the UK. To be shortlisted for a CIPR PRide Award demonstrates exemplary achievement, impact and value – immediately putting your work in the spotlight. The sheer number of high quality entries received this year, especially when things are still pretty tough out there economically, is testament to a thriving nationwide industry. Congratulations for reaching this stage and the best of luck for the awards presentation evenings.”

Fiona Brewer, Managing Director at MCC International comments, “We are delighted to be shortlisted for this prestigious award. The team worked very hard to put the local dancing duo on the national stage and over a very short period of time, so we're very proud that our successful campaign has been recognised in this way.”

Going for Gold PR

 ©London2012

You would have had to of been living under a rock not to know that the London Olympics 2012 starts today and as expected the media is buzzing with excitement for the games. Whilst there has been coverage regarding apathy towards the games amongst a lot of people in the country in the last few months, undoubtedly it will delight many more with, what Prime Minister David Cameron has proclaimed, ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’. It’s also a superb PR opportunity for UK plc to shine on an international stage. In many ways winning an Olympic bid is all about PR for the host country (in fact you could argue it’s the ultimate PR event), it shows the organisational skills (or lack of in some cases!), the facilities and attractions that visitors can expect and hopefully adds some character from the indigenous people to highlight how great the venue nation is. It will be interesting to see how the UK capitalises on the media coverage and (hopefully) good will that it generates. Recent headlines about the failures in security and the threatened strike by UK Border staff have also shown that it can be stage for very negative PR as well, so getting things right has rarely been more important for the image of the country.

With smartphones a highly common part of everyday life for many of us, a story on BBC News today will certainly raise a little concern. A hacker has shown it is possible to hijack a smartphone using short-range radio technology known as Near Field Communication (NFC). By making the smartphone visit pre-planned booby-trapped websites the hacker was able to steal data about the owner/user. Malware has always had a history of following the wider trends in IT and targeted the majority – Apple Mac users for instance have often considered themselves fairly safe due to the lower numbers of desktop users and the company’s strict control on mobile applications. This test was done on Android phones which are wrestling for dominance of the market with iPhones, so there is a big ‘market’ of potential victims. It’s proof that, like most areas of society, the technology sector is just as open to crime and criminals will always find new ways to make money.

MCC has had the pleasure of a visit by our latest Work Experience student, Zoe, over the last two weeks. As well as showing her the ropes with regards to how a PR agency works (and how vital regular cups of tea are to proceedings!) and making the most of her help with our day-to-day tasks, we asked Zoe to write a short summary of her experiences. Here is what she had to say:

“Over the last two weeks, I have been completing my work experience placement with MCC International at Southampton Science Park. I chose to come to MCC because I had an interest in PR and Marketing but I wanted to learn more about how it actually works – I have not been disappointed!

Before starting my work experience, I have to admit that I was nervous as I didn’t know what to expect but I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. The atmosphere has been really friendly, I have been made welcome by everyone and I have also learnt a lot of useful information about PR and Marketing. 

During my time here, I have been able to see the various different aspects of PR and Marketing take place (e.g. visits, blogs, press releases and databases) and been involved in a few of them. For example, I have taken clippings of press releases, researched contacts, used databases, been involved in MCC’s Twitter clinic and learnt how to structure and write in different formats used in PR (including blog posts, tweets and press releases). All of these tasks have helped me to develop knowledge and skills that will be extremely useful in the future, especially if I pursue a career in PR and Marketing.

I especially enjoyed learning about and writing the mock press release as I like writing and I found it really interesting that a short press release can have a big impact - for example, I didn’t realise that many of the articles in the media originate from press releases. During my time here, I have been lucky enough to see (and now understand) the different stages of a press release - from its writing to taking clippings to show results to clients.

Due to my experience at MCC, my interest in PR and Marketing has grown – I find it interesting that, using the right PR tools, a company or news story that may not be well known can be released and then seen by many.

As well as acquiring these new skills I have also had the experience of work. I have completed work tasks, seen how an office runs and drunk a lot of tea! I now know how it feels to come into work each day: I have found it exciting and I prefer it to school as I have had the opportunity to be much more independent.

Overall, I have found my work experience placement with MCC International very rewarding in a number of ways. I am sad that my time here at MCC will soon be over but glad that I can take away from it valuable lessons to use in the future.”

Thank you very much for your help Zoe and we’re glad it was a good experience for you!

Getting together

The MCC team took part in a Barbeque at Southampton Science Park yesterday, dodging the showers that have become a trademark of the UK Summer 2012. The Barbeque was a great excuse for us to work with other businesses and individuals that are based on site to help organise and publicise something that lets neighbouring companies meet up socially and have some fun. Working with other businesses is something that is an everyday feature for most organisations and collaboration between companies can get great things done, as our fun (albeit soggy) time yesterday proved! For our clients, collaboration with business partners can be a great bit of PR and Marketing – something the press will often see as a good story of economic success. Naturally getting the PR right and fair can sometimes be a challenge, but if businesses can work together there is no reason why both can’t benefit from the (often sizable) publicity.  We always suggest to our clients that we make as big a song and dance about a partnership as possible as it’s the kind of business activity story that helps to trump the somewhat protracted view of the wider economic stagnation that still seems to dominate many headlines.

With the downtime of its systems this week, UK mobile phone network provider O2 has had its fair share of criticisms and bad publicity from the upheaval. Once again social networks, and in particular Twitter, were buzzing with comments from angry customers but we were interested to see that O2’s Twitter team got to work replying, as reported in the New Statesman. The mixture of knowing, sincere and playfully sarcastic responses may not have put the problems right but they showed a surprisingly human angle to the O2 Twitter comms team - which is no bad thing when there is a corporate crisis going on. Of course had there been deaths involved I’m sure it would have been very different, but it was a nice change of tone from the usual bland statements.

Whilst we work in a high-tech sector, the team at MCC are always pleased to indulge in a little nostalgia and The Independent has run a story today about the resurgence in the popularity of old-school photo booths. Often viewed as a necessity for passport photos, photo booths were always a favourite with younger people looking to take a few cheeky photos of themselves (and maybe their first love) easily and cheaply. It would seem that generation X (and maybe even Generation Y) is taking this retro idea to its heart again, making the most of doing whatever daft thing you want behind the curtain! It would seem most systems are now inevitably digital but you have to hope they retain the ‘lovely’ orange nylon curtain and outside styling of endless 1970s mugshots that certainly live in my memory of the one in our local Gateway supermarket (if you’re under 30 ask your parents about that one!)

Entering the ‘Silly Season’

With July on the horizon, the term ‘The Silly Season’ will soon be getting its annual airing. If you’ve ever worked in the publishing industry or had close dealings with it, you may have heard the term. What it describes, in a nutshell, are the mid-summer months where there is the emergence of more than the average quota of frivolous or soft news stories in the media. In the UK, Parliament takes its summer recess and many people across the northern hemisphere take their summer break to (try to) enjoy the sunshine. All of this means the press are scratching around for good headline-grabbing news stories to maintain the interest of readers – which also means it can be a great time to target your key publications with stories, case studies or opinion articles. Whilst here at MCC we would normally advise long-term planning of a PR campaign to raise awareness and your company profile, there is no denying that ‘The Silly Season’ can make it a lot easier to gain column inches than perhaps in busier periods. In many ways, the real challenge is actually finding stories that don’t match the mood of ‘silliness’, as it can be a quieter time for the business world too. Also, inevitably, the readership will slump a little during the mass movement of people, so it’s probably not a great time to launch your flagship new product or service. However, your competition may be suffering a similar lull in news stories, so pitching good opinion articles, for example (perhaps centring on topical issues for the summertime), may well grab the full attention of news-hungry editors and equally keep up the momentum of your PR campaign. As Noel Coward once wrote (and sang!): ‘Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun’, but what’s wrong with taking advantage whilst the opposition is hiding in the shade?

One of the biggest UK technology stories of the last week has been the system failure at NatWest, which disrupted payments across its customer base, as reported by The Telegraph. Started by a computer glitch, the story hit the headlines as it illustrated how vital IT networks are to the everyday life of normal people. NatWest understandably, and rightly, took steps to assure its customers that it was doing everything it could to minimise disruption – opening branches outside hours to solve problems and was highly apologetic in its communication to customers and the press. It will be interesting to see if people are won over by NatWest’s honest approach to the problem, or if it will shake confidence in them as a service. Perhaps, as is often the case in the wake of a crisis, it will actually improve the reputation of those involved as the public awareness realises that NatWest will be even more vigilant in future.

The BBC News reported this week that France is switching off its Minitel communications web. Although perhaps not that well known outside its host country, Minitel was in some ways a 1980s blueprint for the Internet – offering remote access to services and information using dedicated desktop sets (which look brilliantly retro now!) It was an interesting experiment and one that proved popular (at its height, Minitel had 25 million users and 26,000 services on offer) and a typical French show of going its own way - in many ways it was a political statement of independence as much as a technology one. Minitel was distributed free of charge by the state-owned PTT (now France Telecom), which meant that even the poorest of households had access – an interesting echo of current UK government aims of providing the whole population with access to the Internet.

Shouting about the good things!

It’s been a funny (read ‘wet’) Summer so far, with a month’s worth of rain falling in one day in some parts of the UK. We live in a country where wet weather (even in Summer) is statistically quite probable and yet the British do like to complain about the weather (if it wasn’t too wet it would be too hot, queue Sun headlines proclaiming ‘Phew, What a Scorcher’!) Perhaps it’s a good illustration of how the public like to moan if things aren’t just so. The business world can be like that sometimes too, customers won’t often go out of their way to praise you for a good job (although thankfully it does happen and it makes everyone concerned feel good) but they are more likely to make a complaint if the service or product falls short. At MCC we’ve always felt this is where a good PR campaign can make the difference. Winning a new client or contract is a good example of a good news story but they come in many shapes or forms. Anything that spells good news for the economy as a whole will catch an Editor’s eye (a new production plant, new projects and new staff are prime examples) but even positive human interest stories (such as a team member who has been with the company for many years) are great things to be shouting about. We all like a positive news story, it certainly makes a nice contrast to negative headlines! With regards to the weather I’m sure we’ll all continue to moan, but look on the bright side - the UK is hosting the Olympics games and England is still in Euro 2012 (okay, that seems to be a moot point for anyone else in the UK!) so there is plenty of good news to be talking about despite the (almost always) disappointing climate.

Tech Rader covered a slightly embarrassing story on Microsoft this week – the IT giant issued a public apology over what can perhaps be best described as a risqué song and dance routine at a launch of its new Azure Cloud platform in Norway. Just to make things even more uncomfortable the words to the song were displayed on screens in the venue so there was no denying the double-entendres. The video of the event, which appears to have been taken by somebody in the crowd, highlights that any kind of ill-conceived joke or stunt (that in the past may have been quite easily contained) can very quickly be captured and released into the public domain, risking the reputation of even the mightiest business.

The BBC News ran a story this week on Linux creator Linus Torvalds who has shared a win of the Millennium Technology prize. With the seeming dominance of Windows operating systems in the past, alternatives such as Linux and Mac OS have only recently started to get much greater coverage and public acknowledgement as they become more widespread (largely through the rapid use of tablets for example). You might be surprised to learn that Linux actually already powers many of the world's computer servers, digital video recorders, stock exchange equipment and is even at the heart of Google's Android smartphone platform – one of the fastest growing IT platforms in the world. It’s also interesting to remember that Linus Torvalds started Linux as a hobby – but then that is how many software giants were born, just look at Facebook for example. Plus Linux has a penguin as its mascot -  and obviously Penguins are cool (pun intended!)

Speaking your mind

If you have already hired the services of a PR team then it’s a pretty safe bet you’re confident you have something relevant and interesting to say about your business and the industry you operate in. A good PR campaign will target the publications you and your clients read and a modern one will often embrace online social media (be it Twitter, Linked-In, YouTube and even Facebook), but good old fashioned speaker slots can be an alternative way to speak directly to a relevant audience and build or cement your professional reputation. As part of the PR service to our customers, MCC constantly monitors the opportunities for good speaker slots, which often present themselves at industry shows where organisers are keen to add value and industry insight to their delegates’ visit. Often the slots are free, sometimes they require a fee, but the right slot at the right show can be a memorable reminder or introduction to your company and your expert knowledge in the field, which is a good solid reputation builder. We’ve even known journalists to sit in the audience, furiously writing notes. It can, therefore, be a good way to generate on-going dialogue and relationships with key commentators. So, in a world where online PR is seemingly becoming king, don’t forget the traditional methods of getting you message across!

The big event this weekend (for the UK anyway) is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Probably more relevant for many of us is the extended Bank Holiday weekend which gives many people four days off (and will undoubtedly bring the roads to a grinding halt). The BBC News Website is obviously covering the whole event, but has added a good guide to the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, which will feature a huge amount of boats, from historic to working boats (including many involved in the Dunkirk flotilla in 1940), on the river to mark the occasion.

Back to the world of technology, The Independent ran a story this week on how Kensington and Chelsea’s planning regulations are affecting the rollout of superfast broadband in the area. Telecoms giant BT has halted its implementation of the systems in the area due to the majority of its requested planning applications for street cabinet rejected by planning officials. The company has expressed regret that the upgraded systems won’t be available for local businesses and residents whilst the local authority has responded by saying the boxes could threaten the historic environment of the area. It’s a good reminder that technology alone is not always the key to progress and there will often be debate over the way in which it is deployed. Equally, there have been calls for the acceleration of the implementation of the 4G mobile telecoms network in the UK, as reported on Sky News. The research, which was commissioned by mobile network Everything Everywhere (a merger of Orange and T-Mobile), suggests it will significantly add value to the UK economy – but judging by the current 3G coverage it would seem that getting the signal to everyone who needs it might be a big challenge!

The Independent also ran a story this week on Chrome's (Google’s Internet browser) growing worldwide dominance in the field. It would seem that Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (which had a 95% share of the market 10 years ago) has now been globally overtaken by Chrome (although in Europe the figures suggest Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox are fairly evenly matched). It’s interesting to see people making active choices on their browser, certainly 10 years ago I’d wager many people didn’t even know there was a choice! On a purely personal level (and not reflective of MCC in any way) I prefer the crafty Vulpine alternative, but don’t get me started on that…