Why today local search fails – and how to fix it (Frank Fuchs locallytype.com)

Well for local search there are a number of problems that lead to a rather poor user experience – well lets say felt user experience.
1.    The data basis to base the algorithm on for local search is poor in comparison to e.g. web search

In local search a user will often realize that Bobs Pizza place is not listed – even so it definitely exists.
So users will get that bad feeling of not getting all the information – and without the full story how are they to be convinced to find the right answer?
Nokia Pushes to Regain U.S. Sales in Spite of Apple and Google (NY Times)

“We felt we could teach the U.S. market how we do business elsewhere, and frankly, that failed,” Mr. Kallasvuo said. “Now we just want to act, based on the needs and requirements of the market.”

As it sets out to regain its footing in the United States, Apple and Google are going after Nokia’s franchise. But in doing so, they are shaking up the wireless industry in a way that may open up the one market that has flummoxed Nokia.

Trends 2008: Web access everywhere; e-commerce (Martin Kleppmann – yes-no-cancel.co.uk)

In the mobile local environment of self referential hype …. it is refreshing to hear the opinion of a neutral organisation who simply observes what is going on in the minds of consumers worldwide. Trendwatching.com produces well researched monthly briefings on the latest consumer trends worldwide. I have been following them for a while, wondering when the time would come that they would announce the mobile web as a major consumer trend. And now, in December 2007, the time has arrived. They announce in their predictions for 8 important consumer trends in 2008 (PDF):

“Five years ago, we introduced ONLINE OXYGEN as the engine behind all this excitement: control-craving consumers needing online access as much as they need oxygen. […] If there’s one device that’s going to introduce another few hundred million people to the online world, it’s the phone. And yes, initiatives like Google’s Android and ‘their bidding on the 700MHz band’ and WiMax and so on are definitely going to speed things up. […] don’t count on consumers’ insatiable demand to be online 24/7 to remain unmet forever.” – Trendwatching.com, “Online Oxygen”