from Moore's Lore by Dana Blankenhorn
August 10, 2005
In Search of...Wireless Business Models

A number of items have come across my desk today advertising cool mobile stuff, but failing to offer anything resembling a business model.

Here is one of them -- Navizon.

It's advertised as a "peer to peer location service" combining "WiFi, cellular and GPS." But what exactly are you supposed to do with it? Where are the applications that will get Navizon's money out, let alone a profit? No clue.

The local music scene has the same problem, but unlike Navizon there's someone on the case. I'm not saying that HotLocalMusic has the answers, by at least CTO Nathan Albee is asking the right questions.

A technology that can't get its money out isn't going to last long. Maybe Rupert Murdoch ought to consider that before he wastes any more money.

Maybe he did.