This past summer we soft-launched "Mobile Nations", initially using the name for our cross-site podcast that brings together the heads of state from AndroidCentral, CrackBerry, TiPb, PreCentral and WPCentral for discussion on all things mobile.
Today I have the pleasure of more formally introducing Mobile Nations as our new network brand, creating an umbrella under which all of our individual communities stand united. Take note of the new Mobile Nations top bar and footer on this site!
Though our history in operating the leading mobile-platform dedicated websites reaches back over a decade to the launch of VisorCentral in 1999, it feels like we are in start-up mode again, making aggressive plans and tackling our to-do lists with gusto. Forum regulars will have already noticed a number of recently introduced feature enhancements and podcast fans are now able to watch replays of their favorite shows in video. Over the weeks and months ahead you'll see us pull the trigger on a number of other Mobile Nations initiatives currently in the works, all aimed at making your experiences on all of our communities even more engaging and fun.
Thanks for being part of the journey,
Reader comments
Introducing Mobile Nations, our new community network brand!
Ive finally finished doing the math and if every mobile nations reader were to donate $1 U.S. a month every month for 4 years Kevin would be able to put up a bid in order to buy Rim.
Cmon you guys lets make this happen because currently Rim is doing less than spectacular.
This Is It !!!
Thank you for keeping us informed and for an excellent you. Keep up the good work!
Best wishes to all.
Well done Kevin, you should be proud. I noticed the new mobile nations midday yesterday, and I really like it. The color scheme is good, not sure about the logo font, but it could grow on me.
I think it's a great decision to not use the website names in the header links (Windows Phone instead of WP Central, iPhone/iPad instead of TiPB) - should really help new users understand what's what. I'd apply the same concept to the footer if I were you, that way when you are able to obtain better web site addresses the look of it won't change (I know you've wanted to have a different url from TiPB.com for quite a while).
Just my two cents - not sure if you like hearing my opinions on website design/function or not but I'm more than willing to offer them.
Glad to see Kevin is Chief whatever there. He seemed like a cool guy - even took the time to respond directly to his readers via email a few years ago.
Best wishes, Kevin!
Congratulations, Kevin. My only question is, why are you not working for RIM and running their marketing? You would do a great job and RIM could move forward again
Congrats, and major props for getting the new brand off to a great start!
Hey Kevin, just a thought (and counter to some of the vibe here), have you thought about having a dynamic Mobile Nations homepage, which perhaps just runs a blog/news (and not forums) list showing the top blog/news items from each site?
Ah ha! See that you have something similar to this at the bottom of each page on the full site - good job and please diregard the above!
Wow, I cant believe how much flack you are getting over this Kevin and team. I think this is a great idea to make the brand more known. How many people knew before that it was SPE that was in the background as the Brand. After reading this first here on CB I went to the other sites to read the comments there seems to be a lot of negative feedback about people not wanting to know whats going on in the BB nation, or WebOS Nation, on iOS nation, or Android Nation. If it isnt theirs they dont want anything to do with it. When I first joined CB I signed up with soon2b as I did on PreCentral. I was looking at both operating systems for a phone. Today I still read whats happening on Android Central and Pre Central... WHY... Because I want to know whats happening in the world of Mobility, as do many other people. In Canada we have these really long contracts of 3 years, a lot of people finish their contracts each day and are always looking at what they can buy next. What a better way to offer that in the same umbrella in the same ways they are use to getting it here at CB.
Kevin I think you and Dieter thinking back two years ago, foreseeing what the ever changing world will be going through is awesome (Yes I did read that comment on PreCentral, and no we didn't need to know it came to you in the shower lol). Making the cross platform easy for people who are currently on the market seeing what everyone is saying about their OS is a great tool for us shoppers. This is what SPE needed it is keeping up with the times.
Now get to work fixing this bloated pig of a site that won't load on the PlayBook!
Gotta say I am not sure I really like the whole Mobile Nations concept. I kinda of like the diversity of the different area's being seperate. Where now (especially with single sign-on) there will be more finger pointing and trolling. Crackberry was great when you could come here for some great Blackberry focused conversation or help. Things seemed to have changed over the last 6 months :(
Hey MarketRide,
Couple things:
a) I don't think you have anything to worry about with the single sign-on functionality. We're making it easier to manage multiple accounts, but you'll still be creating accounts on each site (will all become clear soon)
b) In terms of the CrackBerry forums - things always get a bit crazy when people aren't happen with a device or platform. Have seen it before and we'll see it again. Forum communities always go through phases
c) One of the initiatives we're working on with the Mobile Nations initiative is a much more consistent and better managed forums experience. Right now the forum communities are all a little different - different rules, different modding practices, etc. We're doing an audit right now of all our best practices and experiences throughout our communities and will be phasing in some changes in the future. We know the value of our communities and are going to do everything we can to make sure they're the best they can be. I think you'll like the progress we'll make here.
d) Also take note that we've always been a network. We're not making drastic changes to how we do things here... we're just doing the things we've done even better, with more clear packaging. Nothing to worry about. :)
Nice sleek new look. Keep up the good work crackberry team.
As a dedicated Crackberry fanboi, I like to read about the other platforms. The more I read about Android or apple or WP etc the more I love my Blackberry. Knowledge is power. Nice job Kevin you the man! Howere Coyotes rule in the NHL!
did u guys get bought out? well congrats on the network name, now time to move to toronto (centre of the universe) cuz aint no nation built in winter-peg! no 'fence of course :)
no Symbian? :(
no Symbian? :(
Best wishes with the new venture Kevin and the challenges. Looking forward to what is coming.
You know it's not official until there's a Wikipedia page... lol
I'm happy for Kevin, but I have a felling that Crackberry will be no more. Everyone thinks RIM is going to fail.
Nah... don't lose faith in RIM yet.
I'm going to start a new series on the blogs called If I Ran RIM. We'll give them the advice they need to dominate once again.
People are very cut and dry with the winning and losing in the mobile space, but it's a bit out of whack. Look at the automobile industry. Do you see only two car companies? We're talking billions of people in the world. There's plenty of room, and RIM has a solid core set of users who value what they do NOW. i think they have the time to work through the tech transition and win back the people they're currently losing.
Hey Kevin -- how come no comment from you on the Feb date for PlayBook OS2? (unless I missed it?)
Great job.
P.s., why is webos last?
must have used the i before e rule for some reason : )
That logo doesn't look like a blackberry... :(
Congrats Kevin! Diversification is the key to survival these days, in the Mobile Arena.
I like that there isn't two CEO's and one of our own CB hero's is running the show, eh.
lmfao +1
While this is a step forward in the right direction, I echo earlier thoughts in that I'd be VERY CONCERNED with the fact the logo can be easily compared to Nationwide Insurance or National Geographic. My first thought was Nationwide, but I can see the Nat Geo similarity easily, too.
You may be better off redesigning the logo and going with something else.
Congrats Kevin and the entire mobile nations Group! Its great to be a part of it! great resources, news, information, etc. Thanks Very much and keep up the Great work!
Thats great Kevin...but has me worried that this is a bad sign about RIM when the biggest blackberry fanboy site is taking a safe bet with Plan B to diversify the portfolio with a catch all Mobile Nations so as phone makers rise and fall you can easily change with it...good move for your company but bad sign for RIM
@Christy.. I was thinking the same thing. I guess great women minds think alike.LOL I hope this is not the case, but it does sound like a great business plan at the end.
Make that 3 of us! That was my first thought. Crying in my tequila now.
I'll just add myself to this list...
The logo reminds me of national geographic :p
Looks good though.
Oh yeah, that's another one :) I initially thought Nationwide Insurance
Love bb nation
Brilliant!!! Nice golden parachute to fall on for when RIM disintegrates. Hope Adam, Blaze, and the duck from England also have a plan B. Lol
One for all!, All for one!! Blackberry FTW!
No mobile verion of mobile nation??
United, eh? Too bad CrackBerry is filled to the brim with bitter forum members who feel it's their job to turn everyone away from BlackBerry.
Call me a fanboy, fine. That's all your ignorant mind will tell you. I actually just like the product I chose. Anyone who feels they got cheated on a tech device deserves what they got. People really forgot what value is... and that's to get what fits your purpose. In other words, make sure the damn thing does what you want it to do, and not "oh, it's coming. It'll eventually do what I want it to do."
CrackBerry needs a warning system. I'm sick of hearing the broken record of people whining all the time.
Agreed!
Hey fanboy you fail to realize that the only reason there is a playbook is because it was built on promises
And you just totally missed my point. Guess it was too difficult for you to grasp the idea that the world didn't need a device that "wasn't finished."
If you want to keep arguing, PM me.
Isn't your rant technically a whine? How is what you are saying any different from what people are saying about the lack of 2.0? Both a crying for change.
The name is Crackberry, like the drug, which I am sure has its good times and its bad. If people can't get.together and complain and vent with like minded individuals, how will change ever happen?
Take it to RIM. If what everyone says is true, and that RIM doesn't care about their customers, then why would they come on this forum? What annoys me the most are the ones claiming they moved on and never looked back, yet they're still on these forums.
It's called CrackBerry because people want more of it (advice, tips, hype). When it's filled with bitching and moaning, people don't get from it what they want.
SWEET DEAL, nice job Kevin..
Folks,
Just wanted to be one of the first to say... Mobile Nations.... Such an epic network! Long may it live providing everyone with the most balanced, up to date, and factual news available!
Simon,
How about switching the cb forums over to whatever you use for android central. Those sites show up much better in mobile format on a BB than our current forum. It would be nice to not have to double tap to zoom on every page.
Keep up the great effort ...... and may Crackberry prosper!!!!
That bar at the top looks a lot like the new Google bar, with the introduction of Google+.
who owns mobile nations?
I wonder that too. Like what is smartphoneexperts.com part in all this?
No to change to corporate structure at all. Smartphone Experts is still the parent company. We're using Mobile Nations as a new brand for our communities (kind of like how RIM went from selling devices under their own brand to under BlackBerry).
Great job... that banner is already making things easier... I don't suppose "single signon" on that todo list?
oh HELL YES it is!!! being worked on as I type.
Will we be able to consolidate existing cross platform accounts or be required to create a new single login?
You will be able consolidate existing usernames.
Woohooo! Now that sounds awesome! Congrats!
Ha ha. Maybe you could give RIM and the BBX team some advice on how to consolidate usernames (PINs) :-D
Congrats.
Having a single sign-on for all the Mobile Nations sites is something I have been wanting for a long time. It'll be nice to participate in discussion on all the forums, not just the ones on CB (which are the best ones of course...)
Hoping that the stats will carry over as well. It'd be kinda cool to see "CrackBerry Genius" on a TIPB forum. :)
Great Design Awesome Execution. Congratulation @Kevin Michaluk! Looking Forward to see what it will bring us in future under This Umbrella.
Congrats, Kev. I'm looking forward to seeing the growth and success of your efforts.
Just be mindful of the similarities with the National Geographic logo.
Congratulations !
Kevin...the orange icon(image of a 'mobile device', I think it is), looks crooked. Unless its just my crooked eyes?
Looks like the left "bezel" is wider than the right one...
...I just noticed it as I pulled up the Full Image and Saved it as my new wallpaper...
I'd be more concerned that it looks like a red/orange version of the Nationwide Insurance logo.
Yaaa?? Well if you were me, then I'd be you...and I'd use your little buddy to get to the top! You can't stop me, no matter who you are! myeh myeh myeh myeh myeh myeh myeh...eeeh Loser...Le-hoo-ze-her!
Did a little forum thread on the logo design:
Mobile Nations logo design explained
Looks like the Nationwide Insurance logo.
Every time I see it, It reminds me of the "National Geographic" Logo...