Clicking with the Knights

Remember the first IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and the Royal
Challengers of Bangalore, where a fair share of the action was taking place in
the VVIP pavilion? Shah Rukh Khan armed with his battalion went all out to cheer
the Knight Riders. Having seen the kind of attention and mass appeal generated
by celebrity appearances during cricket matches, especially the speedy T20s,
Mumbai-based start-up, MobMe came up with a rather unique idea to capitalize on
it.

The bunch of 20-something entrepreneurs who floated the company, decided to
arm Shah Rukh with a mobile phone and the deal was that the man would randomly
click photographs with the phone, and using the companys online photo sharing
application (www.mobshare.in) these would reach the sites registered users
within minutes. The idea, according to co-founder and CEO, Sanjay Vijaykumar,
was to give to Indian camera phone users a twitter with a difference.
MobShare.in allows users to create their own friends circle, which would get
real time alerts every time you choose to upload a photograph on MobShare.
Alternatively, members can directly upload photographs on the website as well.

On the concept behind using SRK to use a mobile phone during a match,
Vijaykumar says, Indians have always been fast adopters to anything which is
visually appealing. True, quality does matter to us, but equally important is
its visual appealbe it an airline like Vijay Mallyas that set a trend with its
bright red color codes, or the packaging of a detergent brand. The best way we
could use technology to understand and react to this fact is the core idea
behind MobShare.

Currently, a considerable number of people in the country have cameras on
their mobile phones, and in the months to come, this number will only go up
adds Vijaykumar, What would be the best way to get users to start a culture of
sharing their photographs directly to a set of preset friends, and not just
randomly on a networking site? Make their biggest icon do it. You understand the
capability of the application only when you are watching the match and
supporting your team at the edge of your seats. Your mobile buzzes and you get a
link to a photograph that SRK has shot 5 seconds back directly from the stadium.
You feel one bit closer to the action you are watching on television.

The pictures taken by Shah Rukh are mostly of the crowd cheering and wide
shots across the boundary line, but the potential of the service, of course, is
much higher than this. In fact, MobShare has tied up with select Caf Coffee Day
outlets in Mumbai and Delhi, where Bluetooth dongles are attached to the plasma
screens that stream advertisements and music videos. If you are registered with
the site, you can shoot a picture while sipping your coffee, and see it flashed
on the screen immediately. Whats more interesting is that all the other outlets
can see your picture in real time. It might take a while before this concept
really becomes a rage, but for now, it is SRKs photo genius that is luring IPL
fans across the country.

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