Scoring Methodology

The smartphone and the "smart social mobile web" are remaking culture, power, opportunity, work, play and wealth. The smartphone is rapidly destroying old technologies and habits, reshaping economic power centers, exposing rifts between young and old and empowering the disconnected. We need a way of assessing these changes, and keeping score. This is why I rank:

• smartphones
• technologies (those that will succeed, those that will perish in the smartphone wars)
• cities
• leaders (all stars)

The ranking methodology is summarized below.

NOTE: Not every city or smartphone, for example, can be reviewed. Thus, while a higher score is good (e.g. smartphone score of 30 is better than 28, say), there may be a smartphone or city or technology that I have not yet reviewed that could theoretically garner a higher score. This is not like a 'Top 10' list, say. 

Smartphone Rankings

• Smartphone rankings are designed to help you quickly sort through numerous smartphone options and guide you to a great smartphone choice based on your unique needs and preferences. This matrix also serves as a repository for other smartphone reviews.

  Scores are based on the following highlighted factors, with each assigned a score of 0-5:
  

  • Design: the overall design of the smartphone
    
  • Network: the network(s) reach, reliability, service and cost
    
  • Usability: encapsulating the frequent daily usage of primary features and functions
    
  • Affordability: the total cost of ownership
    
  • Productivity: its potential to support your work, vocation, money-making efforts
    
  • Fun: games and fun
    
  • Content: the availability and depth of digital content, including web, books, videos, television programs and more
    
  • Third Party: the software and apps and their benificence
    
  • Desire: this is that quality that makes each of us covetous, stupid and totally alive

City Rankings

How well is your city positioned for the Smartphone Wars? Talent, money, jobs, wealth, power, training, learning, opportunity -- all these are now fully mobile. I rank cities according to their potential to thrive -- to grow their economy and global influence -- during the smartphone wars and beyond. Rankings are based on nine meta-factors, each with a possible score of 0-5 , with a total potential score of 45.

These nine traceable and global meta factors  are permanently transforming wealth creation, influence, connectivity, learning, jobs and power. These include:

• Smartphone-enabled services an abundance of hyperlocal meeting places supporting hyperglobal connectivity, and favoring the smart, the social and the young. That is the future of successful cities. Old markets, old industries, gatekeeper cities and regions will be irreversibly destroyed. Others will rise up, rapidly, better able to compete in this new world. 
  

Technology Rankings

A technology product/service/platform is assigned a score of 1-5 stars for each trend (see below) that is of critical importance for success in the age of the smartphone. Scores are totaled across all trends to determine a final score. The higher the score the better. A score of 27 or higher means assured success. A score of 18 or less means certain doom.

SMARTPHONE ALL STARS 100

I am compiling a list of the 100 most important and influential people in the global smartphone industry. This is expected to be complete by May 2011.

Methodology

For each factor, a score of 0-5 is awarded. The factors are:

• Rock Star: The name (and brief bio) of the smartphone "rock star".
• Popularity (Industry): The popularity and respect the individual commands in the smartphone industry.
• Popularity (Public): The popularity and respect the individual commands in the public.
• Leadership (Technology): The all-star's leadership in advancing smartphone and mobile web related technologies.
• Leadership (Usage): The all-star's leadership in advancing usage of smartphones and the mobile web.
• Commitment: Their commitment to the smartphone industry and mobile web.
• Accessibility: The increase in access and connectivity around the world the rock star has engendered.
• Innovation: How innovative have they been? What changes in the market and/or technology have they achieved?
• Wealth: Not the amount of wealth they have made. Rather, this represents how much wealth their products/services have generated for users and others.