I want every reader who works for a brand planning to launch an online community to join Generation Benz. Generation Benz an online community for future buyers of Mercedez Benz. Many users wont have this, iPads users can’t visit it, it’s slow and buggy. The first is a lot of money has been wasted on a terrible community that breaks all the rules of what makes communities successful. If you’re going to create an online community, do it right. If you’re going to hire someone else to build your online community, make sure they know how to do it right. MORE >>

The supply side of the equation also breaks its share of records as innovations in devices (the anticipated launch of the iPad mini), platforms (the long-awaited arrival of Research In Motion’s BlackBerry 10 operating system), use cases (branded apps for marketing and retail, and life-simplifying apps for health and wellness) drive a new phase of growth and creativity. Companies that open up their APIs and cultivate communities can likewise unleash a torrent of business innovation, enabling developers to build value-adding mobile apps. Mobile App Economy is booming. MORE >>

Considering the dramatic success of Apple's App Store for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, it seems remarkable that at the 2007 introduction of iPhone , the device was not set up for third party native applications, with Steve Jobs and crew suggesting standards-based Web apps were the way for developers to design for the device. The 1,700 number was live as of January 2009 ( according to Archive.org ), made even more antiquated with no mention of the iPad, referring only to iPhone and iPod touch. iPhone iPad Web applications iPod Apple MORE >>

This post is part of our regular series of Open Community case studies, in which intrepid association blogger and freelance writer Deirdre Reid will be digging into associations (and other kinds of organizations when relevant) who are living and breathing their open communities in the ways we describe in the book. Community: American Library Association. Your community is not your database. Community unlocks more useful data. Nonmembers can use the online community ALA Connect to view and add public content. Open CommunityIt’s about curiosity. MORE >>

Regardless, it’s clear the next step is to consider what you should be doing to prepare for the inevitable shift toward mobile in the communities your business serves? For those interested in statistics , in the most recent quarter, Apple more than doubled its sales of iPhones from the previous quarter – with an approximately 40% rise in iPad sales. More surprisingly, iPad sales easily surpassed sales of all Mac’s combined. Read on, as I’m confident those iPad sales are by baby boomers and retirees who also value mobile connectivity. MORE >>