In this article, Brian makes few excellent points about why and how CEOs should engage customers and employees on social media channels such as Twitter.

Some of the points worth emulating by other CEOs and senior executives are:

(see this link for complete article on Businessweek website)

Hope other CEOs and senior executives will emulate Brian Dunn and start Listening, Learning and Engaging customers and employees on Social Media channels.

First and foremost, it means Microsoft’s dominance of PC (personal computer) market is under threat as many customers are buying Apple iOS or Android OS powered Tablet computers in lieu of a Windows OS notebooks or desktops that they may have purchased otherwise. Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer recently said that “Microsoft is urgently working with its partners to unveil a host of tablet computers running Windows 7, to compete with Apple’s fast-selling iPad” (for more, see this link). Competition among Apple, Google and Microsoft for share of Tablet OS market is great news for consumers as this will drive innovation leading to development of better products at a lower price.

Tablet PCs have the potential to bring about a dramatic shift in the way we use traditional media for entertainment and information. Rather than reading newspaper or magazine for information or watching television for entertainment, increasing number of consumers are likely to use Tablet PCs for accessing digital version of their favorite newspapers, magazines and books, and watch movies or television shows on demand from Tablet PCs.

Many popular Tablet PCs are WiFi/3G enabled and are equipped with microphone (and soon, a front facing video camera if not already) making them a great device for connecting with friends and family members over the internet at a fraction of cost of connecting over phone lines.

Tablet PCs, given their large Hi-resolution screen with multi-touch input, Accelerometer sensor for UI and Touch-sensitive controls, have the potential to change the way we use Social Media tools and take Social Networking to a whole new level. Current Social Media tools such as Twitter or Facebook are “text” or “web-page” UI based. NextGen Social Media tools will leverage full range of functionality available in Tablet PCs and make media consumption for information & entertainment or playing online games a truly Social experience.

Most importantly, a fully functional Tablet PC costs just a few hundred dollars, a little more if it is a premium brand like Apple (note the price tag on Android powered Tablet PC I mentioned earlier in this post). And by all accounts, prices are likely to drop further as sales volume increase.

One may argue that a Tablet PC costing few hundred dollars is quite expensive in developing countries where consumers’ purchasing power is a fraction of what it is in developed world. Well, watch the following video to know more about a fully functional Tablet PC developed by Government of India costing mere $35 and they hope to bring it down to $10 (you read it right, $10). Just imagine what a Tablet PC costing mere $35 (or even lower) can do to bridging of the Digital Divide. A Tablet PC revolution indeed!

In a recent study by comScore on social networking access via mobile browser, it was found that 30.8 percent of smartphone users accessed social networking sites via their mobile browser, up 8.3 points from 22.5 percent one year ago. Access to Facebook via mobile browser grew 112 percent in the past year, while Twitter experienced a 347-percent jump. This validates the fact that Social Networking is the most popular and fastest-growing behaviors on mobile Web (see this link).

This is a global phenomenon, not limited to “developed” markets in North America or Europe. According to a recent global survey by The Nielsen Company covering 15,000 consumers across 15 countries, two-thirds of mobile users around the globe are interested in “smart” services that would feed them information based on location and social settings (see this link).

Given this rapid expansion of Social Networking, Mobile Broadband Internet and Smart Phone technology, one really wonders what can we expect to see over the next few years?

To answer some of our questions, here is an excellent slideshare presentation on Mobile Trends for the next ten years compiled by Rudy De Waele , Co-Founder, dotopen.com

Please enjoy this presentation and do leave a comment on what you think will drive adoption of Social Networking technology through smart phones?

Great advice to those who are obsessed with number of friends they have on Twitter or Facebook: