Karlin Lillington interviews Colm Grealy. Click to read the full article

With the current waves smartphones are making in technology, and more specifically, the internet, it came as no surprise to see genuine interest from the media in our client DRG (Digital Reach Group), and more specifically in its CEO, Colm Grealy.

The brilliant coverage from John Kennedy in the Irish Independent last Thursday and on siliconrepublic.com was matched with a glowing quarter-page spread written by Karlin Lillington at The Irish Times.  Each gave its fair dues to a true “internet pioneer” who helped introduce the internet to the Irish in the early 90s..

Colm, a visionary who saw the future in internet technology before it became commonplace (he was involved with IOL – Ireland On-Line- with Barry Flanagan in 1994), is again sharing his predictions on the future of the internet and its movement away from the PC/laptop and into the mobile technology market.

In the latest press coverage, where Colm debuted the Apple iPad to a country still waiting for its official debut, this IT guru continued to prove his anticipation for all things great in the online industry.

Digital Reach and its sister company Adforce (both part of DRG) works with various brands and media agencies looking for ways to spread their message via mobile internet advertising.  And thus, enters his new toy, the iPad.

Colm says the iPad’s predecessor, if you like – the laptop – has become a work tool; where now, Apple has taken a simple idea and spun it to create a platform whereby the creative industry can grasp at an opportunity to showcase their clients in a more interactive manner.
It’s projected that by 2013, the mobile phone is going to over-take the PC as the world’s most common web access device; to which Colm said, “Irish companies are really going to have to think about mobilising their resources [in terms of how they present and deliver mobile internet]. Where the web took five years to develop, mobile internet will take 18 months.”

Digital Reach Group is anticipating this quick uptake of the iPad and has already started working on iPad applications for Irish clients prior to its release in the country.   Already it has developed iPhone apps like RTE’s highly popular ‘News Now’ app.  In fact the company has been able to issue Ireland’s first real data based research on the number of iPhones in Ireland and back in March estimated this to be at 250,000- just before Vodafone rolled out the iPhone out on their network.

Click this image to read Colm's interview with Silicon Republic's John Kennedy

In addition to developing applications and providing mobile advertising strategies, recently DRG launched Quick response (QR) 2D codes which enable consumers to take a photo of the code on an advertisement with their mobile which then links the customer to further online information about the company/product.

This is one company to watch and one we’re very excited to be working with.