Mobile is poised to revolutionize media less than a decade after the desktop Web demolished long-established business models. How will mobile channels such as apps influence media’s future?

Having launched and marketed a successful mobile service at a former company, I have learned the hard way what I should have done and what I should have avoided.

Online travel booking site Orbitz has rolled out a mobile-exclusive daily deals program and an optimized mobile site that target travelers looking for last-minute bargains.

Outdoor apparel and accessories retailer REI is using an augmented reality application to let consumers win prizes and drive in-store traffic to its new New York location.

Online retailer Etsy has launched a commerce-enabled iPhone application and a mobile Web site to let shoppers access the digital marketplace while on the go.

Online food ordering service Seamless is using email marketing to reward consumers who use the company’s mobile applications to order.

Transportation company Union Pacific Railroad is letting historic railroad fans track the company’s famous steam locomotives on Apple devices.

Grocery chain Winn-Dixie is making prescription refills slicker with an SMS program, a mobile-optimized Web site and applications for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android devices.

Online entertainment site Fandango is continuing its push to let consumers pay for movie tickets on any platform possible with a new application specifically designed for Android tablets.

With the rise in mobile shopping, retailers have an opportunity to hook consumers in-store. A new study from online shopping review site Retrevo.com found that 43 percent of mobile shoppers surveyed have downloaded a retailer’s application.