Innovation

A very brief post about the event Mobile World Congress MWC, still running today :

- Mobile phone is getting more and more smart, thanks to the apps, the software and the services inside.
Of course, you ‘ll still be able to call your contacts and friends (mobile has still a voice vocation, it’s still a handset) but you also will be able more and more to exchange and/or buy music, news, videos, flowers, clothes, trips, etc.. with your phone, as well as be in touch with your buddies and your professional contacts thanks to the social networks that are embedded.

Examples of social networks  ?
- social business networking : Facebook, Friendster, Bebo, hi5, myspace.com, etc…
- blogging and lifestreaming : Blogger, SixApart, Jaiku, Twitter, Seesmic, etc…
- media sharing : Picasa, Youtube, Dailymotion, Flixkr, LastFm, Smugmug, etc…
- niche networks : Plaxo, Yelp, LinkedIn, Friends Reunited, Crowdwine, etc… 

- Convergence is also booming (e-commerce, mobile phone as a way of payment)

- Voice recognition : talk to your mobile, it will convert your voice into text (useful when you can’t use your hands ! or when you don’t want to type on a so little keyboard).

- Mobile becomes green : companies such as Samsung uses recycled products to build phones, Solio manufactures solar batteries, Digicel Group has launched the Coral-200-Solar, the world’s first low-cost solar-powered mobile phone manufactured by ZTE, using proprietary technology from Dutch-based innovator Intivation….

Crisis is also there : less people visiting and less exhibitors this year.

Actually, the message is still the same (like on all the IT events I attended) : focus on the users and applications if you want to succeed.
A sign that also confirms this : the « Mobile Peer Awards 2009″ that have been held last Monday and that were dedicated to apps in the mobile phone.

The MobileMonday Mobile Peer Awards Barcelona are among the most influential events in the mobile industry and, with about 1,000 attendants , the point of reference in startup innovation during the Mobile World Congress. Among 163 startups participated and 42 nominees that were selected by their respective chapters, an international Jury selected select the 20 finalists.
The winners are :
Babajob, Orbster, Fring, Popcatcher and Unkasoft (maybe for his flip on stage but not only!)