October 15, 2007
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Editor’s note:
The mark of a moving market

What's New:
• OMA takes control
• Hackers revive iPhones

Executive Analysis:
• New Blackberry details
• Mobile Firefox frees handsets

Also Noted:
802.11n already dead?; Dell sees mobile growth;
And much more...

Hands-On Wireless:
• Location gains supporters
• 700 Mhz auction delayed

Apple went through something akin to this in the early days of the Macintosh. Jef Raskin's vision was a platform so simple and useful that no one could improve it by hacking. The vision was compelling, but it ultimately surrendered to the overwhelming need for people to take something they love and try to make it better. I suspect that Apple will ultimately bend to the people's will when it comes to the iPhone, and we'll see an amazing explosion of applications that take advantage of the iPhone's unique capabilities and interface. In the meantime, we'll just have to be ready to un-brick our iPhones on a regular basis. -Curtis

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What’s New

1. OMA takes control

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Management has been an issue for personal computers since PC number 2 was carried through the office door, and mobile device management is beginning to take on a sense of urgency at many enterprise IT shops. The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) is a group set up to deal with many mobile issues, but the working group that addresses Device Management (DM) criteria and standards is one of the most active. Both carriers and enterprise customers care about standardizing methods of keeping devices updated and administered, and neither really wants to be tied in to a single vendor for those capabilities. That doesn't mean that vendors are sitting back and waiting: Innopath Software is notable, but not unique, for making mobile device management a possibility.

For more on managing your fleet of smartphones:
- read the open-source report at WirelessWeek

2. Hackers revive iPhones

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You've got to hand it to Apple: their iPhone has certainly had an impact on the market. Of course, at least one part of that impact Apple probably could have done without. Customers have been truly steamed about the number of iPhones turned into non-functional (yet still sleek) bricks with the latest software update. Now, a group of hackers says that it has developed a method for un-bricking the iPhones. Their software, they say, will restore the phones to full functionality while maintaining the unlocked nature of the original hack. Another group is telling customers to wait--they say an "official" fix is on the way. Whether you have the patience to wait is up to you, but it's nice to know that you can nickname your iPhone Lazarus with the latest hack.

For more on the un-bricking technique:
- read the whole story at NetworkWorld

Executive Analysis

1. New Blackberry details

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The newest WiFi Blackberry devices--the 8820 and 8320--are similar in having dual-network cellular and WiFi capabilities, but there are significant differences in the networks and the way that the hand-held machines move between them. The AT&T 8820 is an enterprise-ready platform, with few of the consumer-ready add-ons seen in many recent smartphones. For this reason, the 8820's WiFi is ideal for enterprise-specific applications or for simple web browsing. The 8320 Curve from T-Mobile, on the other hand, is full of features like a 2 megapixel camera and stereo audio jack. It's also designed to link with T-Mobile hotspots found at Starbucks and thousands of other locations. Two approaches, two sets of features, but one platform. It's the Blackberry way.

For more on the new Blackberries:
- read the new product analysis at CIO-Today

2. Mobile Firefox frees handsets

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It was easy to get the feeling of freedom when wireless devices started accessing the Web, but users still tend to be locked into the browser that came pre-loaded on their smartphone. Oh, sure, some pioneers loaded Opera Mini to take the load off of their hand-held device, but most remained faithful to their phone's browser. The folks at Mozilla, however, want to bring browser freedom to the masses, and they've announced Firefox Mobile to accompany all the on-device portals and applications now being delivered. Look for downloads starting later this year.

For more on Mobile Firefox:
- read the complete news story at NetworkWorld

> 802.11n already dead? Article

> Nokia/Siemens network troubles? Article

> Dell sees mobile growth. Article

> $2.6B iPhone lawsuit. Article

Hands-On Wireless

1. Location gains supporters

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Remember back in the day, when the only thing a cellphone needed to do was place and receive phone calls? Now, it's hard to buy a phone that doesn't include at least a camera, and an increasing number of devices are being sold with navigation capabilities built in. Since an increasing number of us are so busy that we can't keep up with where we're going, and since a growing number of enterprise CRM and sales-management applications include GPS functionality, navigation is now seen as one of the great opportunities remaining for giving people and organizations reason to purchase a new phone.

For more on the importance of navigation:
- read the column at WirelessWeek

2. 700 Mhz auction delayed

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If the 700 Mhz wireless segment is half as active after it officially exists as it is now, there are great things in store for new wireless communication options. Computer industry giants like Microsoft and Google are squaring off against cell phone titans like Verizon and AT&T, with the FCC is caught in the middle. The latest? The FCC chairman Kevin Martin says the commission is not changing the rules at this point, but it is going to delay the auction by one week, just to make sure that everything is orderly. Stay tuned--there is certain to be more news before the auction gavel bangs down.

For more on the latest 700 Mhz news:
- read the full report at CIO-Today

©2007 FierceMarkets, Inc. This email was sent to tayllorcriss@gmail.com as part of the IT-Wireless email list which is administered by FierceMarkets, 1319 F Street NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20004, (202) 628-8778.

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