INSIDE MOBILE: Mobile and Wireless 2009 Wish List

The 2009 Watch List

1. HTC: They have done a good job with the Android/T-Mobile G1.  Watch for more great products coming from this relatively new player in the "big leagues"

2. White Space Initiative: This allows full multimedia wireless transmission through building walls—products and services to come out in 2009/2010. Companies such as Nomadio should partner with wireless operators or Clearwire to roll out a nationwide service

3. Netbooks: Could become a lot more successful if they provided better performance and more storage (give it a couple of years). The idea of a carry-around-all-day "companion" with WiFi and wide area wireless will become appealing. It should sync with your notebook or desktop (for example, via MobileMe)

4. Clearwire: Look for bright spots as "Clear" WiMAX services begin to roll out around the United States

5. Broadcast media: Look for real inroads with MediaFLO and DVB-H if at least one major operator (for example, AT&T Wireless) and handset provider (for example, Apple) offers mobile broadcast (eight channels video and 12 channels of music) with all popular handsets 

6. Audience (and others): Provide much better elimination of background noise when talking in a public place or driving—provides immediate improvement in call quality to all users

7. Mobile commerce: That we'll be able to buy most anything using our mobile phone, and the vision of a "digital wallet" will come closer to reality

8. eBook readers (Amazon or Sony): Provide an eBook reader that provides a better experience than reading a book (see my "INSIDE MOBILE: Why eBooks and eBook Readers Will Eventually Succeed" column)

Let me hear from you if there's something not mentioned that you feel would make a huge improvement on the mobile market. If I agree, I'll write about it and give you full credit.

I hope 2009 will allow us to rebuild the worldwide economy, have a financial market which can be trusted again, and allow the United States to gain back respect with other countries around the world. And I hope President-elect Barak Obama and his very capable team will help make these important improvements.

Happy New Year to all readers of Inside Mobile!

 J. Gerry Purdy, Ph.D., is the VP and Chief Analyst with the Frost & Sullivan North American Information & Communication Technologies Practice. As a nationally recognized industry authority, he focuses on monitoring and analyzing emerging trends, technologies and market behavior in the mobile computing and wireless data communications industry in North America. Since joining Frost & Sullivan in 2006, Dr. Purdy has been specializing in mobile and wireless devices, wireless data communications and connection to the infrastructure that powers the data in the wireless handheld. He is author of Inside Mobile & Wireless, which provides industry insights and reaches over 100,000 readers per month.

For more than 16 years, Dr. Purdy has been consulting, speaking, researching, networking, writing and developing state-of-the-art concepts that challenge people's mind-sets, and developing new ways of thinking and forecasting in the mobile computing and wireless data arenas. Often quoted, his ideas and opinions are followed closely by thought leaders in the mobile & wireless industry. He has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford University. He can be reached at gerry.purdy@frost.com.

Disclosure Statement: From time to time, I may have a direct or indirect equity position in a company that is mentioned in this column. If that situation happens, then I’ll disclose it at that time. I have an affiliation with IDG Ventures.