Dina writes some interesting stuff about India in Cultural Insights India - Technology Perspectives. Excerpts:

• Technology adoption doesn't always follow trends in the West
  
  • India is leapfrogging the PC stage - cell phones are becoming our gateway to the internet
  • From no cameras to cam phones - digital cameras are being squeezed out
• 4.5 million cell phones are added every month, 95 million subscribers in March 2006, 200 million projected in 2010; landlines a little over 50 million
• Upgrading is not a natural habit - the average consumer is not tech savvy, and technology products are usually used until they break. (Exception being cell phones, esp.among youngsters as they can be a status symbol).
• Trend towards 'all-in-one' gadgets - e.g. cell phone + camera + mp3 player. PCs play multiple roles, for instance as the household DVD player, communication medium, gaming system, etc.

After the success of the RAZR, there seems to be another phone which people get crazy about: LG's Chocolate Phone KG 800.



JFRobinson comes with some very fruitful thoughts regarding content services which such an iconic phone should deliver:

Some are claiming the LG Chocolate a success of form over function, LG certainly should be congratulated for having a hit like this, I was very impressed by the adventurous spirit of their overall design at GSM world in Barcelona. But there has been some brutal online trashing of the phones UI and functionality. But here is the point I want to make is this: if a slick look and red glowing buttons will sell a million (or two or three or ten) five-hundred dollar handsets, what would a cool addictive content service do that was available ONLY for that phone? Why wasn't there an awesome download video service or other exclusive interactive and addictive content service? I'm not talking about putting movie trailers or repurposing TV shows, I'm talking about a mobile-centric, ORIGINAL service that is AS CREATIVE AS THE DESIGN OF THE PHONE ITSELF. Remember, this is a Pop Culture product, and I think the day has come to see the complete product as one thing - so what the phone can DO for the customer is just as cool as it LOOKS.

In Tomorrow's mobile services today Ericsson’s Atsuhiko Ohkita, senior market analyst in Tokyo says:

The difference between high-end users in Japan and Europe is perhaps less than a year. But on average, there is a gap of about two to three years. Low-end European users still only use voice and SMS, and don’t want to try web access.”

It's easy why: no easy access, scarcity of content and price. Japan has neither of these problems.

How can we solve the problem:

• Easy access = QR Codes
• Scarcity of Content = let the creativity of the edges flourish, e.g. use mobile enabled weblogs
• Price = Telecom data prices should come down quickly, as I don't see any other way of long term survival for the telecoms. Voice and SMS are already declining.

I created a stamp of my mobile blog QR Code (size: 2cm x 2cm).The results are amazing!
Even a stamped QR Code like this is still readable with the Kaywa Reader.

Jabberwocky

While today’s mobile communication tools readily connect us to friends and known acquaintances, we lack mobile devices to explore and play with our subtle, yet important, connections to strangers and the unknown – especially the Familiar Strangers whom we regularly encounter.

Now your mobile phone can expand your sense of involvement, belonging, and identity across your daily urban landscape in dramatically new ways.

From info page:

The principle metaphors of Jabberwockies are “digital scents” and “digital tagging”. As individuals traverse an urban landscape, they simply infuse their path with a unique and detectable digital redolence. Similarly, fixed places/objects can also emit unique “scents” once they are “digitally tagged” with small wireless tags called iMotes.

Why not simply use QR Codes;)

GSMA To Accelerate Development Of Mass-market 3G Handsets Under "3G For All" Programme (June 13, 2006)

"Our 3G handset initiative will allow far more people to take advantage of the video clips, mobile music, Internet access, and many other multimedia services now enjoyed by more affluent users in the developed world," says Rob Conway, CEO of the GSMA. "Our Emerging Market Handset programme is a compelling demonstration of how economies of scale can be brought to bear to accelerate falls in the cost of manufacturing mobile phones."

The GSMA's Emerging Market Handset (EMH) programme, which has hit its goal to reduce the wholesale price of entry-level handsets to less than $30, has catalysed the creation of a new segment of ultra-low cost phones. The availability of such low cost handsets has enabled many millions of people in over 56 countries to begin using telecommunications for the first time.

See also:
Mobile, especially in emerging markets (scroll to the title in the post)

MYSQ: My Style So Qute

Combine an interactive video booth with QR Codes. Perform before the camera and then download the 30 seconds video via QR Code to your mobile phone.

See MYSQ movie

An Interesting hybrid and surely the ultimate social killer app;)


Also via We-Make-Money-Not-Art

Btw what does the "L" stand for in MySQL?