3GSM Diary: Silly new ideas, BREWing Java, and Woosh - Kiwis connect

3G may mean new services for lots of phone users around the world this year. But let's not forget that while it may be novel in the mass market (note: I say that but plenty of consumers will have little or no reason to ever realise they own a 3G device) it has been in development for a very long time.

What I'm saying is that for all its teething problems, by the end of this year it will pretty much be stable. In comparison, some new ideas being touted at this year's show have a long way to go - or may just flop altogether.

Near the top of my list on that front must be Nokia's 'visual radio' concept. I've alluded to the stupidity of this before - and clearly am just waiting to be proven wrong. The idea is that, over multimedia mobile devices from companies such as, er, Nokia, we will not only listen to music but read info on it, enjoy psychedelic graphics, maybe even buy tracks online at that point.

Visual. Radio. The two words just don't go together. Like I said, I could be proved wrong. Personally I'd rather just listen to the music.

Another area where Nokia will be a big player - maybe or maybe not for mainly a business user base - is in push-to-talk (PTT). Recently I wrote about how this way of communicating will depend on etiquette as much as technology. At Wednesday morning's keynote, as I recall during a speech by Jorma Ollila, one delegate and those around him must have had a shock - a crackly voice from his handset suddenly blasted out: "ARE YOU THERE?"

PTT, like instant messaging, is great for immediate communications but also like IM depends on presence. This is the first time I've really heard the PTT etiquette so obviously cause a problem. Mute that handset, sir - or rather, keep on top of your status.

One of the lower key - certainly compared to mainstream UMTS 3G - stories in mobile right now is the number of alternative, typically fairly small operators who are turning to UMTS TDD. It is a variation on the W-CDMA theme, for broadband wireless provision.

I reported on a New Zealand company, Woosh Wireless, that has used it to challenge ADSL in the Auckland area and satellite broadband in the sticks. Interestingly Intel's president, COO and basically CEO-in-waiting Paul Otellini ran a video as part of his morning presentation focusing on users who have benefitted from WiMAX technology used as part of a service from Airspan in rural parts of that same country. But were subtitles - in English! - really appropriate for those featured in that case study?

I think the Kiwis may have had the last laugh. Woosh assured me they will be and are winning some business from Airspan.

Also bullish has been Sun, making a big deal recently of the number of devices to date that contain Java code. Mobiles, PCs, PDAs, embedded gizmos, elevators, kitchen appliances - you name it. We're up to 1.25 billion now. Or is it 1.5 billion? Who's doing the counting?

Anyhow, many have commented over recent years on the similarities between the ubiquitous Java logo (think steaming coffee cup) and that of Qualcomm's Binary Run-time Environment for Wireless 'BREW' brand (think steaming coffee cup).

No one is saying BREW is trying to copy Java. On a technological level BREW is a platform for downloading and running apps, on CDMA phones to date but soon on GSM and W-CDMA in Europe. (Good luck on getting names of committed operators out of them though. I'm betting on Orange, among others.) BREW and Java can even work together.

Speaking to Paul Jacobs, group president of the San Diego company's Wireless and Internet Group - and by the way son of 'father of CDMA' Irwin Jacobs - I heard that Qualcomm apparently isn't hugely interested in visibility for BREW. Generally only the apps' get branded or BREW plays second fiddle.

A few developers in the early days used to joke about its beer connotations (beer in the US, would have been tea in the UK I'm guessing) but Jacob said the company "almost didn't do it", for fear of confusion. I think I believe him.