Wireless + photography
I wrote about this previously, think. Keep your eye on the integration of wireless and digital photography: 2.5G and 3G cellular as well as 802.11. It's already practical and being done over 2G systems via SMS or WAP. I'm not talking about transmitting brilliant color images from your new 4M or 5M pixel camera. I'm talking about monochrome images of 50K or less, which are then compressed and sent to cellular phones.
Today's higher speed cellular networks with 20K bps - 60K bps packet data rates will be able to handle smaller color photos. Color photos will be no problem for 802.11 speeds.
allNetDevices today published a brief item about Sprint PCS working with LightSurf, which has a wireless photography software platform. LightSurf was established by Philippe Kahn, who created Borland International (I still fondly remember "Sidekick") and Starfish Software. Starfish, which specializes in synchronization software for computer and wireless devices, was sold to Motorola for a couple of hundred million dollars, at least. Philippe, who doesn't have to work, continues to foster interesting companies.
Wireless digital photography success
Wireless digital photography is going to succeed on a variety of levels for consumers and businesses. It's already hot in Japan. There are a number of ventures in this space in the U.S. and overseas. Kodak, for example, has spun off Appairent Technologies, which is developing "TranspAirent" wireless modules for consumer electronics.
(It seems the value of the Web isn't very, uh, apparent to Appairent. The Web site is "content free" with nothing about the mission, company executives, links to the Kodak press release, etc. Another company paranoid about information?)
One key to success in wireless digital photography is smart bundling, packaging and pricing of wireless and photographic products and services. Cellular operators are rather lame at innovative bundling of anything besides voice minutes and a handset, but there are smart companies that certainly could do a good job.
Wireless digital photography is one of the important and innovative wireless data business developments I'm going to discuss in greater detail during my "Forget Sisyphus; Think Athena" three-hour tutorial at Wireless Data University on March 17 in Orlando.
5:04:16 PM 
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