In my star studded careers as a techie journalist I’ve always loved exhibitions. Honestly. I can remember my first, ‘Design Engineering 88’ at the unlovely NEC in Birmingham. At the time CAD/CAM was a big thing and the show was in the gigantic for then Hall 5. Head done in trying to cover the show. That said always loved the fact hat you get a day out the office and the fact that there’s an almost touring party esprit de corps with other journos.
The best thing that the 3GSM show ever did was to move here from the nuclear fallout shelter of the palais des exhibition in Cannes to the magnificent Fira de Barca. Took some pics to try to explain how it is. Last year was great and the place was heaving with stands in courtyards and butting up against fountains. This year is mad; they’ve extended things across the access road and creeping towards the lovely Royal Palace. I’m here for four days; could be gruelling. Like being down a coalmine or car factory for sure
Let’s start the day
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12 Feb, 7:15
Without sounding like some Cam-boy blog the working day begins at 7:15 when shower interrupted by knock on door. Porter hands first free gifts of the day: two bottles of Catalan wine; mouse for laptop; 1 GB memory stick. Hope this is a portent for the week ahead.
8:50
Arrive early by tube – makes you realise that you’re in a city with real people- to find well organised registration desk and entry takes staggeringly short two minutes. Well done Liberty PR.
9:15
Also well done for fully functioning wirless network. Do outstanding ‘day job’ stuff an hour before they get their arses into office. Always helps this one just in case we have to send that ‘vital’ document or read web sites in dull press conf.
9’20
First press conference cancelled – result. Second gift of day to make up: another 1 GB memory stick. Getting a good feeling on this. Use time to watch innovations presentation by Tim Berners-Lee. Room surprisingly sparse for one of the very few people who can claim to have done something groundbreaking. Some good visions of the future including standards etc.
10:00
First proper interview. All arrive on time. Finish on time. No panics. Not typical for this show
Good interview getting low down on developments for mobile TV in the UK. New tech player testing system in Manchester with most importantly, a content partner offering content that people may want o pay for – otherwise known as Sky sports.
Mobile TV has been the next big thing to happen for around two years now; get a feeling that the banks want to see results so there is a huge push from all people in the industry. This company has jest supplied the technology for a US wireless operator to offer mobile TV so there's more than just intentions. The weight of hype could drag this market down so refreshing realism from Qualcomm. The fact is that they were third to market with their platform but glacial pace of development and lack of spectrum in UK has made this not an issue. They’ve caught up and the Sky deal could give them the prize if they get the network up and running. They seem to have a good grounding to why the other networks aren’t going as fast as planned – that is people don’t yet have what they want to watch. Still have doubts as to ‘real’ end user demand for mobile TV. Have a whole mag for those who want read more though.
No freebie; well it was this firm’s that arrived this morning.
11:15
Third gift of day. Wireless/blue tooth laptop mouse. Just happened to be in queue to leave press room but like jobbing hack that I am never say no to things. You never know when you need it what ever it is. This actually looks like it could be useful but last one of its type didn’t work
11:30
Second interview like first. Fourth gist – 128 Mb memory stick. How two years ago; how spoilt and ungrateful. More mobile TV stuff tinged with less realism than first interview. You can take a horse to water but there are loads to do before mobile TV becomes compelling. Worst phrase of day so far: “ride the tiger”. Grim.
12:30.
Big press conf in off site hotel. Only notable thing is time to upload blogs and write. Sadly par for the course. No freebies. Bastards. Bloody network people.
13:30
The devil may or may not wear Prada; what he’s’ doing his calls on a wonderfully designed LG phone. It’s standing room only as Prada and LG unveil what they are calling a real phone as opposed to a special or limited edition. Got o say it looked great but would look better without the big Prada branding to be honest. Or is that just me?
LG also tool the wraps of the more mainstream Shine range of phone -bio g screen, looks great also – and a range of other devices including a new mobile TV handset. This is significant. I can’t help thinking that most of the present travails of the DAB IP network in the UK is based on the fact the handset is from HTC. It has all the tech needed for a goodish experience and doesn’t look bad but it isn’t a Nokia, Samsung, Moto or LG or any of the other dominant brands. When that happens maybe it will take off. The new LG would be perfect; screen revolves and viewing experience is good.
Best though is freebie count; another 1 GB memory stick but this one of chrome plated and comes on a v tasteful chrome plated chain. All in keeping with the Milam stylists I guess. Comes in a v tasteful box as well. The PR has done its homework. A design triumph –well I’m easily impressed
15:00
The 800-lb Gorilla launches Windows mobile 6. Standing room only again. More Alainis irony: took 3 minutes for XP to boot up on laptop at start of conference. MS playing Red Hot chilli peppers, Kaiser Chiefs and Strokes before the off. Bit disturbing when a company like this tries to be trendy – good tracks though.
Grabbed a glass of wine on way in – mistake? Could make me sleepy or angry or inspire prose. Grab banana and biccies for dinner. Welcome to 3GSM.
Crowded room but must be lot of MS PR staff or US journos as MS staff are clapped on stage. Sorry, it’s not bad manners that are making me uneasy about applause for vendors; I’m just old school on this one. First witnessed this at my first US press conference with Compaq in Houston in 89. Still seems wrong rankles.
Demo is slick as you’d expect. It’s this type of thing that intimidates the opposition. Steve Ballmer presented here last year and basically said ‘just watch us’. Developers obviously heard; then again he gives the impression that he expects to be listened to and would like to know what not.
Some good features on Mobile 6 especially for reading Word attachments etc and HTML email. Good shortcuts by clicking one button to do reply or reply to all. Then again should have been there last year to be honest. Clapping after demo. Not good.
Bloke next to me falls asleep; should have grabbed some wine like me. Then again they are making something that is quite interesting quite dull. BT is here to announce that mobile 6 is supporting VoiP calls. Makes rugby reference – error. Most of room don’t know rugby; a lot of those that do know it hate the game and the smug middle class boys’ club associations. BT looks like it has a useful tool here – mention of HTC again. That all? What about Samsung?
US journo asks question that makes sure we all know he’s clever. Trick is to ask multi-part question and then answering first half for himself. Oh dear. Why do they do it? That’s all folks. No gift??
16:00
To the Fira Palace hotel for Qualcomm press conference. Brings back great memories of last year when I dined here after day 1 the same time as the mighty Reds were beating Arsenal thanks to a goal, appropriately, from currently crocked Catalan Luis Garcia.
Good press conference hitting all of my focus areas. Load so fetch for mobile business devices especially those based on HSDPA and HSPA in general. Nice quote from CEO that rate of development of latter will mean that typical data rates outstrip by far WiFi. Cost issue skated over. Key though is that multiple radio technologies will need to be integrated into devices. To Q 4G mean heterogeneous networks with attendant links. Could well be right; do business know now what they want from mobile solutions? Other than fast downloads on the road would be v nice thank you very much.
Also announced MediaFLO mobile TV deal with Cingular – wireless div of AT&T in US – and more on Manchester trial and the fact they supplied the etch for LG to make its winning entry for ‘3G for all’ phone.
Nice also to see that Q has invested in MIMO technology. Did a lot on this in the past with series of mobility supplements for Toshiba about two years ago. Inspired one of the best headlines I’ve ever done: ‘Finding MIMO’. You snatch at whatever laughs you can get in this business.
Someone from a mag called disruptive analysis. Great title, must read. Reminds me of pre-crash dot.com; hope not for their sake.
CEO reveals that AT&T deal has revenue model based on wholesale – cf Virgin/BT Movio? - with premium services negotiated individually. Will this be applied to say Sky Sports 1 when they launch mobile TV service in UK? Some agreements as to how adv revs are shared.
All in all, event is a bit of a statement of intent. They are keen to talk about the applications these techs are being used for rather than hide behind the stats. Get the impression that Nokia are not on their Xmas card list but the universal mobile TV chipset supports DVB-H so they may all kiss and make up some time. Someone asks this on Q&A – no update since earnings call ‘we’re fairly far apart’, says CEO. Reveals that there is even talk of injunctions and possible future suits etc. Not what the market needs. At all.
Gifts: deliverd this morning. End event by playing Coldplay from ‘music for bedwetters’ phase. Reminds me of being editor of design mag C3. must leave.
