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I never met Social Media Strategist Katie Lips in person but I often have been bumping into her online and have been following her projects in mobile and social media ever since I started my blog: a real mobile geek for a change; from Treasuremytext with Kisky Netmedia to her previous blog or bumping into her at Plazes or Jaiku, Katie is always on the ball and has always good ideas at hand, so I asked her to be the next woman to be interviewed in the Women in Mobile series and asked her a bit more about her work and her passion for mobile, an interesting interview with a lot of insight and fresh links, female mobile geek noblesse

YOUR BACKGROUND - YOUR WORK

- Can you explain more about your work, your background?

I’m a Social Media Strategist; that means I help people devise and implement social media strategies using web and mobile technologies. Most of my work in this area focusses on helping my clients use technology in a effective way dramatically improving a specific aspect of their business. I work a lot with Open Source Software, helping my clients to develop projects quickly, innovating in content or in better business processes, rather than on reinventing web or mobile infrastructure.

In addition to my consultancy, I am the Co-Founder of Treasuremytext.com a mobile & web application which stores thousands of text messages (SMS) for people worldwide. I’ve been working with technology since the around 1998 when I made my first ‘website’ and with mobile since around 2001 which was the first time I integrated SMS with a web application.

As well as Treasuremytext, I have also worked on other (mainly arts based) mobile projects including a “Attention Please! an Experiment” (using RFID in the gallery) and C21tones.com an experimental ‘user generated’ ringtone website. Recently I have also helped a new pan-european publisher integrate mobile services into their web offering (clubcollective.com)

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented? How does this reflect in your work?

With an educational background in the Arts, a professional background in Technology and now working to build up my own business and mobile service, I would say I have to be all three. Most of what I do is about ideas - in any arena. Having a technical understanding of how things are built, means you know what’s possible. Having creativity and ambition means you aren’t afraid to ignore what is and isn’t possible and to build what you want how you want. And if you’re launching anything online or offline, in today’s world, you of course need to be very social. Having diverse perspectives on life means I am interested in lots of things, and specifically in new approaches to mobile and mobile services.

- What brought/brings you into the mobile/mobility area?

I set up Kisky Netmedia with my partner Paul Stringer in 2002 to develop mobile applications. We had already worked on many amazing web projects and saw mobile as a huge opportunity, full of potential and excitement. With our web background we approached mobile services with the view that we would use web functionality to improve mobile services, rather than seeing the two worlds separately.

At that time in the UK at least, the mobile marketplace seemed rather depressing, and void of anything I personally wanted to try. I found so many things about mobile so wrong and felt compelled to attempt to fix some of them. It seemed as if everything was ‘designed’ to extract money from ‘consumers’, rather than to solve a real problem or need. In our own small way I think we at least created projects which made other people think about some of the issues. I never intended to be a mobile activist; just to make things in the area of mobile that real people found really useful.

In 2003 I had a phone which could only save 15 SMS messages. I was forever deleting some to make room for more, and over time I was having to delete messages that were important to me. Treasuremytext was born. The idea that we could make people’s experience of ‘mobile’ better with a ‘website’ was pretty radical then.

We set up Kisky to deliver Treasuremytext and mobile services design. Some things we did right, some things we did wrong. We were very young. I learnt a lot and quickly and I have been working with mobile in one way or another ever since.

My current workload includes new work on Treasuremytext. We are about to launch Treasuremytext ‘2.0′ a fully ’social’ mobile application; a new version for a new era of the web (and of mobile) services. We have a lot of (geeky and non-geeky) users who are very loyal and keep lots and lots of messages.

A couple of years ago most of my current clients believed mobile was irrelevant to them. Now, all sorts of organisations are starting to think how they can use mobile practically; how can they use mobile to stay in touch, or to work smarter. My current projects in mobile are diverse. I’m working with a UK Fire Service to integrate mobile technologies into their business; improving internal communication and improving relationships with the community they serve. I’m also working with several organisations to increase their reach and reputation online; and now this includes using mobile channels. A lot of what I do is in the Web2.0 or ‘Social Media’ space, and I try to apply these principles to mobile as far as possible.

MOBILE LIFESTYLE

- What is your personal ‘big issue’ in life? Can the mobile phone or technology in general help improving situations?

Mobile for me is about giving you power via your handset; wherever and whenever. Power to find things out (search), power to communicate (IM, SMS, Email, Blog), power to create (Blog, Photoblog, VideoBlog). However my mobile ‘killer apps’ are still voice and SMS.

I see ‘online’ as a key enabler; and I see ‘mobile’ as an extension of those capabilities. So not being under 20, I did not grow up with a mobile device, and perhaps my mobile use is somewhat conservative. I use my phone where I don’t have my laptop+wifi; and that’s it basically until some amazing services come along and I get a brilliant data plan on my phone. I will keep an eye on the iPhone of course!

I am truly looking forward to the iPhone and fully expecting it will revolutionize how I use a mobile ‘phone’, sorry ‘device’; when they are available in Europe that is. I am hoping that the iPhone will do all those things that so far mobile has for one reason or another not quite been able to deliver. I can’t wait!

- How does mobility technological progress influences your daily routine in your work?

As mobile technologies progress and lead to the availability of new mobile services, I’m of course compelled to try them out. And the always on access to communications and creativity is a good thing for anyone in any situation. I must admit that no mobile service has changed the way I work or influenced my routine, whereas plenty of web services have. And I’m not intending to be a skeptic, rather I feel the web offers more functionality than mobile can currently offer (due to handset OS and data lock down), and as such, the tiny array of services I can access are just not going to start influencing my life. That said, there are some really nice ideas out there that would improve it. I like Socialight.

- How does ubiquitous computing affect your mobile lifestyle? How do you see ubicomp evolving the next 5 to 10 years?

Yeah so, for us geeks we’ll have better wireless networks, better access to services, in more places in the world. For everyone else, apart from mobile data costs coming down making people use their phones even more to do even more things, other things will start to happen. We’ll start to see better joined up services from Governments; (which you may or may not see as a good thing). We’ll see companies being able to reach much more target groups of consumers. We’d like to think we can find, pay for and take delivery of our own specialist products, whatever we want in the longtail of entertainment, literature, and arts.

But where as the web is a level playing field, an open platform, mobile is not. And we must be careful about upselling the vision of a world where there is no place for independent developers; no place for the free press, a place where a few organisations control what content people have access to, the brands they can buy and where they can buy them. As the web has become a platform for independent retailers, publishers, and artists all able to find their niche marketplace; this utopia is not present on ‘mobile’. Not until mobile just becomes a simple extension of ‘online’.

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work?

Well I have a ‘regular’ wordpress blog where I talk about my work.(http://www.katielips.com) I also use podcasting in some projects for example I have recently produced a podcast for an Arts project I’m working on. The podcast is a behind the scenes glimpse into the making of the exhibition. I love both video and audio podcasts.

- Which applications and services do you use most often on your mobile phone?

I do a lot of texting. Also recently I have started to use Shozu to upload images to Flickr; the immediacy is really compelling; you just take a picture, press a button and it’s live on the Internet for all your Flickr contacts to see. I am also working with Flickr and Shozu to deliver a moblog project for a client; the availability of more and more mobile-to-web tools is starting to mean it’s possible to do build mobile projects and functionality using these free apps. You can then of course pull data out of Flickr using their API. So just that small ‘mobile connect’ bit provided by Shozu essentially lets you build your own flexible moblog application.

- Do you use your device to interact with other machines?

I haven’t really done a lot of this but I am keen to. I’m thinking coin free vending machines (soda drinks, train tickets and so on) for a start.

MOBILE GEEK?

- What do you think about the next wave of Mobile Augmented Reality tools coming?

I haven’t seen much of this; maybe I’m not paying attention to the right billboards or reading the right magazines. I would of course use QRcodes when they’re applied to something I’m interested in buying. I have used RFID too; to receive context based promotional content and also in an arts context.

- Do you download audio/video files on your phone? Any thoughts on Digital Right Management (DRM)? Future Business Models?

No I don’t download video or audio via my phone; nor do I put content from my computer on my phone. I am still amazed at what people pay for mobile content. Really they’re paying because they think that is the only way they can get the content (often which they have already paid for once) on their phones, and often it is the only way.

The future business model that has to win through is the “buy once / manage online / consume on mobile” model; as in iTunes and the iPhone.

- Do you think web 2.0 technology influences mobile services and tools? How? Mobile 2.0? What does it mean to you? Do you use it? Are these evolutions influencing mobile technology?

Yes I do, already and more and more in the future. Not from the networks though; as the open platform of web2.0 and the idea that it’s possible for anyone to launch a new service is something that is totally at odds with their business.

A lot of web 2.0 applications have mobile components; interact with Jaiku or Plazes or Flickr via your mobile for example. I like this approach to ‘mash-up’ web and mobile applications.

- What are your favourite mobile ‘we media’ (user-generated content) projects?

YouTube in terms of both creating and enjoying content online and on the move. And of course Apple know this as they’ve integrated it right into the iPhone.

- What about Mobile Social Networks? Do you use one yourself? Do you know about a good service?

I use Plazes and also Jaiku, although I’m not a heavy user; I’m not as social as some people in my social network.

FUTURE OF MOBILE

- What is going to be the next *big thing* in mobile?

Well the network operators and handset manufactures loosing a little control of course. Allowing independent developers create new applications can only be a good thing. Whilst services like Widsets are great, I believe Apple is going to fast forward this with iPhone. Talk about reinventing the phone; they also took a pretty good look at the mobile industry and seem set to reinvent some of that too. By making it possible for any developer to create applications (because they are web baed), they are offering a level playing field. It’s like a breath of fresh air.

The previous model was that you had to create an app which would work on a handful of phones, then work really hard to broaden your appeal. Then your market was narrowed anyway by the fact that even if people had compatible handsets you were asking them to download, install and run software, often not knowing their (data transfer) cost implications. It severely crippled the market reach of mobile services. No longer, if you can just make a web app!

This heralds things to come. Apple’s approach fosters innovation; more developers with more ideas will make more great products for their handset, meaning they will sell even more phones. It makes perfect business sense.

As making apps for phones becomes easier so too will making apps for a whole host of mobile connectivity. I was loosely involved in the early days of the Roomware project. Roomware is about a bunch of developers getting together to build an open source server that enables other independent developers to quickly build mobile apps. “Software running in a defined physical space” - using SMS, and also RFID, and potentially using other connectivity. Sadly I haven’t been to the last couple of Roomware meetups but I know things are coming a long well. This is about applying the open source model to mobile development.

- The mobile trend(s) for this and next year?

iPhone, followed by a release of a lot of phones which attempt to compete as media players, which in turn, will force some operators and content owners to rethink some of the DRM issues. I also think more people will start to use more ‘web and mobile’ apps.

PERSONAL FAVORITES

- Who inspires you professionally?

Lots of people; (and too many to name) but I am inspired by creative people; people who believe in their cause, people who just make stuff happen.

- Your favorite mobile technology blog?

I dip into a lot of tech blogs; more web ones than mobile. I tried writing my own, but I didn’t really have enough time to dedicate to making it very good so I totally respect people that do write great tech blogs.I enjoy a mix of interview and analysis so I’d have to say m-trends of course Rudy!

- Your favorite moblog?

Jaiku presence stream from my friends on my mobile when I’m away from my computer.

- Your favorite podcast?

Tateshots: small, digestible, insightful, unique, varied podcasts with brilliant artists. Come on; Gilbert and George on your iPod, what more do you want?

- Your favorite videoblog?

I’m working on a very wonderful project this month; and the video blog we made (also as a podcast) is something I love watching over and over. I’d have to say that really.

- Your favorite mobile 2.0 service?

Plazes, as much for its potential and vision as for my actual use of it. When I’m at a geeky event, it certainly comes in handy to see who’s nearby. I can see it really taking off if it can hook me up with other useful stuff nearby.

- Your favorite mobile device?

My future iPhone.

- Favorite mobile application/service?

Treasuremytext, or some amazing application developed for my future iPhone! And right now it’s GMail.

- Favorite mobile website?

Any website I’ll be able to read on my iPhone?

- Favorite mobile search tool?

Google.

- Who else could you recommend to be interviewed next?

Well I know of a couple of women making art with mobile and I think that might be a nice perspective. I’d say a lot more people now work ‘with mobile’ than’ ‘in mobile’; i.e. that you work with it from outside the ‘mobile industry’. Check out Lisa Roberts‘ creative mobile projects at Blink Media and Jen Southern’s GPS driven artworks.

On my way Katie, thanks!

I would like to introduce you to Heike Scholz in a new series of “Women in Mobile” with a lot of revised and updated questions. Heike is working in Hamburg, Germany, her blog - recently renamed to Mobile Zeitgeist (it’s all in the name - is capturing everything in her specialised field of mobile Advertising and Marketing, covering mobile Couponing, mobile Payment systems or mobile Ticketing.

Heike’s German-only blog came on my radar a couple of months ago and is probably one of the finest around in this field, her radar reach is definately global with a quality nose to pick out the finest and most relevant news she summarizes in her style often many times a day; she must be one of the fastest bloggers around blogging on mobile, but enough introduction, let’s hear it from Heike herself:

YOUR BACKGROUND - YOUR WORK

- Can you explain more about your work, your background?

My background is product management and business development in the telecommunications industry. Since the early 2000s I’ve been working as a self-employed consultant and interim manager on different marketing projects and assignments in the ICT and media industry. In 2006 I was engaged in various mobile projects and got infected with some weird mobile viruses.

Today, as an analyst, consultant and marketer, I help (mobile) companies on their business and marketing strategy and how to enter new markets, on product and service optimization. Furthermore I rediscovered my passion for writing articles and became a passionately blogger in this particular fast moving arena. It is fun, helps me to separate the wheat from the chaff in my daily work and builds up my personal reputation - everything at the same time.

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented? How does this reflect in your work?

Totally business oriented. I think this is a freelancer’s obsession.

- What brought/brings you into the mobile/mobility area?

For me there are no philosophical reasons behind my passion for the mobile industry. Almost everything in this area is constantly evolving, mobile devices are almost always online, at the reach of your fingertips and we act in a highly potential market. What else does a marketer need to become enthusiastic?

I lurked for some years on mobile issues and fortunately markets are developing today. It is great to be a part of this trend.

MOBILE LIFESTYLE

- What is your personal ‘big issue’ in life? Can the mobile phone or technology in general help improving situations?

I think we see a lot of great things in developing countries. In Nigeria for example voluntary observers can submit their observations on the election process via SMS. 30 Million Nigerians armed with mobile phones are supposed to become a part of ensuring impartial elections. If mobile phones manage to bring more equity, democracy and equality to the people they would help to make our world a better place. But mobile phones are just the means to an end, people are the crucial factor.

- Do you think mobile phones empower women via different dimensions such as equality, self esteem, safety and security, social networking,… ?

Never thought about that. Maybe in developing countries mobile phones can help women to become more independent. In our western countries I cannot see any effects from mobile phones in regard to your question. But I am convinced that women interact in a different way with their mobile phones. They rarely use it as a gadget like men are doing. They rather use their phones for communication and entertainment purposes.

- How does mobility technological progress influences your daily routine in your work?

For my work it is essential to be up to speed. So I take care of getting all necessary information no matter where I am. All my mobile devices have internet access and this became vital for me and sometimes it has a whiff of addiction. Yes, I am an internet junkie but my family and my friends are a loved reason to quit.

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work?

I am a Wordpress rookie as I just switched from a German blog provider that did not suit my needs. Moblogging will be my next step. Podcasting and vlogs are not my focus as for now but might be in the future along the development of my blogging career.

- Which applications and services do you use most often on your mobile phone?

I make/take calls, check emails, read blogs, send/receive text messages and take pictures.

- Do you use your device to interact with other machines?

My mobile phone, PDA and notebook are connected via Bluetooth primarily for synchronization of data. In my work some kind of radio-based connection from my mobile phone to projectors could help a lot. It makes it easier to present mobile applications to a bigger audience using the phone and not static screen shots. Maybe there are already solutions of which I’m not aware of.

In my daily life it would be useful to have a universal key for my home, car and office respectively. To have all the cards in my wallet e.g. debit -, credit -, club - and loyality cards on my mobile phone.

MOBILE GEEK?

- What do you think about the next wave of Mobile Augmented Reality tools coming?

I would love to use PWC-Components (Physical World Connection) like Image Recognition, Code Reading or NFC. I have different Code Readers on my phone for testing purposes but in Germany there are too few services available. In the near future we will see different PWC-Solutions which will change our usage of our mobile devices. We can see in Japan and South Korea already what could be possible. In Asia Code Reading is as common as making phone calls.

In my home market I am expecting a big change after the German railway operator introduced 2D-Code-Ticketing and will start a NFC based check-in together with Vodafone.

In my daily routine it would be great to use 2D-Codes for scanning business cards or directly connecting to mobile websites instead of fiddling around on a small keypad.

- Do you download audio/video files on your phone? Any thoughts on Digital Right Management (DRM)? Future Business Models?

I have to admit that I am using my old MP3-Player for listening to audio books (what I love the most). It is possible to watch YouTube-Videos (or MyVideo, Clipfish and other) and even complete DVD-Movies on mobile phones but it is not my favorite mobile application.

Media groups are too restrictive with their content and we see now international superstars like Chinese Wei Wei by using cell phones for direct distribution of their music bypassing all media companies. Similar effects we will happen with video. I do not have the solution of striking simplicity for the media industry but they have to face the fact that the good old times are gone and digital/mobile life needs totally different business models.

- How do you experience the Mobile Internet? Which mobile browsers do you use?

My favorite browser is Opera Mini – release 3.0 now available. Best handling, performance and a big advantage is the reduction of sites when they are not in a WAP format.

- Do you think web 2.0 technology influences mobile services and tools?

No comment. Ignorant marketers can’t even write things like Jawa or Adgax.

- Mobile 2.0? What does it mean to you?

I think mobile 2.0 is a concept, an idea not a technology. User’s intelligence will create new benefits for themselves and for other users. There is nothing really new. In the past centuries people always collaborated in that way and thus created innovations. Today we have the same effects just based on a new technology and on a global scale. Web 2.0 shows how the internet is coming back to its roots of producing and sharing ideas, content and values. Mobile 2.0 will enrich this with intuitive elements. Mobile technology will mature to a more “human” interface as it will provide opportunities to use internet technology spontaneously and without a planned behavior.

Mobile technology has to follow these requirements. Mobile devices will be integrated in clothes or become “wearable” in another way. Mobile devices will recognize the user’s current situation and will provide context sensitive services. Speech and image recognition will substitute the usage of keypads.

- What are your favourite mobile user-generated content projects?

Currently I like wattpad, a story sharing community where you can read and share stories with others over your mobile phone. If you are a writer or poet you can publicize your work so others can read it for free. Recently wattpad included over 17,000 eBooks from Project Gutenberg, the oldest digital library, and now has close to 25,000 stories in its database. When I am on the way and have some waiting time I enjoy wattpad.

- What about Mobile Social Networks?

Some time ago I tried Qiro. This is a cute little application which gives you individualized information about your surroundings via cell positioning. It displays current events, cinema listings, restaurants or the location of your buddies. One of the first location based services in Germany I know of. But I have to admit that I am not using it anymore. Mobile Social Networks are not my favorite way to misspend my time on it.

- Do you use wi-fi on your phone? Is it really a thread for 3G? What about Bluetooth and Near Field Communication (NFC)? Solutions for the future?

No, I don’t have wi-fi on my current phone but will certainly get it with my next mobile device. Bluetooth is a great technology which makes many things more comfortable. I use BT for synchronizing my devices and to connect my wireless headset. In times I’m not using BT I keep it switched off because of security concerns. Another reason is that too many companies are doing Bluecasting now and although I am working in this industry I don’t want to get “bluespammed”.

NFC is the future for short distance communication. It is easy to use and secure. Several solutions in the areas of mobile ticketing, access control, payment, marketing and content distribution will spring up once NFC enabled mobile phones reach a critical penetration rate. Getting more product information, using my phone to access my car or just waving my phone for check-in at airports will become as usual as typing a SMS. There are so many challenging opportunities that I am often amazed of the fact that so many companies are not making use .

FUTURE OF MOBILE

- What do you understand by convergence?

Convergence is a concept that gives users freedom to use digital services when, where and to what ever extend they like. Users will no longer rack their brains on deciding which device and which network they should use for which action and what they have to pay for it. Mobile phones will be like Swiss army knifes and provide individualized, beneficial and contextual services. The device picks the best network depending on place and requirement. And for all this the user pays an adequate fee, predominantly a flat rate. The mobile phone will be the jack of all trades device.

- What differences do you see of mobile use in USA – Europe - Asia?

Are there any? Of course there are some little differences today. But I think in some years we will have similar behavior all over the world like we can see it today with clothes. Nowadays Asia is in front, Europe tries to keep up and USA is close behind us. China and India are the countries we should look at in the next years. They will dominate worldwide usage and development.

- What is going to be the next *big thing* in mobile?

Speech recognition will be the absolutely biggest “thing” on mobile phones. Complete control over my phone without touching it will be the next evolutionary stage in man-machine interaction.

- The mobile trend(s) for this and next year?

GPS will be the biggest trend on mobile phones in the near future. In Germany already three million people have GPS on their mobile devices. Positioning is the crucial step on the way to location based services and context-sensitive mobile marketing.

PERSONAL FAVORITES

- Who inspires you professionally?

Definitely my partner. He is a salesman, up to every trick and we are working on some very interesting projects together. He brings me down to earth when my head reaches the clouds and takes care that my work does not become too academic which is a constant threat.

- Your favorite mobile technology blog?

Michael Mace’s Mobile Opportunity. Oops, and yours of course, Rudy.

- Your favorite videoblog?

Elektrischer Reporter

- Your favorite mobile 2.0 service?

Shozu. A nice little tool that immediately up-loads my pictures unto my flickr account. Now used by Warner Music and EMI Records for connecting their artists with their fans.

- Your favorite mobile device?

My motor-bike.

- Favorite mobile application/service?

Cellity – Least cost routing on mobile phones helps me reducing my bill.

- Favorite mobile website?

New CNN Mobile.

- Favorite mobile search tool?

Google Mobile. Brand-new Yahoo oneSearch is not available in Europe yet.

- The ultimate tech device not invented yet?

A machine doing my housework.

- Who else could you recommend to be interviewed next?

Dr. Bettina Horster, board member Vivai Software AG, member BITKOM Dialogkreis Konvergenz.

- Anything else you would like to add? Something the big players are missing?

Imagination, flexibility, foresight, speed and managers with the power of making decision.

Thanks Heike and good luck with(in) the Mobile Zeitgeist!

Last year, as a starter for 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Stuart Mudie came up with the idea to get together with some other mobile bloggers. We hadn’t decided on a place to meet until one week before the event, since we wanted to consider any good suggestion for a cool bar…

Stuart just anounced he activated another wikipage to prepare for another informal MobileSunday Barcelona getting together in Barcelona. Expect some mobile passionates, mobilists and founders of MobileMonday chapters mixed with some healthy dose of ususal suspect bar-hangers. As for any good gathering, women (working) in mobile are highly appreciated to join us for a drink to keep some healthy gender equilibre in our sector.

If you want to kick off your week at 3GSM by attending “an unofficial, informal and generally cool and funky gathering of mobile bloggers and their chums”, simply add your name to the MobileSunday Barcelona wiki and turn up on the night, place to be anounced later.

If you like football (soccer!), FC Barcelona is playing that night and there will be screens for you to watch the game, in a true Barcelona tradition. Before and after the match, we will have partyStrands running.

FYI: Stuart will not be present this time but since we like some magic once in while, we’ll intend to connect with him in a non-presential, 21st-century mobile kind of way. Stay tuned for more details.

Sometimes one discovers blogs like rare pearls, usually not very known, a bit tucked away between the feeds of our information forest, yet often refreshing, thought-provoking, and stimulating our mobility senses. I stumbled a couple of times upon Yasmine’s blog while “re-searching” on augmented reality and mobility subjects.

I got intrigued by her “my body is a hypertext” and her takes on home + mobility baring in mind her multicultural background. I leave the discovery pleasure for you to learn about her explorations, meanwhile discover something more about Yasmine in this Women in Mobile interview.

Yasmine Abbas, is a French DPLG architect and holds a Master of Science in Architecture Studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001. At MIT, she explored the spatial impact of new technologies. She is now a Doctor of Design from Harvard University Graduate School of Design (2006); at Harvard she focused on how neo-nomads reclaim a sense of belonging to places in the age of “multiple mobilities”. She founded neo-nomad, a digital platform dedicated to design and mobility in the digital world.

A neo-nomad herself, she carries “home” in two standard suitcases, each of 158cm (adding length, width, and height), and weighting 32kg maximum, as well as one additional carry on item of 55×40x20cm weighting a maximum of 10kg.

BACKGROUND / WORK

- Can you explain more about your work and background?

I am an architect, and a researcher. I am originally trained to build; yet building does not necessarily mean… partitioning. I have always been interested in the questions of ephemerality and mobility in architecture, ideas of flexibility and porous/extensible/flesh-like boundaries, the intersection between the digital and the physical; and all what that meant for the building environment. Long before I studied nomads, and came across the Plug-in Cities, Walking Cities and Instant City Airship projects of Archigram (1964, 1964, 1968), I had read Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities (1974) which I find rather close in terms of philosophy. I started experimenting with my design looking at theater machinery—mechanical mobility, and social mobility. Later at MIT, I explored Intelligent Kinetic Systems, in designing responsive structures (building models with Lego sensors and motors that we had to program—small programming). Because I am a cultural hybrid, and because I have lived in different countries, and traveled a fair amount, I understand “building” as something different than producing rigid walls, or backdrops for projections. At Harvard I have been working on neo-nomads, digitally geared travelers and how they dwell-in. Recreating a sense of home in any space that looks like a hotel room is a matter of relations between people, objects and spaces. These relations are clearly a matter of habits, and usages. For that matter, I have developed acute “soft” skills and a method of analysis, what I call ethNOMOgraphy (from the Greek root “Nomos” which means nomad) because it involves doing ethnography while on the move through “moblogging” and “hypertexting.” I have also suggested scenarios of usage like the HOmeTEL which explores the remote spatial appropriation of a hotel room, using digital means.

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented?

So far and in order of interest the social orientation has come first, then business, and technical. However, to me, an understanding of the three is critical because if everyone has a role to play in a multidisciplinary environment (to share a strong orientation), being able to communicate within the workplace or to any other actor of public change is even more important. I can say that my background is an asset because everything, from social to physics can inspire architects, and we learn very early to work together to build for people and understand contemporary demands. I am myself particularly interested in today’s everyday and how people mark their territory, which has shrunk beyond skin in the age of the Internet and ubiquitous computing… Design (and we are responsible for designing far more than objects or architecture; when coming up with the iPod for example, Apple, envisioned a new life style; it is a total revolution) must address the fact that the contemporary is a “moving target” (to use the words of a scholar I have worked for); thus design has also to do to with the notion of “what is essential” in life… now—and paradoxically what will stay essential across time; hence my focus on people, the everyday, technology, the multiple mobilities (mental, physical and digital) and nomads, because of their acute sense of adaptation and their understanding of what is necessary to carry; what is home when on the move.

I am in fact calling for a design responsibility! I am questioning for example the building of traditional office towers (often environmentally hazardous) as a workplace when work practices have changed: people work from home, consult abroad, work in teams of specialist localized in different countries… Another example… what is the shape of the library of the future when Google collaborate with prestigious schools to produce a digital library? My work on neo-nomad, the digitally geared individuals, synthesizes these observations by observing “hypertextual” practices, social (as Francois Ascher has noted), but also spatial. We have to think about people throughout all the processes of design and development.

- What brought/brings you into mobile?

What brought me to mobile is trying to understand this very human need for wanting to be grounded, and how people were actually doing it in this age of multiple mobilities that we are building… Always asking… if there is one thing that you would take with you, what would it be, and why? I think we are entering a post-consumerist society. We are going beyond the threshold of the technology craze. We actually can reflect on the applications and use them wisely. More and more people rent and use cars (they share public goods) only when they need it, and are used to changing places, spaces, collecting places, tags and information. Interestingly, one of my research points develops the fact that the digital (paradoxically) relates to the bio~ (body/biology/ecosystem/organism) as neo-nomads use responsive objects, spaces, technology and services… when they need it. Understanding where all this leads, how all this happens involves other skills and methods of inquiry than purely technical ones. My interest in mobile also comes from the observation that we have always wanted a freedom/flexibility of movements, though for sure we are bound to t he infrastructure we build for it.

DIGITAL LIFESTYLE

- How does mobile technological progress influences your daily routine in your work?

I have realized also how much I could pack efficiently, if I could store digitally all my paper work. I still need to keep physical administrative documents. Really… it is piling… I don’t like stuff. That is what digital nomadology does to me.

In terms of travel, I like being stress-free… booking ahead of time, my iPod to “tune-out” (said one of my interviewees; Harvard Doctor of Design Research), being able to connect or just linger (I have my habits), observing, doing my field work, and maybe “moblogging”. I like to disconnect as well, but I am an Internet junkie and it is hard to quit. My Blog has been an essential research tool. It enables me to collect links, moments (situations), formulate my thoughts, publish my work, and connect with researchers in the same field. If I don’t debate ideas with them over blog comments, we often do pursue that through e-mails. I don’t mind sharing my ideas with people, leaving them on open-source, but not many are careful at acknowledging from where they come from.

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work? Which applications and services do you use regularely on your phone? Would you use your device to interact with other machines?

I would be happy if I did not have to carry a cellphone, an iPod, a digital camera, an umbrella? , my numerous transportation tickets, ID and bank/store cards… A hybrid phone… My cellphone IS my purse (that is an interesting integrated design challenge!). So you just swipe your bag to go through gates. The advantage of a bag as opposed to a tattoo (see my body is a hypertext project) or a chip under your skin is that the former can be put aside. I like the idea of being able to disconnect… well… to still have a little control, however illusionary, over unwanted intrusions. I would download mp3 on my phone, and maybe text or e-mail, share them with my friends. I would like to get the latest NOKIA… but apparently, even if I purchase it, it wouldn’t be used at its very best here in the USA, because of the infrastructure! Not that I like advertising for this or that brand, but I have experienced the comfortable usability of their product long time ago… Isn’t it also interesting to think how the notion of territoriality shifts with the digital?

- Would you download mp3 tunes on your phone? Share them with friends? Any thoughts on DRM?

In terms of Digital Restriction Management… people expect being able to get information. So companies owe to give a minimum.

- What about Mobile TV?

I like too much observing people for watching movies or programs while on the move, immobile in a moving train. Yet I recall that summer inviting friends over for diner in the backyard, hanging white sheets, a mobile computer plugged to a projector and speakers. Someone in the yard nearby shouted “you are the best neighbors ever”! So I guess, Mobile TV, if it can allow their usability/spatial extensions for times of rest in any spatial setting, without having to carry much…

GEEK STUFF

- What about Web 2.0? Do you use it? What does it mean to you? Does/will these evolutions influence mobile technology?

Web 2.0 is an evolution not a revolution. I found the pattern normal, the result of observations, reflection and usability studies. I REALLY like tagging.

- What are your favourite mobile user-generated content projects?

Del-icio-us, flickr, wikipedia… always amazed by the quantity of information we give because we like sharing, or maybe just because we like to be heard. I haven’t developed content for wikipedia yet.

I envisage scenarios of usage, and assess their validity through interview processes and observations. I post them on my blog. I would like more reactions from my peers. I look forward to develop some of these scenario with… geeks Collaboration is the key!

- MoSoSo + wi-fi + urban networks =

the way to personalize the city, and mark your territory, territory which can overlap with other ones… nomad-2.0 I believe. It is also for me “biological” and “frugal” ways to think about the city (notions developed in my Doctor of Design thesis, 2006) as I said earlier as we use services and share information when we need it. It is like being able to see at once where selected things happen (parking spots for example), in a personal grow-shrinking territory. I think we have always wanted that… seeing many things and happening in different places at once.

FUTURE OF MOBILE

- How do you see the future of mobile?

It certainly leads to the making of ecologic spaces and communities based on individual choices.

- What do you think about the Fixed-Mobile-Internet convergence?

It is bound to be. Mobility also includes the time of stopping. So it is a matter of balance, between what to carry and the infrastructure.

- 3G vs. Wi-Fi?

I don’t think it matters for users, as long as his reception signal doesn’t break out. Swapping should be allowed!

- What differences do you see of mobile use in USA – Europe - Asia?

Can people work together?

- What is gonna be the next *big thing* in mobile?

HOmeTELs

- The next mobile trend(s)?

High-res.-photo-video-mp3-cellphone… and well designed; an iPod-like fetish gear, but maybe an object that can be personalized before fabrication.

PERSONAL FAVORITES

- Who inspires you professionally?

The everyday, people. Edith Ackermann, my mentor and friend.

- Your favorite mobile technology blog?

So many! They are listed on my blog neo-nomad.
- Your favorite moblog?

Here: neo-nomad.kaywa.com/look/no-title-13.html … because it relates to the integrated design challenge of designing a cellphone-purse.

- Who else could you recommend to be interviewed next?

Edith!

- Anything else you would like to add? Something the big players are missing?

People…

Picture Yasmine by © Liesbeth De Fossé

The Women in Mobile interview series seem to be really popular among m-trends.org readers so I thought it might be good to bundle some of the latest interviews not published yet for your summer reading.

What I like about the series, apart from getting to know all these wonderfull women of course is the diversity of characters interviewed but especially how passionate they all are about the potential of Mobile. Whether they work as software engineer, as executive or entrepreneur, as artist or designer or as activist, they are all very open-minded and forward-thinking, how diverse their job functions may be.

This post to bundle the following 4 Women in Mobile interviews:

- Sarah Blow, behind the London Girl Geek Dinners

- Julia Dimambro, CEO of Cherrysauce, a mobile adult entertainment company

- Stephanie Rieger, inventing and designing mobile lifestyle at Yiibu.com

- Katrin Verclas, Executive Director at N-TEN (The Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network)

If you are a woman working in Mobile or if you know a woman that you think should be part of this interview series, please drop me a note (email at the right in sidebar). Enjoy the reading!

Image © phonemag.com

NYC connection Justin Oberman from mopocket.com brought me in touch with her recently. Katrin runs her day job in an organization called N-TEN—an umbrella association of nonprofit technologists and the people that provide technology service to nonprofits and civil society organizations. She is also very involved in MobileActive. MobileActive is a global network of nonprofit and non-governmental organizations, mobile technologists, and grassroots activists who are using mobile phones in their civic activism.

BACKGROUND - WORK

- Can you explain more about your work?

The MobileActive network started in 2005 when we held the first-ever conference on using mobile phones in civic action and activism in Canada with activists and mobilists from around the world. Since then, we have built a collaborative website at www.mobileactive.org where we collectively track campaigns from around the globe that are using mobile phones. We maintain a lively mailing list for peer networking, have produced local events in Europe, Asia, and the United States. There have been numerous partnerships and collaborations between mobile techies and civil society organizations – for human rights, voter mobilization, advocacy and organizing.

Please check out the many stories, campaigns, and people in our network at www.mobileactive.org!

Incidentally (and as a sneak preview here) we are going to be producing a series of white papers – the MobileActive Strategy Memos – that will be how-to guides analyzing existing campaigns and making recommendations for campaigners wanting to use mobile phones in these areas:

1. human rights
2. voter registration and mobilization
3. legislative and policy advocacy
4. issue advocacy
5. fundraising

We are releasing the first in the 5-part series later this month – stay tuned!

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented?

All social – all the time ☺ But we play with tech and the potential new mobile technical developments have for activism and organizing.

- What brought you into mobile?

I love technology ☺ And I love technology for social change. The mobile medium has enormous potential to reach and connect people who are otherwise not online/on the Internet. Mobile phones are organizing tools, communication tools, information sharing tools, tools for political expression (ringtones, and political jokes, for example), they can be used for monitoring tools and data gathering for civil society purposes. They are easy to use and ubiquitous, cheap, and accessible. I want to make the world a better place and use the smartest and most appropriate and accessible technology to aid in this work. I am drawn to the potential for collective action to do so – and hence am very interested in the possibilities of mobile phones as organizing tools for activists and campaigners who are in the trenches all around the world.

DIGITAL LIFESTYLE

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work?

I am too busy to blog much… I know I should do a lot more of it, though. I live on my Treo 650 when traveling – texting, web, email (at least checking), phone, of course.

But even with a qwerty keyboard (the English-language keyboard) blogging and doing anything other than 160 characters is pretty much a pain.

- Which applications and services do you use regularely on your phone?

Google local ☺, text messaging, right now the handy World Cup score tool that updates me when there is a goal… email, contact database, games for my kids.

- Would you use your device to interact with other machines? Yes!

- Which machine-to-machine can you think of would be handy to interact with?

Every possible one – ranging from ticket machines for the subway to my still-used iPod (replacing that one with my mobile would be good, but because the sound quality is better, I have not yet)

- Would you download mp3 tunes on your phone? Share them with friends? Mobsharing? Any thoughts on DRM?

Yes on mp3s. I wish the world was licensed Creative Commons. DRM is a much longer conversation..

- What about Mobile TV?

No thanks. Well, soccer would be cool.

GEEK STUFF

- How do you experience the Mobile Internet? Which mobile browsers do you use?

How? Painfully. It’s no fun. Wishlist for 2007: The ubiquitous mobile Internet, and full mobile compatibility of all web sites.

- Web 2.0? Do you use it? What does it mean to you? Does/will these evolutions influence mobile technology? How?

I dislike the term. It is, in the end, all about community, peer- and user production, the ease of use and pervasiveness of tools and really, in the end, about the democratization of innovation.

Mobile phones are all about that – as evidenced by the fact that there are now vastly more than 2 billion of them in use, and the many, many creative uses people deploy them for – in social interactions and every-day, in sophisticated political campaigns, in music and entertainment – you name it. There are new ideas, new uses, creative innovations every day. Look at the Kuwaiti elections where women are texting their opinions about candidates, the political ringtones that sprung up all over, the political jokes surreptitiously passed on in Zimbabwe – there are more creative uses of the medium than I have seen in a long time.

- What are your favourite mobile user-generated content projects?

Oh, good question! Other than MobileActive ? I have no idea! Yours? Love to hear about them!

- MoSoSo + wi-fi + urban networks = ?

Social change.

- Do you develop content/technology yourself?

Content, yes. Mobile content, no. Tech, no.

FUTURE OF MOBILE

- How do you see the future of mobile?

Very bright! Let’s just hope commercial interests do not take it over (such as television) to close it off in some way for civil society uses.

- What do you think about the Fixed-Mobile-Internet convergence? 3G vs. Wi-Fi? Hybrid phones?

I’ll leave this to the industry experts – I’ll watch you all closely, though, and see what can be used/appropriated/deployed in and for our work in the NGO and nonprofit sphere.

- What differences do you see of mobile use in USA – Europe - Asia?

Vastly different social uses based on different technical infrastructures. Much more pervasive texting, obviously, in Europe and Asia, though people in the US are taking sms by storm. Different social uses have implications for political organizing and social change work, of course, so they are of great interest to us and we are tracking the socio-cultural dimensions of mobile use closely.

- What is gonna be the next *big thing* in mobile?

Well, if I had my druthers, global mutual aid networks

PERSONAL FAVORITES

- Who inspires you professionally?

More people than I can count ☺ My partner who runs an international NGO and who is a brilliant man, my children for whom I do this all in the first place, many of my colleagues who are building and running incredibly creative campaigns and organizations, and really someone every day who makes the world a little better. I have the great privilege of seeing this work and reporting on it, connecting, and aggregating, building community and running programs that disseminate learnings from this rich, inspired community that I work in.

- Your favorite mobile technology blog?

Yours, my friend. And Emily’s textually – that girls rocks the house.

- Your favorite mobile device?

My Treo right now, may be different tomorrow ☺

- Favorite mobile application/service?

Texting.

- Your ultimate dream scenario including mobile?

A better, more just, more equitable world.

- The ultimate tech device not invented yet?

Ah, I am not a futurist in that kind of way…

- Who else could you recommend to be interviewed next?

I want a Kuwaiti woman ☺ Talk to Becky faith of Fahamu, too! And Emily. Definitely Emily!

-> FYI: Women in Mobile interview with Emily Turrentini from textually.org here

- Anything else you would like to add? Something the big players are missing?

Mobile phones and radio are two of the more subversive tools out there. Forget the internet in vast parts of the world.

Thanks Katrin for your time and good luck with the new projects!

Reading (and hosting) the Carnival of the Mobilists let you discover new ideas, insiders’ insights and especially new talented people in the Mobile market space. One of those talents I discovered when I hosted the Carnival of the Mobilists 33 was Stephanie. I selected her “Casual Mobile Snacks for Everyone” as my favourite post of that week!

Based in Vancouver, Canada, she creates unique and engaging content for emerging mobile technologies and devices with some other mobile passionates at Yiibu. Besides her blog Keitai where she writes on mobility, culture and user experience, she is also involved in Mobile Monday Vancouver.

I especially like the refreshing way she’s looking towards mobile, something that many people loose on the way trying to make business, but in essence, a quality we all should foster to keep innovation close to our hearts… Well, it’s not only happening in the head if you see what I mean

BACKGROUND - WORK

- Can you explain more about your work?

My background is in interactive project management, content development and specifically—educational multimedia for kids. I also spent several years working as a teaching assistant in an elementary school in Toronto as well a brief period teaching English overseas so educational products always seem to be on my mind.

My current work is varied—out of necessity really. I do a lot of research (mostly just to keep up) but also spend quite a bit of time managing content projects and taking care of QA and testing. I’ve also been blogging a lot lately which I find really useful to get my ideas out.

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented?

I would say all three at this point (which can be a problem at times—there’s too much to do and too much to learn

If I could switch to focusing on just one thing right now it would probably be the social/cultural or user experience side of mobile.

- What brought you into mobile?

I don’t think I would have started working in mobile (so soon) if it wasn’t for all the time we spent in Asia over the past few years. There were lots of little experiences—seeing a fellow traveler call his grand-mother in Norway from the top of a mountain in Borneo, renting a mobile on the street for a quick call on the Malay border, watching our roommate in Indonesia endlessly text her mother in Scotland to exchange gossip about Survivor and Big Brother, walking into MBK for the first time in Bangkok and seeing thousands of people earning a living, socializing, doing business—all based on this one type of device. And then seeing variations of all this in country after country.

And from a content point of view, there’s the immediacy of a device so small that you can hold in one hand—yet offering so many possibilities. It’s yours, it holds your stuff, it helps you in your work or study, it brings you closer to your friends and family, you take it everywhere. You can’t really say that about many other things we carry.

Besides, I’m a handset geek. ☺

DIGITAL LIFESTYLE

- How does mobile technological progress influences your daily routine in your work?

Years ago, I remember going on vacation and leaving my computer behind. Now I’m not sure I could really do that. I’d need to feel connected. Not just to the net but to people, to my data and my work. And as I have a lot of data; right now having just a mobile doesn’t cut it.

So last year I bought a tiny Sony VAIO and that is now also my mobile. I work on it, make calls on it—yet I can carry it around all day without really thinking about it. Combine that with a ‘real’ mobile, and I feel pretty connected.

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work?

I blog using Wordpress. I’m not currently moblogging but am hoping to start publishing/experimenting with the Widsets platform soon.

- Which applications and services do you use (daily/weekly) on your phone?

Not many I’m afraid. I’m dying to use data services for all sorts of stuff but the data plans in Canada have historically been too expensive for me to justify purchasing. I’m finally about to cave and sign up for a plan because not having one is starting to affect my work.

Would you use your device to interact with other machines?

I use Bluetooth a lot when designing and testing applications. Sometimes I transfer 20-30 files an hour as I hate testing in an emulator—you end up missing all sorts of things—including design and content related stuff like alignment issues, typos etc. For some reason these seem much easier to spot on a real handset.

By comparison, I find synching an iPod painful and un-intuitive ☺

- Which machine-to-machine can you think of would be handy to interact with?

This isn’t technically machine to machine but I find 2D barcode scanning (QR etc.) via mobile fascinating. Assuming the handset integration is good, it’ll solves a lot of problems related to content/information acquisition or discovery, customer conversion etc.

- Would you download mp3 tunes on your phone? Share them with friends? Mobsharing? Any thoughts on DRM?

I don’t currently download music—but I do download podcasts quite regularly.

GEEK STUFF

- How do you experience the Mobile Internet? Which mobile browsers do you use?

My most recent phone is an E60 which I purchased specifically for the wireless LAN access. It also has a very high resolution display so the browsing experience is really quite enjoyable—especially with the new Nokia browser (although for some reason my WLAN connection times out more often with the Nokia browser than with Opera.) I’ve also recently installed WinWap’s mobile desktop browser which is super handy to browse WAP sites on your computer.

All this is of course a work-around for the fact that mobile data is too expensive here ☺

- Web 2.0? Do you use it? What does it mean to you? Does/will these evolutions influence mobile technology? How?

One lovely aspect of Web 2.0 that has not yet come to mobile but really needs to be there from a longevity point of view is an open network/platform that welcomes access and participation—at the very least in the area of content and services.

An area that scares me a bit however is the concept of user generated content on mobile. I think we can all agree that there is some great user generated content out there but there’s also lots of junk. Even with a good ‘social/recommendation network’ it takes a long time to weed through it all.

This additional ‘noise’ is disruptive enough on a big screen—never mind a small one. So I’m looking forward to seeing lots of mobile content from lots of sources but I’m not sure if we’re ever going to have time to get things done during the day if we add yet another layer of distraction to our mobiles

- Do you develop content/technology yourself?

Yes I do. My company—Yiibu creates small mobile games, content and experiences with learning and lifestyle in mind. We’re currently developing using Flash Lite as it’s so easy to prototype with and offers a good level of functionality along with good design capabilities for the final product. Player adoption is still low but finally growing at a reasonable pace.

FUTURE OF MOBILE

- How do you see the future of mobile?

We will (hopefully) see more diversity in content and applications. More local content, more personal content, more mobile use in education, more opportunities for small companies and individual content creators. And fewer walled gardens.

- Hybrid phones?

I suppose I have one already with the E60. Setting up WLAN access points is still a bit tricky and my connection seems to drop quite a bit but I’m sure all that stuff will work itself out in future iterations of the device. The biggest barrier I still see to adoption is still the operators. In markets where you can simply walk into a store and buy a handset, I’m assuming these will be very popular as long as they work well and are reasonably priced. But in markets like Canada where the majority of the population purchases a device direct from the operator, I think we won’t see these phones on the shelves for quite some time. (Hopefully someone will prove me wrong though

- What differences do you see of mobile use in USA – Europe - Asia?

The differences are huge. It’s quite fascinating actually, because even within regions the uses change when you cross from one country to another. One thing I feel reasonably comfortable generalizing about is the perception of technology in Asia (or at least—my perception of the perception of technology in Asia

Every country I’ve been to has large, thriving technology marketplaces. Their presence—in my opinion—results in a general lack of apprehension regarding new technologies. When purchasing spare parts, mobile pre-pay access or other technology services you’re just as likely to be served by a man or woman, young or old. Sure there’s geeks and early adopters but—perhaps because some of these technologies came about much quicker (i.e. spotty fixed-line access leading to quick and widespread mobile adoption)—there doesn’t seem to be this “should we?..or..shouldn’t we?” I hear so often in North America. If you don’t know how to do something, you’re bound to know someone who does. If it works, you use it. If it doesn’t, you don’t. And (assuming your network/operator/budget allows it)—you experiment with stuff.

Then because the device is so personal and social, there are all sorts of uses that are specific to culture. And thanks to these, we see innovations in business models and trends that maybe won’t work elsewhere but can still provide inspiration for things that will.

This is not meant to suggest that the only innovation in mobile is (or will be) coming from certain parts of the world. I simply think that—especially in the case of mobile, it’s very dangerous to base all your assumptions on what’s going on in your back-yard. You’ll miss out on a lot.

- What is gonna be the next *big thing* in mobile?

High handset adoption (i.e. network connectivity) in emerging markets.

It’s going to have all sorts of effects….

• Way more people connected. How will operators and their services adapt? How will the OEMs?
• Way more people connected. How will economies adapt? Will some jump ahead due in part to their increased ability to connect locally, regionally etc. Will others fall behind because of their lack of connectivity or the lack of openness in their networks? (I would say some already have.)
• Way more people (eventually) connected to the Internet (in some way.) Will mo-blogging create even more opportunities for social and political discussion around the world? Will walled gardens interfere? Will we all have access to the same mobile web?
• More people who will own a (very?) basic multimedia device. How will this affect content creation and distribution? Will we see more local, niche (long-tail) content? (Will big media and operators allow it?) Will off-deck grow faster in certain areas due to sheer mass of participation?
• More opportunities. Will we finally start to see widespread use of devices for learning? Not just traditional ‘elearning’ on mobile but locally sponsored and relevant learning related to areas of literacy, health, social and financial independence and quality of life.
• Waste. What will we do with several million devices being discarded every few years?
• Experimentation and innovation. Someone will do something totally unexpected that will shift mobility as we know it. What will it be? Different behaviours? New business models? Products?

- The mobile trend(s) for this and next year?

I’m hoping this will finally be the year we start to seriously discuss what business models will work off-deck and how to make them happen without alienating the operators.

PERSONAL FAVORITES

- Who inspires you professionally?

Way too many people to mention. I’d miss someone and feel terrible about it

And I don’t know what I’d do without blogs to learn all this stuff and keep track of all these conversations.

- Your favorite mobile technology blog?

Hmm…hard to pick. My favourites tend to be folks at Nokia (not sure why but that’s just how it’s worked out so far.) Jan Chipchase, Cognections and the Series 60 User Experience blogs. Also Experentia —not necessarily a mobile blog but provides a wealth of links about design, user experience, ethnography—mostly related to technology.

Oh..and Carnival of the Mobilists of course.

- Your favorite mobile device?

I love the display on the E60, the form factor on the 6600 and 6630, the colour and style of the L’Amour collection by Nokia and the feel of the Motorola Pebl (the UI on the Pebl is terrible though.) I’d also still love a Nokia 770 but it’s not yet available in Canada.

- Your ultimate dream scenario including mobile?

Reasonably priced unlimited data plans worldwide, and an open, well-supported and consistent development/publishing platform. ☺ LOL

- The ultimate tech device not invented yet?

A good, easy to use/carry/easy on the eyes, open format e-book reader. Something that will allow the e-book ecosystem to grow.

- Anything else you would like to add? Something the big players in mobile are missing?

We’ve never been very good at keeping technology simple and promoting balance in how we use it (ex. three car garages, Hummers, video-game addicted adolescents, ‘Crackberry’ addicted professionals, PC and mobile carpal-tunnel syndrome etc.) Now OEMs and operators are racing to connect the next billion subscribers. Before we turn every handset into an ‘always on,’ ever social convergent ‘multimedia computer,’ let’s make sure that we all really need one and that it maybe comes with software and applications that promote balance and allow/(compel?) us to switch off with as much ease as we ‘switch on.‘ ☺

I came to Sarah’s blog somewhere last year during my web 2.0 related research for MuLiMob. It was a discovery for me since Sarah writes from her own experiences with a very down-to-earth approach. I found her input very relevant against the so much hyped-up space of the mobile market, we’re used to.
You can download a 3gp video of her web 2.0 in the mobile space presentation at the Mobile Monday London in June. She’s also organising the London Girl Geek Dinners, if I were female (and geek) I definately would not want to miss one. But enough from me now, let’s hear it from Sarah!

BACKGROUND - WORK

- Can you explain more about your work?

I am a software engineer working for a Medical Device manufacturer. My role is to design, develop and maintain Microsoft C# applications for the Windows CE platform. I don’t work on mobile phones but the devices do have a wireless capability and use the same underlying platform as windows mobile.

Prior to this I was at university in Manchester UK, and wrote software for PPC phone edition and Windows Smartphone utilizing the camera and GPRS to send images and data to remote servers.

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented?

I am more technically orientated than anything else. I run London Girl Geek Dinners but that is not my day job. Technology and technical depth are what I am focused on at the moment. I am constantly learning and I enjoy the technical challenges, which is what keeps me in the industry.

- What brought you into mobile?

I ended up in mobility totally by accident. I did my undergraduate in Computation at UMIST in Manchester and entered an ideas competition whilst I was there to extend my final project to include a mobile front end for data capture. I won the scholarship to do the masters and that is where mobility came into my life.

I went to my first World 3GSM conference whilst at university and from then on I have been pretty much hooked on the stuff. It’s something about the small screens, the limitations and need to problem solve that draws me to the market. I love a challenge!

DIGITAL LIFESTYLE

- How does mobile technological progress influences your daily routine in your work?

At work mobile technology progress influences me little in my day to day workings as we tend to ensure that our hardware has a longer lifespan than most mobile devices. We look more to military and car manufacturing components for hardware. In terms of software we are pretty much open to ideas.

As a blogger mobile technology progress has had a reasonable impact as outside of work I do blog and write about mobile technologies, the issues that I see with them and some of the ways of overcoming those challenges. I have spoken at Mobile Monday here in London about Mobi-Web 2.0 and by the looks of things everyone has a different opinion on what they see this as.

Mobility has caused a lot of changes to occur in peoples every day lives, some of it for the better and some for the worse. What I see needing to happen in order for mobile to take off is for close coupling between developers, phone manufacturers and network providers (be that the likes of Vodafone or even Wifi or WiMax owners).

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work?

My blog is hosted by Geekswithblogs. I can publish from my mobile, or direct on the site or via an e-mail. It’s fairly flexible and it does the job for me. I don’t blog about my work as I am under NDA on the work that I do as I work in a research and development department.

- Which applications and services do you use regulary on your phone?

I only tend to use my day to day mobile for answering calls, and sending text messages. It’s (was) a Symbian OS Samsung phone. It has a camera but I rarely bother to use it. It can access the internet but I find it easier and quicker to do that when I am at home. The size of the screen makes me question the usability as does the input method. (I managed to drop it in water a week ago! Now it’s dead and I need to get a replacement!)

If I need a phone that can browse the net and stuff then I usually swap sim cards over to my old XDAII as that has a bigger screen and better input facilities. I also sync my e-mails to this phone as well, however it’s too bulky to carry around all the time… (maybe it’s time for a Smartphone… but I hate the UI on them!)

- Would you use your device to interact with other machines?

If I used the camera on my Samsung then I would send the photo’s to my laptop via Bluetooth. Other than that I don’t tend to use it for device to machine interaction.

- Which machine-to-machine can you think of would be handy to interact with?

Any to any would be nice… use phone to pay for can of coke… rather than carrying money… um… interactive maps for when you get lost… inter-car communications.

- Would you download mp3 tunes on your phone? Share them with friends? Mobsharing? Any thoughts on DRM?

I don’t download music to my mobile phone. I tend to have that on my matchbox MP3 player.

DRM…. File encryption… need I say more…. Limiting, slow and needs to become a lot smarter before people will accept it and be happy with it. It’s easy to get around at the moment and most people try to avoid it. It’s a bit of an annoyance but it’s nothing that can’t be worked around one way or another.

- What about Mobile TV?

Nice idea but why would you sit and watch TV on a small screen? Great for advertisers but not really all that practical for the average user, overly expensive and will cause chaos with drivers…

GEEK STUFF

- How do you experience the Mobile Internet? Which mobile browsers do you use?

Mobile internet… I use it on my PPC but I avoid it at all costs with my Symbian phone. I use the IE browser on PPC as it is there and just works. It is fine for doing mobile browsing. I’ve never had an issue with it. Symbian on the other hand…. :S I say nothing. (silence speaks louder than words!)

- Web 2.0? Do you use it? What does it mean to you? Does/will these evolutions influence mobile technology? How?

Web 2.0: RSS, Blogs, Wiki’s, Tags, Open API’s…
Yes I have an RSS reader, and also an RSS publisher. I use Wiki’s for organizing and planning the London Girl Geek Dinners. I have 2 blogs. One that everyone knows about and the other is a private one with non mobile and relatively non-tech stuff on it… I tag things when I feel like it and I will use Open API’s as and when I need them.

Web 2.0 is just evolution with a fancy name. It really isn’t all that definable because the boundaries of what it is will always change. I try to avoid fitting things into boxes of web 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 etc… it doesn’t make logical sense to do that!

The past always influences the future as the past is the building blocks of the future. So yes Web 2.0 will influence mobile technology, however mobility has different issues when looking at the evolution of the internet as it has different constraints to the standard pc, with issues of small screens and sometimes connected devices.

- What are your favourite mobile user-generated content projects?

My favourite user-generated content projects… I would have to say miki… the mobile wiki site… It just makes sense to me… a quick way of collaborating and sharing info online… ☺

- MoSoSo + wi-fi + urban networks = ?

A whole load of new and innovative products… ☺ I can’t wait!

- Do you develop content/technology yourself?

I develop content through wiki sites, my blog, my website and the London Girl Geek Dinners website. I develop software as well… I guess it depends on what you mean by develop technology… maybe…

FUTURE OF MOBILE

- How do you see the future of mobile?

Ubiquitous… pervasive… intuitive… intelligent… context, content, location and socially aware. Many applications, many implementations, not hardware constrained, personal… expressive and interactive.

- What do you think about the Fixed-Mobile-Internet convergence?

I think it will bring on some interesting new companies and business ideas. I look forward to seeing what comes out as a result of it.

- 3G vs. Wi-Fi?

3G & Wifi… both have their own uses and have their own very different usage scenarios. Both bring with them different benefits. I still await the day when I have Wifi, GPS and 3G on a single mobile device with the camera and the MS Mobile OS… that would be a very useful business device. ☺

- Hybrid phones?

Hybrid phones… hmmm… will become the norm, as will VoIP. I welcome the day when calls and communications become cheaper.

- What differences do you see of mobile use in USA – Europe - Asia?

Having not been to Asia I can’t comment on that and the last time I was in the US was a very long time ago… as such I can not comment on the differences between the markets. (that I will leave to the market experts)

- What is gonna be the next *big thing* in mobile?

Who knows…. If only I had a crystal ball… If I knew that I would be a multi millionaire… there are loads of great apps out there but I haven’t seen the “killer app” yet!

- The mobile trend(s) for this and next year?

Usable interactive systems with ubiquitous communications channels. Attention marketing, smart information location services pushed to mobile. MoVideo uploads, live podcasts, RSS to mobile.

PERSONAL FAVORITES

- Who inspires you professionally?

On a professional level I am inspired by Richard Branson for his innovation and enthusiasm to put his everything into making things happen. I am also inspired by the likes of Celia Francis (Wee World) who has an amazing way of multi tasking and has the drive and determination to get to where she wants.

- Your favorite mobile technology blog?

My favorite mobile blog… hmmm… I don’t have a favorite… I have my most used mobile blogs but I don’t have a favorite mobile blog… my favorite blog is gapingvoid. I just love the drawings ☺ (keep up the good work Hugh!)

- Your favorite mobile device?

I change my mind daily… usually it is small, light, fast, with the most features to it relating to communications and data transfer. ☺

- Favorite mobile application/service?

I found my favorite mobile application just before the London to Brighton thanks to Paul at Modaco. It is the frwd performance monitoring system. It has a mobile UI to the GPS device over Bluetooth and gives heart rate, altitude, speed, and location details direct to mobile. (but only for the Symbian OS… but I don’t mind that!) The software is truly awesome. (I love sports so it’s great to be able to analyze performance and data both whilst doing sport and also after races!)

- Your ultimate dream scenario including mobile?

Hmmm… I think that would be owning my own company and writing mobile applications and having unlimited device access from the phone manufacturers.

- The ultimate tech device not invented yet?

Voice reactive device that is wearable, portable with discrete screen. (Such as in glasses screen)

- Which links would you li