Last year 28 year old engineer Karsten Nohl, an encryption expert from Germany was able to crack the G.S.M. algorithm, a code developed in 1988 by the G.S.M. Association an industry group based in London. This algorythm still used today to protect the privacy of many mobile calls worldwide. Mr. Nohl was not only able to crack the code, he actually made it public by sharing it with others via the internet.

For the less technical folks, there are plenty of other options to find on the web. Some pretty stupid I have to admit (“How to Eavesdrop on a Cell Phone” from eHow.com) but some pretty scary:

The Interceptor AU688: Going for about 1,800 EUR (not cheap) promises to:

• Monitor both cellular A or cellular B system (B system used in Europe)
• Operates both in general monitoring mode and targets specific phone by number
• Identify unknown cellular mobile phone numbers
• Targets 20 mobile numbers for all calls made in or out

It’s not that hard for psychos, private detectives, stalkers or just regular joes to listen your private conversations, know your location and even retrieve data (such as SMS) from your phone.

Luckily some companies have picked up on this growing concern and offer encrypted phones such as the HTC P3470 running windows and modified to offer a more sophisticated encryption.

While most of us are not rock-stars, secret agents, politicians, CEOs, drug dealers or mafia bosses, the idea that someone else could listen to my conversations is a point of concern. I’d like to believe that even though I am not James Bond or Jason Bourne, my conversation still private to some extended. If there is ever some sort of encryption available for the iPhone. I’ll be the first one to get it.

There are mixed opinions about this approach, since is a prototype there are no long term results to look at in terms of reliability and sustainability. His modified Nokia phone is the first prototype of its kind and only time will tell us how good of an idea this will be.

In my opinion, this should not be part of the device in itself, but an external source of energy. Since Smartphones are energy sucking devices, other alternatives for power should be explored. Here some ideas:
- Solar energy
- Bio energy
- Kinetic energy

Groceries at the supermarket… 40 euros. Pay everything with you mobile phone… Priceless. Well OK not priceless, but certainly convenient.

There’s been a big controversy around this type of payment for a few years now. The neo-Luddites argue that cash should not be replaced and some companies worried about security and the implications of it. Truth be told, once the infrastructure is in place, everyone will use it. There’s no doubt about it.

According to the latest study from Goldmedia consulting, there is a huge majority in German who are willing to get tickets (plane, train, concerts) via mobile phone. So it’s just a matter of time.

People will decide
In places like Japan for example, is common since 2004 to pay with your mobile phone. The testbed of the world is way ahead of mobile technology for their own good.

On the other side of the world, like some villages in Africa, mobile minutes are treated as currency. So I cannot help to find it funny that you can pay cab ride in Nigeria with your mobile phone but not in New York.

Some companies are already looking into the future. With an initial investment of $70 million Euros, Nokia is playing with the idea of a mobile-phone-payment solution that could be knocking your door sooner rather than later.

Here is some stuff you should be able to pay:

• Music, videos, online game subscription or items and digital goods.
• Transportation fares (plane, bus, subway or train) and parking meters.
• Books, magazines, tickets and other hard goods.

Personally, I don’t walk around with a lot of cash. Most of my daily transactions are done electronically. My phone has replaced, my camera, my watch and the newspaper… Why not my wallet! It’s one less thing I have to carry with me, specially in places like Barcelona full of pick-pockets. Hope it comes to Germany sooner than later.

Among the highlights of the evening was for sure “YOUR REEBOK”. An application for the iPhone created by the UK company insidemob for shoe manufacturer Reebok. The app is totally free and allows you to customize the colors and materials of your traines, upload your design to a gallery if you want to share your creation and even order them directly from your phone. The app is been running (no pun intended) for a few weeks on the app store with a very good acceptance. The only downside is that is 62MB! which is kinda big considering how many times you will use it.

Accuterra was also very interesting. Created by geospatial solutions company Intermap it promise to be the companion of choice for those who enjoy the outdoors activities. The application is a digital map system that can be updated wirelessly and give an accurate elevation and location of the terrain around you. The app is free for download and you only need to pay for the maps. The map sheets can be bough for specific areas or for large areas for under 70 euros. The small downside is that the app is only available in the US for the moment, but soon coming to Europe.

After the presentations a nice Bavarian dinner was served buffet style including “Helles” beer. There was a good time to network and meet some people. I’ll be there for the next event for sure.

“Mankind Is No Island” by Jason van Genderen. The winner of the 2008 shortfilm fest Tropfest NY, entirely shot using a mobile phone in NY and Sydney. Thanks Pedro Lopez for bringing it to my attention. If you are wondering what does this have to do with Advertising? absolutely nothing… isn’t that great. I like the video because is a great showcase of the quality that can be achieved using a mobile phone and great imagination.

So what if: the spots are no longer produced by Agencies but by the consumers themselves using the mobile phones. A network of people sharing video tips about just any possible product you want to buy. Telling real stories about brands and breaking up with the deceiving world Advertising often portrays. Eventually this will lead to better quality products.

So what about the experience or the story that the brand allows me to tell? quality and trust are the best values you can get from any brand. Brands that already have it have nothing to worry about, brands that don’t… Well, they should get better or die.

It sounds like YouTube?… The problem with YouTube is the clutter, there is so much of everything, that is hard to find exactly what you’re looking for. I am thinking more about a platform dedicated exclusively to help consumers find the best products for the best price.

If you have a smartphone, video is certainly nothing new. Most smartphones offer the possibility to play local video or over the internet. The promise of faster connections seems to be around the corner, but we know already than in places like Japan (the mobile test bed of the world) superfast connections have made possible TV Channels on the mobile phones. It is not surprise that advertisers are eager to recycle their Ad spots and get them mobile. However this is not a good idea for a medium so personal, intimate and in which relevant content is expected. We’ve learned our lessons from the internet and we know that the 30 sec spot will not work.

MTV Networks is finally waking up to the fact that TV alone won’t cut it. They’ve already lost a lot of their audience by lagging behind during the whole Internet revolution. This time around they want to make sure to stay on the cutting edge once again. As part of their research on VOD (Video on the demand) together with MobiTV, MTV just aunched “The How To Show“. Made exclusively for mobile phones, this show brings celebrities to showcase their trade. You’ll get to see the occasional 20/30 sec spot to begin each episode. But since the whole thing still an experiment, I guess we can forgive them for the moment.

Some stats for the skeptics

According to Nielsen’s Three Screen Report 13.4 million Americans watched 3.3 hours of Mobile video in the 1Q of 2009 and the numbers will increase when bandwidth become faster and more available. Teens for example, between the ages 13-17 are avid viewers of mobile video reporting an average of 6.5 hours of video on their mobile phones each month. These figures makes them the premium target group for any mobile video campaign.

I couldn’t find the stats for Germany (reliable anyway) for video usage, but in a country with 80 million people and 70% market penetration, that’s a hell of a lot of users! Pretty sure a big chunk is watching video.

Why Mobile Video and why now? Obviously a video still the most compelling medium to reach any audience because of the storytelling power it can provide. However, television is static and turn the user into passive recipients of content. Not good. So, imagine how powerful it could be to create videos that are relevant for users and how companies can establish a REAL dialog with their consumers. The next logical level would be to be contextual, followed by more personal and relevant video content delivered to you. Content that is associated with the brand of your choice and that follows that sense of “Forever there” that consumers are looking for from their favorite brands. Nobody seems to listen that the time has come for companies to give meaning to their brands and stop trying to compete for attention. In this context advertising is no longer a competition about who can scream louder, but who can be present at the right time, at the right place and who can actually give something back in return for the loyalty. The 30 sec spots while convenient for an Ad agency to recycle and play it on your handset is not only intrusive but sadly ineffective. We are at the stage now, where the new medium tries to adopt the format of the old medium(TV/Internet), but new uses for mobile video is just around the corner. I’ll keep you posted

The event is free of charge, but you have to register at their website. The location in Munich will change depending on the number of attendees.

For more information visit: http://www.mobile-monday.de/xn/detail/2295400:Event:14090

Since 2005 the MMA publishes a set of Mobile Advertising Guidelines for the mobile web. Over the past three years, the guidelines have evolved to include display (mobile web and downloadables) and messaging (SMS and MMS). The release of guidelines is collaborative effort between the five continents and other supporting organizations including GSMA, dotMobi Advisory Group, IAB UK, IAB Mexico. The guidelines will be translated into local languages and will be release to the public every six months. In the meantime you can download the pdf document with the current guidelines here.