Quite a week in Telecoms

This week was a busy and eventful one in The Big World Of Telecoms, couple of significant announcements which will help shape the future of telecoms (and I'm not even gonna talk iPhone):

1. Open Handset Alliance (OHA) and the birth of 'Android'

Google has assembled the biggest hitters in mobile/technology (minus Microsoft and Nokia) to form the Open Handset Alliance - yes another industry alliance, but it has the power and brand of Google behind it. The OHA announced Monday that is working on a Linux-based operating system, the slightly disappointingly named 'Android'.

Getting down to detail, Android promises to rival other OSes out there by introducing an Internet based user-experience. Details are sketchy at the moment, although HTC announced it will bring Android-based devices to market in the second half of 2008. The company will also continue to drive Windows Mobile devices as part of its offerings.

Sounds good so far, it's also been endorsed by Symbian and Microsoft who have come out reminding everyone it is "just a press release" and "another Linux project". That saiud, award for quote of the week goes to Symbian's John Forsyth for this gem:

"It's a bit like the common cold. It keeps coming round and then we go back to business."

My tupence worth... this is a positive move the mobile industry. It's back by a heavy weighs in every part of the mobile ecosystem. Commentators have said that there are too many options in the OS field already - at worst it will make the likes of Symbian, UIQ and Windows Mobile up their game. At best, it will provide innovation and new ideas for an Internet-centric mobile user experience. I also believe it will aid the emeergence of converged PC/mobile devices.

2. WiMAX Woes Part II

Following the resignation of Sprint CEO Gary Forsee, Friday saw Clearwire and Sprint go public on the breakdown of their plans to share WiMAX networks.

This isn't the end of WiMAX, it's just more negative news on the technology, with many forecasting that the two companies may well work together again going forward.

This isn't a big surprise, and you cannot blame Clearwire (who I presume have led this move) given all the uncetainty at Sprint.

WiMAX will clearly play a part in advanced technologies, but not at the expense of more established 3GPP technologies. There are plus and negatives of both, but this long argument is for another day.

No round-up of the week would be complete without a mention of the iPhone. Well not here...everyone else is writing about it so go check somewhere else.

The Anti-Facebook Club

What could be better first post than facebook?? The web's (and PR's) hottest topic at the moment.

Given my hatred for the thing this gives me a chance to get my first rant off the shelf and into blogopshere...

I stumbled upon this gem of a post from Spud Gun which, aside from being 'a gun which fires spuds', is a blog I've been regularly reading for a laff or three.

Facebook has become the most annoying thing about. I first got into it a while back and for a bit it was useful looking up lost friends, old flames from over the years and generally pissing about, but after 6 months of usage it has lost it's point for me. Anyone you have'lost' over the years had probably been lost for a reason, after that one drink with the girl you used to like you remembered why you don't like her anymore. And as for private messaging, there are loads of ways to communicate, mobile, instant messaging email...

What really grates me is when people at work spent hours and hours just pissing about 'poking', instant messaging and pasting photos on to facebook.

Are these people just insecure? Do they need to know that 128 people are friends with them, do they need to constant distraction. Web 2.0 is all well and good but if Web 1.0 with its mobile phones, MSN Messenger and email ain't broke...why do we need to try and fix it?

Rant one over...I promise I'll be more insightful with my next post