Mobile Messaging 2.0 is proud to host the Carnival of the Mobilists for the first time. This 84th edition features wide ranging topics from the mobile industry including tips for saving money on mobile service when traveling abroad to analysis of the iPhone to a conceptual depiction of the mobile context. Once again, the CoM delivers the best editorial on mobility from across the web by experts who are in the industry and others.

SMS

The CoM leads with my favorite post of the week. SMS is the darling of the mobile industry for subscribers, service and application providers and carriers/operators due to it’s value delivered across the whole of the ecosystem. It is the cornerstone of mobile messaging, off portal content delivery, service monetization, and to date, mobile social activities and applications. It’s importance and impact is well known to most of us, but one article features it’s power and success in the context of the War in Iraq.

Untold Text Stories: SMS in IRAQ, Paul Ruppert, Mobile Point View

Access to mobile phones and SMS is having it’s most profound effects in developing countries. One such story is the following article from Smartmobs.

Disaster response, Relief and Mobile Phones, Howard Rheingold, Smartmobs

SMS is also center stage in this CoM offering.

Happy Birthday SMS, Anders Borg, Abrio

MoSoSo

Mobile Social Networking and mobile social media are upcoming applications that many believe hold the elements of the “killer application” for moblity, at long last. Two features in the CoM this week consider the state of MoSoSo and current efforts from the companies planning to crack the adoption barriers.

Social Networking by Mobile, Scott Smith, The Mobile Weblog

MoSoSo Experts: Twitter, MOKO, JuiceCaster Podcast Panel, Debi Jones, mobilejones

iPhone

Few words on iPhone fatigue. Don’t succumb, yet. The CoM this week features two important articles on the iPhone and it’s meaning that aren’t the typical fan rant/rave chatter. To understand the important and salient aspects of this story for our industry I encourage you to read both.

I’ve seen the future…and it will look allot like an iPhone, Steve Litchfield, All About Symbian

Exactly how many phones did you sell, Mr. Jobs?, Michael Mace, Mobile Opportunity

Mobile Web

One web, or multi-web - that is the question. The CoM entry that contemplates the questions thoroughly.

Apple versus the PC - Now for the real Mobile Web, Barry Welford, Stay Go Links, Public Diary on the way to a patent…or two.

Nokia Devices

Puzzling over Nokia naming conventions used to be a parlor game at mobile conferences. It’s great to see the tradition being carried forward into mobile blogs.

N800, Why an N-Series?, Ricky Cadden, Symbian Guru

On the more technical side of life, network connection time outs can be painful when trying to accomplish tasks from a mobile phone. Here’s a quick and effect “how to” for pain relief if you’re carrying a Nokia N71.

Disable network connection time-out on Nokia N71, Tam Hanna, Tam’s S60 Blog

Carriers/Operators

Experiences with carriers/operators worldwide vacillate from the adoring to the indifferent to the hating and to the absurd. This week’s CoM offers two evaluations of carriers/operators in the context of recent high profile events with the carriers/operators under inspection. One from the perspective of a subscriber to Amp’d Mobile’s now defunct service and the other from an observer, outside the coverage of the service by about 4,000 miles. Varying perspectives continue to inform our love-hate relationships with carriers/operators.

My Amp’d Mobile Experience, Dennis, WAP Review

Sprint’s customer service shows greater issues in US telecoms, Tom Gordon, The Mobile Weblog

And now for something totally different. How about a carrier/operator that provides service completely free, but that you can’t join?

Free Ad-based Mobile Service, now that’s more like it, Abhishek Tiwari

International Travel

Still waiting for that true world phone experience most of us have the experience of shocking roaming rates or incompatible network frequencies across continents. Finally, tips and tricks from an international athlete and mobile subscriber on how to save money on mobile service when traveling.

Traveling Overseas and Saving Money on International Calls, Jimson Lee, Speedendurance

Mobile Industry

Compared to the PC industry which stretches back to the late 1970s, the mobile industry is still young and poised for phenomenal growth minute-by-minute and certainly over the next five years. We continue to search for ways to define and describe mobility and learn from users on the optimal uses of the technologies available. The cliche “Necessity is the mother of invention” holds true in so many examples coming from the developing world on the uses for mobile technology.

Mobile Phone Reporters, Emeka Okafor , Smartmobs

The Elements of the Mobile Context, Enrique Ortiz, about mobility

That’s the Carnival for this week. I know you’ll be informed and educated through the various thoughts, opinions and analyses on offer in this week’s edition.

Next week’s Carnival of the Mobilists will be hosted at Paul Ruppert’s Mobile Point View. Next time!