Musing on next wireless success

A panel of five speakers at a MIT networking event last week called "Wireless: Not Dead Yet?" debated for more than an hour on what would be the next wireless-success story.

Meanwhile, a new study by The Arc Group noted that the world spent more than $3.5 billion last year on ring tones — that's right, billions spent on snippets of songs to alert you that you're getting a cellphone call. To put that in perspective, Reuters reported that that amount represented 10 percent of the $32.2 billion global-music market.

Sounds like not much more needs to be said — or played.

\ Teaming up: During the same event, attended by more than 300 people at the Bellevue Hyatt, the discussion turned to whether Bellevue's T-Mobile USA was doing the right thing by offering its cellphone subscribers access to Wi-Fi in places like Starbucks.

Chris Brookfield, a venture capitalist at Northwest Venture Associates in Seattle, wondered if this arrangement would start cannibalizing T-Mobile cellphone revenues.

Eric Engstrom, the CEO and founder of Kirkland-based Wildseed, shot that theory down by saying that, without a doubt, the move was brilliant. "They get control of the customers that way," he said.

Panel members said this was already true, and how some of their friends had started switching their cellphone service to take advantage of a special price T-Mobile offered those who take both services. A representative of T-Mobile in the audience was asked to comment. In fear of getting caught saying the wrong thing, he simply said, yes, the issue of cannibalizing revenue is "on our minds."

\ Swinging baby! Talk about an e-card. Some Amazon.com Web developers posted a page to honor the 40th birthday (Jan. 12) of its chief executive, Jeff Bezos.

For a brief period last week, when typing old fart into the search box on Amazon's homepage, a photo of Bezos appeared dressed as Austin Powers, sans the wig.

\ Mother, may I: It may be worth checking out the fine print of the pamphlets that come with your next cellphone. It seems Nokia has started to get a little more creative when handing out advice on how best to use a handset.

On its 6800 model pamphlet, the cellphone manufacturer voiced concerns about how long you'll live, whether your cellphone etiquette is up to par, or if you have enough friends, Reuters reported.

"Don't use your mobile phone when you're driving. Signal when you change lanes, stop when the light turns red and watch out for that kid on the bicycle. ... And it wouldn't kill you if you called your mother every once in a while," Nokia writes.

A spokesman for the company said the ads were intended on luring "young, urban professionals with a good sense of humor."

The advice also included things like forget about work on the weekends (turn off your phone), order salads, quit smoking and drink less.

On the record

Partnerships: Intermec, the Everett bar-code and wireless-technology developer, signed an agreement to help provide wireless options Cisco Systems can offer customers.

Buildings: Kirkland-based Nextel Partners broke ground on a 30,000-square foot expansion of a call center in Panama City, Fla.

New business: Vancouver, Wash.-based nLight Photonics won a $1.1 million contract from the Air Force.

Acquisitions: Seattle-based iPromotions was acquired by Digital Connexxions of Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

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