With the news that Sprint and Clearwire have dissolved their relationship to jointly build a nationwide WiMax network in the US, what will it mean, from an investor's standpoint, for the following companies: Sprint, Clearwire, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Intel, Qualcomm, Comcast.

To be clear: Sprint and Clearwire had an obvious lead in deploying a fourth generation wireless network in the US. By splitting up, we're wondering if this helps or hurts the various players in the space, such that any of the above may now be over- or undervalued, thanks to greater or fewer opportunities in the wireless broadband market. How big an impact will that be (in dollar values) over the next year? For example, does this make a marginal difference in Qualcomm's bottom line as they get to sell more EVDO chips rather than losing marketshare to WiMax? If so, by how much?

LetsTalk's PhoneTalk blog wants to add new voices to its website, and they're posting regular Cases here for the Techdirt Insight Community to add interesting new content to their site. The winning submissions for each Challenge Case will be posted (perhaps with some editing) on the PhoneTalk blog -- with credits to the author. The following is LetsTalk's next assignment:

Now that Google has announced its Android plans and the Open Handset Alliance, devices are expected in 2008. But what does this really mean for consumers? Will an open platform actually translate to desirable handsets that can compete with products like the iPhone? Or will the target market for the Open Handset Alliance be mid-level phones? What are some features that might result from the open platform that might not come about on a closed platform? How long will consumers have to wait before Google's efforts pay off?  

Note: The top insights for this issue will be selected as they are submitted. So there is no exact deadline for submissions, but the earlier you submit, the earlier LetsTalk can review your work. For example, it's possible that LetsTalk may select the first three entries. However, no submissions will be accepted after the expiration date.

 

LetsTalk's PhoneTalk blog wants to add new voices to its website, and they're posting regular Cases here for the Techdirt Insight Community to add interesting new content to their site. The winning submissions for each Challenge Case will be posted (perhaps with some editing) on the PhoneTalk blog -- with credits to the author. The following is LetsTalk's next assignment:

Camera phones are basically ubiquitous -- but managing photos on your phone to send to other devices or into other services may not be the most obvious process on some phones. So that's where various 3rd parties come in (with random examples such as Radar, WayMarkr, 3Guppies, etc). If you use the camera on your phone all the time, what are your favorite mobile photo tools, and why? If you don't know what that circular lens-thingy is on your phone, what applications/services could get you to try to use it?

 

Dow Jones is looking for submissions that will be distributed in its upcoming social media round table and then incorporated into a whitepaper associated with that event.

Folksonomies and taxonomies in the Enterprise will be the main topic of discussion. With social software applications gaining in popularity across the web, collaborative tagging, or folksonomy, has emerged as a popular way to organize ideas. These tools have made information more accessible on consumer sites such as del.icio.us and Flickr.

Now, businesses are starting to take notice. What are some best practices for implementing social tagging and folksonomies in the Enterprise? For example, how do you manage and merge folksonomies and existing taxonomies? Do folksonomies and taxonomies even belong in the corporate environment?

The markets are turbulent right now, and many are suggesting that there's a rush to tech stocks as other sectors of the market are facing a crunch. At the same time, there are some fears of a new bubble in the tech space. Given that, what tech companies are ripe for a financial beating in the coming year and why?

Venturing out into social media is still a bit scary for some companies, as there really aren't great metrics to use or a well-defined ROI to prove that the project makes sense. If you were in charge of digital marketing for a non-technology Fortune 1000 firm, what types of metrics or other support would you use to demonstrate to your superiors that investing in social media makes sense. Assume you're trying to defend a yet-to-be-funded strategy, against those who might shoot it down.

LetsTalk's PhoneTalk blog wants to add new voices to its website, and they're posting regular issues here for the Techdirt Insight Community to add interesting new content to their site. The winning submissions for each challenge will be posted (perhaps with some editing) on the PhoneTalk blog -- with credits to the author. The following is LetsTalk's next assignment:

Apple has received some publicity for its plans to support third party applications for the iPhone, with Apple noting that the iPhone platform will try to protect its users from malware. As mobile phones adopt "real" Internet browsers and applications that offer a desktop-like experience, the concerns for mobile phone security will presumably become more prominent. So what kind of security threats should mobile phone users be aware of -- before the mobile malware onslaught really occurs? Don't restrict the discussion to the iPhone -- Bluetooth threats, WiFi insecurity, and all sorts of phone malware should be addressed.

Note: The top insights for this issue will be selected as they are submitted. So there is no exact deadline for submissions, but the earlier you submit, the earlier LetsTalk can review your work. For example, it's possible that LetsTalk may select the first three entries. However, no submissions will be accepted after the expiration date.

Widespread rumors suggest that Google has been working on a software package for the "gPhone," which would be built by handset manufacturers, and which can then be sold on a variety of mobile networks. While it's not a direct competitor to the iPhone, there are some serious questions about how this will impact the marketplace. Assuming the rumors are true, how will this impact other players in the space and the overall industry? What will it mean for Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and others -- especially from a financial standpoint? How will it impact Apple? What will it mean for the mobile operators in the US market? Finally, how will it impact Yahoo and Microsoft?

Update: Just want to highlight that this is for a firm looking to understand the financial impact of the gPhone on the market.  That is, the more detail on how it reflects on the bottom line of the types of players listed, the better.  A general description of "it will be big" or "it will force more openness" isn't as useful without the corresponding explanation of how that plays back into the financial picture.  Thanks!

LetsTalk's PhoneTalk blog wants to add new voices to its website, and they're posting regular issues here for the Techdirt Insight Community to add interesting new content to their site. The winning submissions for each challenge issue will be posted (perhaps with some editing) on the PhoneTalk blog -- with credits to the author. The following is LetsTalk's next assignment:

For music lovers, there are more and more ways to listen to tunes on the move. Recently, AT&T announced a partnership with Napster to offer over-the-air music downloads, but the service isn't exactly groundbreaking -- given that Verizon and Sprint also have similar products, as well as the multitude of other (cheaper and sometimes more convenient) ways that consumers can obtain portable music. So what is the future of mobile music applications for handsets? What mobile music application(s) or service(s) do you recommend for mobile phones? If you don't use your phone for music, what kind of service/application would win you over?

Note: The top insights for this issue will be selected as they are submitted. So there is no exact deadline for submissions, but the earlier you submit, the earlier LetsTalk can review your work. For example, it's possible that LetsTalk may select the first three entries. However, no submissions will be accepted after the expiration date.

LetsTalk's PhoneTalk blog wants to add new voices to its website, and they're posting regular issues here for the Techdirt Insight Community to add interesting new content to their site. The winning submissions for each challenge issue will be posted (perhaps with some editing) on the PhoneTalk blog -- with credits to the author. The following is LetsTalk's next assignment:

Personal Information Management (PIM) functionality is a cornerstone of smartphones, and the ability to sync with users' PCs is a key selling point. But users of lower-end handsets are also interested in PIM features like calendars and better phonebooks -- even if their devices' native applications are limited. What are the alternatives for PIM software for users of "lesser" handsets -- be it installed Java or BREW applications, or web-based services? What are some of the best apps for calendaring, or for contact sync, backup and management?