October 6, 2009
It’s Round 3 of the trade show tour: This week, Mark Jacobstein heads to San Diego to join a panel at CTIA Wireless 2009. His panel, part of CTIA’s Mobile Applications track, is assembling for a discussion called “APIs - Enabling the Future of Mobile Development.”
Mark’s participating alongside execs from CloudMade, Mashery, NewBay Software and Global IP Solutions, and each panelist will be showcasing their company’s latest and greatest application to be launched via API. The panel will be moderated by O8 advisor Hank Scorny. Things are scheduled to get started tomorrow, October 7 at 4pm PST.
The official word about the panel:
“Application Program Interface (API) is changing the speed at which applications for mobile become available. What works and what doesn’t? The common denominator is the role that APIs are facilitating a modularity that handset openness brings to the consumer choices. Panelists will talk about their newest applications being launched via APIs, the brands and products using APIs to speed up their launches and the process to work via APIs to get the apps up and running, fast.”
If you’re heading to San Diego this week, make sure you don’t miss it!
Posted in: Management Team, iSkoot Appearances | No Comments
Tags: APIs, CTIA, Mark Jacobstein
April 8, 2008
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin dropped a bomb on “open network” proponents at CTIA last week, publicly and candidly rejecting a petition from Skype that would require wireless operators to allow any lawful mobile device to connect to their network. Martin defended that with ample competition and a shift toward openness already happening in the marketplace, such a regulation was unnecessary.
Skype Journal’s Jim Courtney is one of many industry players expressing heated disapproval towards Martin’s out-of-hand dismissal, asserting in a GigaOM editorial yesterday, “This decision demonstrates nothing less than a failure on the part of a U.S. government agency to comprehend the technology infrastructure available to enhance business processes…and take advantage of today’s more cost-effective rapid software development tools.”
Countering the oft-cited carrier concern that openness would ultimately enable users to circumvent the traditional voice networks entirely, Jim reminds that the impact of Skype’s presence on mobile platforms thus far has been virtually “negligible,” given that mass availability of “pure” mobile VoIP (VoIP over the data channel) still requires the resolution of hefty wireless data infrastructure issues.
In his editorial, Jim highlights iSkoot for still managing to not only enable access to Skype via any carrier, but to do so in a way that “bring[s] both market advantages and cost savings to carriers” as well. iSkoot’s approach to mobile VoIP has enabled us to develop unique relationships with carriers, and simultaneously offer Skype access to subscribers on carriers with whom we don’t yet have a direct relationship.
In response to the FCC’s refusal to take a direct hand in opening networks, Jim calls for mobile users to gear up for “guerrilla warfare mode.”
Step one: “Use iSkoot…to access your Skype and SkypeOut contacts from mobile devices such as Blackberry, Nokia and other smartphones.”
Game on, Jim.
Posted in: The Word on Mobile VoIP | No Comments
Tags: CTIA, FCC, Jim Courtney, Kevin Martin, Skype Journal, voice vs. data
