Where does a cell phone trend come from? As cellular technology has evolved beyond a simple voice call and with more and more multimedia devices appearing on the market everyday it seems that the the cellular industry could easily shift towards self-generated consumer content. I don't believe that all the companies that manufacture the hardware and create applications along with all these 'consumer wireless advocacy' groups and analysts have any idea what the next big cell phone trend will be. And why don't they? Because in the end it always comes down to politics and not the best interest of the consumer. Kind of like the whole 700 mhZ regulation issue going with Google and Verizon. On Judgment Day Google 'didn't win', but neither did Verizon. The decision put political interests up front and not consumer interests. So I vote consumers need to start putting their own interests first.

Politics Aside 'Where' Does a Cell Phone Trend Evolve From Anyway?

Most cell phone trends all over the world without a doubt evolve from Asia. However, many of those cell phone trends we will never see completely evolve here because of cultural reasons along with their cell phone technology is proprietary but also superior in some sense as to what it allows them to do with it. The pay by cell phone trend/concept that is just now gaining interest here in the states has been in use since 1991 or 1993 there. Some of my friends who traveled to Japan in the early 90's were telling me how they could pay for their taxi fare by cell phone swipe.

Don't Follow the Wireless Industry, LEAD IT!

As cellular technology has evolved beyond a simple voice call, today's multimedia technology and access to free or inexpensive resources (online and offline) along with access to f.ree and public information that enables consumers tech savvy to brand themselves and essentially create their own cell phone trends on a local or large scale. Today's consumers can ultimately determine what's hot and what's not (in every sense of the word). So the problem now is you are enabled, but you don't really know how (yet). But more importantly, in addition to being enabled you have to be empowered (ha, ha, that's where I come in AND I live in DC where the laws get made...talk about 'OPEN ACCESS' BABY)! So if you were really informed on the next big cell phone trend or ultimately what drives it, then you could truly GET WHAT YOU WANT, WHEN YOU WANT!

Want to Start a Cell Phone Trend That Gets Noticed Quickly?

Solve a problem and do it NOW. Oddly enough we are in this window now where what was old is new again, due to the power of the Internet and the policies and laws are not all set in stone (but they are getting there). There are lots of companies in the wireless space who created solutions back in the day that have now become a major cell phone trend, yet it seems those companies never figured out how to leverage the marketing tools out there to even become a blip on the radar. Take for instance, Calypso Wireless, a Miami Lakes, Florida based company. They made the first cell phone that could work seamlessly between a cell phone and a wi-fi network back in 2002. They have struggled to get funding and to exist for the last 5 years. Some might argue its because the carriers could not figure how they could get paid, but on the flip side, Calypso have marketed and sold their phones in other countries for the past 3 or so years. Carriers are starting to have 'tolerance' with new media so things are finally starting to evolve a little. With the recent introduction of cellular products here in the U.S. that integrate cellular and wi-fi and with the new T-Mobile At Home Service along with both the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry 8820 it appears that cell phones with wi-fi will be be the next up and coming cell phone trend. Yet Calypso Wireless is still relatively unknown...that's until they sue someone. You so know it's coming. Then there is Susie Social Networker who doesn't have any funding, is not selling any products or services, has no understanding of business whatsoever or how she got 2,984 'friends' on her social networking site.

While it could be a number of reasons why nobody has really heard of Calypso Wireless, I think bottom line like anything, it comes down to getting out there and creatively and consistently marketing yourself, building your brand and niche audience. If content providers or cell phone manufacturers want to get in front of their true target audience and be at the forefront of the next big cell phone trend, they need to take a lesson from Susie Social Networker...learn to make new friends without trying so hard.