23 Sep The News From DEMOmobile 2003
Wireless Innovations – Key to Reviving the Economy
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We’re back from last week’s DEMOmobile 2003, and the experience has only strengthened our belief that wireless and mobile innovations are key to reviving the overall economy. The energy from the 400-plus attendees and 37 demonstrating companies was palpable throughout the conference, and one thing became crystal clear: True connectivity — both in our homes and our businesses — has arrived and one can’t help but imagine the changes it will effect in our lives.
It is impossible to identify a single “hit” from the show. Each of the products sparked something in at least a handful of attendees and media. And while we’d never play favorites (like my Mama always says: “I love all my children equally”), these companies did seem to be at the center of a lot of hallway conversations:
— Microwave Photonics, which has taken a new approach to wireless infrastructure to enable carriers to quickly and economically deploy additional cell coverage and capacity, bringing better quality of service to cell phone users.
— Ispiri, which launched the Mirra smart peripheral, personal file server for consumer and home office users that provides easy, yet secure, remote access and sharing of PC files, photos, and other digital assets.
— Firetide, which demonstrated its HotPoint wireless mesh router technology by deploying a WiFi network in a matter of minutes. The HotPoint technology is self-configuring and does not require extensive cabling between wireless hotspot devices.
— Pulse Entertainment, whose Mobile Veepers technology animates photographs, enabling consumers to combine a photo and text and send a multimedia message from their mobile phone.
— Tapwave, which introduced its Zodiac 1 mobile entertainment handheld device. Based on the Palm operating system, Zodiac blends tremendous video, graphics, and sound quality into an exciting new gaming platform.
— Macromedia, whose Macromedia FlashCast technology ushers in a new generation of exciting information applications and services delivered to mobile phones and handheld devices.
If you missed DEMOmobile 2003, we’ll try to give you a sense of the event by publishing keynotes and other commentary over the next few weeks.
Today, we’ll point you to the DEMOmobile 2003 online cache of press releases and news coverage, to give you a taste of the new products that are redefining the mobile and wireless market space.
For complete listings of press announcements, go to
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DEMO 2004: CALL FOR DEMONSTRATORS
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DEMO is known coast-to-coast as the premier event that reveals the products and services poised to have the greatest impact on the technology landscape in the year to come. Each year, the nation’s top technology executives, venture investors, journalists, and analysts converge at DEMO to preview and understand the emerging products and technologies that are impacting their market segments.
The search is on for the 75 products that will be honored as the most significant technology introductions of 2004. These carefully selected products enjoy the benefit of media attention, investor inquiry, and the imprimatur of the elite DEMO status.
If you are working on technology worthy of the DEMO platform, go to
“Launch at DEMO 2004.” Applications are being accepted through October.
DEMO 2004
February 15 – 17, 2004
Westin Kierland Resort
Scottsdale, Arizona
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My colleagues Keith Shaw and John Cox attended DEMOmobile and kept a daily diary of what they saw and heard at the show. Check out their observances on everything from the fighter jet flyovers that caused connectivity interference at the show to a new tool that lets teachers really keep tabs on students to the perils of doing live demos:
Each year, DEMOmobile gives out the prestigious DEMOgod awards. See who made the cut this year and why:
The products at this year’s DEMOmobile prove that innovation is still king. Check out this year’s lineup as well as details about the products and services they demonstrated:
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Chris Shipley is the executive producer of NetworkWorld’s DEMO Conferences, Editor of DEMOletter and a technology industry analyst for nearly 20 years. She can be reached at chris@demo.com. Shipley, has covered the personal technology business since 1984 and is regarded as one of the top analysts covering the technology industry today. Shipley has worked as a writer and editor for variety of technology consumer magazines, including PC Week, PC Magazine, PC/Computing, and InfoWorld, US Magazine and Working Woman. She has written two books on communications and Internet technology, has won numerous awards for journalistic excellence, and was named the #1 newsletter editor by Marketing Computers for two years in a row. To subscribe to DEMOletter please visit: http://www.idgexecforums.com/demoletter/index.html.
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