Mobile World Congress: Green and smarter phones

This week is the big mobile communications show in Barcelona. The Mobile World Congress is still the place to be in mobility this year despite the economic downturn. There is lots of good reporting taking place at the event. Here are a couple of observations from someone reading the coverage on the other side (that would be the Boston side) of the Atlantic.

Before I give you my list, here's some coverage for you to get the full news from the show.

-New Windows mobile operating system via Computerworld

-- What is Google up to? via fellow blogger Dan Tynan.

-- A 7x24 view of the show from a sleepless Harry McCracken

-- Not from the show, but Mike Elgan has a post about a new solar powered phone from Samsung. 

1. Each year Nokia, Microsoft and the other big vendors seem to spend a year catching up with Apple and then go to great lengths not to mention Apple in their product introductions.

2. This year lots of vendors are touting green and greater intelligence in their phones. I think they are looking at the wrong end. While I don't think you will soon see the day when one charger fits all phones, the charger (actually a converter) is where the green and intelligence convergence should take place. I have an electric tea kettle that shuts off completely when the water boils, why shouldn't cell phone -- and other chargers -- have sufficient intelligence to shut off completely when not in use or when the phone is charged? 

3. Mobile "store" apps that are easily downloadable to your mobile device are all the rage. And they all look the same. Soon your little phone screen will be as crowded with forgotten apps as your Windows system tray is crowded with all those apps you never really use.

4. The Holy Grail of the mobility, the cool handheld phone that works everywhere and can also act as a great wireless modem for your laptop is still as unreal (or maybe just really well hidden) as that other grail.