First: I think the idea that atleast 100 times more people have Mobile phones than having access to computers, is really selling. For the kind of growth in mobile applications or software in recent years... and probably especially the biggest growth in India.
Second: I am sure there are not going to be Blackberry's or the marketing hype of the blackberry.. in the future.. because ordinary low cost phones already are able to do what was once conceived as "only on a blackberry" thing.
And this
"I send this mail from my Blackberry" like marketing gimmicks are viewed more funny than smart today.
If your phone is Java capable (Almost all of today's phones are), has a good color screen, and you have signed up for GPRS from your mobile service provider, then you can do everything that anybody does with blackberry or any mobile unit..
not "almost", but you definitely can.
If you are in India, one of the well-known mobile java applications that you can download through GPRS and run is:
mcheck - I orignially started using this for Airtel bill payment. This is not from Airtel itself though they advertise heavily on it making it look like its an Airtel mobile feature.
mcheck Will run on any java enabled phone (some of the functions even don't require GPRS but only SMS).
It now includes the common use stuff like movie ticket booking on theatres like PVR / INOX, travel ticket booking on IRCTC / others, to recharge phone talktime, to pay bills (limited set of billers), etc., things that have been understood as common internet money-spends that Indians do.
Other Interesting apps:
1. google maps - http://m.google.com/maps
Install this.. and your mobile becomes almost an Advanced GPS system.. the google maps java app will detect your nearest cell phone tower and position your current location on the map. You can do most stuff that you can do on the web site for google maps.. like finding directions, looking at a typical google map with roads, hospitals, places, etc.,
2. google search - http://m.google.com/search
This you browse on your mobile's browser.. not an installed application. You do stuff you would do on google search.. the results, text length are fine-tuned for viewing in the small screen on the mobile phone.
3. Email:
Actually you could see what all apps / sites of google you want to use through http://m.google.com the mobile website of google.
Yes, You can also gmail.
If you use some other email which is non-gmail, then chances are that your email provider doesn't have a javamobile-based or mobile-browser-based email screen.. if so, you can probably configure your email to be handled by gmail and then read gmail on your mobile browser (yes, gmail can handle any email provided the email provider allows you to do some configuration/settings).
4. Social networking, Communication apps:
Facebook, Orkut, Skype have mobile versions.. you should check their website or search google like "facebook mobile" and find a 'java app download link' or 'web page for mobiles' link to use on your mobile browser.
5. 1000's:
There are thousands of handy java-based applications, most good, proffesional ones require license purchases, some are free.. which allow you to do a lot of stuff from expenses management to emailing to call recording to auto-responding to calls, and a lot.
Some good shopping/listing sites/applications for java mobile are:
1. getjar.com
2. A mobile office suite: http://mobile-office.en.softonic.com/java/download
3. sharejar.com
