Ok. Just dreaming.

The words "Nokia" and "Android" are very powerful. They are rarely used together in the same sentence by Nokia devotees. For a few years, the concept of Nokia producing an Android handset has been nothing but a highly limited intellectual exercise.

The received wisdom has always been that Nokia would produce an Android device over it's dead body. When hell freezes over. Etc. I have sat in painful group media interviews whilst Silicon Valley journalists repeatedly demanded to know why the board-level Nokia executive wasn't creating Android phones. Needless to say the Nokia executive(s) considered the line of questionning beyond the absurd.

Completely absurd when the company has it's own proven operating system.

But not that absurd any more. Not when Nokia's come out of a rather challenging quarter with a new CEO. Not when the market actually sends Nokia's (previously languishing) shares up a few points on the mere hint of Android.

The 'A' word hasn't been mentioned by Elop. Just the possibility of a Nokia future that might include another OS. (Beyond MeeGo, one assumes)

Sadly I think a Nokia Android world is the stuff of dreams for many (and nightmares for others). Likewise a Nokia Windows strategy.

But, for just a few moments, let's just pretend. Let's suspend reality.

A Nokia strategy that sees it move it's entire production of 400-500 million devices to Android within 2 years? That's compelling. (I know there are SO many issues with this, but go with me).

All of a sudden, Nokia would be sitting right at the top of the mobile industry table (they're right there already, just ignored). The company would be relevant once again. And all of a sudden, the investments in Ovi -- particularly the now capable Ovi Store infrastructure -- become particularly compelling. I could see the Ovi Store on Android being a much better alternative than the Android marketplace.

Yes the majority of Nokia's customers are at the lower end of the market. But they'll be aspiring beyond feature phone status. The sub-£100 Android device is already a reality. Could Nokia own the likely huge $39 Android 'smartphone' category, using it's phenomenal logistical capabilities?

At the higher-end, Nokia would immediately fix the usual challenges that greet every new arrival that they produce at the moment. Imagine the Nokia N8 running Android 2.2. Interesting. All of a sudden you can free Nokia's talented array of hardware geniuses to focus on innovating brilliant devices and avoiding the OS panic.

Android on Nokia would really, really change the marketplace. I'd love to see this kind of aggressive market-changing big decisions from the company, I really would.

It's unlikely though. Very unlikely. The company's sitting on (still) the most popular OS on the planet in Symbian and MeeGo is en route ready to wow us all. (Or ready to get the usual pasting the American-led tech media has been routinely reserving for Nokia).

What do you think?

Bonjour from cold, overcast Paris.

I found this text from Vodafone heartwarming. This is what they've been advertising. £2 for 25mb of roaming data up until midnight. But, you do have to opt-in -- that is still a little annoying.

25mb is 'more-than-enough' for normal usage -- I do agree. However I've already avoided downloading a 1.8mb picture of my little boy sent by my wife... Because that's almost 7% of my total allowance and I don't know how much of the 25mb I've already used. I can't stand being limited like this.

After the 25mb total is reached, I think I'm going to be nailed for a quid-a-meg. Better than £14/meg of course. I'm trying to be good.

There really should be some kind of clear data-usage indication on my handset.

I came across this sign this afternoon at the Eurostar terminal in London on the way to Paris.

It's been quite a while since I've seen a prompt such as this, asking customers to text their opinions.

These sort of feedback facilities used to be all the rage in some quarters before ... Well, it has felt like many marketing and customer service departments have been fussing over social media outreach policies and what Youtube videos to feature on their iPhone-only app.

This is a good reminder that SMS is definitely not dead. Everyone in the terminal has a handset -- I'm reasonably sure that's the case. So with 100% compatibility, I'm also confident Eurostar will be getting at least a few messages every day from customers.

Me? I think I will be one of those customers. I'm going to text them what I think. (My feedback: Broadly good news. Get WiFi on the trains!)

I really would like to see every major station, airport, venue and shop have it's own text-feedback number. It's immediate. It's brief. You don't need any 'clients' and you don't need any account: Just a phone. And it's a standard network rate. Or as we have now come to believe, "free". Or near to free for many people.

Have you seen any other examples of this kind of thing recently? I'm sure I wrote about an airport that had deployed something similar a few years back. I will need to dig that out.

I'm off to text Eurostar.

Bonjour.

A sign of the times, I think, yesterday.

I was on a train and the carriage was reasonably well populated. But not busy.

I was listening to my iPhone and typing on the BlackBerry when a lady walked across to me and tried to get my attention by tapping my shoulder.

I did as we all do in these circumstances, especially if you're British. I apologised immediately. As I couldn't hear her. I took out my headphones, stopped the iPhone. Since I'm British. I apologised again. She apologised to me.

Apologies out of the way, we got to business.

"Do you have a pen I could borrow?" She asked.

I didn't think so thus I stalled with an, "Errrrr," whilst I checked my jacket pockets.

Got this one in from the team at GroundLink who've just deployed their Limo-API with travel app specialists, Kayak.

This is the kind of think I like to see. Smart technology integrated at the right points to deliver an enhanced service offering. In this case, once you've found your flight on Kayak, you can then book a corresponding airport to hotel connection to sort out the 'last mile' bit of your travel.

I'd like to see this kind of service integrated into other apps like the British Airways one too. I might try the GroundLink Kayak option when I head off to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month.

GroundLink Partners with KAYAK to Provide Worldwide Ground Transportation for KAYAK’s iPhone App

GroundLink's Supplies KAYAK Users with Ground Transportation via the iPhone

New York, NY (PRWEB) January 20, 2011 -- KAYAK recently released the newest version of its popular iPhone application that includes a new offering to its customers, ground transportation, provided by GroundLink.
                                              
GroundLink worked closely with KAYAK to integrate an API-based, global marketplace for ground transportation.
Alex Mashinsky, CEO of GroundLink said “This gives KAYAK users a great tool in situations when they need transportation but do not want to rent a car. Our offering allows people to find sedans, SUV’s and stretch limousines anywhere in the world.” GroundLink’s global network covers over 5,000 airports, 15,000 cities and 45,000 providers.

Utilizing GroundLink’s API, KAYAK was able to easily integrate the GroundLink marketplace into their application in a few weeks allowing their users to book service in three simple steps.

“We’re excited about the added flexibility this service gives to KAYAK Mobile users,” said Bill O’Donnell, KAYAK Chief Architect.

GroundLink believes ground transportation will be the next big trend in ancillary revenues as Mashinsky explains: “Everyone in the travel industry is looking for additional revenue streams, especially untapped ones.” Ground Transportation is a multi-billion dollar, global industry that has often been overlooked by the travel industry because of fragmentation and the complexity involved in offering consistent global service. Our technology and marketplace now allows any retail or corporate user to order ground transportation with less effort than renting a car.

About GroundLink
GroundLink is a travel technology company that aggregates, manages and executes limousine, taxi, shuttle, car-rental & public transportation services worldwide. Through retail websites like Limores Car & Limo Service, mobile apps, API’s (www.groundlink.com/api) and a proprietary marketplace, GroundLink provides individuals, corporations and partners with a single booking and reservation system for all forms of transportation, worldwide under one-account. With over 45,000 affiliates, millions of transactions per year, and partnerships that include Royal Caribbean (CCL), JetBlue(JBLU), Continental (CAL), KAYAK and others, GroundLink is the only true marketplace to seamlessly connect supply and demand for the ground travel industry worldwide.

Whenever I get a new phone, the first thing I do is install some kind of Google Sync facility. On a BlackBerry device, I visit google.com/m and immediately download the Google Sync client, followed by the Gmail app, Google Maps and also the 'Google' app itself (just because it's there).

On other platforms such as Windows Phone 7, I'll configure my Gmail account so the contacts/calendar and mail are active. Likewise on iPhone -- and obviously Android too. On a Nokia I used to *always* install ShoZu first -- always (via their site) -- but now I find myself generally gravitating to the Ovi Store icon and then sequentially picking key apps off my personalised list.

What about you -- what are the first apps you install on a virgin device?

Despite having major issues with Vodafone UK's generic data pricing and the marketing thereof, I must say I continue to be hugely impressed by their Web Relations team.

Vodafone UK has led the way with social media and web interaction for a long time. o2 are most definitely hot on their heels, along with Three and Orange -- but I think Vodafone's decision to directly empower the members of their team has paid huge dividends.

For example, today I walked with VodafoneUK on Twitter about their data plans for Europe. They replied within seconds to my tweets then asked me to email them with more information. I did so and got a reply back in minutes from Jenny in the Vodafone Web Relations team.

Before Jenny could action a change to my account she needed to verify my ID -- I mailed her back with some details. Jenny's next reply said 'thanks' and 'this is now done'. Super fast, super convenient, highly personal, keen to deliver, keen to assist. I felt good. Very good indeed.

If you haven't tried interacting with Big Red this way, I thoroughly recommend it. That said I have always had positive experiences via the call centres too. Today, though, it hasn't been possible for me to phone customer services -- and to be honest, I just wanted to do the transaction via email or Twitter. I'm pleased Vodafone has equipped its team with the capabilities to talk with me however I want to. How many other companies still use the ridiculous 'sorry for security you have to phone us' excuse to point every interaction to the call centre?

For me the disconnect is with Vodafone UK marketing and propositions. Telling people via an advertisement that "roaming" costs just £2/day, without properly qualifying the offer in big bold letters, is inexcusable. That deal only applies to the first 25mb -- and you have to specifically opt-in to it. This kind of nonsense leaves the very good people on the front-line such as the Web Relations team carrying the can for the bollocks, half-hearted, leave-the-office-early decisions of the marketing/product/propositions team.

Jonathan MacDonald, the (mobile) advertising genius recently noted that companies are going to have to really innovate their interaction policies to the point that they will soon need to personally tailor their end-to-end marketing approaches with each 'citizen' ("customer"). I'm pretty confident that Vodafone's marketing/props team are still busy marketing to their beautifully defined segments and aren't yet ready to embrace Jonathan's vision.

Meanwhile they have succeeded in really winding me up with their ridiculous 'don't look too close' advertising claiming one thing yet offering another. Every time I walk by a Vodafone advertisement telling me about their "£2/day" deal, I can't help but think they really don't know what they're doing.

There's only so much the good people at Web Relations can do when their arms are tied by the silly marketing choices of their colleagues.

What I find fascinating is the disconnect between helpful, positive and enthusiastic Vodafone human and Vodafone's corporate image as presented in their marketing. The human makes things highly pleasant. The corporate image leaves me feeling highly cynical.

The £2/day deal advert is not a badly conceived attempt at simplification of the offer. No. It's a highly inaccurate 'come on' intended to make anyone who's been worried about data roaming abroad feel that Vodafone has a brilliant way of fixing that worry. When you look closely you then will discover the caveats.

If the marketing and props team actually meant what they're saying, they'd have introduced a deal that offers £2 per 25mb when "abroad". Period. So if you use 100mb, you'll be billed £8, right? That'd be excellent. That's what the ad campaign is 'selling'.

Actually, the reality is that if you use 100mb, you'll pay £2 for the first 25mb then £5 for every 5mb (or £1/meg, billed in chunks of 5). So total cost? £2 plus another 75 quid. Provided you opted-in.

Ah dear. So super work, Web Relations. Not so good, marketing.

So yesterday on the London Underground, I saw a Vodafone UK ad telling me I'd be able to get mobile data "abroad" from £2 per day. I joked that Vodafone was changing the definition of the word because it didn't include places like America.

Turns out for me, it doesn't include Paris either. What the hell is going on with Vodafone?

The ad tells me it's £2 quid a day. The text message tells me I'm about to start blowing fivers for every 5 megabytes of data I use.

Could some explain to me the Vodafone UK data charging policy in France -- for my account (Contract? Business? Who knows) -- using small words and pretty pictures?

I trust Steve Jobs from Apple is able to make a swift recovery. I hope the chap is able to beat it and continue a healthy existence.

There are, however, far too many mobile manufacturer and operator business plans that rely in part (or in some cases, wholly) on Steve Jobs taking his eye off the ball / leaving / quitting or being fired (fat chance).

Apple has played an absolute blinder over the past few years. An absolute blinder. They've led the market since the mention of the iPhone and they've totally shattered the dreams of the largest players in the industry. Humbled! That's the word. They've humbled some of the industry greats. And they've confounded many by staying one (or three) steps ahead. The mix of technological wizardry, clear passion and word-leading marketing zeal has been awesome to witness.

How much has Steve Jobs played a role in this? Some would argue he is -- as the Telegraph reports today -- "irreplaceable". I'm not so sure. To credit every achievement from the company as straight from the hand of Jobs is to miss the reality: The Apple machine is comprised of a significant amount of seriously committed rule-the-world types who think big and take no prisoners. If Jobs has set the tone, then these senior chaps and ladies are the backbone of a company that has positioned itself to sell a million iPads in a month without breaking a sweat.

The real issue is what a new CEO, free from the Jobsian doctrine would do with 50-odd billion dollars and an army of shareholders demanding the stock break $600. That's where things could really get exciting.

With Jobs not working full time I don't think we'll see much change from the company given he will continue to have the final say. And given the company's already executing -- what -- at least 12-18 months of Jobs-dominated plans. That can all change in the time it takes to write a memo though.

But what of a new CEO? Well... Two good quarters from a revitalised Nokia, obsessive competition in the form of Samsung, flat iPhone sales with just an extra 10m Verizon customers added and renewed pressure on the high end from Android... It wouldn't take much to begin to chart a potentially different strategy for the company.

The Nano question has always been muted by concerned (and excited) sections around the industry. The question reads like this:

What exactly would be the effect on the world's mobile ecosystem if Apple released an iPhone 'Nano' at $49/$69/$99 on Pay As You Go?

The bill of materials costs for the first generation iPhone are in that general ballpark particularly with a bit of Apple-subsidy. Last time I looked Apple had something like $53 billion to spend.

There's no doubt Apple will have discussed the option. Indeed it's when not if. But when is a very important issue -- especially considering how things played out with the iPod Nano, the arrival of which signalled the democratisation of music players. At $49 everyone wanted one.

What could Apple do in a market like China or India where -- yes -- the 100m-strong middleclasses pick up and love the existing iPhones -- but where $600 is entirely unrealistic for the other 900 million? (Rough figures). Does the company want to address everyone?

Will the company be given a choice by the shareholders clamouring for more goodness?

And will the new management team -- freed by a completely retired Steve Jobs -- decide to play in a wider market?

Whatever plays out, this at a macro level, this whole industry is going to keep getting more exciting.

(I say 'macro' because it doesn't take me long to get really frustrated by the slow, lumbering operator giants that couldn't innovate their way out of a wet paper bag.)

What do you see as the ramifications of Jobs retiring?

*Where abroad is defined as Paris, Barcelona or Berlin or anywhere else on the EasyJet route map.

What the hell is it with mobile operators these days? First it was "unlimited" that had it's meaning completely re-engineered. Now the turn of "abroad" to be re-imagined.

Abroad at £2 per day for up to 25mb. That's Vodafone's pitch. Not bad. It would be even nicer if 50mb was £4. Of course it isn't. You'll be pleased to hear that most of Europe counts as "abroad". Indeed, it might be more efficient to refer to it as "EasyJet data rates". Wherever EasyJet or Ryanair flies counts as "Abroad". Anything more than that and you're on your own. America, of course, where Vodafone owns almost half of the huge incumbent operator Verizon? Well, that's not abroad, is it? It's... I don't know, "international"? That's four-quid-a-meg territory.

Ah dear.

To the idiot marketers who are publishing this nonsense out into the planet -- beware -- people do actually believe what you're saying. I did. I thought that Vodafone Passport *obviously* included America. Until I got the 120p/minute bill for my 45 minute chat to my wife at Los Angeles. And then I really got annoyed with the shitting advertising that told me -- without asterisks -- that I'd only pay 75p plus my inclusive minutes for calls "abroad".

I wish operators would stop relying on the cash cow that is roaming and innovate elsewhere. It would be nice to get to a stage when we can stop worrying about roaming costs and start getting excited about brilliant new amazing innovative services from our operators.