Curing confusion
Wireless convergence baffles consumers, creates big opportunities for entrepreneurs
by Mary Ellen Podmolik
March 01, 2001
In the 18 years since cellular communication made its U.S. debut in Chicago,
a revolution has taken place—much of it in the past 18 months.
Portable and more powerful devices stashed in pockets and briefcases have replaced
the tangled cables of wired communication.
More than 35% of households will use wireless devices like Palm Pilots and cell
phones by 2003, predicts Forrester Research Inc., of Cambridge, Mass. Separately,
Meta Group, a Stamford, Conn.-based consulting firm, says by 2003, more than 50% of
Internet users will access the Web from a wireless device and 70% of all mobile
devices will be able to receive data.
"This probably is one of the most exciting times we've seen in the tech field,"
says Mel Boldt, a 28-year industry veteran and founder and CEO of BMI Inc., a
Palatine-based shielding company. But "everyone is coming out with a slightly
different way of doing things."
Rapid technological development and a lack of standards have created problems
for end users and for manufacturers and corporate customers seeking to harness
advances for employees. Enter some Chicago-area entrepreneurs who believe the
wireless jungle can be conquered.
Take BMI, which makes electromagnetic interference shields for cell phone and
laptop manufacturers. The shields prevent a device's circuit from being manipulated
by other circuitry in the same device or a signal in another device. The explosion
of wireless devices—and the growing potential for the problem of cross-talk—has
prompted BMI to predict annual revenue growth of 25%-plus.
"As the use of wireless and the radio frequencies in different types of devices
increase, there are going to be more and more problems," Mr. Boldt says. "Each of the
devices is safe, in and of itself. It's when you put them together that there are problems."
Local entrepreneurs are stepping in to simplify the situation.
Curious Networks Inc., formed in Chicago 17 months ago, developed a Java-based
server that allows technology companies to streamline the communication process by
writing a code just once, using an extensible markup language-based specification.
Curious' platform then translates that code to work with different devices. The
company has been testing its product, Continuum, on a large mapping company that
previously had to build seven different systems to communicate with various types
of wireless phones.
Kevin Clark sees a lucrative niche in helping wireless users manage all the
data sent to them. "What I hear is, 'I have a Palm Pilot, a PC, a cell phone,'
"says Mr. Clark, CEO of Chicago-based NotWired Inc., a wireless-to-wireless meeting
scheduling system. "This whole synchronization (of data) thing is driving people crazy."
NotWired's Web-based corporate scheduling service went on the market in late
December, and last month, the company inked an agreement to offer the product on
Internet-enabled Palm Pilots.
Chicago-based JigZaw Inc. is testing PoiZe, a time-management software
application that restricts how much data reaches the user and then organizes it,
based on the user's specifications.
And Centerpost Corp. in Chicago has developed a hosted messaging platform that
lets users pick the types of information they want to receive and which device they
want to retrieve it. Centerpost's pilot program with United Airlines allows the
airline to send information about flight delays, upgrades and gate information to
certain customers. The Centerpost platform sorts the messages and delivers them to
customers' device of choice. United Airlines declined to comment.
These services fill a big void. "We're already seeing people not using the
technology to its greatest advantage," says Craig Goren, Centerpost's co-founder
and president. "The gee-whizness of the technology has progressed faster than the
pace of the management infrastructure."
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