Speech recognition and text to speech applications have had a bad rap in the past because the technology was rushed out the door, before it was really ready. If you’ve been disappointed in the past, fear not: New applications work pretty well. The main challenge now lies in choosing the apps and hardware that work best for you. This is just one example of the everyday issues that telecom expense management professionals like us deal with.

We here at GILL Technologies are excited at performing cellular expense management duties for the new pomegranate phone.* Click through the features (go through all of them!) to see why this phone goes above and beyond any previous high end mobile device on the market.

Every few years, software and hardware manufacturers team up to push thin client computing on consumers. Whenever this happens it reminds me of the 90s movie Singles, where one character, pushing his vision for luxury subways for Seattle, ignores the simple truth that keeps getting thrown in his face: “People like their cars.” People like their fat-client, autonomous PCs and devices, too. Now, thanks to the rise of high speed mobile data, Microsoft and others are sounding the call to thin clients again under the guise of “cloud computing.” Windows Azure is one of several such initiatives that promise flexibility and convenience . . . for a price.

It’s not as smooth looking as the iPhone. The interface isn’t quite as fancy. Still the first Google Android based phone is here. The T-Mobile G1  went on sale two days ago to largely positive reviews. Priced to compete with the iPhone, the question is whether its features and flexible pricing can compete with sheer Apple buzz. Naturally, from a telecom expense management perspective we’re interested in the pricing, but let’s get into the phone first.

I want one box. I want to use it for pictures, phone calls, email, the web and the odd bit of work: writing, spreadsheets - all that stuff. I want to do it anywhere I go, too.

North American cellular telecom expense management is the heart of our business. Nevertheless, we keep abreast of trends beyond our primary market. There are compelling reasons for doing so - three “Ps.”

We’ve been blogging about the iPhone 3G a lot lately, and for good reason: Everyone working in telecom expense management will have to deal with its rigid plans and arcane activation procedures. But what’s really interesting is how the iPhone woke every other manufacturer up. They all know that people want stylish, high end smartphones now, and that they’ll go to considerable effort to get them.

Well, we got the iPhone in. To use a technical cellular expense management term, it’s getting all crazy in Canada.

Two or three years ago we braced for a yet another communications paradigm shift — one that was supposed to take effect now. The mobile WiMAX revolution would have been fascinating for use telecom expense management folks. Maybe it still will be, but despite the tremendous promises of the technology there’s been more fizzle than pop out of it.

So, it’s in Canada now. After much speculation, wailing and gnashing of teeth, Canadians can finally get their own iPhones. How did things work out for folks north of the 49th Parallel? Let’s look at the Good, the Not So Good, and the Telecom Expense Management Angle.