No cell phones on planes? Thank god!

The FCC today announced that it’s scrapping a proceeding that was looking into the use of cell phones on airplanes. According to the FCC “there was insufficient technical information on whether cell phones would cause harmful interference.”

Actually, I’ve read that the FCC was bombarded with messages from people begging them not to allow cell phones to be used on the plane because:

1. Everyone is dreading that planes will become cramped tubes filled with loud never-ending people who discuss everything on their cell phones as if nobody can hear them

2. Business travelers love the fact that during their flight trips they are not reachable by anyone and can actually relax or get work done without interruptions.

I, for one, am relieved. Cell phones on planes would just be incredibly annoying. Even more annoying than the person who always seems to be seated next to me and wants to share their life story with me during a 7-hour flight, even forcing me to take off my headphones (which I put on purposefully) in order to be able to hear them.

Though I must say, when I was in Tokyo last spring, cell phones are functional in the subway cars but people were incredibly respectful. They mostly texted (as the signs everywhere encouraged people to do, instead of talking on their cells) and if they had to talk, they spoke very softly and cupped the phone’s mouthpiece with their hands so nobody could hear them.

But then again, this was Japan. Things would be very different on a plane from, say, New York to Rome or Athens, don’t you think?

It’s all about information: The wireless application and service innovators.

Business Week has a special section on wireless technologies this week and as a part of it, they showcase what they call “The New M-Commerce Barons.” They are the new innovators in wireless applications and services. Going over this impressive list of innovations is illuminating in the sense that one can identify the types of opportunities that are available today for creating business value using technology. Some examples:

1. Use information technology to reduce even the slightest time delays in a person’s daily life. Check out Mobo, for example, which allows you to pre-order food using a text message so it’s ready when you get there. For a busy New Yorker, the ability to save 10 minutes of waiting for lunch to be prepared is worth a lot.

2. Provide information, using a simple interface, that is otherwise unavailable or hard to get. Loopt, the brainchild of 21-year-old student, provides the location of your friends with GPS-enabled devices. 4info allows users to send text messages with questions on news, sports, movies and so on. Google also does this very successfully for all kinds of information.

3. Allow people to share information. Call it community building, call it social networking, call it whatever you want. People have always loved to share information, from showing off vacation photos to giving recommendations on restaurants. Eyeka allows users to share photos and video and even sell them to those who want to buy.

4. Piggyback on someone who’s already successful. iSkoot allows users to make Skype phone calls using their cell phones and voice networks. (Jajah already does this without using Skype, by the way)

So, it’s all about information. How you create it, manipulate it, interpret it, distribute it. Find a way to add value to at least one of those processes and you may have an idea for a successful business.

Interestingly enough, Business Week also showcases the latest trends in wireless devices, but compared to the innovations in wireless applications and services, the devices just look downright boring.