Over the last couple of years, phones have become extremely capable. They have high resolution screens, are connected to the Internet and can play mp3 and video. There’s enormous potential in these devices. Imagine then if it was easy to make self contained applications that are personal and customized, and easily share them with your friends, or Internet at large

This is where Gleemy comes in.

The Gleemy team is Chris Paola and Eugene Arena who have been working on the app since last year.

According to Chris -

The idea is that we provide tools on Gleemy to make various kinds of mobile applications (the first tool, a Slide Show creator is in BETA.) Users customise text, pictures and other elements to personalise the application and make it their own creation.

For instance, using the Slide Show tool, you upload your photos and customise the title screen. From this, Gleemy makes a self contained mobile Java application that can be downloaded and shared with anyone with an Internet connected phone.

Obvious uses for the slideshow app are sharing pictures with friends/family or, for businesses, creating marketing materials (e.g. catalogues) and distributing the link via SMS.

I had a play with the site and it’s pretty easy to use. The simple front end has been built using the Google Web Toolkit.

Interestingly, as well, this is the first site I’ve played with that is hosted on Flexiscale - an Amazon Web Services (AWS) competitor. I know from a recent OpenCoffee talk that FlexiScale has some features which AWS doesn’t, so it’s good to see it getting used.

As far as the functionality goes there are still a few small issues they’ll have to work out, for instance, after creating my slideshow I had to search around a bit to find out what the link to it was.

There are also a few small issues around accessing the slideshow from your phone. First of all, when I clicked to download the slideshow it asked me to install a MIDlet, which will scare off some non-technical people.

Secondly, there was a small banner ad at the bottom of the screen with an ad for a “Flirt Meter”, which may be inappropriate depending on the type of slideshow being accessed and the person accessing it. That having been said, I think the ad supported model will work if those ads can be contextualised better.

Thirdly, it should be noted that the new iPhone still does not have JAVA support and if the iPhone becomes a market leading 3G smart phone (which I think would be the perfect device for this type of app) there’s a chance a lot of the market could be unserviced.

All in all though, these are minor glitches that will no doubt be sorted before the site leaves beta.

What’s more important is that after using the site I get the potential of Gleemy. This is definitely one to keep an eye on.

The news today that Telstra has threatened legal action against Optus for an alleged breach of Section 52 of the Trade Practices Act could have uncovered something very interesting about the upcoming iPhone launch in Australia.

To understand why, we need to get a little technical, so stick with me…

The 3G component of the new iPhone can work on 3 separate frequencies – 850, 1900 & 2100 Mhz

The Vodafone and Optus 3G networks run on a combination of 900 and 2100Mhz. The way this generally works is that in city areas they use 2100Mhz and beyond the cities they use 900Mhz.
The problem with this is that the iPhone will only run at 3G speeds on Optus and Vodafone where the service is using the 2100Mhz because there is no 900Mhz 3G capability on the device.

Telstra’s letter to Optus re: allegedly misleading or deceptive statements was based on Optus Chief Executive, Paul O’Sullivan’s, announcement that more iPhone 3G users could enjoy the Optus network as they expand to 98% population coverage over the next 18 months.

As we now know, the statement is probably misleading because a large portion of the network expansion will be at the 900Mhz frequency, which is of no additional benefit to 3G iPhone users.

The actual coverage for Optus 2100Mhz 3G is around 56% of the population, which they claim will jump up to 80% by then end of this year.

Knowing that Optus is expanding their 3G network outside of cities using 900Mhz it made me wonder how they intend to grow coverage at 2100Mhz by that much? I mean, surely all our cities are more or less completely covered by 2100Mhz…or are they?

It took a bit of effort, but I’ve finally found 2100Mhz coverage maps for both Optus and Vodafone (I’ll let you play around with them because I don’t know where you live.)

HERE is the Optus 2100Mhz 3G coverage map
HERE is the Vodafone 2100 Mhz 3G coverage map

There’s no key which explains what the different coloured pinks at 2100Mhz mean, but there must be a difference or else why not just use a single colour.

My guess? The vast areas of lighter gradient in most cities aren’t fully serviced by 2100Mhz i.e. the lighter areas are where the growth at 2100Mhz will be and where, until later on this year, 3G iPhone users might be getting GPRS download speeds.

GPRS speeds = not happy 3G iPhone users

The interesting thing? Telstra’s NextG network runs at 850Mhz, which will work with the 3G iPhone and which has much better coverage than both Optus and Vodafone.

HERE is the Telstra Next G coverage map. You’ll have to play with it a bit, but let’s just say that at 99% population coverage they’ve probably got your place covered.

I know that Telstra have made no announcements about selling the iPhone, but my prediction is that not long after the official launch on July 11 there will be complaints about the Optus and Vodafone 3G service and that Telstra will suddenly enter the market with prominent messaging about their superior coverage.

I could be completely wrong, and this might not happen, but when it does, remember you heard it here first