I realize folks involved in technology and gadgetry are obsessed with the latest, the greatest, and the ever pursuit of the “perfect gadget” (whatever that means). Let me preface this by saying that I am guilty of this too. To some, the iPhone is a closed device that stifles competition and customization. To some, the Android OS is an ugly user experience nightmare designed by engineers. To the market analysts (who’s sentiments eventually trickle into the mainstream, outside of our little circle of tech enthusiasts), the iPhone/Android/Blackberry/Palm smartphone market has to be a zero-sum game. That one device must clearly be a winner, while others must be losers.

Let’s stop with that and take a step back from the cynicism. Regardless of what smartphone or mobile device you use, or even desktop/laptop you use, it is quite amazing what technology can do. Ten years ago, heck even five years ago, who said you would be able to access nearly any television show or movie from a pocket size computer? Your mobile device can locate you anywhere in the world and give you information of businesses and restaurants around you. This stuff is just amazing, never mind what platform or operating system you are using. We are only a relatively few years into this smartphone revolution, imagine where we will be in short future?

We will always argue what is the best way to do these amazing tasks, which is what our industry has always been about. I think because Microsoft was the clear winner by numbers and dollars along in the desktop market, that we expect a clear winner for mobile. Fortunately, since so much innovation has happened so quickly in mobile, there isn’t a clear winner. There are roughly four or five strong platforms in mobile, and maybe that will change in time, but that gives so much promise to the future of this stuff.

Sure, everyone wants to talk about the iPhone, but it still has a long way to go to have the numbers of being dominate smartphone in the US. Android has a long way to go to catch up to the iPhone’s user experience, which is something a little more intangible.

I guess my point is, these are really exciting times we live in. I really believe 2009-2010 will be looked back on as being a pivotal time in the world of technology.