Interesting comments from CBS mobile honcho Cyriac Roeding:

“How do we expect anyone to take this seriously as an advertising device… So let’s make it simpler–let’s talk about usability, let’s not talk about the next 15 menu items, and let’s not try to copy another medium … If you are trying to make this the next online page, you will fail…because this is a new medium in its own right.” [via GigaOm]

Absolutely right. I’m a fan of mobile for YouTube (both as a capture and playback device), but the mobile operator industry needs to create more mobile on-ramps for their users into non-voice services. And I don’t just mean ringtones – or the next version of ringtones. Location based applications, messaging, social entertainment. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and countless startups are giving users the motivation to try and figure out their devices. Let’s make sure that billing plans don’t prevent users from trying new services and that development hurdles plus individual carrier negotiations don’t prevent start-ups from innovating. I’ve talked with so many small mobile companies who spent needless hours trying to develop for each carrier as opposed to a standardized platform. That sort of cost inhibits innovation.