Now that the iPhone is here, how does it move the industry forward? Also, what do the iPhone’s omissions say about the progress that still needs to be made? What kind of services can the industry hope for, as the handset evolves into an open platform? Will we ever see a device which marries iPhone’s UI and screen with Helio Ocean’s keyboard and communication/IM capabilities, and has the multimedia recording and camera capabilities of Nokia N95, and then run on a 3G-Wi-Fi network? How does all this affect the media and entertainment industry?

This half-day seminar will focus on the practical problems and conceptual leaps the industry needs to make to enable open content and communication services on handsets and networks. The iPhone isn’t the only handset designed to enhance media use, only the most hyped. What are others doing that works? What doesn’t and why? Can content truly thrive in a maze of closed systems? How will operators play into the open-content market?”

So, that’s the formal description, and the hope is to move beyond the lame mobile content conferences from “iDigiBillboaCTInforMEFlywood” that are dime-a-dozen, and have some real discussion in an intimate setting (meaning small by our standards, which is about 150-200 attendees).

The feedback needed: the speakers, topics, and format ideas. Also, we’re looking for a venue which can fit in about 150-200 people in a seated environment, preferably on Westside in LA, so if anyone has any suggestions/offers, let me know at rali AT moconews.net. Also, if you want to underwrite the effort, ping our ad side as: advertising AT contentnext.com.

More details coming soon.