CTIA convention a stage for wireless innovators

People want to use their phones for more than just talking. CTIA-the Wireless Assn., said this week that revenue from wireless data services rose 40% in the first half of 2008, to $14.8 billion. Grabbing a piece of that pie is a different story, especially with so many products doing very similar things.This week, CTIA exhibitors include 10 companies that deal in billing and accounting systems for phones, 22 that work in location-based services and tracking technology and 33 that deal in mobile entertainment such as ring tones and games. There are companies that help you use your phone to avoid traffic and companies that track trucks stuck in traffic, services that turn voice mail into text messages and other services that turn text into voice. They all are jockeying for the attention of consumers, carriers or handset manufacturers, angling for a piece of the growing market.