BELL CONSULTING GROUP INC.

 Today Apple went beyond opening up the iPhone to software developers with the expected software developer kit (SDK).

They also announced MS-Exchange Compatibility by licensing ActiveSync technology from Microsoft.

The third major component of this announcement was provided by John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins, who announced the establishment of a $100M "iFund", dedicated to companies developing iPhone compatible software. 

iPhone Apps will be reviewed and approved by Apple, in order to be sold (as required) through the Apple online store. Apple will take 30% of gross; except for freeware. Nice simple channel program - by mandate! ;)

Research in motion has reason for concern if this is followed by a "slider" (hideaway keyboard-equipped) version of the iPhone sometime in the next year. Microsoft should be alarmed, as well - after twelve years of hammering away ood reason for concern -- especialat Windows Mobile, iPhone is looking to put the whammy on it in business markets.

Doerr called the mobile computing market "a bigger deal than the personal computer market". The $100M iFund is a neat idea, but we're a bit puzzled as to how it'll be put to work. Most companies doing software application development at this scale do not fit the venture capital model. We'll likely hear more from KP soon about what type of investments they plan to make.

This announcement is great news not only for Apple and iPhone users, but across the mobile computing market. This should definitely stoke the fires of innovation!