GoMobile 2008 is Malaysia’s first and most comprehensive mobile lifestyle event to date.

It encompasses the GoMobile Expo, a consumer exhibition; the 2nd Asia-Pacific M-Learning and Edutainment Conference 2008; and the Mobile World Star Awards and Gala Dinner.

Organised by LTT Global Communications Sdn Bhd in partnership with Mobile World magazine, GoMobile 2008 grew from the first Asia-Pacific M-Learning and Edutainment conference last year which hosted a small exhibition of 10 booths.

This year, 224 booths have been taken up for the event.

"When we organised the first Asian Pacific M-learning and Edutainment Conference last year, there was already a lot of excitement and positive feedback," said Wemel Cumavoo, CEO of ITT Global Communications.

"We had a lot of foreign participants who wanted us to hold it in their countries but we could not. So, we decided to make it bigger. We are thinking international but working local."

Mobile World managing director Kashminder Singh added: "What made us confident was the growth of the mobile industry.

"For the last 10 years, mobile phones have just been phones, although some have features like the camera.

"Now, we are entering a new phase where mobility is more of a lifestyle."

Among the companies which have signed up are telco companies (Maxis alone is taking up 20 booths), mobile phone companies and handphone retailers as well as representatives from the mobile games industry, the Maxis Academy and The Open University.

Speakers for the two-day conference include local as well as foreign experts in the mobile phone world such as Internet consultant and author from India Dr Madanmohan Rao; Maxis’ head of product and new business Dr Nikolai Dobberstein; a consultant from US Dr Lawrence Wasserman; and MobileMonday Germany co-founder and chairman Mark Wachter.

"The highlight of the conference is the CEO round-table where we are inviting CEOs from Malaysia’s mobile-related companies," said Kashminder, who is one of the scheduled speakers at the conference.

"Participants will get to hear which way these companies are going in the mobile business and there will be a question-and-answer session as well."

Entry fee for each participant is RM1,100 (only 1,000 seats are available).

A highlight of GoMobile 2008 is the Mobile World Star Awards and Gala Dinner, which will be held on Nov 21.

"There will be three different categories of awards given out that night," said Kashminder.

They include the best handset awards given out by Mobile World, the learning awards by the Asia-Pacific Mobile Learning and Entertainment Advisory panel, and a special award by Maxis.

"The highlight would be the Maxis’ In-ovation award to companies doing good work in the content part of the industry," Kashminder elaborated.

According to Maxis’ Dobberstein, Malaysia ranks among the most advanced mobile Internet users. They are using their phones to browse through the Internet for information, social networking and entertainment.

Both Wemel and Kashminder believe that the mobile phone industry has yet to hit a saturation point and that more advancements in that field are expected in the near future.