I was researching cellphone sales a while back and I came across a statistic that floored me. I still can't get over it. The number speaks to me in my sleep. I am haunted by the implications of that figure. I'm scared. I'm excited. I am apprehensive. I'm not sure if I believe it. Let me show you this statistic from the Semiconductor Industry Association, and see if you're as blown-away as I was:

1.02 billion cell phones were sold in 2006.

"The general population of planet Earth is having a mad, passionate love affair with their cell phones and we [...] need to get some of that pie. The phones are only going to get better. The networks are only going to get stronger."

No. No. This isn't going to be some diatribe, screeching against the evil of rank materialism. This is an article that will express pure, unadulterated awe at the possibilities implied in the statistic above. Think about it. If people bought over a billion cell phones in 2006, that means they bought new cell phones. That means those cells came equipped with all the cool technology of the modern wireless telephone. Those phones can read RSS feeds. They are capable of sending and receiving email. They can run IM software. They are able to log onto web pages, designed especially for hand-held devices.

Not impressive enough for you? Then how about this:

There were over two billion cell phones connected to a wireless network in 2006 and CNET claims that experts predicted there will be 3 billion cell phone accounts moving into 2008.

Now, let us compare world wide Internet usage. The latest numbers I could find were from September 2007, via Internet World Stats: Roughly 1.25 billion people are connected to the web through a computer. If one takes into account that world wide web usage was about 1.09 billion a year and a half ago, it's clear that mobile phone use is accelerating while web use is hitting a plateau. In simpler terms, the people that surf the web are already surfing it. Add to that, the fact that new computer sales are dropping. People are still using the web but the number of new users (and new computer owners) is decreasing.

While I have total faith in the future of the Internet, the rise of cell phone usage cannot be ignored. It's time to stop thinking that nobody wants to pay to put useless crap on their cell phone. It time to pull our heads out of the sand and see that people are indeed, paying out tons of money to download songs, watch videos and acquire ringtones. I got another doozy of a statistic for you:

In a January 2007 report, Gartner Inc. predicted that 13.7 billion dollars will be spent on mobile music in 2007. This includes both full-length songs as well as ringtones realtones and ringbacktones. Gartner goes on to speculate that by the year 2010, mobile music will generate 32.2 billion dollars.

We're talking ringtones and mp3s here. These figures don't even cover the money made from downloading video clips, games and other pay content. The general population of planet Earth is having a mad, passionate love affair with their cell phones and we Internet pornographers needs to get some of that pie before it's all gone. The phones are only going to get better. The networks are only going to get stronger. The phones themselves often come free with a wireless account. ITFacts states that in Spain, the UK, Italy, Sweden, France and Germany people upgrade to a new cell, on average, every two years. At the rate the technology is advancing, can you imagine what cell phones will be capable of in two years?

Here's what a Motorola Q9c with a Sprint wireless account can do right now:

Text messaging. Real time email. View streaming content at 300KB-600KB per second. Download, organize and play full-length songs. Run word processing, database and presentation software. Hold live IM chat. Broadcast live wireless radio.

With all that hand held device can do, you want to tell me there's no room for porn? Of course there is. There's always room for porn. You just get Sammy surfer to visit your site. Show him where he can download a free, dirty video clip to his cell phone and you've got a fellow with something to show the guys at the office tomorrow. You've got an extra 30 seconds to convince this guy to buy something from you. The more he plays the thing on his cell, the more he is reminded of your cool, dirty cell phone clip service. NASTY CLIPS DIRECT TO YOUR CELL ­ ONLY $20.00 a MONTH!

You could approach this new market with free slutty wallpaper for cells. Add your site's URL to the pic so it reads clear. Get them with a free, filthy game. Sell to these cell phone users every time they pick up their handy gadgets. Get your site on as many adult cellphone directories as possible. Lots of cell/smart phone owners read blogs on their handhelds. Learn about RSS feeds, how they work, how the syndication works. Learn XML and build pages specifically for cell phone browsers.

Go Mobile Today. Don't wait for tomorrow. Competitors will be ahead of you when you finally 'get it'.