Today has been a great day at the Informa Mobile Search event in London. JumpTap sponsored the event, Medio provided the Champagne and AOL/Tegic the lunch. Competitors in the mobile search space can live happily ever after...not quite.

One thing is evident. Advertising is the name of the game and companies such as JumpTap and Medio Systems are not messing around. Medio's Omar Tawakol came out with two loaded guns and brain dumped a comprehensive, strong and well delivered presentation on mobile advertising to a half-unsuspecting audience. Medio did better than Microsoft in getting its message across and even surprised JumpTap. Although JumpTap’s Veronika Sonsev also stood her ground at the event.

What is clear is that Medio Systems is playing catch-up in the mobile space and it’s aware of it. But it is hungry for business and is pulling out all the stops. JumpTap has a head start and will be announcing three more deals within the few weeks. But there is still everything to play for.

And where was Google? Well Google didn’t bother coming; which is actually very poor sportsmanship in a market which is developing daily. By not attending events such as these Google is making itself an easy target for jokes. Actually, it is quite fun to mock Google and nearly everyone had a go at some point or another during the event today.

But realistically, joking aside; mobile search and advertising has the potential to drive the uptake of mobile data services, globally. We need commitment and standards and initiatives to drive and develop the mobile advertising space in order to ensure a safe and stable ad environment for the consumer.

There are issues about giving away phone numbers and spam that are rife in the mobile market. These need to be addressed sooner rather than later. If it’s too late; mobile advertising might get tarnished and this will detract from the potential and growth of the latest most exciting mobile marketplaces.

Another important point is that the business model must remain pure. I promised one company I wouldn't quote it when it stated " give it away for free for a while". But this should send alarm bells ringing. Remember if you give it away for free you will detract from the value of the product and this will make earning money harder. Itis basic business modelling.

Another company not messing around is MCN. MCN is pushing federated search as if its the next best thing since sliced bread. The company is getting bigger in Asia and actually we are a secretly being converted to the federated search doctrine.

Get ready for Discovery vs Mobease vs Qix in the May issue of the Mobile Search Analyst and JumpTap vs Medio the user interface in the June issue.

Also; there is an interview with Annie Turner and Medio Systems in this months Mobile Advertising and Marketing Analyst which was published yesterday alongside an analysis of NeoMedia vs Abaxia and Virgin's Sugar Mama.