We all know the iPhone is here – by some estimates, more than 500,000 people bought one in its first weekend on sale. With a Web browser, camera, MP3 player and more in it, the iPhone has the potential to be incredibly useful as an on-the-go device.

The release of the hyped iPhone and some comments on the Digital Media Federation e-mail forum got me thinking about the role of mobile in making our lives easier. I hope it gets media execs across the country thinking, too – even if you haven’t bought one… yet.

As Morris Communications strategist Steve Yelvington aptly pointed out, maybe the result of all the iPhone attention is that newspaper people will look again at reader’s “jobs to be done” and how the newspaper can help using mobile.

In response to a query posted on the Digital Media Federation e-mail forum, Morris Communications strategist Steve Yelvington wrote, “I think this means we should be thinking about what needs people have when ‘out and about.’ While universal access to everything is extremely powerful, the real ‘killer app’ will be mobile-optimized access to the types of information and services that are most relevant when away from the home.

“Cramming newspaper and wire stories into the iPhone won't do the trick. This is a perfect opportunity for working the NewspaperNext innovation process, beginning with a ‘jobs to be done’ analysis of mobile behavior.”

Having my non-iPhone mobile device be a local phone book, local shopping directory, maps service (with road closures and traffic information), personalized breaking news alert system, weather service, train schedule and more could really help. Right now, to get all that information, I need to go to Google, Google Maps, our local newspaper’s mobile site, weather.com and more. On my Treo – even on the iPhone, apparently – that can take a really long time.

I understand there are obstacles: research and development costs, the limits of text messages, available technology and more. Given those, right now, mobile can’t really help us do all our “jobs to be done.” Clearly, mobile has a long way to go.

Newspapers have an opportunity here. Imagine how ahead of the curve a newspaper could be if it started working on these mobile projects now. In ten years, using mobile devices to help in those “jobs to be done” is going to be the reality. Newspapers need to be front and center when that happens.