I had a chance to attend SXSW earlier this month in Austin. The leaders of the Web converge every year on this conference, and it’s an opportunity to rub shoulders with these giants.

I took particular interest in the sessions that were discussing the direction and uses of the Web’s place on mobile devices. I’ve been a user of the Web on my treo, but that certainly doesn’t make me an expert.

I wasn’t alone. Surprisingly, my Web brethren see this as early on as well. During one particular session, a couple of questions were asked on the usage of the Web on their mobile device and the crowd’s reaction was sparing.

This is going to sound odd, but that question was asked to the wrong people. Although we are the most Web-savvy, in my opinion, we aren’t necessarily the ideal end users. As I walk across college campuses, through airports, and talk with my brothers (high school aged, college bound), I recognize that these are the people that rely on Mobile Web.

For teens and college students, MoSoSo (or Mobile Social Networking Software) like dodgeball and sociallight are becoming addictive applications on their cell phones. Beyond texting, it allows you to find friends. It allows you to see where people are in relation to you. Most importantly, it provides a constant connection between you and your friends. For these cell phone users, mobile Web means controllable communication. It’s opt-in, it’s instant, and it’s constant.

For the heavy travelers, common applications and communication are a plus (like email and chat), but local information must be accessible. Directions (I use GoogleMaps), local restaurants and activities, and flight status are the most common that I see. On the road, these people want to feel like they are not outsiders. The Mobile Web allows the same world of information a computer provides, but no tie to the laptop.

That’s the thing about Mobile Web. Although it’s not here for all of us yet, it’s here for a large demographic. Here are the handful of concepts Mobile Web must provide:

• Quick. For services on the Web, it must download fast. I can’t wait for a 300Kb page to load when all I care about is clickthrough navigation.
• Constant. Like dodgeball or twitter, it’s always on. I don’t need to keep logging in or refreshing. It is as much part of my phone as the phone itself.
• Convenient. I won’t think I need a service until I actually need it. If it is a pain to log in or register or download, it’s not a convenient service.
• Relevant. Location-based information is the most relevant for cell phone users. If I am at a conference, I want to see the schedule and nightlife (thank you sxsw.mobi). If I am looking for a restaurant, I better be able to punch in a zipcode or be picked up by GPS.
• Singular. A one-stop shop for all relevant services would be great, but that’s a world that is pretty far away. I want GoogleMaps to do one thing and Dodgeball to do another.
• Cheap or Free. Per-use service is only beneficial when it is unsuccessful, if that makes sense. If I love texting, I don’t want to pay for every message. One-time or monthly fees that are reasonable make me use services.

It’s still early on in Mobile Web, which brings opportunity. In three years, a cell phone is more a part of communication for people than computers…let’s find the right applications.