Hard Cell

In a way, Koerper says, it's almost easier to be the little-noticed underdog than to be the potential front-runner, highly visible to competitors and highly likely to be a target for rival engineering teams around the globe. At a recent meeting with one of the major wireless carriers, he says, he was taken aback slightly when executives asked whether he could start talking about Kyocera's plans for the next generation of Smartphones.

"What are you looking for?" he asked. The reply: "We have a lot of needs and a big checkbook. That's all you need to know for now."

Koerper was flattered -- but wary. "It sounds nice," he says, "but that can be a dangerous situation."

George Anders (ganders@fastcompany.com) is a Fast Company senior editor based in Silicon Valley. You can always reach him on his cell phone. Contact Gary Koerper by email (gary_koerper@yahoo.com), or learn more about the Smartphone on the Web (www.kyocera-wireless.com).