Siemens is talking about mobile graffiti, basically, short messages that can be attached to a physical coordinate, and that can be retrieved by mobile phone users in that location.

That's a great example for a simple form of situational software: it's only passive data (such as a text message) instead of active software, and the situation is only identified by the location, but it goes in the right direction. Siemens' own article already identifies some of the missing features:

Anyone in the mood for shopping could switch on the advertising mode and wander from one offer to the next. People in a hurry simply switch this mode off.

I think it is pretty clear that very few people will switch their devices manually from a normal mode to an "advertising" mode. Real situational software could automatically determine this, based on the user's schedule, shopping list etc.

Optionally, an alerting signal can be given in the same way as with an SMS.

Again, too much user input required: why can't situational software figure out whether event X is important enough to ring the owner of the device?

But all in all, an interesting project and a step in the right direction. (via Mobile Technology Weblog).