MobileTV -- Yesterday and Today

It was a little plastic cube – red and shiny. We thought we were the stuff. Imagine watching “Flipper” while camping out in the backyard! Only the astronauts were more geeked out – and we were drinking Tang too! (Eeeww, I can still taste the grit!) Sure there were some technical hurdles to overcome. The antenna was so long we had to unzip the tent flap to poke it out – the mosquitoes were feasting. And we had to raid the Christmas lights box in the attic for enough extension cords. Inside that glowing blue pup tent, we were cooler than Johnny Quest (don’t ask). That is until my neighbor Jimmy Rickard spilled his Tang and his brother Brad convinced everyone we were going to get electrocuted. But for about half an hour of prime time, I was on the leading edge of mobile television development.

My how things have changed. Today’s mobile television pushes audio and video to the most ubiquitous of devices – your cell phone. And when I say “mobile television,” I am not talking about what carriers are offering today. This new “mobile television” is broadcast to your cellphone by television broadcasters. And you don’t have to download it, you just channel surf. This type of mobile television doesn’t really exist in the U.S. yet (it might soon in Athens -- http://tinyurl.com/shampMobileTV)
But all over the world millions of people are tuning in.

Mobile broadcast television offers several advantages over carrier mobile video offerings. It scales better than 3G because broadcast signals don’t care how many people receive them. It is local –carrier mobile video networks deliver the same programming no matter where you are. The content is produced by people who really understand content – TV producers. And there is a good chance that it will be more affordable.

Today in our Digital Brown Bag (Tu 9/2, 12:30P, NMI -- see below), Graham Ellis from Nokia-Siemens networks will be showing telling us about mobile television – and maybe even letting us hold it in our hands. Come see what the future might be like.

Today’s DBB (Tu, 9/2) – MobileTV – Nokia-Siemens Networks

Our Digital Brown Bag guest today (Tu, 9/2/08, 12:30P, NMI, 412 Journalism) is Graham Ellis of Nokia-Siemens Networks. Graham is a mobile television guru and is going to tell us what this new medium might be like. Join us.

iDMAa 2008 – Ideas in Savannah (11/6 – 11/8)

“Savannah would be better for you. You'll just get in trouble in Atlanta.” That is the advice that Scarlett gets from her housemaid, Mammy, in “Gone with the Wind.” I have been to Savannah a bunch – and I can tell you that is wise counsel. Savannah is a tolerant place where anything goes. That is why we selected it as the venue for the 2008 International Digital Media and Arts Association conference. We wanted a place that welcomed new ideas – and was open-minded when it came to positive craziness. If you haven’t visited Savannah, you are missing out. And there is no better excuse than iDMAa 2008. You can get more information at http://www.idmaa.org/idmaa2008/. The deadline for thought pieces and papers is 9/19 so get cracking.