According to many, okay some, the NAB convention will highlight mobile TV applications, showing live demonstrations (again). Lest those in the broadcast industry think we are the only ones pushing mobile TV, it is worth a bit of effort to see what other giants in this space are saying and have planned.
In a post on TechCrunch IT, Vic Gundortra, VP of engineering for Google mobile, lets the rest of us peek into his world as seen through the eyes of an important Google employee.
You can read his entire post by clicking on the above link, but I’ll summarize it here for you. First, Gundortra believes that the real future of mobile applications lies in making mobile phone more user-friendly. He feels that many of today’s mobile phones put too much in the way of an efficient Web experience. Citing one phone, which requires 20 key clicks just to get to a Web portal, he suggests users won’t endure such roadblocks.
Perhaps Gundortra’s most compelling argument was this: “Can you imagine paying your at-home Internet provider for every page load? Or needing to know the size of a Web site before visiting it? Or, managing your monthly download quota across your entire household? It’s simply not practical and it’s all the same Internet, so why do we treat mobile users as second-class citizens?”
He continues by revealing that one of his colleagues received a 27-page January phone bill listing every “data” charge. I’m with him. That’s crazy, but that’s what you get with a provider that’s built to handle phone calls.
As broadcasters move closer to mobile implementation, they need to work closely with handset makers to ensure a seamless experience between phone calls and the Internet. Gundortra calls for a “frictionless onramp” to search results. The same philosophy applies to receiving OTA broadcasts on a mobile device. I suggest we follow the KISS (keep it short and simple) principle, or as Gundortra says, “friction is fugly.”
TV remains the 800lb advertising gorilla
A report was released last week, showing that TV is still the top platform for video delivery. The study, conducted by Ball State University Center for Media Design in conjunction with Nielsen and Sequent Partners, comprised almost 1000 hours of observation of TV viewing habits.
Among the study’s key findings were that viewing time was highest for viewers in the 45-54 age bracket. This audience averaged 9.5 hours per day of television viewing. Other demographic groups averaged one hour less, 8.5 hours per day. Overall, viewers were exposed to approximately one hour per day of TV ads and promotional announcements.
Key to broadcasters’ future was that the study confirmed that 99 percent of Nielsen’s Three-Screen Time is spent watching TV. Even when measured across the so-called-younger generation, viewers 18-24 years old, television still consumed more than 98 percent of their viewing.
The study’s top 10 key points can be found here.
Motorola to demo 3D at the Cable Show
Motorola will reveal several new products and at least one technology at this year’s Cable Show. At last week’s Cable Show, Motorola demonstrated a 3D TV using both a TV display and a current Motorola set-top box. While many in this industry believe that 3D isn’t yet ready for prime time, consumer hardware is already being shown that can receive and display 3D pictures.
With the early March release of the 3D movie "Monsters vs. Aliens," the public appears to increasingly be interested in watching 3D movies — even if the admission price is higher. Whether broadcasters will get involved seems hard to determine.
There will be plenty of 3D hardware and solutions at the NAB Show and much of it will reviewed in the June issue of Broadcast Engineering magazine. So, stay tuned to this channel for the latest news on 3D broadcasts and the hardware needed to support it. Here’s a more consumer-based look at the history and future of 3D video.
