Reiter's Mobile TV Report

Envivio launches encoding/distribution mobile TV package for iPhone OS 3.0

Envivio today announced iLiveTV — a hardware/software solution for encoding and distributing mobile television channels over the Apple iPhone when it’s upgraded with the new OS 3.0 beginning on June 17.

The company says, “iLiveTV includes the Envivio 4Caster C4 world-class video encoding platform, content delivery server software, a Web-based Cover Flow iPhone navigation portal, as well as integration and support from the world’s most experienced team of mobile TV deployment experts….

“iLiveTV enables operators to offer iPhone users multiple channels of live broadcast TV over 3G and Wi-Fi networks with home theater quality and premium features such as Catch-up TV, video on demand and a client channel guide.  iLiveTV supports all of the advanced capabilities of the new mobile video format in Apple’s iPhone OS 3.0 to dynamically adapt to available bandwidth, optimize full screen video playback and increase battery life.”

Envivio announced iLiveTV at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, where the company is demonstrating the service.  Envivio also is promoting demonstrations on its Web site (see below).

AT&T’s existing mobile TV

AT&T Mobility already offers live streaming mobile TV (employing Qualcomm’s FLO.TV)  and video on demand packages (see below) for some handsets, but not for the iPhone.  For $15 a month, subscribers receive unlimited use of streaming mobile TV.  For $30 a month, video on demand is included.

When the iPhone was first introduced, I wrote about how it would be a great mobile TV receiver because of its large, high resolution screen and could take advantage of sideloading videos via iTunes.  However, offering mobile TV in the iPhone would entail chipset modifications as well as, possibly, an external antenna.

So we’ll see whether Apple wants true mobile TV in the iPhone.  So far, it doesn’t appear to be the case.  However, Envivio says iLiveTV was “designed in collaboration with Apple,” so perhaps other cellular operators will deploy it.

DigiLife debuts pocket HD camcorder with integrated microprojector

At the Computex trade show in Taipei this week, DigiLife is displaying a pocket HD camcorder that incorporates a microprojector (see left), according to Engadget.

The camcorder offers video recording at 720p and a 2.5–inch LCD, which isn’t uncommon nowadays.  But the big deal is its microprojector that displays images at 640 x 360.

I’ve discussed microprojectors in this weblog as well as in my other columns/blogs.  Frankly, I thought that this year we’d see only external microprojectors connected to other devices, such as cellular phones, via a cable.

I didn’t think we’d see integrated microprojectors until next year because of challenges with battery life, image quality and pricing.  I guess I was wrong!

Must-have feature

I am convinced that integrated microprojectors will be a must-have feature for consumer and business users.  Whether it’s to project photos, videos, mobile television, movies or documents, this feature will help change the way we “view” (in multiple senses of the word) content on cellular phones and other portable devices.

Obviously, there are privacy issues when you don’t want people to see what you’re displaying.  But for many applications, having an integrated projector will be so useful that many people won’t want a device without it.

As I’ve written many times before, microprojectors will become a standard capability because people will demand it.

All Things Digital conference Factoid: Tie video content to 4G communications

At The Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference occurring now, cable television pioneer John Malone, chairman of Liberty Media, suggests tying content to 4G service. 

The WSJ’s All Things Digital weblog reports Malone saying (not necessarily direct quotes), “We got people to pay for stuff by tying communication with content.  If you can introduce incrementally, that say, 4G wireless service comes with these three things that you can only get with that, maybe that can work.  I think it’s a very interesting watershed.”

Malone was interviewed on stage by the WSJ’s Walt Mossberg, with much of the discussion focusing on the economics of television and online video, not cellular communications.  I believe the future of mobile television must include more Internet-based services, such as real-time social networking and real-time access to information relating to the program.

CTIA Wireless 2009 take-away: VC says mobile video is "next big thing"

Jeff Bussgang, a general partner at the venture capital firm of Flybridge Capital Partners, and investor in mobile video, says one of the five “take-aways” from the CTIA’s Wireless 2009 conference is that mobile video will be the “next big thing.”

Yep, there are a few caveats here.  Firstly, for years everyone has heard the “next big thing” comment about mobile television/mobile video.  Secondly, Bussgang freely admits he’s an investor in Transpera, a mobile video delivery and advertising company — and he’s “highly biased.”

That said, he writes:  “Everyone is talking about delivering high-quality video on mobile.  With 22 million consumers in January 2009 accessing the mobile Internet according to Comscore, double last year and likely to double again in 2010, rich content on the phone is clearly the next big thing, and video is a huge driver of that.

“Gen Y consumers are watching news, weather and sports on their phones as if it were the normal function of the device as opposed to a full-blown miracle as compared to only five years ago.”

Still a believer…and correct!

Although I eschew using “next big thing” for anything, I agree with Bussgang.  I didn’t start Reiter’s Mobile TV Report almost three years ago because I didn’t believe in mobile television and mobile video!

I’m very careful about what I write in public, although I often extrapolate and speculate about the long-term future of wireless Internet (such as in my Internet Evolution columns).  I remain convinced that people will consider viewing television and videos — everything from short clips to full length programs — as a normal part of using cellular phones.

I think the naysayers about mobile video have all come around.  It’s the naysayers about mobile TV that remain to be convinced.  However, as I’ve noted previously, the traditional form of TV could be significantly different in the years to come.

QuickPlay to offer $7.99/month TV service in May to BlackBerrys via Wi-Fi

QuickPlay Media will offer a subscription mobile television service for Research in Motion (RIM) BlackBerry phones that will be available in early May in the United States.  The PrimeTime2Go service (see below) will cost $7.99 per month to download via Wi-Fi-only, on a microSD card, select TV programs to BlackBerry Bold and Curve phones.

So far, QuickPlay has announced deals with NBC, CBS, MTV and CW.  TV shows mentioned in the press release are “The Office,” “CSI,” “The Hills” and “90210.”

Additional programs will be announced as PrimeTime2Go is launched and other BlackBerry phones will be compatible with service.  The Storm, which has the largest BlackBerry screen, might be the best BlackBerry for viewing mobile TV and videos in general, although the Bold also has a relatively large screen.

Potential problems

I’m certainly looking forward to testing PrimeTime2Go, but I can see a few potentially major problems:

1.  Will the service offer a sufficient number of networks and programs to convince enough customers to subscribe?  So far, only a few networks are listed.  What about ABC, Fox, CNN, MSNBC and many others?

2.  QuickPlay says subscribers will be able to watch downloaded programs “until the pre-determined viewing period expires.”  Uh oh.  How many hours, days, months, years will you have to watch each program?  Will there be one expiration period for all shows (say, one week) or will different networks and/or shows have different expiration periods that you’ll have to remember?

People love Hulu and put up with the vagaries of programs being posted — and removed after a time — in part because it’s free.

3.  Will subscribers accept Wi-Fi as the only wireless transport or will they demand 3G?  Wi-Fi is, obviously, faster and it places no strain on cellular operators’ networks.  Also, Wi-Fi enables phones to work on any cellular network — assuming an operator doesn’t include software to prevent this.

Will the faster download speeds (generally speaking) of Wi-Fi and lack of bandwidth usage caps be sufficient to overcome the inconvenience of not being able to use 3G?

No rush to judgment

PrimeTime2Go isn’t even available, so it’s ridiculous to give it a thumbs up or down.  The mobile TV business is complicated.  Let’s see what’s available when the service launches.

Subscribers will be able to flag entire seasons of programs to download automatically when they become available “soon after the original air date.”  Yes, I know — how “soon” is “soon”?

The software, when available, may be downloaded from RIM’s new BlackBerry App World online store.  Shows may be downloaded in the background, so BlackBerry users will be able to perform other tasks while the downloading continues, the company says.

Update (4/26/09):  QuickPlay has a Twitter account, which notes two new shows have been added to PrimeTime2Go.  The shows are:  “Heroes” and “The Young and The Restless.”

MediaFLO interactive advertising should be just the start of mobile TV interactivity

During the CTIA’s Wireless 2008 conference in Las Vegas I spoke to Michael Coad, vice president of product management at Qualcomm, about Qualcomm’s MediaFLO mobile television service.  The most interesting aspect of the conversation was when Coad briefly discussed mobile TV interactivity.

He noted how advertisements on MediaFLO could include interactive elements, such as the ability to click on links to obtain more information about products or order them immediately.  I asked whether the program being watched would pause or end when viewer wanted additional information, and Coad said viewers could have a choice.

One of the potential disadvantages for this type of interactivity via today’s MediaFLO programs is because the shows stream.  They aren’t archived on demand, so if you pause the show to view commercial information and then return, you don’t begin watching where you left off.  Perhaps information could be downloaded in the background into another file or browser window.

Where’s the interactivity innovation?

The concept of interactive advertising isn’t new, although it hasn’t been developed much for mobile TV.  Interactive advertising could be an important component of mobile TV advertising, but interactivity in general could be a big deal for mobile TV.

I haven’t seen much, if any, innovation on MediaFLO, except for the relatively good technical quality.  MediaFLO programs typically are technically superior to 3G transmissions, with much less stuttering and pixelation compared to 3G.

But from the standpoint of innovative programs or innovative television techniques, I haven’t seen any.  MediaFLO offers the same junky programs as on traditional TV which, frankly, is sort of its idea:  You may view the same programs on your phone as on your TV set, although the times are often different.

Streaming and on-demand needed

To be fair, MediaFLO is a distribution and advertising platform rather than a mobile TV production company.  MediaFLO is part of the solution with good (technical) quality streaming programs, but it’s only one part. 

The future of mobile TV will be broadcasting programs that are different than existing shows and aimed at specific audiences, with varying lengths of programs and on a wide variety of subjects.  This niche-market programming is much more easily achieved via video on demand (VOD), which is one reason why VOD should continue to play significant role in mobile TV.

Open Mobile Video Coalition posts slide presentations from NAB Futures Summit

The Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) has posted  slide presentations from its meeting during the National Association of Broadcasters' Futures Summit.  It’s well worth reviewing if you care about mobile television.

The 36 slides include presentations from Brandon Burgess, CEO of ION Media Networks and chairman of the OMVC; Kim Conschafter, senior vice president of broadcast stations at Media General and chairman of OMVC’s business advisory group; Sterling Davis, vice president of engineering at Cox Television and chairman of the OMVC’s technical advisory group; and Dan Hsieh, president of MTC and a consultant to the OMVC.

The slides certainly hold more meaning if you understand the dynamics of mobile TV, which can help interpret the slides.  For example, Conschafter posted a slide entitled “Consumers Want More Mobile Television” (see below).

More detail, statistics needed

I didn’t attend the NAB so I don’t know the context for the slide.  But the slide is based on Consumer Electronics Association information for “portable entertainment devices” — now and in the future — from May 2006.  That’s old for the Internet and mobile TV businesses, which are moving so quickly and have experienced so many changes.

Also, the slide shows a 19 percent decrease in listening to music.  I’d certainly want to know the 2008 statistics.

In addition, the slide shows a 30 percent increase in interest in watching television.  Once again, I really would need to see the latest statistics and and methodology.

Comparing mobile TV protocols

Dan Hsieh presented a slide with an outline of the different among the OMVC’s mobile TV protocol and two existing protocols, Qualcomm’s MediaFLO and DVB-H (see below).  It provides useful information, although nothing is clear cut when analyzing wireless protocols.

But look at the slides for yourself.  There’s useful information to get a better understanding of the OMVC’s views, and I’m glad the organization posted the slides.

Qualcomm hosts free MediaFLO conference in Tokyo, March 19

Qualcomm MediaFLO will hold its second annual MediaFLO mobile television conference and exhibition at the Meiji Kinenkan in Tokyo on March 19, beginning at 2:30 p.m., according to the press release.  This is the first time this free event also will include exhibits. 

The release notes, “Japan is the home of two MediaFLO planning organizations led by KDDI and Softbank, two of the country's major wireless operators.”

The meeting will kick off with a brief introduction by Jun Yamada, the president of Qualcomm Japan, followed by a 40–minute presentation by Kamil Grajski, the president of the FLO Forum. 

Other presentations include: "For the mobile multimedia broadcasting service on VHF band in 2011," by Masahiko Yabuki, president of Mobile Media Planning and "Specified Ubiquitous Districts project in Shimane prefecture," by Mamoru Yano, executive officer of Media Scope. 

A reception and exhibition will begin at 5:30 p.m. with exhibits by Anritsu, Leader Electronics, Maspro Denkoh, Packet Video, Rohde & Schwarz, Roundbox/CTC and Qualcomm.

My new business cards for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

As I previously wrote, I'm attending the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and I needed new business cards because some of my URLs had changed so I ordered cards from Streetcards in London.

The front (or back, depending on your view) has an illustration by Hugh MacLeod (see above). He's a marketing consultant and blogger who has generated quite a lot of attention from bloggers and techies for the cartoons he draws on the back of business cards, and he has turned his hobby into a business.

The back (or front!) of the card has my contact information reversed out in white on a red background (see below). MacLeod typically draws about technology and human relationships.  I wish he drew cartoons about mobile communications, but the one I selected is appropriate -- much too appropriate <g> -- for me.

I paid extra for lamination, and the cards feel quite substantial and slick.  I like 'em.  I think they will go over well with the conference attendees I meet in Spain.

Heading to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Saturday

I'm heading to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona (see below) on Saturday, arriving on Sunday.

I've been to Spain several times and to Barcelona twice, but never for the MWC.  In 2006 some 50,000 people attended the show, that used to be in held in Cannes.

I'm going as a guest of Nokia, through its "blogger relations program," and expect to receive a couple of great new toys -- that I certainly intend to put to good use during the conference.  I'm especially interested in attending panel discussions and exhibits about multimedia products and services, such as, duh, mobile television and mobile videos as well as camera phones for live streaming and.

Assuming I can get some good wireless data connections (hopefully free or Boingo-affiliated WiFi hotspots) I'm going to try some live streaming cellular videos.  Stay tuned next week.