November 30, 2006
Retired
sLop (the blog you are reading) is retiring..
The archives should stay up indefinitely though so feel free to continue linking in if you like..
In the coming weeks, I should have something new up. Please stay tuned.
Posted by vanevery at 11:49 AM | TrackBack
August 10, 2006
Sony releasing a Linux based handheld
Linux powers Sony's new Mylo WiFi handheld
Would love to see a comparison between Nokia's 770 and this..
From the article:
"In September, Sony expects to ship a Linux- and Qtopia-based handheld device featuring WiFi connectivity, an Opera web browser, and a variety of text- and voice-messaging clients and media players. The Mylo -- short for "My Life Online" -- will be available in black or white, priced at $350.
Posted by vanevery at 01:21 AM | TrackBack
June 15, 2006
The Good and The Bad regarding the new 770 firmware
Nokia 770 Linux tablet firmware update beta draws praise, fire
I am particularly impressed by the "Good" list:
VoIP capabilities
IM and Google Talk messaging client
Integrated addressbook with presence information
Better performance, as well as a control-panel option for setting up a swap partition on the rs-mmc card
Better memory recovery when applications are closed
Google search bar available in home screen
Browser URL input field has partial matching
Home screen items now can be rearranged
Thumb keyboard is "input method of choice"
Package manager handles package feeds, and allows custom menu placement
Posted by vanevery at 02:16 AM | TrackBack
June 06, 2006
Mobile Image and Video Posting
Where.com - WHERE Mobile 2.0 API
From the site:
The WHERE Mobile 2.0 API allows developers to add mobile pictures and mobile video clips to web sites with a few simple steps
Very similar to what I have been planning on doing with my Video and Image Moblogging with a (video enabled) Camera Phone Scripts
-Thanks Jenny!
Posted by vanevery at 01:43 PM | TrackBack
June 01, 2006
Sun Java ME Device Table Updated
Jave ME Device Table
Sun has updated their Java ME (Jave ?) device listings.. Finally!
J2Me would be the key word here..
Posted by vanevery at 10:51 PM | TrackBack
May 23, 2006
P2P on Mobile Phones
Symella, a Gnutella client for Symbian Smartphones
Listening to a presentation about this now. Pretty interesting but will have to wait to get back to NYC before I can try it (data isn't working in Europe for me).
From the site:
Symella is a Gnutella client for Symbian smartphones. Gnutella is a Peer-to-Peer file sharing network system with many clients (and servers) available on various desktop operating systems (for desktop Gnutella clients check out this site).
It is used for exchanging files, especially music, MP3 files. Because mobile phones have limited bandwidth and small memory cards, this client focuses only for downloading, not sharing. It is available on Series 60 and Series 80.
Posted by vanevery at 10:49 AM | TrackBack
PUTools: Python Utility Tools for PyS60
S60 Python
Series 60 Python tools, Including the very useful push (Python Utility Shell). Can't wait to give it a shot (too bad it isn't for Java ;-) Perhaps Mobile Processing will do something similar)
Posted by vanevery at 09:48 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
May 19, 2006
A Pure Java Phone..
Sun blesses Java phone
With a nice set of libraries.. Might have to get me one of these :-)
Posted by vanevery at 07:17 PM | TrackBack
Nokia 770 getting an upgrade
Nokia, Google Detail Linux Tablet Collaboration
From the article:
Nokia says it will ship a firmware upgrade for existing and new 770 Internet tablet owners. The OS 2006 upgrade, expected this quarter, will bring better memory performance and a "refreshed look." It will also feature VOIP capabilities and a pre-installed Google Talk client with a full-screen "finger" keyboard
Wish they would release it already! Can you tell, I am anxious ;-)
Posted by vanevery at 07:10 PM | TrackBack
Place Shifting on Mobile Devices
PDAStreet: News: Placeshifting: Carrier Friend or Foe?
Will things like this convince the carriers that they should be just that, carriers and let people do what they will with the networks (oh my god, let people do what they want on OUR network, that's crazy..! wait a minute, isn't that how the internet became so useful?)
Posted by vanevery at 11:19 AM | TrackBack
Cool Hunting at the ITP Show
Cool Hunting Video: ITP Spring Show 2006
For those of you wondering what I do all day every day, check out this video of the ITP Spring Show from Cool Hunting. Very nicely produced!
Posted by vanevery at 11:16 AM | TrackBack
April 19, 2006
ITP End of Year Events - Thesis Presentations and End of Semester Show
ITP Spring Show 2006
A two day exhibition of interactive sight, sound and physical objects from the student artists of ITP.
This event is free and open to the public. No need to RSVP.
ITP Thesis Presentations 2006
ITP's graduating students will be presenting a wide variety of highly creative and interactive projects that they have constructed over the course of their final project seminars.
Students have been encouraged to undertake projects that bring together the conceptual and design issues that they have engaged in during their two years of study at ITP.
Projects will include installation based work, digital video and audio pieces, interactive 3D, games and educational applications, to name only a few.
ITP will be providing a live webcast of all the thesis presentations.
Posted by vanevery at 02:41 AM | TrackBack
March 29, 2006
LifeBlog doesn't use XML RPC
Robert Price - Lifeblog Posting Protocol Example
Alas, after doing a bit of exploring, I see why LifeBlog never worked with my blog(s). It doesn't do XML-RPC. Arrrg..
In any case, detailed on the site above, Robert Price has done the hard work and figured out just what it does and how it can be used. A bit painful but some progress..
Does anyone have a pointer to XML-RPC J2ME code for me?
Posted by vanevery at 09:32 AM | TrackBack
March 24, 2006
Cingular jumps on the VOD bandwagon
PDAStreet: News: Cingular Debuts Video-on-Demand Service
More mobile networks launching VOD. You probably know my feelings about these services by now..
I love how most articles about this have the obligatory statement about consumers less than enthusiastic response:
"But are consumers ready to watch mobile video and TV on their small handset screens? According to a new RBC Capital Markets survey of 1,001 Americans, perhaps they aren’t. The RBC study found that three-quarters of those surveyed weren't interested in watching TV programs or movies on their mobile device, let alone using a cell phone for music even."
Even better is the confusion over plans and pricing:
"It is not to be confused with Cingular's MobiTV-run television offering, which delivers live television broadcasts over the operator's standard 2.5G or EDGE network - 70 to 135kbps. MobiTV costs $9.99 per month and requires a data plan, ranging in price from $4.99 for 1 MB to $19.99 unlimited.
The new service is free to Cingular customers with an unlimited $19.99 per month Broadband Connect plan, which also includes all-you-can-eat messaging and image sharing. As a premium offering, the HBO channel costs an extra $4.99 per month."
Posted by vanevery at 12:18 AM | TrackBack
Mobile Games Tied with Live TV
Startup to Wed Mobile Games, Live TV Shows - Yahoo! News
Very interesting:
AirPlay Network Inc. said it will introduce a lineup of cell phone games tied to live television broadcasts. While watching TV, subscribers could use their cell phones to compete against others in "real time" by predicting plays in sports, choosing winners on reality TV shows or picking answers on game shows.
Posted by vanevery at 12:08 AM | TrackBack
March 23, 2006
'The Fourth Screen' Mobile Media Festival
The4thScreen.com :: global mobile media festival
This festival looks very interesting. They are pushing people to think about the phone in a different way, not just as a television that is carried in your pocket as it seems the providers are pushing for:
'The Fourth Screen' Global Mobile Media Festival will focus on the mobile phone as an emerging social, cultural and technological phenomenon.
We invite artists, technologists, and other creative thinkers to submit creations, inventions and concepts in two categories:
1/ moving images: videos made with mobile phone, movies, animation and games intended for mobile delivery
2/ wise technologies: software art, software and hardware that proposes new uses for mobile multimedia communication, applications that have positive cultural, social and economic impact in diverse cultures
Posted by vanevery at 01:17 PM | TrackBack
March 16, 2006
Revolutionary or 20 years too late?
Turning the Television Into an Electronic Easel for Future Mondrians - New York Times
Posted by vanevery at 04:18 PM | TrackBack
March 02, 2006
Eclipse, J2ME/MIDP 2, Mac OS X
ECLIPSE/MpowerPlayer
Looks like suitable instructions for getting J2ME MIDP 2.0 development going on the Mac with Eclipse using the Mpowerplayer SDK.
This has been a long time in coming.. Let's hope it works..
Posted by vanevery at 08:09 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 28, 2006
Flash Lite "seems" interesting but..
flash lite application - Google Search
I can't find any decent applications.. Someone tell me where to find the interesting Flash Lite apps, please..
Posted by vanevery at 07:18 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Television Disrupted
Television Disrupted - The Transition from Network to Networked TV by
Shelly Palmer
Looks to be an interesting read. Guess we will find out in the near future.
From the site:
Television Disrupted The Transition from Network to Networked Television, follows the money and the technology that enables it. The book also looks at the business rules and legal issues that are having a huge impact on the future. File sharing, copyright laws, geographical form factors, temporal windows and much more. During the next few years, everything we know about the business of television is going to change - Television Disrupted The Transition from Network to Networked Television will serve as a guidebook and roadmap for the foreseeable future.
Posted by vanevery at 01:53 PM | TrackBack
Mobile Monday NY Group
MobileMonday New York
MobileMonday New York is a community of NY metro area mobile professionals. The open community promotes the mobile industry and fosters cooperation and networking among industry people and their companies by providing opportunities for personal and virtual contacts.
Posted by vanevery at 12:28 AM | TrackBack
February 05, 2006
Mobile DTV Alliance
:: Mobile DTV Alliance ::
A new consortium of companies pushing DVB-H in North America. I find this much more interesting than current TV on mobile devices as DVB-H has some nice interactive features. Unfortunately, I am not sure it will ever be accessible to independent content providers.
Posted by vanevery at 07:36 PM | TrackBack
Mobile TV.. Yawn.
Cielo Group presentation at NATP Mobile
From the company that brings us MLB and NBA video products on phones.
This image from their ad campaign sums up my feelings:
They look a bit bored, don't they..?
Posted by vanevery at 07:22 PM | TrackBack
January 28, 2006
NYTimes wraps up current Mobile Social Software services
Making Connections, Here and Now - New York Times
Included are two that I have had a small hand in: Socialight and Dodgeball.
Posted by vanevery at 06:18 PM | TrackBack
Nokia 770 - Looking for hackers to create a "killer app"
Nokia 770 as mobile innovation platform
From the article:
The Nokia 770 web pad lacks a "killer app" to make it useful on a daily basis, writes blogger Russell Beattie. However, the device is much more open than previously available mobile devices, and as a result could serve as the development platform for mobile innovation, Beattie suggests.
Posted by vanevery at 04:37 PM | TrackBack
January 25, 2006
Bluetooth Remote Control
Miscellaneous Docs and Tools
Sony Ericsson has Bluetooth Remote Control software for their phones and Mac/Windows PCs as well as an API to go with it.
(Once again, I think I have linked to this in the past but I can't find it so here it is again.)
Posted by vanevery at 03:08 PM | TrackBack
January 21, 2006
Flash capable phones
Macromedia - Macromedia Mobile
Posted by vanevery at 04:21 PM | TrackBack
Nice Socialight infomercial..
socialight | friends | mobile phones | fun
Nice mobile social software. Check it out..!
Posted by vanevery at 01:32 PM | TrackBack
January 18, 2006
Mobile video might take off in Britain
BBC NEWS | Technology | Brits show appetite for mobile TV
As mentioned in the article, the service they are exploring is DVB-H (a standard for mobile digital video). This is somewhat analogous to putting a digital TV tuner in a handheld device and is significantly different than the on-demand streaming services that the US carriers are pushing.
What difference does it make? I am not sure I have a goodr response yet. I do believe that it means this is only good for live content though it can be interactive. I would love someone to point me to some interactive DVB-H content demos.
Posted by vanevery at 02:19 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 17, 2006
Sample Chapters from "Developing Scalable Series 40 Applications: A Guide for Java Developers"
The Basics of the MMAPI for Java Developers
Looks pretty good and thorough. Chapters relating to the J2ME MMAPI, including an introduction, audio playback, other media playback, capture and a summary.
Posted by vanevery at 05:19 PM | TrackBack
CES Wrap-up
Two weeks ago, I attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas. Here is a quick write-up regarding it:
CES, the Consumer Electronics Show was a very interesting and overwhelming event. First of all, it is by far the largest event that I have ever been to. The numbers were 150,000 plus attendees and 2500 plus vendors (booths).
As the show title indicates, it is very consumer electronics orientated. This means, home theater audio and video, in car systems, mobile phones, portable music players and video players, digital cameras and video cameras and video game systems were there in a big way. While my interests and technology applicable to my work cross all of these areas, the sheer size and number of similar items makes it very difficult to find the best of the best. Fortunately, CES in general and these areas are well covered by the media and in reviews by other bloggers as well as by awards given out at the show. Therefore, I decided that it wasn't worth my time at this type of event to focus on them. If you are interested, CNet has good coverage online at: http://www.cnet.com/4520-11405_1-6398208-1.html and from CES itself lists the award winners: http://www.cesweb.org/attendees/awards/innovations/default.asp
I, on the other hand was determined to find devices that enable the types of things that my research focuses on. Specifically, I went with the intention of looking at video capture devices that enable streaming as well as remote control capabilities, set top boxes that have open interfaces to allow for the development of software that runs on them, tablet computers, remote controls and phones that fit the bill to be used as a prototype platform for development of my various projects.
With these tasks in mind I shied away from the areas of the conference that dealt with in car and home theater systems (mostly audio and large screens) and started off by going to the small out of the way booths. Fortunately, this tactic paid off almost immediately. I discovered (actually I think I may have rediscovered) a device called the Pepper Pad: http://www.pepper.com/ which is essentially a tablet PC running linux crossed with a universal remote control. It fits all of the requirements for developing a prototype for one of my projects and exceeds the capabilities (and suitability to the task at hand) of the devices that I have been using. The Pepper Pad does have a couple of drawbacks. First of all is the cost; it is in excess of $800.00, far too much for wide adoption. Second is the size; it is just a bit too large for my prototype purposes.
These drawbacks are more than made up by the devices capabilities. Also promising is the fact that I made contact with and had a good conversation with the lead technical individual at the company that makes it.
Finding the Pepper Pad was the most useful thing to happen for me at CES but a couple thoughts and notes are worth putting down as well.
1: Convergence, that nasty word from the mid 90's has finally arrived. Fortunately, it is being done better this time. No more are the dreams of a super device that does everything. Rather, the CE industry is starting to make devices that can talk to each other and share content. Handheld devices that can get content from set top boxes and media centers that can pull up photos and music from PCs are everywhere.
Unfortunately the CE people don't quite know what the internet is good for yet. They have realized the potential of the internet as a distribution medium but have not realized that it needs to be open. In my opinion, there is no reason to use the internet for distribution unless it is open (both on the consumption side and publishing side). They are still treating the internet as a cable network when they should just be using a cable network.
2: Yahoo, Google and Microsoft were at the show in a big way (I don't mean sq. feet). This is interesting because they are not CE companies and don't really have CE products yet they hold the mind share and rightfully so. They get with the CE companies don't get (about the internet).
Microsoft's Media Center platform is actually pretty nice and does offer the things that I would like everyone to offer (an open platform with API's).
Google understands standards and wants interoperability. See the Google Keynote.
Yahoo is the only company there that really showed an aptitude for mixing social behavior and media. I saw prototypes of Yahoo content on a TV platform that almost encouraged social behavior (in the standard Yahoo way).
3: Still, nobody understands that the TV is not the place for interactive content. People are still trying to shoehorn the internet onto TV. It will have some limited success but in the end, it will never live up to what can be done on a PC.
Last here is a list of things that I saw with quick notes that I thought interesting enough to take a further look at. I haven't had the time to dig yet but I wanted to get them down.
DX5 Digital Camera - Clone of Xacti ?
Microsoft TV IPTV Edition
Playstation 3 - Blueray - Interactive Java Games supported by Blueray spec
SCH-B360 Samsung compact satellite mobile tv phone - dmb - evdo - tv out
DLNA - nokia support
GE Solar Cam
Panasonic 3CCD SD Camcorder SDR S190 or S100
Excercise by playing video games = very itp like - game runner
Ant - iptv platform - not really sure what level - javascript interactivity
Philips remote control honoree 2006 innovations - TSU3500 or SRU9600
ACE LHD Professional Media Server http://www.acedigitalhome.com/
Lifetouch by exceptional innovation
JVC G Series HDD camera http://www.jvc.com/presentations/everio_g/
SD PDA Camera SDC-001A (for palm and pocket pc)
Lego mindstorms nxt
VEX Robotics Design System
Akimbo = not open
Creative Webcam Live Wireless
Yahoo mirror display - in bathroom computing
Yahoo mobile
Walkview handsfree = sports dv camera
Opcom chipcam camera modules
Viiv = upnp = dlna?
Universal remotes with breakout box for devices (basically IR blaster)
Samsung sports camcorder - mpeg4 asp (dumb)
Samsung cameras ptz - see data sheets
Wisecomm wireless camera
Dlink wireless g optical zoom ptz camera
Xavix baseball golf and so on (physical interaction)
Creative Zencast = serious magic = vision
Nokia modeo
Leadtek H.264 based Triple-Play Set-Top Box
Other news:
Google video launched a pay download service
Tivo series 3 - HD and Digital broadcast tuners coming soon.
TiVo Desktop 2.3 Beta: featuring automatic transfers and support for Apple® video iPod™ and Sony PSP™ (Playstation® Portable).
Posted by vanevery at 01:01 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
The Future of Independent Media
GBN: The Future of Independent Media
I thought I linked to this a while ago but I couldn't find it recently when recommending it to a student.
Andrew Blau writes a great essay contemplating Independent Media in the face of the quickly changing technological landscape. A very good read:
From the text:
The technologies that enable us to make and consume motion media are becoming better, cheaper, and more widely available—and with blistering speed. As a consequence, patterns of media production and consumption are changing just as rapidly. The Internet continues to create new opportunities to connect with audiences. Video games are becoming a platform for critique and education. A new generation of media makers and viewers is emerging, which only increases the likelihood of profound change. Images, ideas, news, and points of view are traveling along countless new routes to an ever-growing number of places where they can be seen and absorbed. It is no understatement to say that the way we make and experience motion media will be transformed as thoroughly in the next decade as the world of print was reshaped in the last.
Posted by vanevery at 02:44 AM | TrackBack
Digital Living Room - Stalls
The New York Times: David Pogue's Columns (Forum/Message Board)
Well, I can't find the original article (not unusual for the NYTimes site) but the reader feedback on one of David Pogue's columns regarding the digital living room is very interesting. A nice glimpse into what people are using and what they might be using in the future (along with what they are definitely not going to use).
Keep clicking Next after the jump. It goes on and on.
Posted by vanevery at 01:07 AM | TrackBack
January 16, 2006
Video Bloggers, get on TiVo
TiVo.com | Contact Us
From the site:
The TiVo Videoblog Project is currently experimenting with ways to make the new medium of videoblogs accessible on television. If you have a videoblog or are interested in participating, please fill out this form.
Anyone tried this yet? (Besides Andrew that is)
Posted by vanevery at 09:09 PM | TrackBack
iPod video, will it lead to more streaming video consumption?
Streamingmedia.com: Video iPod Sales Growth Portends Big Things for Streaming Media in 2006
From the article:
The biggest unanswered question, of course, is whether the average consumer, who has preferred her iPod audio and video downloaded, not streamed, will warm to the idea of streaming content that could really be accessed from anywhere she has cell or wireless data service.
My Comments:
It was suggested in the article that the answer might come at CES or at MacWorld. While interesting related items were announced at CES (nothing at MacWorld AFAIK) I don't think this actually has anything to do with what the consumer will actually adopt.
Mobile streaming video.. Hmmn.. Mobile carriers think it is the next big thing. If the iPod video is a success and I think it will be, it will be more about personal control over media and fair pricing than TV anywhere, neither of which the mobile carriers understand. For instance, I can't stream my home movies through Verizon's VCast service but I can offer a download of them through iTunes for iPod consumption.
Posted by vanevery at 08:33 PM | TrackBack
More MobVCasting software popping up
Publish Video Messages Online From Your Smartphone - Robin Good's Latest News
From the entry:
A company called ComVu is developing two technologies that allow this to happen by simply using your smartphone. Already in beta: live "one to many" transmission from a mobile device and "do-it-yourself" video networking
Posted by vanevery at 11:53 AM | TrackBack
Button Camera and Microphone
AVING - Global News Network
Really interesting Bluetooth button camera.
From the site:
If you wear this button-looking device on your suit, it records the situation of a spot and transmit the data to remote areas using the wireless transmit technology (Bluetooth) in real time. The device detects movements of an object and records them automatically. You can have access and communicate several Self Guard devices from anywhere you can use the internet. So, even if you are not present in the spot, you can install this model in various hidden places and take control of the situation while giving instructions. It comes up with rechargeable battery.
Posted by vanevery at 11:40 AM | TrackBack
December 11, 2005
Good WML/WAP related development resources
The Wireless FAQ
WURFL: the Wireless Universal Resource File
Yahoo Groups: wmlprogramming · WML ,XHTML MP and Wireless-related stuff
Posted by vanevery at 08:14 PM | TrackBack
December 10, 2005
Build Your Own Geocoding Solution with Geo::Coder::US
Build Your Own Geocoding Solution with Geo::Coder::US
I can think of a couple of classes that could use this. On my list..
Posted by vanevery at 09:10 PM | TrackBack
Good Question
Emmy Advanced Media - Television Business News: Who Are The Real Pirates?
Shelly asks a good question that the media companies should be asking themselves. Particularly the music companies. In essence, they need to realize that fair use is fair and good and people WANT media on their own terms.
From the post:
How many times will you buy the same master file? That question is being answered every day on P2P networks, via email and podcasts. Obviously, some consumers are willing to pay for the convenience of not having to bother converting their own files to be used in all of their devices. But there are far more consumers who would rather not pay for the same thing over and over again.
Posted by vanevery at 10:24 AM | TrackBack
December 09, 2005
Blue-ray players will run Java
Java to appear in next-gen DVD players | CNET News.com
From the article:
"The Blu-ray Disc Association, the standards body for the format, has decided it will adopt Java for the interactivity standards," said Yasushi Nishimura, director of Panasonic's Research and Development Company of America, speaking at Sun's JavaOne trade show here. "This means that all Blu-ray Disc player devices will be shipped equipped with Java."
Java will be used for control menus, interactive features, network services and games, Nishimura said.
Cool! But as Chris Adamson says, "Gimme some tools!" (from: We Love Blu-Ray Java! It's Perfect! Now Change.
Posted by vanevery at 09:40 PM | TrackBack
Future of Television Conference
Beyond TV: TVSpy.com Next Generation TV
So, I went to the Future of Television conference a couple of weeks ago and was somewhat suprised. Last year, I poked my head in to see what was being discussed and it was a big snooze. After checking out the website, I figured it was worth my time this year so I went.
Wow.. I was surprised. You wouldn't know it but there are people in TV who really "get it"... Larry Kramer from CBS most notably get's it.
Here is what I had to say on the day of:
I am writing from Future of Television Conference at NYU's Stern School of Business today. I am here for several reasons, first of all I would like to know what the networks and traditional media concerns think of the scrappy interactive folks. Second, I am here doing recon. Specifically, I would like to know how long video bloggers and other decentralized media creators have before traditional media begins to offer enough of what they are doing to satiate "consumers". (Perhaps that is not exactly my fear but close enough for now.)
First of all, I have to say that Larry Kramer gets it. He really does. He is open to experimentation. At CBS he has launched many interactive initiatives from a broadband news channel to podcasts of daytime soaps to fantasy sports sites to deep entertainment content add-ons to viewer/user photo posting to writer and producer blogs to actual audience participation through SMS. Phew..
CBS isn't the only media company doing this type of experimentation. The other networks, cable and broadcast are doing the same or similar. Notable is ABC News Now, ESPN, Playboy and the like.
The question is, whether or not this is enough. Will this engage and empower viewers enough to keep them despite the ever growing number of alternative content channels. The networks certainly know how to deliver programming to a passive audience. They are just beginning to support a more engaged and digitally connected viewer.
A later speaker in the day, IBM's Saul Berman described the audience by categorizing them in 3 camps. "Massive passives", the folks that CBS has always served, lean back, over 35, want to be entertained but don't feel compelled to buy the latest gadget or create their own media.
The next camp, arguably the focus of most of these efforts he described as "Gadgetiers". He describes this group as heavily involved in content, they are fans, will seek out other individuals who are interested in the same content they are. They will purchase the latest devices, use time shifting (TiVo) and will space shift (TiVo To Go). They are also the heavy buyers, the early adopters, in short, the people that the advertizers (and therefore the networks) covet.
It remains to be seen whether what the networks are starting to do will appeal to this group in the long run. In the short term, it is clear, if you put it out there they will come. How long they stay is another matter.
The last camp, the "Kool kids", the ones really getting all of the attention, are the hardest to understand. He suggests that this is the group that rejects DRM and "walled gardens", in short, the group that wants media on their own terms. This is the group that uses P2P software and is heavily social. They have dream devices that aren't out in the market as of yet.
I know that the kks (short for "Kool kids") are what have network executives up at night. They are the hackers and inventors who are really driving the internet. TV and media in general will fit into their game or be disregarded.
Ok.. So the big question at the end of the day? Will the cable and TV networks run scared and do everything possible to protect their business models or will they embrace the new like they must. My feeling after this conference is that they have learned something from the music industry and will try to embrace but there will still be a major shakeup and Yahoo! and Google just might become the "new" networks. Good or bad.
Posted by vanevery at 09:31 PM | TrackBack
December 08, 2005
EPIC is about to arrive, powered by Googlezon
Posted by vanevery at 02:28 PM | TrackBack
Symbian Dev on OS X
Simon Woodside | HOWTO develop Symbian apps using Mac OS X
Posted by vanevery at 12:49 PM | TrackBack
Mologogo - Internet enabled mobile phone tracking
From the site:
Mologogo is a free service that will track a friends GPS enabled cell phone from another phone or on the web. Mologogo also serves as a dirt-cheap tracking system, so go ahead and fauxjack something.
Posted by vanevery at 12:36 AM | TrackBack
December 07, 2005
CDMA hacking
Welcome to BitPim
From the site:
BitPim is a program that allows you to view and manipulate data on many CDMA phones from LG, Samsung, Sanyo and other manufacturers. This includes the PhoneBook, Calendar, WallPapers, RingTones (functionality varies by phone) and the Filesystem for most Qualcomm CDMA chipset based phones.
Posted by vanevery at 11:44 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 19, 2005
What is an STB?
The Set-Top Sage Knows All, Sees All - New York Times
Don't know, then read this article.
Is it possible create an "open" set top box? One that can decode a signal, whether it be from a cable company, digital tv broadcast or satellite?
Posted by vanevery at 09:42 AM | TrackBack
November 17, 2005
DIY Mobile Phones
Build-it-yourself cell phones | CNET News.com
Surj Patel is leading the way towards DIY mobile phones.
Nice CNet article..
Here is a WiFiPhone project: http://www.jesseross.com/wiki/index.php/Site/WiFiPhone
Posted by vanevery at 02:11 AM | TrackBack
November 14, 2005
Socialight hits the Times
Post-Its for Passers-By - New York Times
From the article:
Socialight leaves virtual Post-it notes, called sticky shadows, in specific sites around the city. A text message pops up when a cellphone is carried into the designated space, which is generally smaller than a city block but larger than an intersection. Started last month in a Chelsea loft by two 2004 graduates of New York University, Socialight now has dotted the metropolitan region with more than 500 stickies.
Posted by vanevery at 04:22 PM | TrackBack
November 13, 2005
SMS signup via phone in
ChristDaily.com Television Commercials by Shelly Palmer
Content aside, the ability to phone in and signup for SMS is great. Such a simple idea, I am surprised that it has been overlooked till now. It would be easy to setup Asterisk to grab caller-id and pump out an SMS message.
Excerpt from site:
these two direct response television commercials show off a new way to subscribe to a brand new information service. The spots offer the audience an opportunity to purchase a subscription to an SMS (short message service) cell phone service via an IVR (interactive voice response) system. This is important because so many cell phone users don't know how to send a text message - but they can easily dial a toll-free number.
Posted by vanevery at 04:31 PM | TrackBack
November 06, 2005
Ninjamonkey on Instant Mobile Social Networks
Ninja Monkey Party 411 : Instant Mobile Social Network Or; Listserv + Email-to-SMS Gateway = LOVE
Ninjamonkey describes a service he setup for his birthday party a couple of weeks ago using off the shelf components. Of course the magic sauce was that his crowd includes some tech savvy and highly motivated social drinkers.
From the page:
Social networks and mobile applications are obvious bedfellows, but aside from a few noteables like dodgeball almost nothing has been done to exploit them. The thing that many people may be missing is that SMS is pretty much like email, except with extreme size restrictions (160 characters/message) and controlled solely by the telcos (which is sort of like having a draconian ISP with terrible, terrible service). This means that as long as you can find a way to translate between email and sms (with, say, a publicly available email-to-sms gateway) you can pass messages between them.
Posted by vanevery at 11:05 AM | TrackBack
October 31, 2005
Understand the iPod iTunesDB
ITunesDB - wikiPodLinux
From the site:
This page details the format of the binary files used on the iPod to keep track of the music it contains as well as its play history. Collectively we refer to these files as the iTunesDB however there are in fact a number of files, each with their own format, that make up this database.
Posted by vanevery at 05:51 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
September 26, 2005
Nokia 770 Internet Tablet Development Platform
Welcome to maemo.org!
From the site:
Maemo is a development platform to create applications for the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet and other maemo compliant handheld devices. It is meant for developers with personal or commercial interests in developing software for handhelds like Internet Tablets. The software and developer community website is contributed to this audience and operated by Nokia. The platform is composed of popular open source software components, which are widely deployed in the leading Linux desktop distributions today.
Posted by vanevery at 06:09 PM | TrackBack
September 20, 2005
Nokia donating mobile development code to Eclipse
Nokia to Launch Mobile Project With Eclipse
Posted by vanevery at 01:38 PM | TrackBack
September 17, 2005
Opera API for Graphic Interfaces
Device UI toolkit gains low-level graphics API
From the Article:
Opera Software has added a low-level graphics API to its user interface (UI) development toolkit for home media device developers. The addition of GOGI (generic Opera graphical interface) allows Opera's Home Media SDK to build interfaces for devices that lack Qt, X, or other relevant graphical libraries, the company says.
Posted by vanevery at 08:48 PM | TrackBack
Hasbro Media Devices for Kids
Hasbro Projector, PVR, Other Gadgets for Kids - Gizmodo
Personal media, seems to be the newest trend in toys.. Crazy.. Good but Crazy..
Posted by vanevery at 08:42 PM | TrackBack
The Ultimate Portable Studio
O'Reilly: The Ultimate Portable Studio
Amazing article.. Need to do on the road audio work? Check this article.
Posted by vanevery at 03:59 PM | TrackBack
Mobile TV survey results..
Mobile device TV market "small but enthusiastic"
I have one word for mobile TV operators: INTERACTIVITY
Posted by vanevery at 02:56 PM | TrackBack
Nokia 770 on the way..
FCC approves Linux-based Nokia 770 Internet Tablet
Posted by vanevery at 12:52 PM | TrackBack
Vidster
Today @ PC World - Makin' Movies With the Vidster
Mattel has released the "Vidster". A video camera for kids.. Love to take one of these apart and make it into a video blogging tool.
Posted by vanevery at 12:50 PM | TrackBack
August 22, 2005
Local Report
local report: home
For those of you wondering what I have been up to for the past month or so, here is your answer: Called, Whitman Local Report, this is a performance piece utilizing mobile phones to create a montage of video "reports" and phone "reports" all in real time (live).
I created some custom software that runs on the phones (Nokia 6710's) to shoot and automatically upload video from the participant's phones (30 of them) and more software to playback the videos as they come in (with some controls for play, pause, stop, next and previous).
Hans, my technical collaborator, took care of setting up an Asterisk server and queue to receive the phone in reports and play those out as they came in.
We have one performance to go, please tune into the live stream, come to the live event or check it out afterwards. The previous 4 are available now if you would like a taste.
Here is some press that I just came across: Art and Innovation Collide
Posted by vanevery at 12:02 PM | TrackBack
August 11, 2005
Processing Moving into the Mobile world
Processing 1.0 (BETA)
From the site:
http://mobile.processing.org (coming soon)
Processing Mobile, a programming environment and library for writing software
for mobile phones.
Posted by vanevery at 03:59 PM | TrackBack
August 04, 2005
Nokia J2Me Issues *big issues*
Russell Beattie Notebook - Nokia 7650 J2ME Sockets Fun
Russell, thank you. You just saved me hours of trying to figure out why available() wasn't ever returning anything other than 0.
I also want to point out that Nokia's Java support while seemingly great from the outside is dismal once you get into it.
For instance, on my 7610, not only is the function you describe broken but so is the the vibra function in the Nokia UI (their own classes!) as well as the backlight functions.
I have been working on a project for weeks and still have mysterious *poofing* (the app just goes away, no exceptions, no nothing, just poof, gone, kaput) issues with no hope for resolution.
On top of that, I know I am using an older version of the firmware. Ok, how do I get that upgraded? If I was in Europe it seems everyone does it but in the US, nada.
Sad..
Posted by vanevery at 10:37 AM | TrackBack
July 22, 2005
An old rumor that is gaining momentum.
business2blog: Scoop: Disney Considering Teaming Up with Apple on Video iPod
Which was first, the product or the rumor? I think perhaps Apple reads the rags for product ideas :-)
Posted by vanevery at 12:59 PM | TrackBack
July 19, 2005
Making a phone call with J2ME
Invoking Platform Services in MIDP 2.0
Seems ridiculous that support for this wasn't available earlier.
Oh well, at least you can almost interact with the actual phone now.
Posted by vanevery at 05:57 PM | TrackBack
Experience The Experience Of Catapulting Wireless Devices
Experience the Experience!
Fun and informative
Posted by vanevery at 04:44 PM | TrackBack
July 18, 2005
Finally, iSync with my Nokia 7610
Litux Wiki : HowToAddDevicesToTigerIsync
The above URL, while somewhat opaque was the key.
Essentially, iSync wasn't working with my Nokia 7610 which it is supposed to. I recently upgraded to Mac OS Tiger which is purported to add support for this phone (and many others) but had no luck. iSync was saying that the device is unsupported.
After searching around and finding many blog entries which showed dismay over this vary subject I came upon the above Wiki entry.
Following it's instructions, I realized the problem, Nokia is identifying the phone as "Nokia 7610b" instead of "Nokia 7610" which is what iSync is expecting.
In order to find this out, I had to download ZTermZTerm (which I haven't used since 1996). Unfortunately, Z-Term was my last thought, after going through Fink and realizing that minicom just wouldn't work (actually, wouldn't install). And after pairing with the phone through the Bluetooth Setup Assistant I was able to connect to it as a modem and run the AT command "AT+CGMM" which returned "Nokia 7610b".
I then edited the MetaClasses.plist file and changed the identifier for the Nokia 7610 to "Nokia+Nokia 7610b" and viola, everything was peachy.
Finally...! I can carry around my contacts, something I haven't been able to do since my Palm died 2 years ago. Who would have guessed something so trivial would be so hard. I almost resorted to paper ;-)
Posted by vanevery at 03:18 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 09, 2005
Port Your Java MIDlets to a Palm Device
Port Your Java MIDlets to a Palm Device
Posted by vanevery at 04:09 PM | TrackBack
July 08, 2005
Repurpose that disposable camcorder
Boing Boing: Pinouts for CVS's "disposable" camcorder
From Boing Boing:
CVS Pharmacies sell a one-time-use camcorder that you have to bring to their shop once you're ready to get your videos, which are delivered on DVD. Enterprising hackers are racing to reverse-engineer the camcorder so that they can extract their own video and make multiple uses of the camera without paying repeatedly.