Mobileslate

Mobile Music Downloading – Lessons Learned

Verizon announced that it would extend its VCast service to launch a music download service to let subscribers get their music to their handset. This is a marked improvement over what Cingular/Motorola/Apple created. The main difference between the two is the fact that with Verizon, you can *directly* download from your phone to your phone *and* download from your PC and sync (via USB) to your phone. With all the money invested in the Apple iTunes store, one would think that extended it to a custom phone would have been a natural evolution. Even with the impending Motorola SLVR, i doubt they would have fixed this *botched use case* of downloading from an iTunes phone.The price is not bad, either; $1.99 from the phone or $0.99 from the PC. If the price was just a bit lower, say $1.50, I would be willing to pay the extra $0.50 for convenience. The other issue which is always a concern is choice; but with Verizon claiming 1M songs available, that’s a great start.Finally, aside from the Samsung SCH-a950 and the LG VX8100 feature [flip] phones for Music, it doesn’t look like a whole lot of choice in handsets. These seem to be the only ones with removable/expandable memory slots (using TransFlash cards). Perhaps if Smartphones offered by Verizon supported VCast Music, that might provide the Early Adopters more incentive to try the service. Rumor is that Cingular and Sprint will offer rival services; Sprint should have a leg up with their EVDO network, downloads should be pretty speedy.

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Mobile Video in 2006

Well, well, well. Mobile video is certainly touted even more this year. As trails are underway, deployments happening globally, are we really going to subscribe to mobile video? Just look at a screenshot of the MobiTV website! The amount of logos from programming to carriers, it’s certainly worth someone building up the infrastructure to push this mobile service.

Not to be outdone, Slingmedia has a completely different approach. Download a client to your phone (at this time, Windows Mobile) and you can watch what you already pay for or have recorded (a la DVR/PVR) anywhere. Personally, I like the idea of pushing programming that I already pay for to my phone, instead of paying twice via for what I get from my cable provider and a service like Verizon’s VCast. This way, I am only using the pipes, antennae and bits to watch what I’ve want. This potentially is far greater than companies like MobiTV’s ability to sign up partnerships and revenue sharing agreements with every channel globally. At that rate, I would rather pay for an unlimited data plan and flood my carrier’s networks with video packets directed towards my mobile.

Where content can make an impact is in original or “mobile-only” streams in order to capture people and get hooked on a series that appeals to people who have all that idle time to watch while they are going somewhere.

More to the point, mobile video is here to stay, however, we’re going to need to travel longer distances, improve public transportation and it’s relationship with carriers’ mobile wireless networks in order to really hit the mainstream. Otherwise, subterranean travel and potentially high-speed rail or certain types of air travel might not be as enjoyable. I just hope that we get the subscription prices low enough so that we don’t revolt and find free and illegal methods of watching/streaming our favorite shows. It might be Napster/Kazaa/eDonkey2000 all over again.

Introducing More Data Services!

I keep reading and seeing mobile services. Well, I’m happy that more are launching, but skeptical at the same time. While SMS, WAP and MMS are hear to stay, what kinda pasta, er mobile services will stick with us? Ringers, games, images are great, but people want services too!

Mobile telephone users in the developed world are adopting wireless data services in large and growing numbers, leading to a rise in sales of smartphones that support these advanced functions. According to ABI Research analyst Shailendra Pandey, “Some of these data services are popular everywhere: think of music and ringtone downloads, or games. Others are commercially available only in certain world regions: mobile TV, for instance, is popular in Western Europe and parts of Asia, but is virtually unseen elsewhere.” – Source: Cellular News

The problem about mobile services is that they cannot universally be pushed globlally. Glocalization must be derived my standard platforms and interfaces mixed with regional content and appeal. However, the appeal must be highly personalized in order to create a successful offering that compels us to keep a service longer than the 30/60/90 day trial period.

I’m sure lots of innovators and creative types are oozing with mobile ideas, you really have to think hard about making it a reality. But I too like how certain operators are willing to make their subscribers a petri dish for the world to gawk and be amazed.

CES: Mobile, Wireless Connections

While CES, is perhaps a Gadget and Electronics “Greatest Show on Earth” it’s certainly a time to reflect and observe what has gotten to the Tipping Point. While there was lots to talk about and mention, from large plasma TVs to floor scrubbing robots, not the mention the iPod [accessory] economy, there was certainly more and more to talk about in the mobile and wireless arena. This is particular interesting, since there is a dual purpose for the mobile computing platform.The first one being that we want to take everything with us, where ever we go. This was touted by larger and large flash memory cards available on the market.


Every time I hear a chip company announce an even larger memory card, DIMM, or hard drive, my Pavlov[ian] response is to think about the Bill Gates quote: “640K ought to be enough for anybody.” The second response to that is, what do I do with all that space? The latest news I read about was Samsung announcing a 16Gb flash memory card! So I’m thinking this is how I might distribute the space:

I guess I’ll stop carrying my iPod and digital camera altogether. Good: I have an integrated device, storing everything. Bad: Charging will go from every few days to once a night. Also, if I lose it, it’s all gone. The backlash however, is the fact that people most likely want devices that *do things well* in compared to a combo-device. I would potentially argue that tracking all the cords, chargers, and more is quite a hassle. But this form factor is still evolving and form, function, and fashion will ultimately dictate.The second aspect that seemed to be at CES what the need to control things (either wirelessly or from a mobile phone). This is evident with appliances, stereo equipment and more having Internet connectivity, WiFi ports, and web servers built in. One of my favorites is the Slingbox. About the only thing is lacks is Component ports and DVI. Perhaps that is the next installment of the box.

Nevertheless, as we evolve mobility, it’s funny how we become more attached to our fixed devices, but also, more attached to our mobile phone. I guess one of these days, we will begin to build mini data centers in our house, much like we have built our home theater systems into our lifestyle.

Six Of One, Half Dozen Of Another

There are roughly 6 MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) in the USA before 2006. I thought that would be enough, but in this ever changing landscape 6 more have popped on to the scene for 2006. The new wireless carriers are starting to like the wholesaling of their networks and people with niches to create and tons of money to burn. At the approximate cost of $500MM, it’s not cheap to get into the MVNO space, but by the looks of the newcomers, they certainly have deep pockets. While exclusively pre-paid players like MetroPCS, Net10, and Tracfone are at the low end fo the scale, the 6 new MVNOs are more market niche focused; Disney targeting children, ESPN targeting sports, and so on.As if that were not enough, I have heard rumors of even more MVNOs to hit the scene later this year. Well, if you are in the mobile content space or in the gateway space, this is now the time to seize any and all deals with the ever growing number of wireless operators. Let’s just hope that we don’t either: A. run out of distinct niches to make APRU or B. See consolidation as the Carriers see their APRU and customer base eroding away.