Mobile Media Show #21 (MP3 – 7.2MB – 21min)

My guest on the show is Ross Dawson, a consultant and commentator on the global network economy.

He recently made comment on the suitability of mobile phones for social networking and how Australia is lagging behind this trend due to high data charges imposed by the telcos, arguing it has been limiting the capacity for experimentation.

Ross discusses proximity dating, mobile as a tool for social networking and how developments like video glasses will change the way content is consumed on portable devices.

I start this interview by asking Ross to fill us in on the history of mobile content in the USA and how their unlimited data deals have made them leap frog other countries to now be a leader.
More info:
Ross Dawson blog: Trends in the Living Network

Part of the challenge of making presentations about mobile content is deciding how to best show what is on my phone.

The phone projector technology seems to be still quite rudimentary. I’ve only seen one system that works well and it is a small plastic unit that slips over the phone screen, thus capturing the screen image while still allowing for keypad access.

At the Australian, Film Television and Radio School, where I do many of my seminars, I recommended the project-a-phone and although it does the job it is not very elegant and because the capture camera sits a few inches away from the mobile there tends to be glare on the screen that lowers the clarity of the final image that is projected.

In the absense of a good live projection system I have opted for taking screen shots from my phone. I have found a great application to do this with - Screen Shooter (v1.0).

The software can be downloaded by the web and installed from your Mac/PC to your phone. There is a 14 day trial period.

This is brilliant tool for showing the mobile interface. I did a presentation for ABC New Media people last week (download it from here if you like).

I have created a Flickr page with the images, so others can see examples of mobile content interfaces.

It seems that the best system for live presentations should come directly from the phone to the projector - ideally this would be via blue tooth or wireless. I know that Samsung has a phone that does this, however, I have heard that it does not do it very well.

If anyone can suggest a good projection system please share it with us. There needs to be a better way to show the mobile personal experience to a large audience.

Mobile Media - an international conference on social and cultural aspects of mobile phones, convergent media, and wireless technologies.

2-4 July 2007
The University of Sydney, Australia

Barely twenty-five years since their commercial introduction, mobile cellular phones are widely used around the world. Having become an important technology for voice and text communication in the daily lives of billions of people, mobiles are now recognised as central for contemporary transformations in cultural and social practices, and in new developments in computing, media, telecommunications, Internet, and entertainment.

Equipment manufacturers, cultural and content producers, and user groups and creative communities are focussing on the possibilities of mobile media - with mobiles and wireless technologies, platforms,
services, applications, and cultural forms being designed, manufactured, and reconfigured as convergent media.

Various forms of mobile media have been imagined for sometime, and are now a reality: mobile Internet, new forms of mobile text, mobile music, mobile film and video, mobile games, mobile learning, mobile media for the workplace, videotelephony, and mobile television. This relatively short history of mobile telephony is concurrently marked by the shift of the role of users from consumers to active producers - and mobile media is being heralded as a new site for consumption, democratic expression,
individualism, citizenship, and creativity.

In this international conference, held at the University of Sydney, Australia, 2-4 July 2007, we aim to comprehensively analyse and debate mobile media - exploring its emerging structures, features, practices, value chains, producers and audiences, delving into its social, cultural, aesthetic and commercial implications, and debating its futures.

The conference will feature leading scholars including Genevieve Bell (Intel), Stuart Cunningham (Queensland University of Technology), Shin Dong Kim (Hallym University), Leopoldina Fortunati (University of Undine), Leslie Haddon (LSE), Angel Lin (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Dong Hoo Lee (Incheon University), Rich Ling (Telenor), Shin Mizukoshi (University of Tokyo), Raul Pertierra (Ateneo de Manila and University of Philippines), Misa Matsuda (Chuo University) and Judy Wajcman (Australian National University).

We also invite papers on all aspects of mobile media, including, but certainly not restricted to:

* what does it mean to talk about mobiles as media?
* how do we map and theorise the transformations underway with mobile platforms, applications, and networks?
* mobile art
* mobiles and photography
* emerging cultural and narrative forms for mobiles (such as mobile films and videos)
* intersections between mobiles and Internet technologies
* wireless technologies and cultures
* mobile television, radio, and other kinds of broadcasting
* video calling and communications
* sexuality, intimacy, and mobile media
* mobile media and national or regional cultures
* subcultures, minority cultures, majoritarian cultures, and mobile media
* how do gender, sexuality, disability, socio-economics, cultural and linguistic contexts inflect cultural practices in the far-from-even-and-even terrain of mobiles?
* mobile media and political economy
* mobile gaming
* what are the implications of mobile media for our concepts of culture, communication, and media
* mobiles, community, and public sphere
* mobile media, place and space
* ramifications of mobile media for creative, cultural and media industries
* challenges of mobile media for policy, regulation, and legislation.

Abstracts of 300 words are due by 10 September 2006 (please send copy of abstract to both organizers).

Acceptance advised by 20 September 2006, with full papers due by 15 January 2007.

All papers will be subject to masked peer review and published in the conference proceedings.

For further information, contact: Gerard Goggin, Media & Communications, University of Sydney, (gerard.goggin@arts.usyd.edu.au); Larissa Hjorth, Games programs, RMIT University (larissa.hjorth@rmit.edu.au).

Conference website (from August 2006): www.mobilemedia2007.net

The success of Frank Chindamo, from Fun Little Movies, in convincing a major brand like Toyota to sponsor a comedy series for mobile phones - called The Pool - should give heart to creative people looking to make original content.

This step demonstrates how brands can finance the production of content directly, by-passing the traditional (heritage) broadcasters and harnessing the power of digital, interactive and peer-to-peer distribution systems.

Well done Frank. I look forward to seeing more of that.

Apologies for the break in transmission over the past few weeks, sometimes life gets in the way. During my absence I have acquired a new imac G5 and want to express my pleasure at the way the inbuilt bluetooth communicates so nicely with my phone. It makes transferring files and installing software on the phone a breeze.

After plugging the merits of smart phones and a better web experience on 3G for the past two years I am finally getting requests for help from friends wanting to upgrade their phones. A couple of them have purchased the Nokia N and E series and have been over the moon about how easy it is to connect to their home and work wireless network and surf the web. This makes sense given the inflated data charges that still remain in Australia. It also suggests that the phone is useful as a portable and personal web browser that is not just for consumption of content on the go (between work and home) and this is backed up by research that shows a large percentage of mobile content is consumed in the home. This extention of the web experience from the computer to the phone is good as the synchronization of the experience needs to become easier and easier in order for the notion of the “4th screen” to take hold.

I am eager to up-grade my phone from the Nokia 6680 which groans whenever I load a new app onto it, so I went to the 3 store in the city and found there are waiting lists all around town for the Nokia N91. This is a very strong indication that people are so eager to have their mp3 player and phone in one device and should cause alarm to the Apple folks who are so comfortable in their domination of the mp3 player market. It’s particularly surprising given the brick like shape of the N91 phone, it is not the most elegant device around. I also had a friend show me his collection of art works he is selling, flicking through them on this phone. I asked if he had a photo or video ipod and he said yes, but it’s in the glove box of his car, “Why carry two devices”, he said.
Will there be an Apple mobile phone that is feature rich yet maintains the simplicity and style Apple is famous for? Who knows, but one thing is for sure, I will be at the front of the queue to get one if there is. Mind you, having seen the spunky Helio, I’m wondering when this cool gadget might become available in Australia.
Update: Tomi Ahonen talks about this extensively on his Communities Dominate Brands blog.

Also, here is a review of the Nokia Web Browser S60 that is featured on Symbian 9 handsets, according to reports it out performs the Opera Mobile browser, which I use and have blogged about in the past.

The4thScreen: a global fest of art & innovation for mobile phones focuses on the emerging cultural, technological and social phenomenon of mobile phones.

“We are at the moment when everybody, from the media moguls to Vietnamese peasants - artists, hackers, activists, businesses and governments are trying to grasp the impact, the power, of this new phenomenon…. trying to claim a part of it. There is still a lot of space for great ideas, to fulfill dreams and real needs. I hope the Festival will serve as a catalyst and influence this process… “

Tamas Banovich, festival director

Connecting over 2 billion users, more than twice as many as the Internet, covering every country of the world, the mobile network is bridging the digital divide.

With the mobile phone, the power is in your hands. From concept to creation you can share your visions, impact your world and reach millions.

Artists, designers, technologists, and all creative thinkers are invited to submit their creations, inventions and revolutionary ideas in one of two categories:

1/ Moving images - including videos, animations, and games made specifically for mobile delivery.
2/ Wise technologies - including SMS based projects, sound, software art, software and hardware projects proposing new or extended use of mobile devices.

The4thScreen is a platform where you can influence the future of this new medium, exchange your ideas over the boundaries of your culture and participate in the global village.

Mobile Content World seemed to start with an air of excitement this year, as many familiar faces re-acquainted at Sydney’s Star City Casino for 2 days of panels and presentations on mobile content in Australia.

The enthusiasm may have been dampened by Gary Hayes in his keynote address saying that perhaps the industry has not grown up and might be likened to an adolescent. He cited interoperability as one of the biggest issues facing the industry.

Better news was not forthcoming from Claudia Sagripanti, who said the latest report from AIMIA’s MCIDG showed spending on mobile content is down from 2005 figures.

Ira Rubeinstein, from Sony Pictures Digital, the keynote international speaker, painted a bleak picture of the challenges of maintaining a culture of legal transfers of digital entertainment citing his mother and daughter being part of the “linked and liberated”, “engaged and entertained” community. SPD strategy for mobile distribution includes the sale of movies on memory sticks.

Jennifer Wilson, from HWW, extended upon this discussion by focussing on social networks and the construct of digital public and private spaces. She talked about the “alpha” user who is not always the early adopter in a group, but is the one who has the most influence amongst his/her group. She gave a demo of a mososo HWW has created (and yet to launch) called Tribz, which has a sophisticated feature set that is able to serve a cross-platform social network and serve them across SMS, IM and email.

Olivia Hilton, the new CEO of Jumbuck, says that for people to be part of a mobile community they need critical mass, identity, ownership, usability and accessibility. She also says that people have changed, citing research that shows 15-25 year olds are 50% more extrovert than 20 years ago.

There were several panels throughout this two day conference and they not only allowed for strong interaction from the audience but also meant speakers were not able to just give a sales pitch - which tends to happen at some of these events.

The most interesting of the panels was one featuring a selection of “real users” who were not only interesting but very funny, including the one member who had five phones in total and carried two with her at all times. You could see the exascerbation on the faces of the telco representatives when the panel explained the lengths they go to avoid paying call and data costs - including timing limited free calls to hang up before incurring costs and sideloading music instead of buying ringtones. None of the panel of “real users” said they had viewed video content - apart from clips they or friends had made, and the 16 year old guy who had subscribed to Big Brother on 3.

This is one of the issues faced by Frank Chindamo, from Fun Little Movies, who provided an entertaining presentation and showed some really cool stuff - like Random Acts of Kindness. Although he is selling content to portals around the world there still seems to be an issue about audience attraction to this type of content here in Australia.

There was much discussion about the role the carriers are playing in educating the audience - and although they say they are doing this, the overwhelming evidence shows that their efforts are falling short of what is needed. Arun Gupta from India says that every new phone customer is invited to an after hours introduction session that provides them with a step by step explanation of what content is available and how they can access it. Could this happen in Australia?

Most obviously missing from the forum were representatives from the major commercial networks. Particularly considering that Telstra came out with some fairly strong positioning (calling it a tectonic shift) in regard to its ambitions to dominate the mobile and broadband arenas which will put them in direct competition with the likes of the television channels and other multi-platform content providers like Fairfax and News Corp.

Once again there was much discussion about the portal / off-portal issue. While it’s understandable the telcos are attempting to control the user experience to maximise their revenue, the rhetoric that they are doing it to protect the user from a bad experience is now wearing thin. Particularly with companies like Bango at the conference who are offering a wap payment system that can be implemented by content providers within hours. This means that the massive amount of interactive and traditional media companies standing in the queue to talk with the telcos can now start working on a direct relationship with their audiences.

Fear of high data charges (bill shock) may be preventing the Australian audiences from exploring these off-portal options and therefore, we are still seeing the most successful content vendors are those placed in the carrier portals.

ORGANIZED BY ART CENTER NABI - SEOUL, KOREA

The progress of mobile technology characterized by mobility, connectivity, and dispersion seems to resonate with the diasporic experiences of Asians who are mobile, dispersed yet connected with each other through socio-cultural dynamics and relations.  With the mobile market and its culture expanding beyond Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan to the Southeast Asia, the need should be raised for reflecting upon the currency of culture and the urgency of new identities that are evolving with mobile technology in Asian region.

Mobile Asia Competition 2006 hosted by Art Center Nabi pays attention to the role of media makers and artists in articulating and expressing the Asian mobile cultures.  Artists and media makers always appropriate and challenge the given technology through creative ideas and critical practices to broaden the space of possibilities.  Especially, the recent emerging ubiquitous mobile environments requires both popular sentiment and critical thoughts.  Mobile Asia competition 2006 investigates the new forms of Asian identities and cultures in the creative works of artists and designers who dare to experiment, play, and wrestle with the mobile technologies.

CATEGORY

1. Works made to be viewed and experienced on mobile devices
(1) Game, Interactive Art
(2) Screen-based arts : Animation, Motion Graphic, Documentary, Music Video, Narrative film, etc.

2. Works made by mobile phones such as camera phone, video phone.

3. Idea proposal for wireless art projects on the theme of ¡®connectivity and social network¡¯
Art project that expresses the theme of social network and connectivity while exploring new and artistic ways of using diverse personal media such as mobile phones, laptop, PDA and internet network.

PRIZE

The total award money is US $20.000 and the selected works will be exhibited in various on and offline venues.

Category 1 & 2 (Mobile content): US $10.000
- One winner from each category will be awarded with $5000.
- The works by winners and other selected works will be screened and exhibited at Art Center Nabi, ResFest Korea 2006 (digital film festival), and Korean mobile phone service including DMB channel.

Category 3 (Wireless art proposal): US $10.000
- One winner will be awarded with $5000.
- Additional $5000 and technical support will be offered for the realization of the proposal if the work is decided to be realized for the exhibition at Art Center Nabi.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

.Category 1 & 2 seek for completed works, and Category 3 for project proposal.
.Projects that are under development will also be considered for Category 3.
.Project proposal should relate to the theme and topics of the Award
.The works that are already presented or won in other competitions are not eligible for entry.

_HOW TO SUBMIT
.All submissions should be processed through the official online platform.
.Biography, project proposal, and other supporting materials (image, sound, movie files) should be uploaded in appropriate format indicated in each section.
.However, the works applying for Category 1 & 2 should be sent via registered mail in the format of CD-Rom, DVD, Mini DV tape with a copy of filled-out online registration form printed from the website.

Please go to http://www.nabi.or.kr/pages/submission.asp to complete your submission. (all submissions)

Mail address (Category 1 & 2 only):
Art Center Nabi  [Att: Mobile Asia Competition 2006]
99 Seorin-dong, Jongro-ku, SK bldg. 4th fl.
Seoul, Korea
110-110

_IMPORTANT DATES
Deadline for Submissions
.Category 1 & 2:  August 31, 2006
.Category 3:  July 31, 2006
Notification of winners September 15, 2006

CONTACT

For more information, please visit http://www.mobileasia.org

Or contact at mobileasia@mobileasia.org

Rhizome.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an affiliate of
the New Museum of Contemporary Art.

Rhizome Rare is supported by grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the
Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and with public funds from
the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Mobile Media Show #20 (MP3 – 7.2MB – 21min)

I’m pleased to be speaking with Russell Buckley, a pioneer in mobile marketing and one of the most experienced people working in mobile content. He talks about his new venture, AdMob, a system for providing advertising links on WAP sites. To benefit from Russell’s wisdom and knowledge I highly recommend subscribing to his MobHappy blog (co-written with Carlo Longino).

More info:

http://www.admob.com/

http://www.mobhappy.com/