Free TV for the iPhone

CBS  and TV.com have launched an iPhone application that offers full episodes of its programming for viewing. All the user needs is to download the app, and have a cellular or wifi signal. That's it. The app also gives access to many clips and trailers, among other videos. Unlike iTunes, the episodes of television can be viewed for free. Early reaction to the application is positive. People seem to be getting quality video in different situations. One blogger claimed that even though he was on the EDGE network -- 3G was unavailable in his test spot -- he still viewed a decent stream. CBS is the first to offer it's programming for free on mobile devices. Other sites, like Hulu, do not offer any mobile peripherals for viewing.

Unless I'm mistaken, this should quickly turn into some kind of standard. CBS is only offering older  episodes of shows like Star Trek or CSI, but if they start to transition into offering newer stuff, it could really transform the iPhone. Again. It would definitely be nice to watch your favorite show anytime, anywhere, for free.

click here for the link.

and another.

NYT Neighborhood Blogging

The New York Times launched a “neighborhood blog” in which subscribers to the Times will be able to post on local events and happenings in the area. Each blog will be hyper-localized to a particular area and will be open to posts on almost any type of cultural events or news pertinent to that particular area. According to the NYT, Times editors will still be placing a large about of content on each blog but will mainly consist of user-generated content. Users will be able to post in all mediums, from regular text, to photos and even videos. The Times also hopes that it will attract more advertisements from local companies who can’t afford to advertise on the New York Times as a whole.

I think that this is a pretty decent idea but I am surprised it has taken a large news outlet like the NYT this long to jump on the blog bandwagon. Creating these hyper-localized threads will be beneficial in enhancing advertising of local happenings but could get lost in spam postings in its moderators don’t stay on top of it. I don’t believe that users will stick with it if the information isn’t A) accurate and up to date and B) clean of spam postings.

My sources can be found at Techcrunch and Brownstoner

SOUTH KOREANS FREAK OUT FROM NOT WATCHING SUBWAY TV, WOULD AMERICA GET TO THIS POINT?

South Koreans have long enjoyed the privilege of watching TV on their cellphones, however, their cellular operators have recently announced that they are thinking about cancelling subway TV coverage. This decision is being discussed because of declining ad revenue and huge debt from the service, which was provided at no additional cost to subscribers. For South Koreans, watching tv on the subway has become a familiar part of their routines ever since 2005, when phone companies launched mobile TV that could be tuned in on phones just about everywhere, including the subway tunnels in Seoul and other cities. The 10 million users of this service have begun to complain. According to the phone providers, the best solution would be for the government to subsidize the service, otherwise they might drop it altogether.

This still seems as a matter of science fiction in America where people still struggle with dead zones and wimax reception (oh boy, dont we know about this Nokia N810 users?). However, CBS just released an application for its tv.com site that would allow iPhones to play full episodes of its series using cellular networks. So, America its on the way of providing the necessary tools for people to watch TV using cellular networks. But, should people be charged an extra fee? or should companies offer it as a complementary service? If companies start charging there might not be too many people interested in the service (something very likely with the actual economy), but if carriers decide to implement the service and people start actually using it, it would be almost impossible to cut it off.


What would happen?? We'll have to wait and see. This just makes me wonder if I'll ever be upset by not being able to watch tv on the t...



Here are my sources:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/cbs-beams-star-trek-episodes-to-iphones/


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-korea-cellphone-tv27-2009feb27,0,6155826.story

High on the third screen: Twitter as the new Narcissus mirror?

The three screens are wonderful, amazing, fantastic... And catastrophic.
Let's be honest, they have turned us into 24/7 data junkies and broadcasters. Why is it so important to start tagging people on a Facebook "Bucket List"? Why o why do we feel compelled to express our complaints about bad restaurant service on status updates as opposed to writing an actual letter to the place's management? Why is it so important to Twitter that we're getting off-line to go to the supermarket?
The good news (oh, well, not "good", but calming in a sense) is that this tendency is actually affecting all kinds of people, including the exclusive group whose job consists in broadcasting through Screen #1 (Television) everyday events and news.
Not happy with million eyeball ratings, TV journalists are now apparently in need to Twitter (aka: inform) spectators of their every-minute happenings. Is this just 3-screen vanity? Or the new state of breaking news? Katie Couric guaranteeing a breaking news digitally while he she is still off the air?
I thought the piece was quite interesting.
It's not about users and the intern PA's in charge of a show's website. Now it's about the stars (ehem... Journalists) themselves.

"What Are You Doing? Media Twitterers Can’t Stop Typing" by Alessandra Stanley in The New York Times

S. Quiroga