On Friday, I attended Blog Potomacover at the State Theater in Falls Church. Blog Potomac is a gatheringof local bloggers and social media experts discussing the latest trendsand best practices.
With that in mind, I had the opportunity to do a brief mobile broadcast with Maggie Fox (CEO, Social Media Group). Maggie is a social media guru and has developed some high-profile marketing campaigns for Ford and other companies.
Inthe following interview, I asked Maggie about the mobile opportunityand whether companies were utilizing this channel. She gives her takeand videoblogger extraodinaire Jonny Goldstein decided to capture the action via Utterz (a member of Mobile Future).
We’ve talked a great dealabout utilizing social technologies on your wireless device here atMobile Future. In fact, it is really hard to keep up with all theapplications that can be used today and the ones being developed fortomorrow.
As many of you know, I recently returned from the National Conference for Media Reform. The conference had around 3000 people in Minneapolis over the weekend and lots of panels (on a wide array of topics).
Withregard to media reform, I do not follow the policy discussionsregarding this issue. However, it was interesting to hear some of theattendees talk about it over the weekend. Aside from the specifics andthe debate about it, wireless provides a way for folks to make mobilemedia. One can now conduct an “on the scene” interview or record anevent in realtime and truly be a “roving reporter.” For instance, Ihave used Utterz (one of our members) to do interviews and “mini-mobile podcasts” to enhance my media.
Citizenjournalism is important and your wireless device allows you tosuper-size your usual blog entries. In some instances, it may allow youto “scoop” traditional media too – especially at the local level. Anexample would be documenting an accident before all the traditionalmedia outlets can cover it.
The tools to make your own media are in ur hands. Start participating!
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Related Citizen Journalist note –
An article in TechCrunch last week revealed that Qik will be supporting Windows Mobile devices.
Qikis an application that allows you to live mobile broadcast and providesa place to archive those mobile videos. I use it to do my mobilebroadcasting… More info on the Qik/Windows Mobile news at TechCrunch.
In a few weeks, I will be making a trip to Minneapolis to speak at the Free Press Annual Conference.I’ve been asked to speak about how I utilize wireless to enhance myefforts as a citizen journalist. This is a topic that is very importantto me and I’m grateful to have the opportunity.
With that inmind, I thought I would give futurists a little preview of my commentsfor the conference. The theme is Social-Mobile Convergence, a topicthat we have addressed on a few previous posts.
Onthat note, Social-Mobile convergence can be defined by the continuedinnovation and adoption of social technologies combined with theevolution of next generation wireless networks. These forces aregrowing and are peaking at the right time. More unique applicationscome to life everyday and carriers are working hard to upgrade theirnetworks so that these apps can thrive. Not to mention a generation(millennial) that outnumbers the boomers who are mobile centric andvery social. They are leading this revolution and all citizenjournalists stand to reap the benefits.
As a citizenjournalist, your wireless device can augment your storytelling likenever before. The iPhone, Blackberry Curve, Nokia N95 (Ihave two out of the three) and many other 3G devices are great tools toutilize. If you are still in analog, your basic phone can even providethe functionality for mobile blogging.
One tool that Ifrequently use to enhance my reporting is mobile video. Personal mobilebroadcasting from my wireless device has enabled me to bring readersinto a story and have them share the moment with me. For instance, onmy recent trip to New Orleans, words alone wouldn’t have delivered theemotion (I was feeling) of the Katrina devastation or the joy of beingable to give back to the communityat St. Bernard’s. In each of those instances, I wanted you to be therewith me. I wanted you to see what I was seeing. Mobile video can makethis happen.
This mobile revolution on the horizon is excitingand I look forward to learning a few things from you. Please feel freeto contact me by email – .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) – if I can ever be of assistance.
I'm still digesting a lot of conversations that occurred last week at the WCA conference. One discussion that would not die was which 4G technology is better for consumers: Wi-Max or LTE.
Wi-Max stands for "worldwide interoperability for microwave access" and is the 4G technology choice to provide wireless broadband for SprintNextel and Clearwire. LTE stands for "Long Term Evolution" and is the 4G technology choice for Verizon Wireless and at&t. Both technologies utilize OFDMA but will utilize different spectrum to deliver mobile high-speed broadband.
In any case, these tired conversations reminded me of the CDMA versus GSM wars that took place earlier this decade. The results of those conversations were nothing but hot air. Ultimately, LTE is not a competing technology and consumers really do not care.
Consumers demand more from wireless service providers these days. Making calls and text messaging isn't going to cut it anymore. We want quick and easy access to the Internet. We want devices that utilize hotspots. We want to watch videos, listen to music and know where our friends are. Some of us want to watch mobile TV or do our own personal mobile broadcasting. We don't care if we get wireless broadband via 3G with HSDPA or EVDO or 4G via LTE or Wi-Max. We just want it to work.
I hope that engineers and company representatives stop selling their respective technologies and lead by listening to consumers. By listening, they will mitigate churn and be on the path to providing folks what they want and where they want it. Ultimately, it is not about Wi-Max "or" LTE but Wi-Max "and" LTE delivering the wireless broadband experience we all imagine...
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Tags: Mobile Applications, Mobile Broadband, Mobile Future, Mobile TV, News, Smartphone, Social Networking