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April 10, 2006
Mobility: The Great Challenge for Streaming Media
Streaming media is on the rise -- YouTube, Google Video, et al. are testimony to that fact. Yet there's a huge gap between those who can enjoy streaming media on the go (in your car, on the commute, etc.) and those who use the original streaming medium: broadcast radio.
Despite the growth of Wi-Fi and cellular Internet connections, good old-fashioned "radio" is still unmatched in its ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and reliability for broadcasting audio to multiple listeners.
Here's an example: When I'm out in the yard mowing, I can pick up a $10 portable FM radio (actually, you can get them free as tradeshow swag) and listen to about 30 channels for free simply by turning it on and hitting a preset button. There is no solution as simple, easy-to-use, and cheap for streaming sources, like WOXY.com or other Internet-only radio stations.
But why not? My Wi-Fi network covers my yard, so why isn't there a nice, little (maybe even cheap) Wi-Fi radio I can stick in my pocket and "tune in" to streamed sources?
Granted, I can use my Treo 650 to stream in MP3-based sources at a whopping 48k mono (thanks, T-Mobile EDGE :-/), but that means I can't receive calls and a full charge only lasts about 2 hours doing that.
So what's the solution? Is terrestrial station going to be around forever because we can't beat its delivery economics with packet-based technologies? Or will mass storage continue to get smaller and cheaper at such a rate that we'll never feel a need for stuff stored "out there"? Or is there a solution on the way I just haven't heard of yet?
Posted by Craig in Mobile & PDAs
and Music & Audio
and Wireless
Comments
It’s not easy to tell you the facts without coming across as totally self-serving.
Full disclosure – I am the CEO of StreamerNet and I have over 27 years experience in high-tech markets and products. The bottom line is that it’s a noisy world out there and it is increasingly difficult to rise above the din. Please treat yourself to a look-see at the StreamerNet Mobile Video Producer http://www.streamernet.com/html/solutions.html to see how we can simplify all things video.
StreamerNet offers a unique set of visual communication tools that enable desktop delivery of video email, personalized coordination of highly-private OnDemand video hosting and delivery, and sophisticated reporting solutions to manage Enterprise knowledge base requirements. Additional features enable the creation and distribution of easy and affordable web-based video advertising.
This is definitely not about those Video Amusement Portals and I am simply compelled to tell you about it. Please let me know if I can personally assist you with answers or insights.
Regards
Bill
Posted by: Bill at July 12, 2006 9:53 PM
Note to readers: While Bill's post is overtly commercial and purely self-serving, I only allowed it because it's on-topic. If you want, I'll delete it...if nobody cares, it'll stay.
Posted by: Craig at July 12, 2006 10:13 PM