Sony PS3 to deliver video…get ready to create your own channel
June 27, 2008
Sony has confirmed that the Playstation 3 will deliver downloaded movies and TV. This is probably no surprise to PS3 owners who have had an empty video store sitting on their consoles. But while everyone can assume the best (DVDs die) or worst (the store stays limited to Sony movies), the implication of this store may be much broader. If users do start seeing the store as a video download machine, then the PS3 Web browser may be the next stop for streaming videos. Read more
Skype Plug-Ins a Treasure Chest of Media and Communications Tools
June 26, 2008
I’m not sure why I don’t hear more about Skype extras (plug-ins). For people that work with others via phone and computer, it’s full of tools for communications and media collaboration.
I’ve been testing out a few plug-ins that cover both these categories that enable me to use Skype as an application portal to manage communications, collaborate, share media and, when we need a break, play a few games.
If you go to Skype tools and do more you’ll find the extras section with categories of plug-ins.
- Collaboration to get a web conference going with people you’re talking to.
- Virtual PBX so you can manage phone calls (how people are greeted, where calls go.
- Media sharing tools to send video, sharing media and work together through shared desktops.
- Multi-player games
- Ways to find people and communicate as groups
Even if you’re not a Skype user I suggest browsing the extras on Skype’s site - https://extras.skype.com/. These plug-ins are great examples of different ways developers are combining digital media and communications for both business, personal and entertainment purposes.
Zoho Show Adds New Media Features
June 26, 2008
Zoho Show, part of the Zoho suite of web applications, has updated its tool set for Web collaboration and presentations. There are several key new features for professionals using it to market in digital media format.
- Export to PPT, PPS, PDF, ODP
- Picasa Integration - Like many, I use Picasa to store photos from work. This makes it a lot easier to simply pick out the ones I want while working on presentations.
- Embed Enhancements for embedding in a blog or website. Embedded presentations are great digital content for marketing, educational and other types of online content.
You can read more here.
Verizon Wireless Offers Loopt Social Mapping Service
June 25, 2008
Verizon announced they will offer Loopt social mapping to their wireless subscribers. Loopt’s location based service lets people share their location using mobile maps, tag content (such as photos) with location information and send information to blogs and other online properties. As we are seeing with other serivces, Loopt has privacy features to allow users to maintain control over their location data. The service, which will only be available on specific handsets (presumably GPS enabled ones), will cost $3.99 per month.
As with the other services, we’ll be watching to see if Loopt provides any opportunities for marketers. This isn’t about bombarding consumers with messages about MacDonald’s around the corner but providing information people want. For example, you may want to sign up for a Starbuck’s service that let’s you know when a friend is in a nearby Starbuck’s.
The Video Pie will Grow 25% by 2013
June 18, 2008
Forrester Research’s Jame McQuivey published a report confirming the video pie continues to grow with consumers going from 4 to 5 hours per day of video consumption. How can we possibly have more time to watch video? Simple, says McQuivey, OmniVideo.
Hippopost: Great direct marketing…if people get it
June 17, 2008
We’re big fans of combining online and offline marketing tools to truly engage consumers. So Hippost got our attention with the idea of putting ads on real post cards you send to friends. It’s a great idea for delivering marketing messages to an engaged consumer but with several core challenges.
The video viewing pie grows
June 13, 2008
Ipsos Insight came out with some data showing shifting habits in where people watch video. There’s no shock here in terms of TV having less of the video pie and other platforms growing. Nevertheless, even TV may win in the end as Web video gets delivered to the television. There are a few important things to note in terms of how the overall pie is growing and how habits are becoming more segmented.
Web to be #2 ad medium. So what.
June 11, 2008
IDC reported a few weeks ago on the growth of web ads. Just another day. But then MediaPosts Center for Media Research headlines it as “Web #2 Ad Medium in Five Years” comparing the Web, as IDC did, to TV and newspapers. Only direct marketing would stay ahead of Web advertising. But this is a false metric.
Online Ad Feedback - it’s about time
June 11, 2008
Facebook announced ad feedback and it’s a long overdue tool. While no one should expect users to sit around and rate ads all day, it may at least help weed out the best and the worst. The best both drive sales and can make ad space more valuable when targeting is improved. The worst can cheapen space and annoy, if not scare away, users. The middle will probably go on being ignored (or, if Facebook releases data, learn from the best and improve performance).
What is Sony thinking with Qore?
June 8, 2008
When Sony announced the first original video series for the Playstation 3, the first reaction from a lot of people was “what the….” Why would anyone pay a few dollars per episode for what is essentially a video that markets Playstation 3 content? Yes, it takes you behind the scenes. But is that worth money? However, there may be a method to their madness.
