Blog of Jim Caruso

What's amazing about OpenSocial is how it accelerates the pace of interconnection, previously rampant mostly within single, rapidly growing social networking communities. OpenSocial ties these fast growing communities together for a quantum leap in value and connection (to people, groups, organizations, philanthropic causes, etc.) Blogging, tagging, media (video and picture) sharing, and online personal or professional communities have become interconnected. Browser technology, such as from Flock, add to the usefulness of these ever-more useful tools. They are also ever-more intrusive and everyone should recognize (and maybe restrict) the personal information sharing, which can be automatically enabled within some of these online services and applications.

On "CBS News Unveils Web Strategy." Television broadcasters have enjoyed continuing streams of revenues from advertising - even increasing streams, even after these are proving less effective for advertisers. Viewership clearly is fractured, no longer just three (anyone remember?) or four television/video channels. In addition, online everything - Web, new media (video), VoIP, chat, and gaming - are all compelling, non-TV activities that are capturing majorities of some demographic segments (=young males).

So, as advertisers slowly make their way to more compelling and effective alternatives to television advertising, it is not surprising to see that some TV broadcasters have noticed and are doing something about it.

The jury is still out on the ability of the broadcasting industry to adjust to disruptive competition.

CBS still must be sensitive to competing with local affiliates and cable operators. Plus, Web-based content must fit an audience that CBS wishes to serve.
The Web visitor that CBS wants to reach is not in today's TV viewer demographic. Or if this CBS Web visitor is in the current market, then what new demographic do they reach out to and capture. Is it a strategy to stop the bleeding? Of ad revenues? Of viewership? It is difficult to imagine that CBS can stop a migration away from the perception of one-size-fits-all content. The ability to tailor your feed of "one-size-fits-all content" will not capture new markets, stem the flow of viewers and advertising dollars to other media or different, Web-based content.

I wish CBS well, but we'll see what happens.

See this story as released by CBS, here
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/12/entertainment/main708433.shtml

or as discussed at paidContent.com, here
http://www.paidcontent.org/pc/arch/2005_07_12.shtml#014766

Technorati Profile: Technorati Profile.

IP-based (Internet Protocol) telephony is certain to overtake switched-circuit telephony. Skype leads in the number of Voice over IP (VoIP) users and certainly has a global reach. Mobile telephone handsets will eventually communicate via IP. Now, there are some handsets, notably from Nokia, that are WiFi and coming as WiMax, and which also have switched circuit capability. In addition, Nokia's 770, a Linux OS tablet for about US$350 and WiFi, shows the possibility of these devices becoming phones. In fact the 770 looks a little like the 7100, which has no WiFi capability. T-Mobile and others, such as around Cleveland OH (thanks to my CASE alumni news) are building hotspots and ubiquitous WiFi coverage that portends a future of wireless IP communications that will include voice.

So, yes I need a new handset. My Samsung, Palm OS phone no longer accepts input via the stylus. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait for the handset of my dreams. The best for the moment might be a handheld mobile-phone-PDA with WiFi and switched circuit calling that runs the Skype application on Microsoft's Pocket PC (PPC) Operating System (OS). There are some photos on the Web of the Skype founder/CEO using such a device. HTC (Taiwan) makes some nice devices, but US wireless carriers, such as Sprint don't offer the WiFi version (guess why?), because you can bypass the carrier via the local wireless connection, in this case WiFi. Verizon Wireless was also taken to task on this issue, disabling the bluetooth in a handset it carries, so that subscribers have to send photos over the carriers own network rather than locally to the user's PC with bluetooth.

Is it just me, or do suppliers try to impress you with features you don't really use, such as still or video cameras, mp3 players, etc? My iPod Photo is just fine for music, as are my respective cameras for video and still photography. OK, after a little online searching the QDA700 from qoollabs.com is the closest to what I have and looks nice, just that I can't buy it yet. Also, I discovered that Sprint's replacement the Samsung i550 was canceled and that Samsung's i539 Smartphone will get launched in China. Well, the Siemens SX66 looks pretty sweet, but I'm gonna look again later.