DISQUS

anonymous coward · 1 year ago

You can do real time video chat with 3G phones in Europe and Asia today, but nobody uses it because:

- It's super annoying to the people around you. It's basically a form of exibitionism / show off.

- There's no privacy, when you know, most people would like to keep their conversation private. People can totally see who you are talking to too.

MG Siegler · 1 year ago

Yeah good points, that should change at least somewhat as video becomes more prevalent, but will it ever completely replace text? It's certainly debatable.

John Furrier · 1 year ago

MG: nice point to add on the white space (spectrum) angle. If the gov't doesn't screw it up the oppty for a real broadband wireless network might be a possibility.

The future of video is not a debate but I'd say what are the roadblocks and what are those enabling technologies to make it a reality fast... that's a conversation worth having... one Google should be leading

MG Siegler · 1 year ago

Thanks John, definitely agree. The tech will be there, but it seems like it's kind of already there, it's just regulations and bureaucracy holding us back. I hope Google keeps pushing for change in that regard.

Jay Cuthrell · 1 year ago

Dick Tracy references aside... getting to a dulpex video terminal isn't so much technology as it is social norms. We're already annoyed by people on mobile phones attempting duplex audio.

I still subscribe to the notion that technology is a response to a perceived need. I'm just not clear that generalized society wants it bad enough for it to leave the labs and niche markets.

There are a lot more vendors pushing easy to use H.323 and SIP based video conference boxes that you (I assume) put on top of your TV set. What's odd to me is that the companies that market the devices are under the impression someone that would use it does not own a flat panel LCD/plama screen. The form factors are "all wrong" [tm].

I think when we see a 44" iMac or LCD and Plasma shipping with integrated cameras the demand for user to user video will increase in the aging markets. All the whiz bang demos show the video piped in from anywhere to anywhere.

I can definitely imagine a scenario where kids are provided with a video spigot phone that calls home to the parents TV so that they can ask the child to pan around their surroundings as the future of curfew.

Oh, and Nike's that attach to hovering skateboards.

Engago team · 1 year ago

SMS (or Texting) was just an add on that was possible because of a "slack" opening in the communication protocol.
Nobody believed people would use 162 characters to communicate, but as it wouldn't cost much to install the suppliers proposed it to the operators at a low cost.
Miracle happened when people all over Europe started to SMS. It became the best revenue part for GSM operators.

A service that had an un-predicted success will last for many years to come.

Will people turn to video?
As MMS (still pictures) didn't catch on because of high cost, who will use video?

A business model that could work:
Uploading of videos overnight sponsored by advertising
As networks have low traffic overnight, it would be possible to send to videos to your mobile during the night. The next morning during commuting, you could watch these videos mixed with the supporting advertising or film trailers.
Thus instead of getting your free printed newspaper you would get free videos.

Green: Less waste of paper!

Youtube Friend · 1 year ago

If we look at the blog post which Chad has written the Youtube stats are really amazing with 13 hours of video getting uploaded every minute.Now that is huge!!

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