http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/ Engadget Mobile Comments for Nokia: mobile TV success is a little harder than we thought http://www.engadgetmobile.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgetmobile.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
1. Mobile TV is too expensive and only works with certain models and in limited places.
2. The younger generation is more into interactive media like the internet than traditional TV.
3. Youtube.
4. TV watching is a leisure activity, and a 2" screen held in my hand at a perfect angle, straining to hear the tinny speakers is not my idea of leisure.]]>Apr 16th 2008 3:43AMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/Apr 16th 2008 3:51AMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/Apr 16th 2008 9:23AMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
I often wonder what western mobile phone producers are thinking of when they do stuff like this. They sit there with with crappy, undersized screens with not a hint of VGA resolution in sight (It is 2008, now fellas, you can stop the pretence Japanese people haven't had these for the last year and a half), assume people will want to pay for TV content they can get at home for free (with a set top box or LCD/plasma TV) and wonder why people don't use it or like them as a company.

Japanese people got used to the idea long ago that any TV on your mobile, be it analogue in the old days or digital now, is free. They have phones with large, VGA resolution screens and the ability to record digital TV, watch it while surfing the net or writing mails. This has yet to happen in any other country.

The 3 network in Australia recently did a survey that concluded not many Australians were using mobile internet. Hmm. Wonder why? Most popular reason - overpriced. Oh really? What a surprise. A western mobile phone-related company overcharging people for a basic service that should come capped with a hugely better download limit in the firstplace. I mean, really.

It's not difficult to swallow your pride and just copy everything the Japanese have done in the past three or more years. Japanese phones rock, and yet the companies developing them only sell to a yearly market turnover of 50 million. With Nokia sitting as the world's largest phone manufacturer, with a nice 40 per cent or so in gross profits (literally), and a worldwide audience of billions, why is it they (and other guys) can't make a VGA screened flagship with digital TV for free and work with networks to offer better mobile internet deals while they're at it? Not difficult, guys.

Admittedly, there may be an issue with TV stations not ready to broadcast mobile digital content, but unless there's a technical thing i don't know about, shouldn't it be possible just to pick up regular digital signals? Even if not, again, this is something mobile carriers and TV networks need to work on. ]]>Apr 16th 2008 6:02AMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
And people should really stop that Japanese phones have it all. It's not a suprise that many of Japanes people use western mobiles as those phone interfaces are absolutely horrible some of the phones example change the button you need to push to get some where in every interface and cameras arent anyting out of this world compared to Nokia and Samsung camera phones.
But yes you are right that if there's something that they really need to get in their head is to get those high res big screens over here...damn it(why is it so hard SE? You are doing it in Japane why not here?)!

I dont personally watch mobile TV and biggest reason for it is screen! and secondly price. If i can get +3inch screen and get that service for ok price i'm all in for it.
Carriers had urge to get mobile TV to the main stream here in Finland for 1-2 year ago, but what i have seen it really havent taken off =) ]]>Apr 16th 2008 8:15AMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
I think the Japanese language needs a higher-resolution screen anyway, because Kanji is hard to decipher on a low-res screen. The fact that they have 3" displays is just gravy.

There have been a few Japanese cellphones adapted to GSM, but they usually don't work so well, and Sony has various patents in Japan that they don't use elsewhere, like the Jog Dial. The S710a was a hit for geeks, but it was really really big.]]>Apr 16th 2008 1:42PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
Anyone who wants to receive live TV broadcasts needs a TV license, even if they don't physically own a TV.

Granted, most people in the UK already have a TV license, but it has failed to take of in any major way in the UK for various reasons, but this is one of them.
I believe the government wanted to charge the networks a blanket license fee to cover this.]]>Apr 18th 2008 6:05AMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/Apr 16th 2008 1:35PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
My train ride home is 22 minutes. I watch one half hour episode of something every ride home...on my Nokia N810...and it's on MY schedule. TV has their schedule and almost never matches mine.

Welcome to the MP4 age Nokia...you would do well to catch up.

]]>Apr 16th 2008 7:56PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
You're using a Nokia N810 to watch your episodes. I'd say Nokia already have you covered and is a little ahead of you.

Especially with podshow custom tailoring all their podcasts for the n800/810 and Video Center. I have an n800 and I basically use it only as mobile video, and casual browsing when i'm not near my laptop.]]>Apr 16th 2008 11:22PMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
Yes, I agree with you Japanese phones do have many flaws, with their three inch screens necessitating a huge size and pitiful battery life - most of the people I know over there have to recharge them every night.

I also agree that a few Japanese phones may not have the best operating system, or be the most user-friendly. However, they do, on average ('on average' being the important term here) have far better cameras than the average western phone, with even the most basic phones now coming with face recognition, anti-shake and a minimum three megapixels. not only that, but the best phones, while no longer popular or available, came with five megapixels and three-times optical zoom, with all the above features and 9-point autofocus and full manual controls, a year ago. Even my old V602SH had a two-times optical zoom, CCD sensor and manual focus control, which only just got introduced on the LG Viewty (another crap phone). It also takes better photos than my N73.

Also, while they may be large, the iPhone ain't exactly tiny, and while slim, is quite wide. But, yes, I know slim and wide is far better than tall and fat.

On the operating systems, yes, a few phones may be indecipherable, such as past NEC phones I have used, but many are decent, and S60 is not the god-like system everyone makes it out to be. Plus most Japanese phones now run S60 or a variant thereof.

With regards to Mark's comments about the screen resolution, yes, the Kanji may be part of it, but I never had much trouble reading what was on the screen of my QVGA V602, as Japanese phones run ridiculous font sizes as standard, anyway. I personally think almost all of the screen technology development and competition came from the rise of digital TV, as well as the ludicrous competition they have in that market anyway.

Finally, yes, digital TV may be dead because everyone likes to watch what they want all the time, but I personally wouldn't mind it to watch the odd program I might be missing if I work late or am stuck in traffic. Always nice to have a feature there, even if you don't use it all the time, no?





]]>Apr 17th 2008 4:30AMhttp://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/04/16/nokia-mobile-tv-success-is-a-little-harder-than-we-thought/
Yes, smartphones come out later over there, but when they get them, they tend to crap on most smartphones over here (see Willcomm's Sharp-based phones or Toshiba's versions for further info). And remember, smartphones are all huge.

Also, I have yet to experience a smartphone that is actually as easy or enjoyable to use as a normal 3G phone. I have tried many, right up to latest 7.2mbps imate Ultimate's, and they have invariably sucked. I have a 7502 right now after trying the 9502 (which I admit was nice) and it just sits there on my bed, completely unused.

Oh, and while I haven't been back to Japan for two and a bit years, I'm quite certain they don't all use western phones over there, either. Japanese people have their pride, and in the past have always looked down on non-Japanese phones. Nokia and Motorola have fared poorly there (admittedly with under-specced, not the most recent, models), and even Samsung has only done relatively well. ]]>Apr 17th 2008 4:32AM