Mobile Multimedia - A New Peak For The Alpine Car Stereo

We all know that brand names matter when purchasing car audio hardware. There are brands that are surely more reputable than others. When you are at the store and they offer choice after choice after choice, suddenly you feel overwhelmed on what really to buy. But you can be assured of one thing, if they offer you an Alpine car stereo you can't go wrong with it.

Alpine car stereo and electronics, founded in 1978, is a world leader in the industry of high performance mobile electronics. They specialize in mobile multimedia, an integrated system approach incorporating digital entertainment, security and navigation products for the mobile entertainment.

Alpine car stereos are a new breed of units which feature the convergence of high performance audio, video, navigation and telematics in the form of Mobile Multimedia. Navigation systems act as the resource

center of the Alpine car stereo Mobile Multimedia lineup. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), DVD players, Dolby Digital systems, satellite digital audio radio, mobile data linking and communication

through telematics devices will be fused with navigation systems to create a platform of products. Mobile Multimedia integrates Alpine's innovative audio, video, security and navigation products, as well as

its new GUI for Drivers, human interface and information communications technology.

To grasp what the Alpine car stereo Mobile Multimedia is, take a look at the IVA-D901 Alpine car stereo Mobile Multimedia Station/CD/DVD Receiver/Ai-NET Controller. The IVA-D901 has 400% more pixels than a conventional in-vehicle display, meaning that it has 1.15 million pixel elements. It has 50W x 4 built-in power and 3 PreOuts (4 volt), SAT Radio ready, a Hard Disc Drive (HDD), and Alpine car stereo Navigation. Key features include:

- 7" Fully Motorized Wide Screen Monitor

- 18W x 4 MOSFET Amplifier

- Built-in Dolby Digital/DTS Decoder

- Bass Engine® Plus

- Subwoofer Level Control

- Bass Center Frequency Control

- Bass Band Width Adjustment

- Treble Center Frequency Control

- Subwoofer Phase Selector

- Bass Type Control

- 4-Ch Digital Time Correction

- 3 Position 12 dB/Oct Crossover

- MediaXpander(TM)

- SAT Radio Ready

- MP3 Text Information Display

- Quick Search Function

- CD/CD-R Playback

- CD Text, Text Display, Text Scroll

- M DAC

- MaxTune SQ Tuner

- 3 Auxilliary A/V Inputs with Remote Control Input

- Dedicated Navigation Input

- Dedicated Camera Input

- 2 Auxilliary Monitor A/V Outputs

- Navigation Audio Mix

- 3 PreOuts (4 volt)

- MM Driver (Hard Disc Drive) Ready

- MobileHub Ready

- Ai-NET Control Center DVD/CD/MP3 Changer Controller

- "Digital Art" Spectrum Analyzer Display

- RUE-4190 Universal Wireless Remote Control Included

If these all seems too much for you, Alpine car stereos also have more conventional head units to offer. The CDA-9835 Alpine car stereo In-Dash CD Player/Ai-Changer Controller lets you fully customize both

illumination and sound, with a range of 512 colors and super-versatile Bass Engine functions like digital time correction and parametric EQ. You can download audio parameter settings and connect and control as many as eight amps. The BioLite display, Menu key and rotary knob make operation extremely easy.

Like most Alpine car stereo units, it is also SAT Radio Ready, giving you a much greater choice of listening options than ordinary local AM/FM radio. You can select from among a wide range of music genres, news, sports, and talk programs with digital quality anywhere.

Let Marine Audio Help You Get the Sound You Want From Your Boat

Today mobile electronics aren't just for vehicles with wheels-you may instinctively think of car stereos when you hear about mobile audio shops, but many also offer marine audio to bring great sound to your boat! Whether you prefer surf the waves on a wakeboard or just soak up the sun on the deck, a marine audio system can help you enjoy great music while you're on the water.

Like aftermarket car audio systems, marine audio is usually made up of component electronics for great sound performance. Including speakers, subwoofers, decks, and amps, your boat's sound system can be customized for optimal performance that suits your listening style. One important thing to keep in mind is who will be listening to your music-especially if you tow wakeboarders, water-skiers, and tubers, you'll want rear-directed speakers so they can enjoy the tunes, too!

Marine video is even an option with today's exciting technology: whether you're interested in a GPS navigation system or a video monitor and DVD player to watch movies, your local mobile electronics shop can bring marine video to your boat.

Marine electronics have a number of challenges different from car audio, namely the presence of water! The most important thing about your boat stereo system is that it is correctly installed. While some components, such as marine speakers, can tolerate quite a bit of moisture, other parts of the system have to be kept dry. A professional marine audio installer can help design a system that ensures waterproof locations for vulnerable components as well as offering superior sound. They'll integrate your speakers and the rest of the sound system into your boat for attractive appearance as well as ideal performance.

Be on the lookout for car electronics shops that claim to install marine audio without the experience to back up that statement. You really don't want amateurs working on your system, and it really is a different application. Just because an installer can put a sound system in a car or truck doesn't mean they're qualified to install your marine audio system.

For correct, waterproof installation and the best performance, use a shop with experienced, trained marine audio technicians and marine grade components. You'll get aesthetically beautiful, functional results and a sound system you'll be able to enjoy for years!

Is Email Marketing Becoming the Marketing of the Past Because of Mobile?

Gmail: research from Return Path suggested Gmail ended 2010 with some 193 million users. This is just one email provider in the world of the internet. Gmail users may be more active, however. For example, email service provider Mail Chimp publishes the total number of emails they send to each of the major email address providers. The results for July 2011 saw Hotmail and Gmail addresses as the most "popular" in mailing lists, closely followed by Yahoo! Mail, with AOL way behind. I think the reason for this is because they are Free and you can get more than one when one of them get's to much you just stop using it.

Now this is just the start of where this will take us in the future because of mobile and how companies are racing to be the number one mobile connection and marketing portal in the world. All over the globe companies are taking advantage of the latest and greatest changes in technology that will move your business faster, more direct and to the most used media's today. The fast growing media today used to reach more people in the best way is through video. Yes ever since the creation of the television people can embrace visual and sound more than written words. This is seen just by the creation of a companies like Amazon and the marketing of Visual and audio books are the biggest sellers today. Also the creation of sites like I-tunes, Audiobooks.com and other sites on the internet that bring music, audio, video and more to the world with one click have become some of the biggest income producing companies on the planet. Just I-tunes alone has hit 500 million downloaded tune, books, and video's all for mobile devices.

In business it is becoming more common not to have their customers or their employees travel all over the world when they can have a world conference on a computer and have all of the same impact as being in the same place except for the sense of touch and smell. They have not figure this one and smell out yet but I will be somewhere in the world some technology company is trying to figure this one out.

Now for marketing for the small to average size business that do not have the large marketing budgets of the big corporations there are solutions. Technology companies realize they can make more money playing to the back bones companies of the world the small business than all the big companies combined. Simple or complex the programs are becoming more multi-tasking than ever before you can now not only send email to your customer but you can incorporate high impact and emotional pieces with video into it all without having to create a single piece of information.

The business owner today can implement a marketing campaign with just a few clicks of the button on their computer or their mobile device and now all of this can be sent to computers all over the globe or too mobile devices around the world all with one or two click. Let's take just on medium out their which we hear a lot about on the news or the internet "Social Media" I.e. Facebook, Twitter, My space, just to name a few there are actually hundreds of social media site on the internet. But let's just focus on Facebook.com this is the size of a country having twice as many members than the entire population of the United State of America. Today Facebook has over 600 million people worldwide and growing at around 100,000 per day at last estimate.

With the growth of Facebook and other social media sites they are all bring in two aspects that cannot be ignored today 'Video and Mobile" these two media combine the two most powerful forms of marketing ever created on the planet. Let's just take video first YouTube.com the third most visited site on the world is all about video. The number on part of You-tube is broadcast me which is where you can go and click with a camera and broadcast a video of you and what you are doing now. The world is now and will continue to be and instant gratification world we all want it now and we want it faster and faster than ever before in history.

When a Business owner combines Video and Print all in one and then places in on a mobile platform they transform their marketing into the fastest most visual and popular form of marketing today and it can reach more people in the shortest time frame ever. Want to see how this can be accomplished all you have to do is watch a video on YouTube.com some of these videos have had millions of views in a single week and the best part is once it is up there it is there for more people to watch it whenever and tell their friends about it. This is what is called going viral! Want your business to go viral or just deliver better quality content with more action and attraction than create a mobile video and tell your story to the world.

Enjoy Superior Entertainment Where You Want It With Customized Home or Mobile Electronics Systems

Customized car or whole-house audio and video systems let you enjoy music, media, and more with the flexibility and high-quality sound and visual performance that you want. Call your local home or auto electronics specialist today to get the entertainment system of your dreams.

Everyone has their own taste when it comes to entertainment, from movies to television to music. When you are a true entertainment connoisseur, it's important to have systems in place that will allow you to enjoy the media of your choice in the best way possible. This means having access to your chosen entertainment in the precise location you desire and also having high definition delivery systems that make the listening or viewing experience truly exceptional. Whether you want to be able to enjoy movies on the go by installing an in-car DVD player, or you want to hear your music from any place in your home with a house audio system, your local audio and visual electronics specialists can help you take your entertainment experience to a whole new level.

A generation ago, a car DVD player would have sounded like science fiction. Today, though, it's a hot accessory that can make long car trips seem like a luxury. From occupying restless children while on the road to meeting your own personal entertainment needs, mobile video systems are a great way to take your favorite entertainment with you when you're on the move. If you have not purchased a vehicle that has this DVD capacity, getting a custom-installed system may be just the ticket. Mobile electronics experts will work with you to determine exactly what type of system, screens, and controls you want and can create a unique setup for your vehicle that will function optimally to meet your needs and desires. You shouldn't have to leave your favorite entertainment pastimes behind when you're away from home, and, with the help of your local mobile video professional, you don't have to.

When you are at home, it is just as important to have a great sound and visual system in place to let you enjoy music, movies, and more. Being able to engage in your entertainment activities anywhere in your home is a major aspect of a great system. This might involve installing outdoor speakers or house-wide audio so that you'll have access to your music no matter where you are. You might also be looking for an actual home theater where you and your friends can relax together without dealing with crowds. A custom entertainment system specialist will talk with you to find out what type of audio installation, home theater installation or other entertainment elements you're seeking and will design a system for your house to make those dreams a reality. With their help, your home entertainment experience will be as full and as comfortable as you could have ever wished.

Custom electronics specialists can help transform your car or your home into an entertainment destination. Individually designed home audio and car DVD systems let you enjoy your favorite movies, music, and other entertainment in high definition no matter where you are.

Aftermarket Mobile Video: Options for Adding Car DVD Capability to Your Car or Truck

Looking to take your in-car entertainment experience to the next level? Whether you're interested in amusing the kids or you plan to enjoy the system yourself, adding aftermarket car video equipment to your car or truck can help you get the absolute most out of your vehicle. If you're thinking that installing a car DVD player is too invasive or too expensive, you may want to reconsider. There are a variety of mobile video options on the market today that cater to a full spectrum of budgets, styles, and viewing needs.

Ceiling Mounted

Most of these aftermarket car DVD players are what's considered "all-in-one" systems. That means the DVD player, screen, and even speakers are all combined into one unit. All-in-one car video setups are particularly attractive because installation is simple and straightforward: All they need is a power hookup and soon you'll be cruising along with your favorite movie! Ceiling-mounted DVD players provide a number of benefits including easy viewing from anywhere in the backseat, fast installation, and fewer driver distractions (over a dash-mounted system). Ceiling-mounted in-car DVD systems also have the advantage of being most similar to the factory systems commonly installed in cars and trucks today, so with professional installation your new aftermarket DVD player will look virtually stock.

Headrest Mounted

Another popular car video solution is the headrest mount. Also commonly found as all-in-ones, headrest-mounted mobile video systems offer all the same benefits as ceiling mounted equipment, with a few additional advantages. One of these is improved visibility: Some drivers dislike that the rearview mirror can be obscured by the screen with ceiling mounted players. Putting in headrest monitors eliminates that issue. The other primary advantage of a headrest system is that each headrest has its own screen AND its own DVD player. That means the kids won't have to decide on one movie to share. Instead, each headrest video player can show a separate movie.

Fully Installed

If you're a major car audio fan or you're looking to create a showstopper, you can go all out. Skilled mobile electronics installers can hook up video screens and car DVD players in almost any part of your vehicle: dashes, seat backs, doors, ceilings, trunks... These systems can include any number of monitors, source inputs, speakers, and even components like gaming systems. You name it, and they can probably do it. Working with a local car audio video shop, you can create a fully customized video entertainment experience for your ride, have it professionally installed, and be on the road to out-of-this-world car video in no time.

When it comes to in-car video, the sky's the limit. However, that doesn't mean you have to take your mobile entertainment system to the extreme. With all-in-one options available for ceiling or headrest installation, there are affordable, attractive solutions for adding a car DVD player to your car or truck without going overboard. To learn more about specific product offerings or to get started on adding in-car video to your vehicle, visit your area mobile electronics shop today.

Improve Your Road Trips With Mobile Video Systems and Other Car Electronics

Road trips can be a blast, especially if you have the right accessories in your vehicle. Adding a mobile video or audio system to your car or truck can make your future road trips safer and a lot more fun.

If you're planning a road trip, you'll need to be prepared to spend a lot of time in your vehicle. When you're on the road for a lengthy period, there's a much greater risk of getting into an accident, and there's an even bigger risk of boredom. You can make sure that your next road trip is safe and fun when you secure the right mobile electronics for your car or truck.

Ensure a Smooth and Safe Ride

One of the best electronic additions that you can make to your vehicle is a backup camera. These devices will do a lot to ensure that you don't get into an accident when you are backing out of a driveway or a parking spot. Without backup cameras, you'll have to turn around and crane to see if anything is behind you. Even then, you are likely to miss seeing some objects. A backup camera can also give you great peace of mind, as it will allow you to notice if there are any small children or animals playing behind your car. Because backup cameras can do so much to increase your safety, they're an essential addition to any family vehicle. These systems can be especially useful to you on road trips when you might have to park in unfamiliar areas and back your vehicle up.

Entertainment for Your Kids

Passing the time on a road trip can be a real challenge, and this is especially true when you have children. While parents are often able to stay focused on the road or occupied with a book, it's much more difficult for kids to find ways to entertain themselves in the car. Fortunately, this is something that a car audio video system can help with. Adding a car DVD system with a built-in video screen is a great way for you to keep your kids entertained when you're on the road. Your children can happily watch videos on your car DVD system for hours, and that will give you the time that you need to focus on your driving. If your family likes road trips, then adding a new car audio video system to your vehicle is ideal.

Securing Professional Installation

If you want to add a car audio system to your vehicle, then getting help from professional installation experts is essential. Installing these mobile audio and video systems on your own can be nearly impossible, especially if you don't have any experience with this type of work. If you want these accessories to be ready by the time your next road trip rolls around, then getting help from car audio installation professionals is the right move. Find a good mobile audio and video shop that you can trust, and get these great accessories added to your car as soon as possible.

Free Video Conferencing

What is video conferencing?

Video conferencing is the two way video communication where presenter or presenters can chat with the audience through live video and audio streaming with the help of a camera and streaming server. It reinstates the need to meet in person with the geographical dispersed audience and reduces the amount of travel required.

Components of Interactive Video Conferencing

Video conference consists of:

• Live Video And Audio Streaming - Two-way video broadcast is one of the fundamental features of interactive live video conferencing. It allows multiple presenter and each presenter can have the complete control of the session. Not just audience can see and attend to presenter(s) speeches but presenters can also view and interact with the audience, if necessary. This two-way audio/video streaming increases the effectiveness of content and knowledge being delivered.


• Online Chat And Speaker Rooms - To cater audience questions presenter can allow live chat or speaker rooms to allow different speakers to interact with the audience through text based chat and live discussion facilities. Speakers rooms are the innovative segregated chat rooms that are built based on the speaker or presenter's area of expertise to connect audience and multiple speakers more effectively and minimize noise.


• Hands-Up Or Q/A Features - Hands-up feature is a dedicated question/answer feature that allows individuals to raise questions through voice and video enabled chat during the session and participate interactively in the presentation.


• Interactive Surveys/Polls - These user centric assessment and engagement are used in video conferences to gauge the comprehension level, aptitude, or audience feedback on certain topics before, at some interval, or after the conference. Presenter can post question(s) during the sessions at different intervals - MCQs, True/False, or Descriptive - to understand audience requirements and know grasp on the knowledge delivered.
  
  
• Document Attachment - Presenter can attach and distribute documents such as PDFs, Word Files, Excel sheets, Images, and PowerPoint Presentations, etc. during the live conferencing to increase comprehension on different complex topics and assist through supporting resources.


• Real-Time Desktop Sharing - Real-time desktop sharing allows presenters to communicate and present documents, videos, animations, software simulations, graphs, and Web pages right through the computer and interact live with the content presented.


• Instant Recording - Presenter can make instant recordings of the session or a part of it for Web distribution, edited publishing, and future Web cast.

Types of Free Video Conferencing

Omnipresent free video conferencing is available in different modes and formats. It facilitates communication and development in almost all verticals including but not limited to healthcare, education, retail, government, and manufacturing industries. Free video conferencing tools can be categorized as follows:

1. Social Media Platforms With the advent of video features on social media sites such as Facebook Video Chat and Google+ Hangout, video conferencing is anticipated to grow further and faster - in corporate as well as community or social communication. Google Hangout is getting considerable attention in the market and turning out to be a useful communication and collaboration application to connect with an audience worldwide to demonstrate upcoming and new products/services, present ideas to the like-minded professionals and peers, discuss educational topics with the students, or have fun with online friends and relatives.


2. Web Messengers Web messengers such as Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, and Microsoft Windows Live Messenger have played a significant part in revolutionizing and evolving video communication on the Web. Windows Messenger is one of the earliest adopters of interactive live video conferencing and has a noteworthy contribution in advancement of peer-to-peer video communication. These Web messengers are available free of cost and engage audience with no substantial cost through an internet connection.


3. Mobile Applications Communication is getting mobile. Free mobile video conferencing applications are the next big thing. Cutting-edge video applications such as iVisit, ooVoo, and Fring, etc. are getting popular every day. The advancement in mobile communication is influencing video chat, conferencing, and streaming on advanced 3G/4G phones such as iPhone, SamSung Galaxy Phone, and Nokia Fusion phones, etc. to evolve and improve faster and become accessible for the users of these phones. Development and resourcefulness of applications - be it live conferencing or a plain video chat - are becoming trivial in competing mobile market and for the success/failure of certain devices.


4. Live Streaming Facilities Beside the advancement of video conferencing solutions on mobile and Web messengers, online live streaming platforms such as YouTube Live Streaming, USTREAM, and Wizwig.tv are still the most widely used and appreciated video conferencing solutions worldwide because of the ease of use and flexibility these software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications offer.

Improve Your Mobile Electronics Business by Connecting With Other Likeminded Companies

Mobile electronics is a high-end, specialized industry, and so it can sometimes be difficult to find the same networking and business opportunities that are available in other sectors. However, organizations exist that bring together mobile electronics companies to provide resources and information that can improve both business practices and performance.

Membership organizations for car audio video and vehicle security manufacturers, vendors, and installers provide crucial services to these mobile electronics businesses. Unlike other industries that have long-established industry structures, businesses specializing in mobile electronics have been in a somewhat isolated position because the industry is fairly new and serves a niche market. With the advent of unifying groups, though, these specialist companies are able to engage in the same networking and business opportunities as their counterparts in other fields. If your company is part of the aftermarket car audio, video, or security customization scene, it is well worth your while to research what membership organizations are out there and to take advantage of the many services offered through joining them.

First and foremost, a membership organization for mobile electronics specialists is an indispensable networking tool. From giving you a way to simply know who else is out there in your industry, to providing opportunities to share knowledge, experiences, and stories, these organizations facilitate the networking process in a way that's simply impossible without their help. Networking is a specific term for building relationships, and that's exactly what these groups encourage. Through in-person events, online forums, and regular conference calls, they allow manufacturers, vendors, retailers, and installers to all connect to each other, often for the first time. At minimum, these practices generate excitement about the industry and create a sense of solidarity among the different members. And, in the best cases, new business opportunities can grow out of such connections, which strengthen the individual companies and also the industry as a whole.

In addition to the networking angle, membership groups in the mobile audio, visual, and security field offer specific business tools and opportunities to participating members. These include professional development programs, such as the training of new members in sales and marketing tactics, and business analysis of past and current company performance. Because these membership organizations have a vision of the field as a whole, they're able to synthesize the best business practices, choices, and models, out there and share the resulting knowledge and information with their members. Individual companies have neither the resources nor the perspective to do this, so it is up to the membership organization to make these training and informational services available to the respective mobile electronics companies in the group.

Businesses that are in the same industry need to know each other and to have a place to pool their common knowledge. Mobile electronics membership organizations provide the framework in which to do both of these things, and thus serve to strengthen and advance this sector as a whole. If your business is involved in car audio, video, or security systems, joining a membership organization can help make your business more visible, more informed, and more connected.

The Mobile Goldmine?

The predictions are that mobile content - pictures, audio, video and games - will be a massive market within the next few years. What are the opportunities and threats for developers of that content? Mark Brill from Ping Corporation Ltd looks at the issues for mobile content, and what the future may hold.

The Opportunities

All of the research shows that mobile content is going to be massive in the next five years. Screen digest estimated the value of this content to be £5.46bn a year by 2011. A 2006 Gartner Survey estimated that mobile content would be worth a less conservative $78 billion within the next 5 years.

We have already seen a 'first wave' of mobile content, largely dominated by ringtones and backgrounds. However the predicted 'second wave' of mobile content is almost upon us and it is expected to generate greater revenues, with a longer lifespan than the first wave.

What will bring about this second wave?

The growth in mobile content will be driven by improvements in technology such as higher resolution screens, better software and improved data connections, such as 3G. Handset technology is converging with internet technologies through the introduction of devices such as the I-phone and the impending Google Phone. The line between phone, music or video player and PDA is becoming seamless.

At the same time the mobile phone operators are reviewing their pricing policies for data. Until recently, the cost of downloading was a few pounds per megabyte. This was a major barrier to downloading content. Most of the operators in the UK are now offering a flat rate for data, following a similar model to home broadband.

Premium SMS offers a simple revenue model allowing micro payments to be taken quickly. Identifying a phone number through SMS also allows for easy user and age verification with content restriction to unregistered phones. The growth of 3rd party developers will continue. Many industry observers regard D2C (direct to consumer) as the most likely area to succeed with the most engaging content and the best user experience.

With over 3 billion phones worldwide, mobile technology is in wider use than PC-based internet access or television. As such it has the potential to become an enormously powerful tool for selling and distributing content. A goldmine for mobile content providers.

Selling onto mobile

Typically the route to market is as follows:

* Content is created - pictures, video or audio

* The content provider sells through a distributor - such as Player-X or direct to the consumer via a platform such as immedia24.

Distributors will generally work with operator portals, such as Vodafone Live or T-Mobile's T-Zones. This is always operated on a revenue share - the content is not bought outright, but the revenue from Premium SMS is shared between the portal, distributor and content developer.

A D2C platform, such as immedia24 offers considerably more control over the content and a larger revenue share. Potentially it has a higher audience than the operator portal simply because many operators insist on exclusivity for content. The disadvantage is that there is no existing mobile customer base. D2C works well where there is already an audience through the web or other media, or where there is an advertising budget to see the content.

The Threats

In spite of some great opportunities, there are still many problems with creating and delivering mobile content.

Mobile Internet is accessed by only 23% of mobile users in the UK. Although at over 15m people that is still a considerable market, it is not as ubiquitous as SMS.

Whilst there are many people who can create great mobile content, the route to delivery is problematic. The mobile operators have generally regarded themselves as the key providers of mobile content, assuming that most people will want to download through their portals. However, it has been shown that the mobile users do not regard their operator as a trustworthy content provider. Operator Interference The operators have tried to restrict 3rd party content in many ways. Unlike an internet service provider, the mobile operators' online connections are made via their portals. Not only do they restrict which sites can be accessed, but they often alter the content itself. Ostensibly this has been under the guise of formatting the content for mobile, however there are examples of operators altering the display of 3rd party sites to remove much of the functionality and ruin the user experience.

Poor User Experience

The problems with poor user experience also relates to both the handsets themselves and the route to delivery. Whilst screen resolution, memory and functionality have improved on many handsets, usability can still be poor. The I-phone for example has been plagued with problems - everything from the battery life to high data charges. In the UK the I-phone will be locked to the O2 network. So if you want to change networks you will simply be left with a £400 brick!

At the point of download user experience has been equally poor. For example 3g in the UK is not as fast as broadband and is not always available. Poor pricing policies have compounded these problems. High profile Premium Rate rip-offs combined with confusing charges has resulted in many mobile users steering well clear of anything that may involve a premium rate SMS for downloading. Although flat rate data pricing is common place in the UK, the charges for accessing data abroad are still over £7 per megabyte.

Compatibility

A variety of operating systems, screen sizes and screen ratios make delivery of pictures, video and audio somewhat problematic. This is largely a technical issue for developers rather than the content creator. However the fact that there are few standards in mobile operating systems means that in the end the user will suffer. One poor experience with mobile content can put a user off for a very long time.

Low Premium Rate SMS Payouts

Whilst Premium SMS (PSMS) offers some great opportunities for both micro billing and non-credit card billing systems, the payouts offered by the networks are very low. For a £1.50 PSMS that the user pays (£1.26 after VAT), the operator and aggregator will take over 30p. This figure can be much higher on some networks. This leaves little over 90p for the content provider, creator or developer.

It means that the content provider can be forced into a position of charging considerably more for mobile content than when it is delivered though credit card billing on a web-site.

The Possibilities

With all these draw backs you may be thinking that there is little point in pursuing the Mobile Goldmine. However the potential of the mobile content market clearly exists. The issue, as with any new information technology, is to ensure that the needs of the user are understood and clearly met.

The convergence argument suggests that as we adopt more I-phone style handsets the line between mobile and web will disappear. Simply put, there is no need for developers to worry about mobile content specifically as we will all have the web on our phones.

Looking at the threats outlined above, it is clear that a division will remain between the internet and mobile. Inevitably small screen sizes and keypads will always create a different experience for the user. If I look at my own usage of mobile internet, I will acknowledge an email, but not write a lengthy reply. Whilst I may search for a film showing time or check an address on my web connected phone, I would not use it to book a flight or make a bank transfer. That is, as much as anything else a practical consideration of what it is possible to do with a small keyboard or screen.

Understanding the Technology

The key to accessing the Mobile Goldmine is to understand the relationship between a user and the technology. For example, we relate to our TV quite differently to our PC and the web, even though these days the technologies are similar.

What is the relationship between a user and their phone?

* Primarily it is for SMS (over 4 billion are sent each month in the UK) and phone calls

* It is a means of storing phone numbers - over 60% of people use their mobile as their main, often their only address book

* It is a means of killing time - playing games or sending messages while waiting for a bus, train or friend

* The phone is linked to personal identity

This last point is significant. For many people, the phone that they own, the ringtone or the background are all statements about how they see themselves. It is a highly personal item that is with them almost of the time. We have seen this in our studies with teenage mobile users, where their phone is now more significant to their peers than the clothes or the trainers they wear. Two years ago the Motorola Razor was the best selling phone, even though it performed the worst in usability tests. It was sleek, flat and came in bright pink. These factors were more important than the practical considerations.

Thus the key to successful mobile content is to develop specific content that meets the needs of the user. The first key to success is good usability. It is estimated that for each additional click required to access content, the provider will loose 30% of it's potential audience.

It should then engage the user in a way that supports their identity. In some areas, such as music or sport it is quite straight forward to engage at this level. In sectors such as the film or television, it may prove to be harder requiring more creative skills and ideas. It is also important to view mobile content not as an end in itself, but as a tool to enhance the user's experience across many platforms, such as the web, television or cinema. There are numerous examples where the web has successfully been used to enhance and support more traditional media and mobile may be used in the same way.

Ultimately the best approach to developing mobile content is not to be driven by the capabilities of the technology, but rather to understand the user's relationship with their phone and produce clever and engaging content.

© Mark Brill, Ping Corporation Ltd, 2007.

This article was written to accompany the Own-IT seminar, The Mobile Goldmine?, in October 2007.

Ping Corporation is an independent company providing solutions for mobile messaging and content delivery. Mark has worked in the sector for five years, having previously developed web applications since 1994.

How to Choose Mobile Electronics for Your Car: Add Convenience, Safety, or Entertainment

Interested in upgrading your car or truck with mobile electronics but aren't sure where to start? From car GPS to car alarms, there are lots of great options out there, but it's easy to get overwhelmed when you're considering the full array of aftermarket electronics for your vehicle. Should you get the remote starter first or opt for the car audio system? Would it be better to install a car alarm before or after the car DVD player? Here are some of the most popular aftermarket car audio and electronics selections broken down to help make your tough choice a bit easier.

Convenience

Installing mobile electronics on your car or truck can help make your life a little simpler. Two favorite options for adding a bit more convenience to your daily routine are:

GPS navigation systems. Providing directional guidance and point-of-interest mapping, car GPS systems help keep you from getting lost no matter where you're headed. GPS navigation systems are a great investment if you frequently drive in unfamiliar areas, have a knack for making wrong turns, or even if you just need to minimize travel times between errands or appointments.

Remote starters. Enabling you to turn on your vehicle from a distance, remote car starters allow you to preheat the engine and warm or cool the passenger compartment (depending on the season) for optimal comfort from the moment you get in the driver's seat. You may want to consider installing an automatic car starter if you hate the extreme temperatures of chilly January mornings or steamy July afternoons or if you're concerned about the wear and tear of driving without preheating your engine.

Safety

Every little bit counts when it comes to safety and your vehicle. Among the more popular options for increasing the safety of your car or truck are:

Car alarms. Car alarm installation is a practical choice for any driver who wants to safeguard their car or truck by preventing theft. And remember, if you're planning on installing other mobile electronics, you may want to put in the car alarm first so that your vehicle security system will be in place to protect your other components once they are installed.

Bluetooth integration. Helping you keep both hands on the wheel by making calling hands-free, installing a Bluetooth system in your vehicle adds both convenience and improved safety. Bluetooth installation is practical whether you make business or personal calls, and with this hands-free technology, you can also get additional features like voice texting and on-screen caller ID that make driving and chatting a breeze.

Entertainment

Of course, when people think about mobile electronics, what comes to mind most often is entertainment. Leading choices for improving your entertainment experience when you're behind the wheel include:

Car audio. From speakers and amps to new head units, you have virtually limitless options when it comes to upgrading your vehicle's car audio system. If your current car stereo is seriously lacking or you spend a lot of time on the road, installing a new car audio setup can help you make your driving experience a whole lot more enjoyable.

Car DVD players. Bringing the enjoyment of movies to your car or truck, in-car video is a favorite way to provide optimal entertainment for children and adults alike. Ideal for everything from long road trips to errands, choosing to install a car DVD player makes sense if you're looking to diversify your mobile entertainment options beyond car audio.

No matter which car electronics choices you select, you're certain to love the convenience, safety, or entertainment they provide. So happy driving! Contact your area car audio video shop to learn more or to get started on your installation.

Entertain the Kids on Your Next Road Trip With Car Audio and Video Players

Do long road trips have your children bored to tears? The latest mobile entertainment technology will have your kids happily planted in their seats. Contact your local car audio video expert for car DVD player installation today!

Long drives in the car can be excruciating for passengers of all ages. For youngsters especially, sitting still for more than an hour is a nearly impossible feat. If your youthful passengers tend to get a little restless when traveling, then your next trip should be a visit to your local mobile electronics provider. Your local specialist will be able to outfit your vehicle with the latest in car video and car audio technology. You'll never have to provide an answer to the age-old question, "Are we there yet?" because your kids won't even be concerned about the passage of time--their attention will be glued to the in-car entertainment instead.

Mobile entertainment is available in a variety of forms, and your local car audio video specialist will work with you to determine the best option for you and your family. If you're more concerned about having quality music without having to flip through stations during commercials, then a top-of-the-line car stereo system is right up your alley. You'll be able to install sleek car audio electronics with capabilities ranging from satellite radio, iPod docking, auxiliary inputs, and more. Your local team of experts will even be able to hook you up with brand-new speakers, subwoofers, amps, tweeters, and enclosures if you want a more comprehensive sound system with a custom look. Whether you use your car stereo to placate your antsy children with their favorite songs by The Wiggles or expose them to the requisite canon of Journey hits, your new audio components will be a godsend.

If your children need something a little more visually stimulating, not to worry: car video technology is perfect for keeping kids wholly entertained. With car DVD and video game compatibility, your entertainment options will be virtually limitless. Just pop in a Hannah Montana DVD or hook up controllers for the newest Super Mario installment and let technology do the rest. Your local car audio video specialist will be able to install video screens on the headrests so the backseat passengers will have a completely unobstructed view. If you want to join in the fun from the front seat, it's also possible to install screens on the sun visors or dashboard. With all the latest mobile video advancements, your kids will actually look forward to the next car trip!

The next time you find yourself dreading the two-hour road trip to your in-laws, which will surely include endless games of "I Spy" and bubblegum blowing contests, don't fret: call your local automotive professionals for mobile electronics instead! From installing brand-new mobile video equipment to repairing car stereos, your nearby experts will have your vehicle fully armed to take on the next highway adventure.

Car Customization For the 21st Century - Mobile Electronics Dealers Offer Much More Than Just Audio

If mobile electronics stores make you think of bass-blasting subwoofers and car stereos, you're still stuck in the last century! Today many mobile electronics specialists have branched out well past audio and into the realm of complete car customization. From aesthetic personalization like rims and decals to electronic upgrades like remote starters and seat heaters, mobile electronics dealers are bringing customers the best in 21st-century vehicle customization.

Customize Your Car

When you're tired of driving an ordinary, boring vehicle, it's time to visit your local mobile electronics dealer to personalize your car and give it some real character! Today's car electronics shops also feature rims and tires, vinyl body graphics and decals, sunroof installation, and window tinting to create truly one-of-a-kind masterpieces. Stop blending in with the crowd: make your car stand out with some serious customization.

Enhance Your Driving Experience

Mobile electronics stores are the best place to go if you're looking to enhance your driving experience. They now offer sales and installation of the little luxuries that make driving a comfortable, relaxing experience. Have Bluetooth hands-free cell phone technology put in your car to make talking on your cell safe and easy. Hate cold seats: invest in seat heaters to gently wrap you in warmth as you drive. Or choose GPS navigation installation so you'll never get lost again.

Add-on Hot Electronics

Whether you're looking to beat the temperature extremes of summer and winter with a remote car starter or safeguard your vehicle with a car alarm system, mobile electronics companies now feature a wide range of hot electronic products. In fact, the latest trend in vehicle electronics today is in-car DVD and video screens. While drivers have to miss out on the excitement (and keep their eyes on the road!), passengers can watch movies and play video games all from the comfort of their car. Drop by your mobile electronics specialist to find a car DVD add-on, a complete car audio video system, or any other mobile entertainment set-up.

Of course, if you're looking to upgrade your car stereo system, your car audio/video showroom [http://ultimate-car-audio.oswego-biz.com] is still the best place to go. You'll be able to find the latest in high-quality audio components and qualified audio/video technicians to competently install them. But if you're looking for more than just a car audio system, your vehicle electronics specialist is still the one for the job: with a huge range of car customization services ranging from aesthetic work to electronic upgrades, you're sure to find what you're looking for!

The March of Mobile Video - The Payers and Players

One single mobile phone can access the entire World Wide Web and at the same time video continues to proliferate the Internet. Do you see a connection here? After conquering cyberspace, video as entertainment and advertising continues its media march into mobile technology. Faster broadband, larger and more colorful cell phone screens, and an increase in wireless Web, video, and text messaging are all factors contributing to a mobile video surge. With 25 mobile phones created every second and 2 billion mobile phones currently in use worldwide, the opportunities for mobile video, and hence artistic and work opportunities for video/audio content creators, staggers the mind. The money tells all: advertisers spent $45 million on mobile advertising in 2005, $871 million in 2006, and are projected to spend $1.3 billion by 2010. Advertisers plan to spend this "mobile money" on, you guessed it, advertisements, and in particular video advertisements. Mobile video ads are an area of growing interest and the tiniest fraction of this re-routed advertising money in the pockets of video/audio producers and editors would be, at the risk of being mundane, rather nice, no?

Who's Playing and Paying?

A plethora of companies which include cell-phone carriers such as Verizon and Sprint, internet portals such as Google and Yahoo, TV networks such as MTV Networks and Comedy Central, and start-ups such as AdMob and Third Screen Media are scrambling to develop and provide mobile video for entertainment as well as advertising. Specific examples include; Verizon's mobile pact with YouTube to offer mobile video, MTVN's formation of MTV Mobile Media, a new unit dedicated to growing the company's mobile entertainment business, Fox Entertainment's release last summer of two- minute spinoff "mobidsodes" of its popular show "24," Anheuser-Busch's and American Express's release of their standard TV ads on cellphone video services, and Comedy Central's recent announcement to begin airing episodes of "Lil' Bush: Resident of the United States," an animated parody series and first show originally produced for cell phones by a US TV network.

Types of Mobile Programming being Produced:

Both original made-for-mobile programs and extensions of existing TV shows are being produced for mobile video. Made-for-mobile programs include MTV's popular "Sway's Hip Hop Owner's Manual", CMT's "Road Hammers", Comedy Central's "ClipJoint", and VH1's "Celebhead." Extensions from television programming, such as short clips for mobile use include Comedy Central' Peabody and Emmy Award-winning "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"; MTV's "Laguna Beach"; Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants"; VH1's "Best Week Ever, "The Sopranos" and "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." MTVN also offers original animation, music video premieres, and content highlighting socially significant issues such as AIDs/HIV awareness (MTV Networks 12/18/06). The list of available video content for mobile phones grows exponentially and daily.

Opportunities in Mobile Video/Audio Production:

The opportunities for video/audio content production for mobile technology are very real. Contacting any production company now producing mobile content could very easily produce gigs for video/audio producers and editors as demand for mobile content increases. Start-up GoTV Networks Inc., for example, now produces 303 shows and more than 60 hours of programming each month for Sprint Nextel Corp, Verizon Wireless and Cingular, and 300,000 cell phone users pay $6 a month for its music, sports and comedy programming. (Source: NY Times 12/26/06) Another example is GoTV Mobile Television at which offers different "stations" that feed subscribers a daily digest of hip-hop culture, college sports, weather, or soaps. For a very real opportunity, visit iThentic on the web, a mobile distribution company actively seeking content. While their monetary offer for content may be deemed a bit low, one can still gain a sense of the ins and outs of the mobile content production and distribution. A thorough search and listing of mobile content buyers and distributors needs to be done ASAP for gig hungry video/ audio producers or production companies looking to expand their clientele. Please contact me if you'd like to participate or if you have such a list.

Tips for Mobile Video Production

There are several tips to keep in mind when producing and editing content for mobile video. Clips should be short, generally under three minutes, to accommodate viewing "on the go." Cell phone shows also contain more close-ups, tight shots, and limited movement to provide for the small screen and slower frame speed available The audio should be crisper than "normal" due to the absence of bass on mobile phones. Text and subtitles should be minimal because of difficulty reading on the smaller cell phone screen. One suggestion to actually take shots on a video-phone before filming to check whether the scene is actually a viable option for mobile use. Delivery formats to mobile content providers in general include the following: File sizes 15 MB or less as Windows Media (.wmv); Audio Video Interleave (.avi); QuickTime (.mov); MPEG 1/2/4 (.mpg, .mpeg); 3rd Generation Partnership Project (.3GPP); Flash; DVD; Digital Video. All formats should be encoded at 320 x 240 (Source: Wall Street Journal 12/04/06)

Mobile Video Systems I Have Known

Our webmaster has requested certain articles so this article is his fault. His request was as follows: Mobile-Audio-Video - Articles on automotive video and sound systems belong here, including suggestions and tips as well as system reviews.

In 1977 rather than repair the air conditioning system in my VW bus, I purchased a late 1996 GM conversion van. It had sat on the dealer's lot for several months and he wanted to unload it. A beautiful critter that would not fit in my garage it had in additional to the mood lighting a VCR player and a television set.

The first thing we noticed when we brought the van home was that our dog, Zipper, just loved it. He jumped right in and would not get out. He knew that something was up with the moving company hauling our furniture out the front door. He was not going to be left behind.

Zipper was a member of No Dog Left Behind. That's probably where the young Mrs. Bush got her idea for No Child Left Behind, a program that educator's and parents seem to hate. Personally, I have not objection to leaving certain kids behind.

Zipper was one of the reasons we had to have a van. He was a big Labrador retriever. The other reason was that my wife enjoys plants. She started the program No Plant Left Behind.

We filled the van with Zipper and the plants and off we went for Arizona, the "Land of the Sun" and "Allergy Hell." (We didn't know about the Juniper problem then.)

Our son, Jimmy, immediately slapped a tape in the VCR player and sat in the back watching Tobruk. To read some of the details of this movie go to: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062377/. Arthur Heller directed the movie and it starred Rock Hudson. Here is the plot: "September 1942 - With Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps on the march through Egypt, a British special forces unit, composed of German Jews who serve with the British despite the mutual resentment between both, kidnap a Canadian officer who is an expert topographer and who is held prisoner by the Vichy French in Algeria. The officer, Donald Craig, must negotiate a company of British and German-Jewish commandos through 800 miles of the Sahara to aide a pending amphibious landing against Tobruk's massive fuel storage base - a mission that sees one impediment after another, and which discovers an undetected German armored force ready to win the battle of Egypt."

Sounds exciting, right? Well, Doris Day was missing.

Listening to he sound track I realized that Jimmy had been driving for about five years and had a valid New Jersey driving license. After some persuasion Jimmy was driving and I was back watching Tobruk.

When we got to Arizona, I bought Jimmy a Nissan pickup and my wife a Toyota Corolla. He took off for Utah to go to college. For that reason, since then, I've never sat in the back of my van and watched a movie.

Jimmie came back once and traded his pickup for my wife's Corolla. We still have the pickup and Jimmie still has the Corolla. He didn't stay long enough so that we could take a trip and I could watch a movie in the back of my van.

I'm not saying that my van's video system is not used. When we go fishing, my grandkids pile in the back, pull down the sun shades, and turn on the VCR player and the television. I have heard the soundtrack of a dozen movies that I have not seen. My usual comment is, "TURN THAT DOWN!"

When the kids get out of the car, they leave everything on and the sun shades down. I tell them, "IF YOU DON'T LEARN TO LEAVE THE VAN THE WAY YOU FOUND IT, YOU WILL NEVER GO FISHING AGAIN!"

I mean it. I'm tired of them catching all the fish while I operate my "pole and reel repair shop" and bait the hooks for the girls.

So my suggestion for selection of a video system is this: Don't buy one if you have grandkids. It's cheaper to give them a coloring book and a box of crayons.

Mobile Electronics Go Way Beyond Car Audio - Upgrade Your Ride for Entertainment, Security and More!

Car audio shops can enhance your in-car entertainment options, but they also offer so much more. Take advantage of their top-quality products and installation expertise for convenience and security in addition to awesome mobile audio video.

If you think that mobile electronics shops are stocked with speakers and stereos--and not much else--it's time to reevaluate! Today's car audio stores specialize in so much more than just radios and subs. Most carry a huge selection of car electronics designed to help you get the most out of your car or truck. With options focused on everything from security to comfort, your local car audio video shop brings you entertainment and so much more.

Entertainment

This is the side of car electronics that everyone knows about: amazing car stereo decks, booming subwoofers, iPod integration, car DVD players... With today's technology the sky is the limit when it comes to in-car entertainment. Want clear, crisp sound? Featuring a broad selection of head units and decks, your car audio video shop can help you find the sound system that's right for you. Interested in mobile video to keep the kids entertained or to impress your buddies? High-tech car DVD players and screens mean that you can configure an in-car video experience with multiple screens, multiple players, and so much more. Why settle for a boring drive when you can experience the best sound and video today's car electronics have to offer!

Security

Installing a car alarm can go a long way for your peace of mind. Whether you often drive through rough neighborhoods or you just want to protect your car electronics, vehicle security systems can provide ample protection to ensure your car stays just where you left it. Your area car audio shop is certain to carry a number of different car alarms, and these experts can not only help you select the best package to safeguard your car or truck, they can also provide the installation workmanship you can trust. As you can see, mobile electronics aren't all about fun and games: some, like vehicle security equipment, focus on bringing you practical protection and safety from car theft.

Convenience

Car electronics can also make driving more comfortable and convenient. From remote car starters that enable you to turn on your engine from a distance to car GPS systems that make navigation easy, there are numerous options for when you want to make that daily commute or long-distance trip less of a pain.

So if you're looking for a way to upgrade your driving experience, there's practically no limit to the ways in which your car audio shop can help. With options including entertainment, security, and convenience, these professionals can set you up with the equipment and installation workmanship you need to take your car up a notch. And with top-quality marine electronics available, most mobile electronics shops can also provide enhancement for your boat. Get started today by visiting or calling your area car electronics experts!

Mobile Electronics Installation Makes Trips Better on Both Land and Sea - Call an Expert Today!

Expert mobile electronics installation is the newest way to spice up your road trips without having to deal with staticky FM transmitters, wires, or devices that will clutter up your car. Whether you're heading across town or across the country, getting there really is half the fun when you can enjoy a mobile video on your in car DVD player, a built-in video game console, or a great playlist!

Long trips can be excruciating. After you've driven hundreds of miles and seen countless cornfields, the novelty of the open road tends to wear off, especially if you're traveling for work, with young children, or on a particularly dull stretch of highway. Now you can fight off boredom during traffic jams, ease the awkwardness of carpools, and amuse the kids with the great entertainment options available at your local mobile electronics shop! Bring some of the comforts of home wherever you go: call today to learn about all of the great options on the market today.

Car Audio - Car stereo systems can be customized to match your specific taste in music and style of your vehicle interior! Amps, speakers, tweeters, subwoofers, and other specialized equipment can be installed in your car or truck to make it sound like you're at the front row of your favorite concert while you cruise down the Interstate. IPod integration is also available so you can take your favorite music wherever you go without sacrificing sound quality or messing up your vehicle's appearance with hanging wires. IPod integration means minimal distraction and supreme convenience!

Marine Audio - Anything that can be installed in a motor vehicle can be installed in a boat at your local mobile electronics shop! Marine electronics can stand up to severe conditions such as water, wind, salt corrosion, and rocking and swaying, and they can be installed in watercraft such as motorboats, sport boats, yachts, and even jet skis. Enjoy quality music while you cruise down the big blue!

Mobile Video - If you can remember a time before color TV, it's hard to believe that nowadays more and more people are having video screens installed inside their vehicles! Watch your favorite movies and make the hours fly by when you have a car DVD player and one or more screens. Your new unit can be installed in your headrests, sun visors, dashboard, or ceiling. On-board television access and video game systems are even available and are becoming more common every year! For a clear picture and great sound, call an expert car electronics installer today.

Mobile audio video installations are not only fun--they are also attractive and convenient. They can even be a safety aid. After all, you're not concentrating on the road if you're too busy fiddling with CDs or trying to keep children entertained. If you're constantly on the go with kids or coworkers in tow, mobile video and customized car stereos are a great investment. They're also great for showing off around the neighborhood! No matter why you're interested in mobile entertainment, quality installation and superior products are key to long-lasting satisfaction. Contact your local mobile electronics shop today to learn more!

3.5 MM Audio Cables: What Are They For?

Everyone uses 3.5 mm audio cables to support some type of audio device installed at their home or business. A 3.5 mm audio cable is the most simple and most commonly used audio cable type used to connect small audio devices together. A 3.5 mm cable is that little cord you usually see attaching your computer speakers to your computer, or your iPod to your car. Any home theater devices, consumer electronics, or home automation components that have a 3.5mm jack has the ability to be connected to by another audio device via a 3.5 mm cable. Most mobile media devices like DVD players, CD players, MP3 players, and laptops use 3.5 mm audio cables to deliver simple audio signals between them and other electronic devices.

The most commonly used 3.5 mm cable type is a stereo type that features male plugs on both ends for easy plug and play use between electronic devices. This is the type that is used when you plug your iPod into your car. Although most 3.5 mm cables are short in length you can buy them up to 50 feet long to support those applications where two devices are far apart. Another common 3.5 mm audio cord type is a plug to jack stereo cable. This cable has a male plug on one end and a female jack on the other. This is a common cable used in applications where you have a 3.5 mm cable already installed but you decide to move your equipment and now your current cable it just too short! Don't worry! You can use a 3.5 mm stereo cable that has a jack on one end and a plug on the other and use it as an extender for the currently installed 3.5 mm stereo cable.

Now you can easily extend your current audio cable to fit the new length you need. Only buy 3.5 mm audio cables from reliable sources. Buy the audio cables that are made well and that are built to last. 3.5 mm audio cables are simple to use and simple to install. For best results it is always best to pay close attention to the manual of your audio components and use the cord that is specified for it. It is no fun buying the wrong cables for the job. Just because your device has a 3.5 mm outlet it does not mean that any cable will work with it. You may have a device that needs a 3.5 mm stereo cord, or a 3.5 mm mono cable. Read the specification and choose the right one for the job!

Music and Video Players Morphing Into Phones

Let's cut right to the chase: You can get your entire CD collection, at least your favorite few hundred discs, into portable MP3 players the size of a pack of gum, for twenty dollars and up. For a few more bucks, you can make a movie and call your friends, too.

God bless America, for (in this case) rebuilding the Japanese economy after World War II and helping the other Asian "tigers" as well. These nations take U.S. design and technology and work wonders with the "ergonomics," the look and feel and playability of a consumer product. They deliver various MP3 music players that connect to computers via USB (and a few via Firewire); use both built-in and removable flash memory, or have the new generation of 1- and 1.8-inch hard disc drives; some models even have FM radios and voice recording capabilities. The number of product choices is truly astronomical.

Memory types

These flash memory types of MP3 players are generally less expensive than their hard drive-based counterparts. Among name brands, you would find the Apple iPod units in both categories now. Although there really is no "low end" for Apple, the Shuffle line with its built-in 1-2GB of flash memory is the price leader among the company's iPod products. These days, most of the Apple product line (Nano, Touch, etc.) is using flash memory, except for the iPod Classic.

In 1GB of memory, you could store roughly 1000 minutes of music. The compressed MP3 audio file is 1MB per minute, as opposed to 10MB for 16-bit, 44.1Khz CD-Audio.) Of course, Internet searches will turn up literally thousands of flash memory MP3 players, many starting under $20.

Then there are the many players that use small hard drives, and play more than MP3 music, at least at the top of the product ranges. The top hard-drive-based players all have 80-160GB capacities, with larger drives always on the horizon. They play videos, store and display photographs, sync with your contact lists and manage your calendar. Oh, and they're MP3 music players, too.

The future of the genre

One of the handy fringe benefits of some of these units is the ability to use them as "mobile hard drives" and store data files on them for transport. The majority of products that attach via USB and have hard drives installed can be used in this manner. Because of the lower amount of available memory, most flash-based players do not include this capability, although there is no technical reason that it could not be done.

In addition to being used as portable data drives, many of these entertainment devices will start adding over-the-air HDTV reception in the near future. As prices decrease for the components used in these devices, more of them will incorporate additional features. There are devices coming to the market in the near future that will have MP3 and video playback, FM radio, still and video cameras, and built-in game play. In fact, the Apple iPhone has most of these features right now, and is fast becoming indistinguishable from the iPod Touch, except for the phone capabilities. It is likely that the next generation of phones will merge with entertainment gadgets, providing a true "all-in-one" consumer device for both work and play.

The iSkysoftiMedia Convertor Meets All of Your Audio/Video Needs

The iSkysoftiMedia converter Mac all-in-one Media Suite has some very powerful and technologically advanced features. It is an encompassing convertor that rips DVDs and converts video with an amazing speed and with optimum performance.

It can be used with a wide variety of mobile devices such as Apple, Zune, iPhone, iPod, Xbox 360 and many more. The iSkysoft is also able to make edits to your video and movies with all kind of cutting edge functions.

This amazing DVD ripper allows you to do many things on a variety of devices. You can edit, crop, and trim video clips, preview movies and set video effects as well. As a personal flair, why not try embedding your own personal watermark to your movies. With this top of the line convertor, you can carry your movies and videos along on virtually any device and enjoy them with friends, family and coworkers at any time.

What you can expect to get from iSkysoftiMedia Converter Mac:

•It converts and rips videos to all kinds of video formats such as: MOV, MP4, M4V and ASF.
•It is also a very powerful convertor for people who use devices such as MacOSx. It is able to convert videos into a wide array of formats for devices such as iPods and iPhones. It improves CPU performance, detecting its speed automatically as well. This convertor also supports multi-threading and batching.
•It extracts and rips video at superior speeds and can adapt audio to MAV, AAC, MP3 formats producing excellent sound quality and performance in any device.
•It supports a whole host of video formats
•It also crops to remove black bars, and it does so according to your screen size. The screen sizes include letterbox, envelop and full screen.
•It sets different display affects such as brightness, contrast and saturation. This helps to personalize the display on your videos.
•Input video formats include those such as: AAC, AC3, OOG, MKA and MP2
•By clicking the snapshot button, you can also capture pictures at the click of a button.

The iSkysoftiMedia convertor does all of these things and so much more. You can optimize your audio and video to add a personal touch to all of your audio and visual needs. This cutting edge convertor is compatible on a wide range of devices and features incredible technological advancements. A few peaceful minutes spent browsing online will introduce you to the audio and visual heaven of the iSkysoftiMedia convertor mac.

The Best Ways To Make Money With Mobile Devices

The best ways to make money with mobile devices aren't being exploited to their fullest yet as the technology is so new, relatively. But, mobile devices have so much potential for making money even now that it behooves us to take a look at some of the best ways to do so, so let's do that here, bearing in mind that we're barely scratching the surface here.

Blog Your Way To Wealth

If you own a blog, you can use your mobile device to create new content and posts to keep your visitors updated on what's going on with your business.

If you can post directly to your blog from your device, so much the better. If not, you can just create your post using your device's text editor and upload it from your device to your blog at a later time.

Spread The Word With Video

Video has become one of the best ways to promote practically anything these days, and is a widely accepted method of marketing an internet business. So, if you're an internet business owner, and you own a mobile phone or device equipped with a video recorder (and which mobile device doesn't come with a video recorder nowadays), fire up your video recorder and make a short video promoting some aspect or other of your internet business.

While your video should be professional, it doesn't need to be some kind of elaborately staged Hollywood epic, but, as with all content, it should provide something of value for the viewer, whether that be a useful tip, a news item, a product update or introduction, etc.

Once it's done and you're happy with the results, upload your video to YouTube or one of the many other video channels available online, adding a link back to your blog or web site, and watch as you and your business become overnight online video stars!

Go Mobile With Your Web Site

So, you've got this all-singing, all-dancing web site with flash videos, animation, audio, etc., on it and it looks absolutely fantastic on a computer, where it loads in next to no time. Great! But, try loading that same site on your mobile phone, and you may still be sitting there waiting for it to load this time tomorrow.

Well, that may be fine for you, but most visitors using mobile technology to access your site won't be that forgiving; they'll be off searching for another site that gets them where they want to be as quickly as possible, leaving yours a distant memory, quite possibly one they'll never bother going back to.

What to do? The answer is to build another version of your site specifically designed for use on mobile technology with all the fancy, time- and memory-consuming stuff (flash video, etc.) removed, leaving just the bare essentials needed to get your message and your intention for the user across. You should see vastly improved results as far as conversions are concerned.

Mobile devices and their technology are in their infancy, and the methods used to generate income using them will explode in the future. But, for now, these are some of the best ways to make money with mobile devices.

Secret Audio and Video Transmission in a Few Inches' Size!

In the modern world, where technology is everywhere, being in touch and in control is an absolute must. There are situations in which, in order to be in control of the events, one must be in touch with others while they are unaware. For example, think about a cheating wife or husband, a confidential business transaction, a crucial political meeting or a dangerous police operation.

In situations like these, revealing our presence would not allow us to obtain the information we need. And in situations like these, our best friend would be a small device, smaller than a cigarette pack, which in such a small size includes a microcamera and a miniaturized microphone, through which it can record images and sounds with extreme clarity. And the best thing is that it also includes a SIM card for UMTS transmission, which is used to transmit in real time any recorded sounds and images, with a normal UMTS phone call.

Just a few years ago, mobile phones were heavy and expensive. Nowadays, the core of a mobile phone, that is, its SIM card, can comfortably be embedded in a miniaturized bug, without being physically connected to a "real" handset, while still performing all its functions, without being noticed by others, who will keep living their normal life, revealing you all their secrets. In a few words, you have a full audio and video surveillance package at your disposal, all within a few inches size. The nice thing is that this kind of micro bugs is not as expensive as one might think at a first glance. Miniaturizing of audio and video eavesdropping technologies has brought along a series of advantages, along with a sensible reduction in production costs, and of course in end user prices.

iPod Integration - Today's Hottest Trend in Car Audio Customization

With 150 million iPods sold (as of April 2008), it's no wonder that iPod integration is one of the biggest trends in car audio today. These millions of iPod users simply want a way to easily listen to their music collection while in the driver's seat. But until recently, there hasn't been a truly good solution to the problem "How do I get my mp3s from my music player to my car stereo." FM transmission systems have been tried (and are still available for those who don't mind mediocre sound), but offered only so-so performance. So when iPod integration systems became readily available in the last several years, sales have gone through the roof! If you're ready to enjoy quality sound and easy operation of your mp3 device while on the road, iPod integration is probably the solution you need.

iPod integration is the best way to connect your mp3 player with your car stereo for top-notch sound quality. Unlike the FM transmitter iPod connection systems of the past, new iPod integration technology directly interfaces your music player with your stereo: you get easy operation right on your deck as well as high-quality sound from your vehicle's speakers.

Enjoying your music collection in your car or truck shouldn't have to be a hassle: tangled connection wires, knotted headphones, and staticky transmission are all things of the past with the new iPod integration technology. Some integration systems even allow you to access video stored on your iPod and play it on your in car video screens!

While some newer model vehicles are available with factory mp3 integration systems, your local mobile electronics shop can retrofit your car or truck with an iPod integration system. Call or visit their showroom to learn more about the various models and brands of iPod integration systems and which is right for your vehicle. Some drivers find the music management interface of several iPod integration systems unwieldy, so be sure to demo available systems at your car electronics dealer, if possible. This will help you get an idea of which systems are most convenient to operate and best suited for your listening style.

Why Get Caught Up In Wires? Go Wireless With Your Audio

Tangles, knots and snags are things all too familiar among music listeners who use headphones, whether on the go or in house. And if you haven't been caught up in wires yet, I ask "how have you been avoiding them?"

Accessibility to music, at anytime and anywhere, has been implemented and expanded at a tremendous rate in the past few years. Technologically, the music industry and their affiliates became acutely aware of their 'up to speed' target market and evolved into a rather tech-savvy, mobilized machine.

Around every street corner, little shop nooks and amidst the swarm of public transportation, the iPod revolution is thriving; wires are everywhere. With this revolution's own pulse, it's almost impossible not to tap into the booming innovations currently offered. But, before you join in on the current beating of this iPod and headphone drum, consider your options: dealing with wires or roaming free.

Tangles, Knots and Snags

Headphones with wires, it's the one thing about making music mobile that's a bit constricting. And when they're not tugging and pulling from inside your coat or pants pocket, they're dangling loosely, prone to catch a passing finger, plant or pedestrian. And who wants the hassle of dealing with a random snag when you're on the go or in a rush?

There are some advantages to being wired though:

• Connections Are Definite and Clear - You know when and if you're connected to your iPod or music player. And if there's an issue where you hear nothing, an unplugging probably occurred and you obviously know how to fix it.
• No Digital Connections To Rely On - Although digital connections for wireless headphones allot no tangles and free-roaming, they're not always that reliable. Many things are possible to go wrong with digital connections: a connection can be limited in it's range, can fade out or just completely drop. Whereas, with wired headphones, they're mobile everywhere and reliant solely on connection to the headphone jack on your music playing device.

Wired headphones get the job done and the sound quality is stellar, but, why wear a noose? Why not opt for something less attached; why not roam a while, wire-free?

Roaming Free

Lacking wires, you'll be able to move about freely without worry of disconnecting from you headphone jack. This wireless capability is thanks to an innovation called "Bluetooth," a wireless technology utilizing a short-range communications system intended to substitute cables and wires connecting portable and/or fixed electronic devices. With such a technologically-sound invention, the options to weigh and consider are intriguing.

Some obvious advantages with wireless audio:

• Goodbye, Cables and Unsightly Messes - No longer will you have to deal with cables in connecting to your music playing devices, nor look at a thick mass of wires, plugs and cables. Farewell and good riddance!
• High Quality Digital Connections - Varying on your wireless audio equipment and headphones, frequencies will differ in quality. But, for the most part, digital connections provide top notch frequencies to link to. Some advanced wireless headphones actually use a technology called Adaptive Frequency Hopping -AFH- which involves the headphones doing the work for you in selecting the best channels; they will search for, find and adapt exclusively to pristine channels.
• Complete Diversity and Mobility - Whether you'd prefer using wireless headphones for strictly mobile music players or just for at home purposes (such as TV, radio and home theaters), they're the most convenient luxury since sliced bread. Being able to watch TV at home and mute sound for others, to head out for a run around town with music just for your ears or being able to listen to your music player, wherever and whenever, without the struggle of combating with wires, well, it's truly a liberating experience. The options are endless and the mobility limitless.

Don't get tied down by headphone or audio equipment wires anymore. Cut the cord and break free; let your audio experience be fulfilling, not maddening. If you were curious about the options between wired and wireless audio options, specifically pertaining to headphones, you can now choose which option is best suited for you. Choose the noose or get loose.

Take Your Favorite Movies on the Road With in Car Video

Ten years ago, in car video was still just a dream, one of those "if only we could..." desires. But today, mobile video is among the hottest trends in motor vehicles. Both luxury and more mainstream cars and trucks have factory-installed car DVD players as options, but you don't actually have to buy a new vehicle to experience the exciting realm of mobile video. Your area car audio shop can install an aftermarket car video system for affordable performance and great looks.

While there are a huge number of options in the actual equipment of your car video set-up-from screens to DVD players to gaming inputs-you essentially have two choices: OEM-look or exotic. The OEM look is a great option for family cars and parents looking to entertain the kids without spending huge bucks. This type of mobile video system looks like it came stock from the factory, and usually involves a dash-mounted or fold-down video monitor.

Exotic car video systems tend to be a little more extreme, involving multiple monitors, more innovative screen mounting options (sun visors, headrests, and trunks are all popular candidates), and even custom fiberglass and lighting. More popular among mobile electronics aficionados, exotic mobile video set-ups can be out of this world!

Visit your local car audio retailer to learn more about in car video and your current vehicle. Most shops are more than happy to help design a system that suits your needs and your car or truck. From picking out the car electronics that will bring you top-quality performance to MECP-certified professional installation, your mobile electronics store can hook you up with today's best in mobile video.