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Netflix just announced availability of its Android App, allowing many Android users the ability to view streaming video on a handful of Android devices. The app itself is free, and users must be subscribers to the Netflix video service.
The good people at OVGuide has created a mobile version of its online video directory here.
Folks, this mobile video directory is definitely worth checking out. I am told they will soon have search capabilities, which is the next logical step.
Be warned — it does include a section for adult videos, so don’t send this to your kids’ phones.
Chinese online video firm Youku just launched a beta version of it’s mobile video site on Sunday. Coinciding with World Telecommunication Day 2009, the launch is occurring just as demand for online and mobile video shows signs of surging, and is taking advantage of China’s recent 3g network rollout.
Here’s what the firm had to say in a recent press release:
With the new mobile video portal, Youku formally enters the domain of (the) wireless Internet. On the front page of 3g.youku.com , users will find editors’ recommendations for the latest long-form, professionally-produced content as well as shorter user-generated video. The front page will also offer easy navigation to five video channels, including current topics, user-generated content, music, sports, and humor. The mobile portal’s browsing and watching experiences have been optimized for China’s mobile phone users.
The timing could not be better, so we’ll see what’s in store for Youku’s mobile video efforts.
That’s right. The most often talked about iPhone feature, visual voicemail, is now available for any Windows Mobile phone. But that’s just the beginning.
Dashwire has created an application for Windows Mobile phones that lets you manage your phone’s content (address book, text messages, photos, videos, etc.) from an online dashboard. This tool can be extremely useful for backing up your address book and other mobile content before switching wireless carriers.
The app is currently available on Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0, and rumor has it they are working on versions for the Blackberry and Symbian Series 60 devices as well.
Dashwire has received several awards for their innovative service, and you can check out their video here:
I’ve already heard from many folks that Dashwire has had a huge impact on how they use their phone, and I’m looking forward to using it myself.
For those that may be unconvinced on the penetration of the mobile web and mobile applications, watch this video from the TechCrunch/August Capital Mobile Web Wars roundtable. You’ll walk away all geeked up, ready to develop apps for the iPhone and maybe even Google’s Android platform.
And for those that still carry around a Motorola Razr, listen to the guy from CrunchGear!
What if you could have one mobile website that displayed videos from all the major video sites on the Web?
That’s what TinyTube aims to be. And not only that, but you can do a quick search and all relevant videos are returned for your viewing pleasure (adult sites are not included by default).
The site does not host any videos itself. Rather, it serves as a proxy to other video sharing sites.
Here are the online video sites that TinyTube pulls from:
blip
break
dailymotion
filecabinet
google
ifilm
livevideo
metacafe
myspace
pornotube
revver
veoh
xtube
youporn
youtube
I checked out the “Most Videos Being Watched Right Now” on TinyTube, and caught this amazing Youtube video about a ball girl making an amazing catch. I’ve heard it’s real, but I’m somewhat doubtful. Can anyone confirm? Here’s the video:
Have an iPhone but never bothered to set up your Yahoo! and Gmail accounts on it just yet? Take a look at this brief, yet informative video from Apple themselves on how to set your iPhone to access your web email on the go. Enjoy!
Watching YouTube videos from your mobile browser? Of course you can. Here are the requirements, directly from the Google Mobile page.
Requirements: You must have a compatible web browser on your Mobile phone and access to the Internet. The YouTube application requires a phone that supports Java and streaming video capability. Please see our help center pages for more information. This service is free from YouTube but charges from your wireless service may apply depending on your plan.
Last week I attended the Mobile Outlook 2008 round table breakfast in McLean, Virginia. The event included speakers from several area companies experiencing significant growth in the mobile industry:
SquareLoop
Provides patented location-based service (LBS) technology to enable targeted delivery of mobile communications.
Millenial Media
Offers mobile media solutions targeted specifically to the much sought-after 18-29 year old market (this company has a great story, by the way – check it out).
Core Capital Partners
Venture Capital firm located in Washington, DC and focused on “disruptive, core technologies.”
The speakers clearly had their own opinions about the industry and where things are headed. Here are my take-aways from the event:
Mass adoption of mobile TV is still 2-3 years out
We have only just begun to see the creative applications of text and multimedia messaging (SMS and MMS)
Getting mobile apps onto carrier decks remains harder than it should be, but is still worth the investment
Recent announcements by Verizon and Google to open up the industry is a good step, but the overriding question of “open networks” versus “open handsets” remains
The gents at YouTube (or now Google) must have read our earlier post on why the YouTube on Verizon deal was a joke.
As they announced yesterday, YouTube has expanded its mobile offerings and vastly increased the number of handsets and carriers that support it.
Below is an excerpt from the press release:
Not only will users and partners have access to the largest mobile video catalog, they also will be able to personalize their experience. Users will now have access to features regularly used on YouTube, including their YouTube accounts, Favorites, Videos, Channels as well as the ability to directly upload from mobile devices and share videos instantly. Users also will now have the ability to rate and comment on videos directly from their mobile phones.
Hopefully this is a sign that these exclusive carrier deals that offer just a fraction of the content are a thing of the past. I like to think that our last post had a little something to do with it. Just maybe.
