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Mobile & Messaging Applications
UK
AOL on Sky Digital (OpenTV) (8.4 Mb)
This new interactive TV service
has been brought to market in less than 3 months,
accelerated by leveraging AOL's existing experience in
delivering mobile, WAP-based services and exploiting this
experience with Sky's WapTV technology.
The service, which combines email, instant messaging plus
simple text-based news and weather is available to
existing AOL subscribers by pressing the red button
whilst watching a Sky channel. Viewers log in using their
existing AOL email address/screen name. Calls to the
service are charged at the standard local rate - plus an
initial 12 pence connection charge per call.
Whilst in the
application, viewers can access email and chat whilst
continuing to watch TV in quarter screen mode. Text entry
is possible (although very slow) using the Sky remote
control, however the Sky infrared keyboard has been
available for some time now and offers viewers a much
faster typing experience.
The new service is currently only available to existing
AOL subscribers and AOL clearly see this service as a
‘value-add’ for existing subscribers. There is
no option to sign-up and subscribe immediately through
Sky Active (although a telephone number is provided in
the service for those people that wish to request a CD).
But it should be noted that the ability to access homes
without PC's forms no part of AOL's iTV strategy.
As can be seen from the video, the instant messaging
service operates somewhat differently from on the PC.
Using Sky Active, the viewer selects a 'buddy' to chat to
from the buddy menu (saving them from the effort of
typing a user name) and they can then type their message
in the message window. When the message has been sent,
rather than the window staying in view - waiting for the
reply to follow, the message window actually disappears
and does not reappear until the reply is received! Whist
this might go against the expectation of a seasoned PC
user, AOL have actually provided a clever workaround here
since, unlike the PC, using Sky's STB's it is impossible
to have two separate chat windows appearing in the same
application.
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to obtain a High-Resolution DVD of this and other
interactive TV applications.
UK
MTV EMA 2002 Chat (OpenTV) (3 Mb)
MTV have enhanced this year's
EMA's with a joint iTV/SMS based celebrity text chat
service. The service is only available to viewers aged 16
plus and costs at least 50 pence per message sent - so a
long chat conversation could end up being expensive!
Once registered on to the service with a nickname and
their date of birth, viewers can send their messages to a
guest chat host at the standard SMS rate (roughly 10-12
pence) however MTV then send a "message
received" confirmation which is reverse billed at a
whopping 50 pence!
The messages (subject to moderation) are then displayed
in the application window on screen. The viewer is able
to toggle the size of the windoe so as not to interfere
with the programming by using the up and down keys. Also
by pressing BLUE the viewer can remove the application
from the screen.
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to obtain a High-Resolution DVD of this and other
interactive TV applications.
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UK
Sky News Chat (OpenTV) (6Mb)
Promoted on air and available via
the Sky Active menu, the Sky News Chat application
requires the Sky STB to dial up and connect to the chat
server. The call is charged at 5p per minute. All
messages sent are moderated and the chat session is
hosted to encourage participation.
The application allows the viewer to chat using their remote (entering text as with a mobile phone) or using the Sky infra-red keyboard. The application also has an in built library of phrases to make typing easier.
An interesting feature of the application is the history option which allows the viewer to scroll back page by page in the chat archive to catch up with ongoing discussions.
Volume of messages very much depends on the issues in the news and time of day.
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to obtain a High-Resolution DVD of this and other
interactive TV applications.
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Comments
"The Sky Chat system is now available on Sky One
and Sky Gamestar in addition to Sky News. The chat
system, which accepts messages, publishes the live chat,
creates history pages and provides web-based moderation
services was written by Original Thinking Group (a
Technology Partner working with YooMedia).
The chat system was not converted from a web based model,
but specifically targets the broadcast chat market.
Key design aims were to reduce the workload of the set top box client application, create a platform neutral middle tier application, and increase the scalability compared to a standard web based chat system. All these goals were achieved.
The chat system has now been successfully running on Sky Digital for over six months, and has expanded from single chat events to longer sessions running daily across multiple channels.
Liam Westley, Original Thinking Group
Spain
ViaDigital TV - SMS (OpenTV) (4Mb)
A simple and easy to use interface makes
this application a pleasure to use.
Accessible from the interactive portal, the on-screen "mobile phone style" interface is clear and inviting. The user first enters the message using the number keys on their remote, then they enter the telephone number. The STB then sends the info across via its modem, the call costing Euro cents 27.
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South Africa
M-Web TV Mail on Multichoice South Africa (OpenTV) (6 Mb)
Sister internet company M-Web is
also part of the MIH group and the service provider for
the Multichoice TV Email service in South Africa.
The email application on channel 73 allows users to receive and send email and manage their own address book.
By contrast to the email services provided by Sky in the UK, this service only goes online to receive or send outgoing mail. South African viewers are fortunate to be able to consult and read their email without having to worry about the cost of an ongoing call - although Multichoice will be charging a 30 Rand (Approx £2) per month subscription for the service.
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UK
Mophologo on NTL Home (Liberate) (3.75 Mb)
Produced
by Mass Market Media, MOPHOLOGO allows NTL digital TV
subscribers to create images on the TV screen with their
remote control and then send the picture to a mobile
phone via a premium rate revenue system.
MOPHOLOGO is the first stage in the creation of a brand
that will encompass further creative utility products for
personalising mobile phones. The web version of MOPHOLOGO
is scheduled to appear on a leading internet portal later
this Summer and an OpenTV version of MOPHOLOGO is
approaching the end of its development cycle for
worldwide availability alongside its current Liberate
incarnation.
Subsequent releases of MOPHOLOGO are planned to appear on
other mass-market platforms including Wireless Devices
and Online Games Consoles.
Since the formation of the company in May 2002, Mass
Market Media has produced work for Littlewoods Leisure,
developed a ‘Scooby Doo’ Mobile Phone game for
Digital Bridges and is contracted to deliver a number of
products to NTL digital TV subscribers throughout 2002.
More info: tim@massmarketmedia.co.uk
Turkey
DigiPosta - Digiturk's Email (OpenTV) ( 3 Mb)
This guided overview from Turkish
developer Mobilsoft
(http://www.mobilsoft.com.tr)shows the capability of
Digiturk's email and messaging service.
Special features include the ability to send and receive
TV "Greeting Cards" and view file attachments
in BMP, JPEG and GIF formats.
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France
C Dans L'air (Mediahighway) ( 4.2 Mb)
This service, using broadly the
same interface as the Canal Satellite France SMS service
allows viewers to ask questions during the live daily
transmission of C Dans L'air on France 5. This
application is currently exclusively available to Canal
Satellite subscribers. When the viewer opts to send a
message - a virtual keyboard and text box appear. On
choosing the validate option - the message is then sent
via the STB modem.
More Stills
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to obtain a High-Resolution DVD of this and other
interactive TV applications.
UK
Sky Active Ringtones & Logos (OpenTV) (7 Mb)
This is one of the WML or WapTV
"Microbrowser" based services on the Sky
Platform.
Choosing the Ringtones & Logos service takes the viewer away from the video for a few short moments to retreive the data (from another transponder!) and then returns to the video so the viewer can continue to watch their favourite programming.
Viewers can choose a ringtone or logo to download to their particular brand of mobile phone. The decoder then connects to a premium rate telephone number (A massive £1.50 per minute!) for around 3 minutes, the logo or ringtone is then sent via the chosen GSM network.
Click Here
to obtain a High-Resolution DVD of this and other
interactive TV applications.
France
SMS TV on Canal Satellite (Mediahigway) (3.8Mb)
In France, Canal Satellite &
Vizzavi's SMS service uses a virtual keyboard which
appears on screen.
With its RegieLine software, IDP has integrated the
application and developed the back-office tools that
ensures the transfer of the message to the Vizzavi
platform. This in turn automatically forwards the message
to the receiver’s mobile telephone. IDP's virtual
keyboard, which will now be the standard keyboard for all
Canal Satellite applications created using RegieLine.
Canal Sat doesn't sell IR keyboards to its subscribers -
and they don't have the letter keys on the regular
remotes (as Sky does) so its the most effective solution
in that case.
Interestingly the virtual keyboard text entry uses some
predictive text features making the process even easier.
Click Here
to obtain a High-Resolution DVD of this and other
interactive TV applications.