The 3G iPhone was launched, along with the app store –located on iTunes. Now experts predict an explosion of application development around the iPhone that will create new business segments non anticipated.
In addition, the impact on local will be especially intense, due to this location-aware phone. Local information ultimately will be consumed more on mobile than PCs.
On the App Store –you need the iPhone 2.0 software to use it- there are 552 applications at launch. 135 of these apps are free, while the remaining 417 ranges in price from $0.99 to $69.99.
See an overview of applications here.
FeedRoom raises $12 million in funding
FeedRoom, a New York –based video company founded in 1999 and one of the pioneers of the Internet TV, has raised another $12 million in funding. The new cash means FeedRoom has raised $66 million in the last nine years.
FeedRoom says it will use the money to continue development of its “fourth-generation video platform”, and to accelerate sales.
FeedRoom has focused in recent years on helping corporations use Web video to communicate with customers and employees. Now they battle other better-established players like Move Networks, Maven Networks (Yahoo) and ThePlatform (Comcast)
Over $700 million invested in online video ventures in 2007 and 2008
As other Web video companies, FeedRoom is trying to take advantage of the opportunity as corporations continue to embrace video as a dominant form of communication.
Recent statistics support the explosive growth and acceleration of the online video sector. 71% of the total U.S. Internet audience viewed online video, according to comScore Video Metrix. Another report states that online video will represent 30% of total data transfers by the end of 2008.
From a financial standpoint, Dow Jones VentureSource says that more than $460 million was invested in online video ventures in 2007, with another $217 million already invested during the first quarter of 2008.
A traffic cam on mobile cell phones
WNBC New York’s local TV started to offer a mobile application that allows users to watch live video from roadside cameras in the tri-state area.
You receive a text message and then download an app via your web browser.
Many phones are compatible, but not the iPhone, since Safari Apple browser does not support java.
Cameras are located at 400+ key locations throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
The service is powered by 3rd Dimension at FreeTrafficCams.com, and it is working in many other U.S. cities.
MSNBC.com opens a digital café in NYC
In an effort to deliver its content in new ways and as a physical brand extension, Msnbc.com has opened up a new, sleek, stylish digital café in NYC Rockefeller Plaza. It offers coffee, sandwiches and free WiFi. Soon it will add touch screens kiosks and a huge monitor to display a visual news reader called Spectra.
In addition, the company has created numerous gaming initiatives, like NewsBlaster and NewsBreaker, in which players use a paddle to keep a ball in play and break the bricks on the screen to reveal headlines.
MSNBC.com formalized these assets, creating a host site NewsWare.
Best practices in online video when using copyrighted material
What is fair use for web video? How to use copyrighted material without permission or payment under some circumstances? What happens with mashups, remixes and online parodies?
The Center for Social Media has released a document with six best practices that helps creators, online providers, copyright holders, etc, interpret the copyright doctrine of fair use. However this code does not tell the limits of fair use rights.
This code is organized around common situations that come up for online video makers.
