Re: [backstage] A few interesting bits...
Dave Crossland wrote: There is also the secondary technical issue of CPU muscle - can puny embedded devices like the iPhone and OpenMoko handle Java? ;p Good question, I'll give it a go. The FR can cope with debian so perhaps java isn't out of the question, however I can't see it being too much fun on 640x480 or the 400mhz processor :P -- www.tdobson.net If each of us have one object, and we exchange them, then each of us still has one object. If each of us have one idea, and we exchange them, then each of us now has two ideas. - George Bernard Shaw - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] A few interesting bits...
2008/9/7 Tim Dobson [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Dave Crossland wrote: There is also the secondary technical issue of CPU muscle - can puny embedded devices like the iPhone and OpenMoko handle Java? ;p Good question, I'll give it a go. The FR can cope with debian so perhaps java isn't out of the question, however I can't see it being too much fun on 640x480 or the 400mhz processor :P This is why I said 'handle,' not 'run' ;-) Cheers, Dave - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
[backstage] Manchester Free Software Talk: Dave Crossland - Free as in Profit
Next Meeting Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 16th September, 2008. Dave Crossland, a well known free software advocate, is giving a talk entitled 'Free as in profit (fonts and software freedom)'. Dave will discuss the importance of fonts, how they count as free software and how to contribute to existing free fonts, as well as how to make your own. The talk will cover many important issues within free software, including trademarks, patents and copyright. Location The meeting will take place at 19:00 in the Manchester Digital Development Agency on Portland Street. Access is via the doorbells at the entrance. Wheelchair access via the lift is available to the left of the main entrance. MDDA provide complimentary Fair Trade tea and coffee. Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA) Lower Ground Floor 117-119 Portland Street Manchester M1 6ED Directions are available on the MDDA web site[1]: [1]: http://manchesterdda.com/directions/ General information about Manchester Free Software meetings can be found on our web site[2]: [2]: http://manchester.fsuk.org/blog/meetings/ Coming? --- If you're coming, feel free to add yourself to the FSF Groups wiki page[3]. If you would like five minutes to tell us about something, please add yourself to the wiki or contact us at [EMAIL PROTECTED]. [3]: http://groups.fsf.org/index.php/Manchester/2008-09-16 -- www.tdobson.net If each of us have one object, and we exchange them, then each of us still has one object. If each of us have one idea, and we exchange them, then each of us now has two ideas. - George Bernard Shaw - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
[backstage] iPlayer comes to Nokias... When to Windows Mobile handsets?
So, I noticed with raised eyebrow that the Beeb is rolling out iPlayer on the N96 handset. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2008/09/07/d lbbc107.xml) This is good news, because having unfettered unDRMed content at comparatively high quality for just the iPhone platform (and locking all other platforms out, mobile or otherwise) seemed mightily unfair. Now, if the N96 is anything like the XpressMusic handsets (the ones being used for Comes With Music), they support Windows Media with DRM. Windows Mobile devices inherently support DRMed WMVs, and although I'd prefer MP4 content for my mobile device, I suppose DRMed content for my mobile is better than nothing for the interim. So, when is the iPlayer's mobile functionality slated to come to Windows Mobile devices? This one's a question for Mr. Huggers or one of his team, I suppose... - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] iPlayer comes to Nokias... When to Windows Mobile handsets?
Christopher Woods wrote: So, I noticed with raised eyebrow that the Beeb is rolling out iPlayer on the N96 handset. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2008/09/07/d lbbc107.xml) This is good news, because having unfettered unDRMed content at comparatively high quality for just the iPhone platform (and locking all other platforms out, mobile or otherwise) seemed mightily unfair. Now, if the N96 is anything like the XpressMusic handsets (the ones being used for Comes With Music), they support Windows Media with DRM. Windows Mobile devices inherently support DRMed WMVs, and although I'd prefer MP4 content for my mobile device, I suppose DRMed content for my mobile is better than nothing for the interim. So, when is the iPlayer's mobile functionality slated to come to Windows Mobile devices? This one's a question for Mr. Huggers or one of his team, I suppose... ... and what about the neo freerunner platform! I imagine that the iplayer team are working on the windows mobile platform though the DRM probably is an extra layer of bureaucracy (including lawyers) and fiddling. I hope the team will find a way to have a SVGA version of mp4 iplayer for all mobile devices. That would be ideal i think. Tim -- www.tdobson.net If each of us have one object, and we exchange them, then each of us still has one object. If each of us have one idea, and we exchange them, then each of us now has two ideas. - George Bernard Shaw - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
RE: [backstage] iPlayer comes to Nokias... When to Windows Mobile handsets?
... and what about the neo freerunner platform! And Android... And RIM's devices (that doesn't support DRM at all, something one mobile music platform has already countered by selling major labels' content in MP3 or AAC+ format)... To be honest, I don't think the Windows Media DRM implementation on WinMo phones is great - it piggybacks on the host device's DRM privileges, and requires a minimum level of WMP on the desktop in order to sync desired content between devices. I do NOT want to be syncing gigabytes of high bitrate WMV files to my pocket device, although it has 2Gb SD card. I'd much prefer MPEG4/XviD/unDRMed WMV (in that order), which will play on virtually any mobile device, in a sufficiently low enough bitrate that most pocket devices less than 24 months old can handle it (300-400kbps would do nicely). Players like TCPMP are quite capable of handling this, although WMV might have an edge in terms of playback performance on WinMo devices. (And what about full support for Linux in a format which doesn't mandate a proprietary plugin, etc? And other minority OSes, my thoughts don't just stay on OS-agnostic support for all mobile devices, but that's where I see the iPlayer taking off next) If you think about it, the BBC is eventually going to *have* to provide a host of formats for all manner of devices; it's the logical progression and the public will demand it as more and more people get those inclusive data tariffs and phones that support formats that can facilitate on-demand video streaming. So, I agree that it makes sense to begin a rollout on other mobile platforms - as we can currently see, in a controlled partnership with Nokia on one particular handset, which is obviously useful to gauge quality of service and platform stability... That said, delays wouldn't be a good thing for gradual rollout to other mobile devices - particularly if they begin to err towards the unreasonable (in my mind, anything more than six months). Anything like that, when it's seen by the public that just a lucky couple of handsets are still the only ones to be granted access to the iPlayer platform by the almighty Beeb... Well, I can only imagine that it's going to result in a growing amount of resentment from regular users who have WinMo handsets (like myself) who cannot use or access the iPlayer on their mobile devices. I have an HSDPA connection, why can't I just stream MPEG4 video? I think I might even put up with stuff being panned scanned (although being given the choice would be nice) - as long as I can just play it when I'd like! A download to desktop then sync to mobile solution is far less preferable, but again it'd be tolerable for the interim. If the current state of play continues much past the middle of 2009 though, they're going to have people angrily knocking on the doors asking why they can't get iPlayer on their mobile, plus increased discussion about the validity of the licence fee, just how much of it is going into development of a product which is still treated as a walled garden solution for a lucky minority of handset owners etc... I'm broadly in favour of the licence fee, but even I might start to have my doubts if not much visible progress is made by the middle of next year, given that the iPlayer's supposed to be the Beeb's flagship interactive service and all that. Sorry, I've ended up thinking aloud again... But put it like this: I have an almost infinite amount of patience, and I fully appreciate the technical complexities of rolling out a service that is as transparent as possible for all licence fee payers. However, demand will inexorably grow, and the proles grow restless far more quickly than techy people like us do! I hope that the BBC don't get caught up in making their service so perfect and refined for just a couple of platforms that they neglect the rest of the market (which still remains the vast majority of all mobile users). Some fear-allaying words from people involved with the iPlayer which give us an indication that they are aware of this bigger picture and will facilitate a widespread rollout in due course to all mobile devices would be a very good thing to have at this time, I highly doubt that any announcement of impending future rollouts that are supported across multiple mobile Oses would be regarded as falling foul of any potential Public Value Test or anything like that. In fact, it could only be a good thing. Thoughts? I imagine that the iplayer team are working on the windows mobile platform though the DRM probably is an extra layer of bureaucracy (including lawyers) and fiddling. I hope the team will find a way to have a SVGA version of mp4 iplayer for all mobile devices. That would be ideal i think. Tim -- www.tdobson.net If each of us have one object, and we exchange them, then each of us still has one object. If each of us have one idea, and we exchange them, then each of us now has two ideas. - George Bernard
