Jim Udall's blog

I've written before about my interest in pursuing MMS as a method of rich-media distribution.  Indeed I've directed a lot of my efforts on the Mobile MUSE projects trying to leverage this technology in the projects.

In a previous life, I've spent a lot of time in this area; participating in standards definitions and understanding carrier requirements as well as dealing with the issues of interoperability between 3GPP and 3GPP2 domains.  However, until the mobile MUSE projects, I've had no practical experience with trying to use MMS as a service delivery technology.

I spent some time last week at Vidfest on Granville Island in Vancouver last Thursday and Friday.  I always feel so out of my league there.  A veritable herd of creative digital artists operating on the vanguard of new media.  There I am. The lonely mathematician come computer scientist geek who couldn't feel more out of place had I sported a pocket protector and duct-taped eyeglasses.  Some might say the latter part of the last century belonged to the nerds, but I'm convinced the first part of the 21st shall be owned by the artists.

I know there are million sites out there that do reviews of cellphones.  So I suppose this blog is not particularly unique in its topic.  However, I wanted to give you my personal perspective on a new device I've been recently playing with: the Nokia N91 mobile phone.  I wanted to describe how this device is becoming closer to my ideas for a media-rich mobile device suitable for the work we are doing in Mobile MUSE.

I have to preface this blog with the admission that I served as the Chief Architect of the Nokia Vancouver product creation centre here in Vancouver for about 4 years, so one can assume what biases you wish.  But let me just say while at Nokia, I tried very hard to make the best product possible and that never involves self-prostelizing ones own creations.

I was first introduced to Bluetooth technology in either 1997 or 1998.  It seemed like a pretty reasonable idea and the advocate presenting the technology was fervent in his belief that this technology would be the next big thing.

We're now mid way through 2006 - pushing towards a decade later - and where is Bluetooth today?  It remains an under used nebulous technology that refuses to gain a critical mass of acceptance - despite its prevalence in most modern mobile phones of today.  I think there are a few explanations for this disappointing result of a promising technology.

Though my titular reference within the MobileMuse.ca project is Research Director, in practice, my role is more of chief technology officer.  But lately my role has been one of major domo lab rat.

People might be expecting insightful guidance on future trends in mobile multi-media from me, but in truth, I've spent the past 7 days in a dark windowless room trying to bastardize together a content delivery system based on MMS.