Disqus
As far as I am aware, there STILL isn’t a simple solution for having a media-hub-like box in your living room, which can run the show (as far as entertainment goes) for one or more rooms, AND also sync up seamlessly with your chosen Mobile device.
When I say sync, I mean that I set up initially what entertainment content and utility data (calendar, contacts, messages) I want sync’d across, and then drop my device in a charging bay which either wirelessly or via a wire, connects to the media-hub.
Why hasn’t this happened to-date? Well there have been some half-hearted attempts at this, but fundamentally CE devices and mobile devices are not created by the same manufacturer, except in some rare cases – and where they are, the manufacturer typically isn’t an expert in both areas, so the final solution is well…. flaky.
I wonder if Apple may actually be the first to bridge this gap with their Mac Mini / Apple TV / iPhone strategy, and possibly even bring another multi-purpose tablet/MID that is capable of doing more than one thing very well. Apple only play in some very well-defined verticals, but as my post the other day suggested, they are least some way down this road.
But why would anyone want a converged home so badly? Well it isn’t until you start using converged solutions that you realise they really do add value. For example, being able to share a “house” calendar (something the new O2 Joggler does VERY well), or alternatively having a seamless copy of certain media on your mobile device which you can continue watching when you leave the house.
Right now what we have is a whole ton of companies trying to solve what has become the next great question from different angles – without perhaps looking at the whole picture. Ultimately consumers want stuff that is (a) simple (b) reliable, and (c) valuable – in the sense that they can derive value from it.
What requirements do you have of “converged media” in the home? Is there something you’d really like that currently no service offers? Let us know………
About The Author
Ben Robinson
Ben is a 10+ year veteran of the Mobile industry – starting his career when SMS was a still a relatively new concept for most people (!), he has now consulted on everything from bleeding-edge Mobile content, to the next-gen accessories you might view it on. As a result he has a broad and deep knowledge in numerous areas of Mobile – from network operators to device vendors, to infrastructure and middleware vendors (not to mention content delivery) – and has worked for companies in all of these areas! He is based in the UK, a hotbed of activity for mobile, and recently became a father for the second time – as oppose to in his younger years when he was happy spend time tweaking all manner of mobile devices to 'nth' degree, he now looks for services and hardware that provide the most efficient, compact, and reliable improvements to his already manic life! It’s his opinion that Mobile solutions should be there to help to make your life better – if a particular solution (be it service or device) isn’t doing this, he believes you need to ask the very important question of why you continue to use it... His focus at IntoMobile is mainly on Mobile content, services, and infrastructure, particularly as regards the UK market – and with the occasional look at devices. Additionally, using his extensive experience in the industry, he will provide commentary on the industry at large, with regular (and hopefully thought-provoking) articles.
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Tsahi Levent-Levi
