Splash [email protected] Mobile : "second coming of radio?" or re-invention?

Splash

www.hos.com

[email protected]

Mobile : "second coming of radio?"

or re-invention?

Interactivity : Radio vs. Online Apps

Degrees of Interactivity

Launch and listen : live air streams, single channel apps (should be able to run in b/g)

Limited Interaction : channel-based services (WNYC: 4, SomaFM: 20, D.I.: 35, Accuradio: 480!)

: personalized "radio" (Pandora, Last.FM)

Fully interactive, personalized : highly engaged users, willing to pay

Ex: music subscription services — Rhapsody, Napster, Spotify, MOG, R:dio, Apple?, Google?

Harder, more technical, but a great fit and opportunity for public media.

Radio : lack of interactivity is a feature. Dead easy to use.

Online : interactive mixed-media is the native format

Mobile : screen size and variable user situation limit interactivity (form factor matters: may be less of an issue for tablets)

Mobile challenges

Number 1 — compelling content or service : can be a niche, but has to motivate

users

Service model (what users want) vs. business model (what you need) vs. DMCA

Transport protocol : RTSP, RTMP, HTTP (Progr. DL, SHOUTcast, HTML5, "adaptive bitrate")

Container format : tells OS how data and metadata are stored: 3GPP (GSM), 3GPP2 (CDMA)

Audio format aka codec aka 'payload' : MP3, MPEG4 (AAC LC, HE-AAC, aacPlus), WMA 

Firewalls : many LANS block common streaming ports and/or protocols; best on port 80

Metadata : a DMCA requirement for music — travel with the file? or sync with a stream?

Log analysis and royalty reporting : ASCAP, BMI, SoundExchange all different

Ad insertion and verification : required for free, ad supported services

User accounts, transactions, personal data = database expansion + API integration

Integrated email marketing and social features

Back end technical setup : rationalize and harden as it grows. Goal: 99.999% uptime.

Native mobile apps (six flavors!)iOS, Android, RIM/BB, webOS, Windows Phone 7, Symbian

NATIVE APP ADVANTAGES

simplicity, focus, ease of

use launch icon = car radio button

full access to hardware: graphics, GPS (location awareness), accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensors

faster operation

more complete UI toolset

full screen available

trending now

distribute free or sell via

App Store(s) (30% fee)

NATIVE APP DISADVANTAGES

separate app for each mobile platform

have to keep up with platform changes

requires user to update their app,

which…

creates version issues over time

Apple approval x-factor: takes time,

limits programming languages, what you can do

with subscription apps

app ecosystems not equally developed

turns you into a software developer

Mobile web apps (run in built-in browser)

MOBILE WEB APP DISADVANTAGES

compatability with different

platforms

more limited UI operation

slower screen updates w/o

'prefetching'

tends to lowest common

denominator delivery format/protocol OR complex platform-specific setups

not a magic bullet: impossible to

serve everybody w/one mobile web app unless app is LCD simple (example: SomaFM)

MOBILE WEB APP ADVANTAGES

run on all mobile platforms

(theoretically…)

build with standard web tools HTML, CSS, Javascript

HTML5 browsers will play audio & video with no plug-ins (2012-2022)

fast iteration : update app anytime

sell direct : keep more of the money vs. app

stores

(can also sell on desktop and use on mobile like

WSJ)

Elements of a successful web service

aggregate : small or large, but something

add more value : raw content rarely good enough

great UI : "The UI is the brand" (Kurt Hanson) not 100%, but important

optimize the "user experience" (shoot for addictive)

engage users : interactive & social features require user accounts (more complex)

tiers of service, pricing, policies : key to the "user value calculation"

responsive customer service : required for paid services

Cost centers for web services

salaries

overhead

bandwidth (getting cheaper)

hosting & storage (for archives)

royalties (for © music + syndication or per play fees for other content)

customer service (not optional beyond free single channel apps)

software development/programming (ongoing)

server software and hardware (maintenance + upgrades)

Hearts of Space iPhone App v1.0

Hearts of Space Strategy

be entrepreneurial

get into web and application development

think like a user, act like a developer

build long-term value

innovate, evaluate, innovate…

[email protected]

Going Mobile

source: Wikipedia

SIX MOBILE OPERATING SYSTEMS

multi-platform support 10-100x more complicated than desktop

multiple OS's, 'containers,' transport protocols, audio formats

hard to get definitive technical advice ("experts" disagree)

source: comScore

source: Wikipedia

Major Server Transports & Protocols

Adapted from: Orban Opticodec-PC 1010 Manual

PROG. DOWNLOAD

Web Server

Physical Connection

IP

TCP

HTTP

Windows/Mac/Linux

Web Browser

SHOUTcast/ICECAST

2"Streaming" Server

Physical Connection

IP

TCP

HTTP/ICY

Windows/Mac/Linux

Client Player (Winamp,iTunes,WMP

)

FLASH MEDIA SERVER

Streaming Server

Physical Connection

IP

TCP

RTMP/RTMP-T

Windows/Mac/Linux

Flash Player

QT,DARWIN,HELIX.WMA

Streaming Server

Physical Connection

IP

UDP, Reliable UDP

RTSP/RTP

Windows/Mac/Linux

Client Player

QT,DARWIN,HELIX,WMA

Streaming Server

Physical Connection

IP

TCP Interleave

RTSP/RTP

Windows/Mac/Linux

Client Player

ADAPTIVE BITRATE"

Streaming Serveror Web Server

Physical Connection

IP

TCP

HTTP

Windows/Mac/Linux

Client Player

O.S. LAYER

APPLICATION LAYER

TRANSPORT LAYER

INTERNET LAYER

ETHERNET, WI-FI, 3G

SOURCE SERVER

CLIENT LAYER

SER

VER

INTER

NET

CLIE

NT

Comparison of streaming media systems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_streaming_media_systems

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORT

PROTOCOL SUPPORTCONTAINER FORMAT SUPPORT

Source: Orban Opticodec support files

Encoders, Servers, & Players (desktop/mobile)

Microsoft Windows Services

Windows Media PlayerSilverlight Player

Hearts of Space history

focus on ambient, electronic space, environmental music

live late night program 1973-1985

national syndication to NPR network 1983-present (200-300 stations)

retail mail order business 1981-84

indie record label 1984-2001

online subscription service 2001-present: Real > WMA > Flash (AACplus)

iPhone app 2010

2001: Real Audio service

2001 log in page

2004 Windows Media

HOS Flash app start page2009: custom Flash player

HOS Flash app 2

heads up player display

HOS Flash App 3

full content

navigation

HOS Flash app 4

3 service tiers,

25 access plans