mTrends – mobile media lifestyle trends – m-trends.org

In 2001, pioneering mobile marketing actions were coming out of Australia. I remember the first Virgin FlirtFest as an interesting SMS brand concept and the MMA Awards always had nice entries, in 2006 this mobile marketing celebration is going to celebrate its fifth edition!

But only recently I discovered the works of Keren Flavell, the woman that hosts the Mobile Media Show, a weekly podcast and OMG.tv, an entertainment channel producing innovative, interactive and addictive content for the mobile and web. Keren is also the convenor of the Mobile Monday Melbourne networking event.

I am very happy to present her here in this interview in the Women in Mobile series.

- Can you explain more about your work and background?
I started my career in traditional media by writing a guidebook and dozens of magazine articles before starting to produce documentaries and radio shows. Once I stumbled onto the internet in 1994 I was hooked. I taught myself how to create basic HTML pages and then went on to be a successful website producer – managing teams and major site builds.

Now I am working on made-for-mobile projects, running the Mobile Monday Melbourne networking event and producing a weekly podcast called the Mobile Media Show.

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented?
I try to cover all aspects because as a producer you do need to be across all fields.

I focus on the user needs first and foremost, then work backwards to understand the best technical and business requirements that will enable the best user experience.

As I’ve only dabbled in the technical aspects I always try and find the best programming expertise I can. Then I do my math and work out how much it’s going to cost and how it’s going to be financed. So anyone who has cash to invest just give me a call. ☺

- What brought/brings you into mobile?
In late 2004 I began to be very interested in what the mobile could offer and how I could translate my skills and knowledge to this new platform. I got my first 3G phone and started playing around with it, streaming video clips and accessing information like movie timetables and horoscopes. When I started to show my friends who work in television and film their eyes were popping out of their heads – they could not believe it. I’ve since been directing a course at the film school in Melbourne – design to help content producers understand the opportunities of mobile distribution.

- How does mobile technological progress influences your daily routine as a producer/writer/blogger?
Well for a start I no longer have to get on my bike and ride for 20 minutes to go and record my radio show at the radio station.

I record my show on my laptop using skype and it has wireless, so I could be down at my local wi-fi café and be interviewing you in Spain.

I haven’t done a blog via my phone yet, but now you mention it that’s not a bad idea.

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work?
I run three blogs now and all of them are using Word Press. It’s a simple system and once I’ve set up my theme I can easily go in and hack away at the code to add extra elements to the page.

The sophisticated CMS systems that run blogs make it a breeze for non-technical people to be able to up-date the blog information.

- Which applications and services do you use (daily) on your phone?
The RSS reader through the Opera Mobile browser is essential. I am subscribed to the YourMovies guide, which I access through the 3 portal. I used to go and check out lots of things in the 3 portal, but now I’ve got Opera Mobile browser I find there’s nothing in there I really want. I would use Lifeblog a lot more but I’ve been unable to get the upload function to work, so now I just use it to sync my shots to my laptop. I am looking forward to testing out MobUp, an app that let’s you upload to Flickr.

- Would you use your device to interact with other machines?
I am keen to get the Skype Bluetooth software working on my phone so I can be chatting via Skype on my handset. Apart from that, gee, paying for parking, film tickets and train passes….I’m not so sure. It’s already scary enough getting my phone bill now, I can’t imagine the size of it if I’m using it like a credit card.

- Which machinery can you think of would be handy to interact with?
Well I would love to be able to have it talk via Bluetooth with an overhead projector so I can do presentations straight from my phone (they probably already have this on the market now).

Also, I think blue walls – patent pending – would be great. Imagine being in downtown anywhere and standing in front of a digital screen and being able to beam your screen image directly onto it.

- Would you download mp3 tunes on your phone? Share them with friends? Mobsharing?
Unfortunately my Nokia 6680 is very memory challenged. I’m going to try and get a bigger memory stick which might help. If memory weren’t an issue I’d be more interested in beaming around cool animations, video ringtones and other visual materials – copyright and DRM permitting.

- What about Mobile TV?
I don’t use it now. The mobile TV content offerings through the 3 portal – Rage, Cricket, Sky News, ABC Kids – just don’t appeal to me.

I would be interested in watching long form video material if I am on a flight or long train ride. However, in these instances I would prefer to do this on a PSP or video I-pod, but if I don’t have those gadgets, and my phone had a better screen res and higher memory capacity, then I might use it for that. I guess the DVB-H rollout could mean that it’s easy to go channel surfing and viewing TV content for a low cost. We’ll have to wait and see if it’s compelling enough.

My hunch is that we are going to see new and innovate content available on the phones that is very different from traditional television offerings – and not just short edits of what is currently offered on TV.

- How do you experience the Mobile Internet? Which mobile browsers do you use?
Oooohhh, so glad you asked. I am thrilled with my Opera Mobile browser. I have blogged about how good it is. The full screen option is just fantastic and I have got the hang of the shortcut keys so it’s very easy to navigate around and have a good time. Unfortunately I’ve been clocking up some fairly high data charges as a result though!

- Web 2.0? What does it mean to you?
Although there is some heated discussion about the validity of Web 2.0, I am pleased to be acknowledging that the internet has evolved from last decade and we can now fully engage with one another in an entirely new way. My company, OMG.tv, are experimenting with user-generated sites, because this is the most interesting dynamic of Web 2.0 for us. Our ridiculous online gallery site, Spot Da Bot, invites people to submit photos that follow a theme. We offer prizes and other incentives that encourage people to participate, compete and ultimately to have a lot of fun.

- What are your favourite mobile user-generated content projects?
I was really impressed with the Glastonbury website that featured photos sent from their Nokia phones using Lifeblog. I think the phone is a brilliant tool in producing user-generated material and I can’t wait to get the script working that allows users to MMS a photo straight to my website. In terms of viewing user-generated content on the phone I’ve not been too impressed from what I can access from the 3 portal in Australia. I’d love to see Rabble as I hear that is brilliant.

- MoSoSo + wi-fi + urban networks = ?
Totally connected! It’s an exciting prospect. Ubiquitous internet access and devices that are smarter, faster and more usable than today will mean that things will really start getting fun.

- Do you develop technology yourself?
We do by way of creating website and m-sites. We always try and add a few extra smarts in there so we continue to innovate in how things can be done. Just depends on the budget really.

- How do you see the future of mobile?
There’s still a long way to go before it becomes and shiny and bright as we would like it to be. The carriers will have to start stepping back from being content providers and assisting their customers in understanding how to enjoy their mobile internet experience. Afterall, there portal sites just can’t compete with the vast resources of the internet.

People need to keep up-grading their phones (I am shocked when I see a mobile with a ‘flash light’ advertised). Users need to start experimenting with their handsets and pushing them to the limit. In a way it’s like the fixed-line internet – it was the majority got onto broadband that things got really interesting.

- What do you think about the Fixed-Mobile-Internet convergence?
I think all the carriers are trying to bundle together their mobile and broadband offerings so they get every dollar from the consumer. If this means costs savings and cheaper wi-fi and mobile data charges then great, but if it just means the operators are able to dictate what content people receive, then I am fearful that the open network might start to be locked down.

- 3G vs. Wi-Fi?
Well money talks and at the moment it is screaming at me – wi-fi, wi-fi, wi-fi. However, as I said, I think if the carriers start assisting in a better internet experience – mainly by dropping their data charges to a respectable level – then I’d be happy to stay with the 3G experience all the time. Of course, for the heavy data usage I have for my laptop means that I’m happier on wi-fi. If I can be reducing my costs by calling using Skype or exchanging large files via wi-fi on my mobile then yes, I’d do it.

- Hybrid phones?
I am guessing that in the foreseeable future there is going to have to be a hybrid solution, because here in Australia, you’ll always be going out of wi-fi range at some stage.
I’d be interested in going with the hybrid solution but I wonder why the carriers don’t drop their charges so I have no reason to.

- What is gonna be the next *big thing* in mobile?
I think the next big thing is when there are effective widgets and applications on phones that transfer the dynamics of community and user-generated content onto the phones. Here in Australia there is still a lack of really great software that makes for a compelling experience of user generated.

- The mobile trend(s) for next year?
The trend that is starting to emerge is for non-portal players to start working out how to reach the market and bill for their content without having to make a deal with the telcos. There is a funnel effect happening now whereby hundreds of content makers are trying to get their materials onto the telcos who are just too swamped to be able to effectively assist them to do it.

This is going to lead to a massive turn away from telco portals and a rise in off-portal access. The key things to resolve are marketing and billing, so it will be interesting to see how this trend emerges.

- Who inspires you professionally?
Great interactive applications that connect people to have fun together.

- Your favorite mobile technology blog?
Mobile Crunch

- Your favorite moblog?
http://www.jamieoliver.com/moblog/

- Your favorite mobile device?
My Nokia.

- Favorite mobile application/service?
Opera browser

- Your ultimate dream scenario including mobile?
Never having to sit in an office again and being totally connected all the time.

- The ultimate tech device not invented yet you would like?
Cordless everything.

- Which links would you like to be included?
Mobile Media Show
OMG.tv
Mobile Monday Melbourne

- Who else could you recommend to be interviewed next?
Kylie Robertson
www.girlfriday.tv

- Anything else you would like to add? Something the big players are missing?
The cacophony has become so loud that no one is listening to advertising any more. It’s time for brands to listen to their users and to build up the voice of their users, who can actually start speaking on their behalf.

There has never been such a vibrant environment for communication and exchange on a global level. Niche interests can flourish and few friends can be made that will bridge the divide of distance and difference.

TAGS: women in mobile Keren Flavell m-trends.org