Broadcast Live From The Palm of Your Hand

Livecast Center Stage at Intel's Keynote at Computex 2008

We're very excited announce that after working closely with Intel and its WiMAX partners at several trade shows over the past year, Livecast was selected as the main demonstration for Intel Executive Vice President Sean Maloney's opening keynote address at Computex Taipei 2008.

The Intel keynote demonstration featured a preview of Livecast's soon-to-launch community portal based on Microsoft's Silverlight technology.

The portal is designed as an interactive live video and GPS mapping "mash-up" that displays each mobile livecaster's location as a colored pinpoint on a map. Viewers can mouse over each pinpoint to preview video information, then click to launch the corresponding live video stream.

Watch the Webcast of the keynote address: http://intelstudios.edgesuite.net/computex/index.htm

Maloney presented Livecast as a compelling Web 2.0 consumer application that enables users to take advantage of the high-capacity uplink channel unique to WiMAX data networks.

The ability of livecasters to stream live video straight from their WiMAX-enabled mobile devices to the web means that breaking news can instantly be broadcast to the world: friends can see what's happening at the night club or at the shopping mall, family members living far away can still experience a wedding or birthday party, and band members can entertain a global audience with a few minutes' notice.

We predict that providing a 'one-button,' simple way to broadcast high quality video from a mobile device will change the way people create and deliver user-generated video on-the-go.

Livecast's technology is a great example of the type of emerging application that will take advantage of the benefits of mobile WiMAX technology, giving people a convenient way to get and share video content when and where they want it instantly.

- Tim Sweeney, director, mobile WiMAX applications lab, Intel

What's in a name?

For all our enthusiastic users who love the service, but thought a new name was in order...We're excited to announce a new name...Livecast!

"Livecast" clearly communicate our consumer service and company vision for DIY live broadcasting. Our support of a broad range of mobile devices (e.g. handsets, mobile tablets, mobile internet devices, UMPCs, laptops) means that we're making live broadcasting available to anyone using the device that make sense for them.  Over the next few months you'll see more re-branding appearing on the service and applications.

Another part of our announcement today is our upcoming consumer portal based on Microsoft's Silverlight. If you're at MIX 08 in Las Vegas, you'll see the latest sneak peek, otherwise we're targeting mid-April for a beta launch.

The Livecast.com portal is designed as an interactive live video and mapping "mash-up" that displays each mobile livecaster's location as a colored pinpoint on a map. Viewers simply roll-over the pinpoint to preview video information and click to launch the corresponding live stream.

We expect that this will offer members an easy and convenient way to share entertainment, breaking news, amateur sporting activities and memorable events with family, friends and fans.

"The market is primed and ready for an explosion in mobile user-generated content, personal video communications and location-based services, so we believe that ComVu is right on target by taking the lead in enabling livecasting from a wide variety of mobile phones and incorporating mapping of GPS locations in its Silverlight-based portal."

- Cliff Reeves, general manager of the Emerging Business Team at Microsoft Corp

READ MORE...

Bringing the Livecast Show to Spain! Feb 11-14

If you missed seeing the "sneak peek" demonstration at CES, don't worry. We're joining Intel again, and taking the show on the road to the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Come see the next step in mobile video... User-generated broadcasting to a map "mash-up".

Either set up an appointment with us in advance (contact@comvu.com) or just stop by Intel's booth #8B109.

See what's coming next, visit us at CES!

Join us at Intel's booth #7153 and you'll see first hand the PocketCaster Pro application broadcasting video over WiMAX to a Web 2.0 portal.

Video streams with embedded GPS location data will be livecast from several WiMAX enabled devices in cars driving around Las Vegas. Designed as an interactive mashup, the portal will show each broadcaster’s location as a colored pinpoint on a map, and then when clicked will launch the corresponding livecast stream.

(Read full release..ComVu_CES_08.doc)

 

We'd love to meet you at CES, so simply stop by the Intel booth or let us know you'd like to set up a meeting (contact@comvu.com).

Global TV broadcaster goes live "on air" from ComVu PocketCaster cellphone on the Iowa campaign trail

A senior reporter from a major TV news organization discovered the joy of livecasting this week as he roamed around events in Des Moines, Iowa with his ComVu PocketCaster enabled phone, interviewing residents about the candidates.

No large camera crew or extensive set up required as he walked freely through the crowds, stopping to chat, but not intimidate. The news team back at the studio monitored the livecast feeds coming in from the field, and while the news commentator chatted with the reporter, his live video was simultaneously broadcast "live on air".

Steve at FNC (Mediabistro.com) broke the news and made the post with a screen capture of the TV broadcast.

"...with the MSNBC ComVu Cam. Shuster talked on the phone with anchor Alex Witt as he transmitted live pictures back to MSNBC. The report was about Oprah Winfrey's visit to Iowa in support of Sen. Barack Obama."

PocketCaster's "Global Serendipitous Broadcasting"

Sure, we'll hang our hat on that definition.

Alan Reiter, President, Wireless Internet & Mobile Computing, coined the phrase after reviewing ComVu's live video streaming solution selected by Nokia for the Reuter's Mobile Journalist Toolkit.

He goes on to explain:

"This is broadcasting live from your cellular phone. It's not broadcast first, save the file second, and post third. This is: Press the Record icon and you're live, baby, on the Web. Watch what you say, hold the phone steady, and stop stammering, because the world is watching. You, the ordinary schmo, is broadcasting... anything you want.

This is right now broadcasting. This is revolutionary." (read more.)

Read Reiter's highly recommended "internet evolution" blog for yourself. It's a great way to get expert insight into all the current and future industry issues.

Reuters and Nokia Select PocketCaster for (Successful) Trial!

When Nokia Research Center (NRC) and Reuters decided to start working together on a mobile journalism project that could transform the way journalists file news reports when on the move, they came to ComVu to provide the video streaming (live and archived) solutions. 

The new mobile application is the first project to be showcased from the research collaboration between NRC and Reuters, and ComVu was brought in to ensure Reuters had the mobile broadcasting capabilities it required.  The end result is a lightweight toolkit that provides everything journalists need to file and publish stories from even the most remote regions of the world. 

The ongoing trial started this summer, whereby select Reuters journalists around the world made use of the mobile journalism application in their everyday work to edit, combine and file text, images, sound and live and recorded video streams, producing and publishing multi-media stories of broadcast quality without needing to return to the studio or office.

"This is a very easy-to-use application that takes account of the demands placed on journalists in the field," said Nic Fulton, Chief Scientist of Reuters Media.  "By running on handheld devices, rather than on bulkier laptop computers, the mobile journalism application enables us to create complete stories and file them for distribution, without leaving the scene.  This saves us time and benefits our audience by ensuring that they receive high quality news that is absolutely up-to-date."

"Everyday, news organizations are faced with the challenge of getting stories to viewers quickly," said William Mutual, CEO of ComVu. "Enabling journalists to broadcast breaking news in real time using a mobile device, and concurrently having the video stored on an internet media server, totally alters the  paradigm of news reporting on a global basis."

We look forward to further collaborations with NRC, and expanding the mobile broadcasting capabilities of Reuter's journalists in the field.

Read full release..

Alcatel-Lucent Showcases PocketCaster at CTIA (Booth #621)

Join us at the largest wireless conference in North America held at San Francisco's Moscone Center. We're teaming with our good partners Alcatel-Lucent in booth #621. They'll be showing the latest in premium data services, mobile broadcasting and video/GPS integration.

We're looking forward to three days of non-stop demos, great discussions, and a few drinks!

PocketCaster, Nokia and MySpace Fans...Power On!

We always assumed that a wireless industry trade show (a.k.a. 3GSM World Congress) would generate the highest levels of concentrated EMF waves of anywhere on earth. We were wrong.

Try a rock concert in a stadium bowl with more than 15 separate WiFi networks, huge power generators, satellite transponders, millions of watts of strobbing lights, and some 50,000 cell phones all converging.

As they say, "the show must go on", crowded spectrum and all...and it did!

For all of you who caught the event, I'm sure you'll agree that the MySpace LIVE! Projekt Revolution concert was not only a really, really, great entertainment experience, but clearly set the bar high for where live entertainment events are going with UGC. 

MySpace LIVE! fans, Kelly, Scott and the others did a great job broadcasting with PocketCaster on their N95's (no, Nokia didn't let them keep them, but they did get a lot of back stage access and many other premiums.)

BTW, our pick for "next gen" digital entertainment director of the year: Mark Scarpa, at http://www.simplynew.com. If you're looking for a proven vetern director in the entertainment industry, whose mastered the delicate art of mixing up to ten professional camera feeds with user-generated mobile video for a live event...he's the guy. Hats off to Mark, Steve and the team.

Count down to record breaking My Space live concert

In a MySpace LIVE! first, five fans at the Projekt Revolution concert, armed with PocketCaster on Nokia N95's will take video footage of the concert, which will be incorporated into the live stream on MySpace. 

Read more from news release...

The crew is flying into Clarkston, Michigan today with set up and preparation underway tomorrow. The Wednesday broadcast is scheduled for a record breaking six hours.

Featured main stage acts such as Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, HIM, Placebo and Julien-K, will be streamed live.

The five young fans with mobiles in hand, will assume their roles as the live mobile broadcast crew for the event, and will become a part of MySpace history. And of course, furthering the ComVu PocketCaster vision of enabling anytime, anywhere broadcasting from the palm of your hand.

Don't miss it!

PocketCaster goes Xtreme with 3neXt HSDPA service

PocketCaster is playing well with the fast crowd in the U.K.

After a few months of beta testing, 3 Hutchison's 3neXt participants gave PocketCaster high marks, and pushed it into the released version of the high-speed mobile internet portal.

Since its official launch, PocketCaster has fared well, one of the top ranked apps for downloads, and top rated by users.

User Quotes:

"Coolest app I've ever used"

Have you ever seen the entire world change before your eyes? Well - that's what happened to me when I tried PocketCaster. I am absolutely blown away by this software! It's real easy to use and just works. My own private TV station - live to the world - from my phone. This redefines cool.

"Amazing stuff!"

Love this - really easy to install and a breeze to use. I just can't resist doing the whole cameraman thing now when I'm out! Even the quality's pretty good.

Editor's take on PocketCaster..

"The idea of PocketCaster is just that – you can broadcast from your pocket. You can share anything you want with others, in real time, and it will be handily saved for later automatically. Live news, amazing natural events, sporting history or once-in-a-lifetime family moments – all PocketCastable. We particularly like the autosave function and the automatic invites, and as camera quality improves so will the results. This sort of User-Generated Content enabler is the future, available now. Who would use it...

• You could use PocketCaster to share a birthday party, wedding etc live with relatives or friends. - A technician might show distant colleagues a broken part or piece of machinery.
• A lost driver could use it to be guided to a location by someone who knew the route.
• A journalist (professional or citizen) could share a breaking news event, and have a record for later.
• Finally, anyone who wants to archive video for others to retrieve.

Final Verdict: PocketCaster works just as described on the tin. The possible uses are simply endless - It’s up to you to find the ones that fit your lifestyle or business.

Shooting live video from a phone gives "Bourne Ultimatum" CIA agents their cool factor

When the now top ranked Borne Ultimatum first hit the theatres, we had several people asking if PocketCaster was the service that the CIA agents used on their N95's to transmit live footage to headquarters.

Although we have Hollywood production crews using PocketCaster to scout for locations, we must assume that when the movie was shot, they had no idea that a live video broadcast service from a phone was available.

Not to take any of the cool factor away from the film, but as you know, this capability is available today in the "real world" by installing PocketCaster on a compatible phone and subscribing to a 3G data plan.

The Nokia Blog was the first to mentioned the connection, so thanks to them for spreading the word.

"My Favorite" says Dallas Morning News, Jim Rossman

Getting any coverage from vetern Dallas Morning News technology writer, Jim Rossman, is always appreciated. But when he received a Nokia N80 multimedia phone loaded with some of the best software for Nokia's Symbian S60 operating system, and claimed PocketCaster was his favorite, we were estatic.

Jim described the PocketCaster service...

"PocketCaster is a live video broadcast service for 3G phones. With it, I was able to shoot video that streamed live to a Web page where all my friends and family could watch. Implementation was supremely easy. You create an account at ComVu.com and use that log-in on your phone to make the connection.

Video is streamed live and stored on the site. You can then share that archived video for those who missed it live. If your phone supports it, you can even post GPS data about your location to a world map on your live video page."

His bottomline: "I could get addicted to this service." Well, we hope he does, along with other PocketCaster enthusiasts. Thanks, Jim. And thanks to Nokia for including PocketCaster in their promotion.

Broadcast Engineering Report: ComVu touts PocketCaster for newsgathering

Thanks to Broadcast Engineering for including a report on PocketCaster for this month's email blast and website publication.

"ComVu Media, a company perhaps best known for enabling bloggers, online social networkers and other media-savvy consumers to webcast video from their mobile phones, is looking to make the leap into professional broadcasting.

At this year’s NAB, it demonstrated how its PocketCaster software could be used to transmit live video at near-broadcast quality from a mobile phone directly into Avid nonlinear news editing software."   Read more...

Spotlight on Silverlight at Streaming Media East - Come See Us!

Come see us at Streaming Media East Conference in NYC. We're demonstrating in the Microsoft Booth #223.

Exhibit Hall Hours:
Tues. May 15th, 10am - 6pm
Wed. May 16th, 10am - 4pm

Microsoft introduced its Silverlight technology to the Streaming Media crowd at this years event. Kicking off the conference with a keynote by Microsoft's Sean Alexander.

ComVu jumped onto the Silverlight beta bandwagon with a demonstration of PocketCaster for Windows Mobile 5 devices and our Mobile Video Studio, leveraging Silverlight's video support.