And the Digital Emmy goes to…iPod
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the organization responsible for handing out the Daytime Emmy Awards, has announced it will create an award category honouring original content produced for computers, cellphones and other hand-held devices. Several studios have already created some content, such as Pixar Animation Studios, which has partnered with Apple to provide six short animated films that will appear on the new video iPod. To be eligible, entries cannot be from television shows already shown. Submissions can include anything from video blogs, Web programs, event coverage, mobile serials and other video-on-demand content. As well, each entry cannot exceed 20 minutes. This marks the first time the group has recognized original content for mobile devices and the category is expected to debut at next year’s Sports Emmy presentation.
TV downloads just not taking off
A recent study from Mobinet found cellphone subscribers in North America were the least interested in TV content on their mobile phones with only six per cent willing to pay to download TV clips compared to the 15 per cent of cellphone users across the globe who were willing to do so. When people do download content, the study found about 49 per cent of the total downloads were news clips, followed by sports at 17 per cent and music videos at 16 per cent. The study said the downloadable TV market will not take off any time soon as existing wireless users find it hard to imagine how it could work on current devices. However, that could change once people start seeing demonstrations. Mobinet interviewed 4,000 cellphone users in 21 countries.
Blogs ripe for reading
Stereotypically, blogging has been for adolescents or middle-aged folks with a lots of opinions. Thirteen per cent of 18- to-29-year olds have created a blog while 32 per cent have read someone else’s blog. However, senior citizens are starting to gain momentum in the blogging community. Three per cent of seniors in the United States have created a blog, with 17 per cent stating they have read someone else’s blog. The age range of these bloggers is anywhere from 64 years to 92 years. Some blog titles include “Dad’s Tomato Journal,” “Dogwalk Musings” and “The Oldest living Blogger” (a 73-year-old man from Vancouver). Most seniors say they blog because it helps keep their lives interesting.
Virtual property nets high price
For Miami resident Jon Jacobs, $100,000 bought a lot in the world of virtual reality. Jacobs purchased a virtual space station last month in the science-fiction theme game Project Entropia in one of the largest sales of property in an online game. He plans on calling the space “Club Neverdie” and said it will be a cross between Jurassic Park and a disco. The resort grounds will have dinosaur-like monsters that visitors can kill. Jacobs also plans on hiring famous disc jockeys to entertain visitors once a week. Revenue from the resort is expected to be about $20,000 a month, mostly from a hunting tax and other income. In order to buy the property, Jacobs refinanced his home and sold items he accumulated on Project Entropia that became worth thousands of dollars.
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