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Click here to view the video on YouTube.
It cannot be easy trying to get over 100 technology and electronics companies working together towards a common goal.
However, this is the job of Menno Treffers, the chairman of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), which was founded in late 2008 to make sure that wireless charging products are all able to work together.
“When they work together then the end value for the consumer is much better than if it is a proprietary solution only. We cooperate because we think it benefits the end user,” says Menno.
The Qi standard
Eighteen months after its first meeting in Hong Kong, the WPC adopted the Qi (pronounced chi) wireless charging standard. Any product bearing the Qi logo is a guarantee of interoperability, which offers both convenience and peace of mind for the people who buy them.
Nokia is a member of the WPC, and the new Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820 (when used with the wireless charging shell) both feature wireless charging that conforms to the Qi standard.
Conversations spoke to Menno, who lives in the Netherlands, about the WPC, why innovation is not being stifled and how we will soon be able to recharge our phones practically everywhere we go.
What’s your background, Menno?
I have a PhD in physics, although that was a long time ago! I worked in R&D with Philips Electronics mainly in software engineering but in the last 10-15 years I have been involved with creating interface standards. I have been involved in DVD-recordable, Blu-Ray, Super Audio CD and all kinds of optical recording standards.
How does the WPC work?
We have five to six meetings every year. They are three-day meetings and hosted by one of the members in turn. Companies like Philips, Nokia and Texas Instruments they each send two to four people.
It is a significant investment, not just in time at meetings but there is a lot of homework done, prototypes built, which are also shown at the meetings for testing and to compare them, to see if they really work together.
What are the major obstacles facing the WPC?
I think the obstacles are not in the technology but it is in organising the ecosystem around it. You have to design an interface specification, test procedures and test labs have to work together.
Also, there is the chicken and egg problem. For example, if Nokia puts this in their phone, then there is more value if more companies do it as well. So companies are all looking at each other, discussing what is the right time, when do we start, if the costs are low enough, if the added value is enough and do we do this together?
This coordination of bringing things together, but at the same time still differentiating your products; that is the most complicated part. You don’t want to do it on your own and you also want to be the first.
Doesn’t working together stifle innovation?
We are only specifying what is necessary to make the products work together and we don’t discuss anything else outside of that.
It’s not product specification and that is a very important difference. It is a bit like the GSM standards for mobile phones – they are interface standards. They don’t say anything about what the phone looks like, the displays or the battery consumption. So this is really an interface standard and it does not stifle innovation at all.
So if companies want to make a charger that is using different coils or different frequencies then they can get the Qi logo on the charger providing that they can prove that it still works with all the other receivers. You will still see a whole range of chargers appear and they will do all kinds of interesting stuff.
As well as mobile phones, what other products can benefit from wireless charging?
On the receiver side it is everything that has a battery at the moment. Still cameras will be another big category, particularly if you want a camera that is waterproof. It is completely sealed and you don’t need to have a connector anymore.
On the transmitter side, there are things like speaker docking stations. Nokia already has one for the Lumia 920. The difficulty with audio docks is that you need power, so you’ll always have to use USB connectors but they are in different positions and it is all very inconvenient.
With wireless power, the need for a connector is gone. You have the power already and for data you can use Bluetooth; for video you can use WiFi or WiFi Direct and for pairing you use NFC.
How much of a boost for the Qi standard is the release of the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820?
It is a boost, particularly in the US, Europe and China. I can’t wait to have the Lumia 920 available in Holland!
In Japan, wireless charging has been mainstream for a while and you can already see the benefits appearing. The more people that have wireless charging phones, then the more places will provide wireless charging facilities. It’s a very strong network effect.
If more people have it then it becomes more interesting for coffee shops to offer it, for public transport to offer it and to have it embedded in cars. This could not happen with a proprietary system because it would be too expensive to develop an ecosystem for just a small market of phones.
What progress do you see being made in 10 years?
Wireless charging will be everywhere: hotel rooms, office furniture and coffee shops. People will be able to top up the battery of their phone everywhere.
The transmitters work forever, as there are no connectors and no moving parts. So there are no maintenance problems, you just build it in the infrastructure and keep it there.
The WPC in its current form will be finished and it will become an organisation, which is licensing the Qi logo and making sure that the compatibility tests are properly done.
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It is no coincidence that the JBL PowerUp speaker, with NFC and wireless charging, is the perfect companion for Nokia’s new Lumia 920 smartphone.
Neither is it a matter of luck that the speaker and the smartphone both share a similar design language and colour aesthetic.
The speaker is, in fact, the result of Nokia’s technical innovation in smartphones and design heritage combined with JBL’s audio expertise.
The JBL PowerUp is joined in the line up with the JBL PlayUp speaker, a portable and wireless speaker that is also Bluetooth and NFC-enabled.
Together, these two speakers offer Nokia Lumia owners a seamless choice of audio accessories that they know will not only sound great and look fantastic, but also work alongside their smartphones as well.
Partners in sound
Lasse Lautsuo, Head of Gear product marketing at Nokia, told Conversations about the seeds of the relationship with JBL.
“We learnt as we worked with Monster [on a range of headphones] that we can create different and interesting products with brands that consumers appreciate but in areas that you wouldn’t necessarily associate with Nokia,” says Lasse.
Nokia wanted to work with a company to create new and exciting audio products and JBL was a perfect fit.
“JBL had the combination of being a cool and youthful brand but they also had the heritage of audio expertise in high end speakers for public and professional use.”
“So after we had launched the Monster partnership it was logical from the music side to start making better speakers.”
Design
The speakers were made in close collaboration between the two companies, however they clearly follow Nokia’s design story.
Nokia was also able to embed much of the functionality, such as the ability to charge your Lumia 920 or Lumia 820 (with the recharging shell) on the PowerUp speaker without the need for any wires. You just place it on top.
Click here to view the video on YouTube.
JBL’s role was to manufacture the speakers, with their knowledge of the best components and make them sound as good as possible.
So, although it is not branded as a Nokia product on the box, much of the design work, including the design language and colours, is very much of Nokia’s choosing.
“We wanted to continue to bring out products that capture the eye,” says Lasse.
“We cherish the colour range that the Nokia Lumia has for the phones as well as the accessories.”
Nokia fans will probably recognise that the PlayUp speaker shares much of its DNA with the Nokia Play 360 speaker. This has been made from double-shot plastic, which gives the body durability, a two-tone look and the transparency of the outer layer helps to maximise the colour effect.
As you would expect of any product that is associated with Nokia, they look great and have a fantastic feel to them.
Click here to view the video on YouTube.
Offering consumer choice
Although Nokia has got this successful partnership with JBL, and several others, such as Monster and Virgin Atlantic, they would still welcome other manufacturers to join in as well.
“I am sure that all of us in the Windows Phone ecosystem would be really happy to see a vibrant ecosystem where we see various brands making different accessories,” says Lasse.
After all, with NFC and the Qi wireless charging standard, it is not just Nokia smartphones that can take advantage of these beautiful speakers.
By going with JBL, though, Nokia has ensured that there are accessories available already and also demonstrated that there is still the scope to re-imagine something as common as a speaker.
“We want the accessories to show the consumers and other companies that you can really innovate and differentiate.”
“I believe we have done that with the wireless charging integrated into a more traditional accessory like a speaker or something cool like the proximity sensor that lights up when the device lands on it.”
For now, though Nokia can celebrate the fact that using their mobile expertise and design flair they have worked with JBL to produce two speakers that are worthy of the Lumia smartphones.
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Our wonderful community have been getting creative again! It is truly amazing what you guys can do with a Lumia 900 in your hands. If you are reading this right now and thinking to yourself “what is this Nokia Connects: Go you talk of” and “I want to get involved”, then please head here for more information.
Right now though I’m going to give your eyes and ears some fresh beats and nourishing views using our favourite entries from this monthly competition. Be warned, these songs are about to explode through your screen…only joking, but seriously make sure the volume is at a suitable level before you embarrass yourself in the office. We’ve all been there.
Here is Becky Rose with her music video ‘Don’t Settle Me Down’, a video she shot entirely on her Lumia 900. The song is pretty uplifting and I think she has a very bright future. I’ll let you judge for yourselves though, I know the people at 4:19 into this video agree with me!
Click here to view the video on YouTube.
From a talent individual to some talented individuals. Up next we have an Indie Rock band called the ‘Book Thieves‘ with their track ‘Running Joke’. These lads really embrace the whole jamming in your garage thing, it’s great to see! Another top track and one I think you’ll like regardless of your taste in music (again, please don’t shoot the messenger!). Props go to Dan Marsh for directing this video on his Lumia 900.
Click here to view the video on YouTube.
Finally, I think you should also check out this really cool and relaxing Nokia Connects: Go entry by Andri Permana. Andri is a music and film blog editor who created a video about travelling around his town in Bandung, Indonesia (looks like an awesome place to go on holiday).
Do you want to get involved in Nokia Connects: Go? Send us a tweet (@Nokia_Connects) or leave a message about what you would love to create on your Nokia phone. If you don’t have one then you can apply for a trial here.
Have fun and continue putting the create in creativity!
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There are some great apps and games installed on the Nokia Asha 311 for you to enjoy straight out of the box.
Both Facebook and Twitter are there and you only need to login before you can start catching up with your friends and followers.
Last week, I wrote about the 40 free EA games that you can download and keep forever. Another free game, and one that comes pre-installed on the Nokia Asha 311, is the world-beating Angry Birds.
The Asha 311 also has terrific tools such as Nokia Maps, the photo gallery with extensive editing features and the FM radio.
Of course, all this is just the start. Inside the Nokia Store there are further riches waiting to be discovered.
Everyone has different interests, so what is a useful app for me could be a useless app for you. Nonetheless, here are some essential apps that I have been using on my Nokia Asha 311.
“Are you on WhatsApp?”
It has become a popular question that’s been heard over and over again ever since this mobile phone instant messenger service started gaining popularity.
WhatsApp Series 40 Messenger works on all Nokia Asha devices, although you might need to check with your local operator as well because it runs on cellular data.
It’s easy to see why WhatsApp has become such a hit. It works across different mobile platforms and when you are connected via WiFi it means that sending messages are essentially free. This is particularly good news if you are sharing photos or video.
Nokia Maps is wonderful for getting you from A to B but this app has a slightly different function.
Nokia Nearby helps you to discover places around you, whether that is restaurants, coffee shops, or other places of interest. I use it most often to find the closest ATM.
It goes further than just highlighting places on a map – you can also read reviews of places, save them for later and even share them with your friends.
The good news about watching YouTube videos on the Nokia Asha 311 is that you don’t need an app to do it – they can be viewed straight from the Nokia Browser.
Just go to www.youtube.com on the Nokia Browser as you would normally on a computer or a laptop. You can search through all the videos and just select the one you want to play.
The video will then start playing full screen on the phone and give you the full playback controls of pause, fast forwarding, rewind or stopping. Bookmark YouTube on your browser and it becomes just as easy as having specific app!
I actually got my first smartphone specifically because I wanted to be able to get live football scores when I was away from the computer or the radio.
ESPN FC, formerly known as ESPNSoccernet, gives you live scores, results and football news from all the major football leagues around the world.
If you’re a fan of the beautiful game then this ESPN FC really is an essential app for your Asha phone.
Staying informed with the latest news is another important thing for me, and the CNN app does a great job of this on the Asha 311. As well as top stories, other categories include technology, business, sport, travel and entertainment.
My favourite feature of this app is the push notifications that can be enabled. So, even if the app is closed you will still be alerted if there is a major news story breaking.
You can also use the iReport function to contact CNN and send them your pictures if you ever find yourself as an eyewitness to a breaking news story.
As I mentioned earlier, the Asha 311 has a FM Radio app installed but you will need to plug in your headphones (which acts as the antenna) and you are limited to whichever local or national FM broadcasts that you can pick up.
With this Nokia Internet Radio app, you can open your ears to all the radio stations of the online world. How great is that?
It is especially good for the Nokia Asha 311 because you can listen using your WiFi connection and not use up any of your precious cellular data.
Have you been using any of the Asha Touch smartphones? Let us know which apps you can recommend.
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Download Entrance by AOL
- Press the Search button on your Nokia Lumia and then tap Vision
- Scan the QR code
- Tap on the link when it appears on the screen
- Install the application from the Windows Phone Marketplace
Tired of having to look at different apps for the latest news in music, movies and entertainment? Wish you had a one-stop destination where you could listen to your favourite bands and also check out what’s on at the cinema?
Then, Entrance by AOL, designed exclusively for Nokia Lumia smartphones, is the app you have been waiting for.
This app is a unified gateway that offers the latest news in music, movies and entertainment from AOL’s top brands, such as AOL Music, Moviefone and The Huffington Post Entertainment.
Reading about the news is only one part of Entrance by AOL’s rich entertainment experience.
You can also listen to over 55,000 SHOUTcast radio stations and there is free music streaming via AOL Music, such as its exclusive CD Listening Party (CDLP), which showcases a full album by an up and coming band.
Augmented Reality at the Cinema
This unique app has plenty of special features for movie fans to enjoy as well.
Using a first-of-its-kind Augmented Reality function, users will be able to find cinemas, film posters and the screening times by just holding up their phone. This information will display itself on your Lumia’s screen overlaid as if by magic with the real world around you.
There is also integration with Moviefone so that you’ll be able to watch trailers, see nearby showtimes and even buy your cinema tickets directly from within the app.
“Augmented reality, live streaming music and movie trailers are the perfect use case to show off the capabilities of both the Lumia smartphones and AOL’s Mobile development team,” said David Temkin, Senior Vice President of Mobile and Mail at AOL.
“Entrance shows what’s possible when you combine great content with an elegantly designed, incredibly fast handset.”
Music and Movies together
Entrance by AOL has been designed to make the music and movie experiences as seamless and easy to use as possible.
For example, if you like a movie, then you can see the entire cast with a single tap and then, if you wish, continue to find out all the news related to a single actor. Similarly, if the film has a soundtrack, you’ll be able to listen to it and even download the tracks.
“Entrance by AOL leverages the depth of AOL’s content, whilst demonstrating the unique and differentiated experiences partners can bring to Nokia Lumia smartphones,” said Mark Fletcher, Nokia’s Director for Global Partnering & Application Development.
“With innovative features such as Augmented Reality, personalized and contextual Live Tiles and beautiful app design, enabled through the rich Windows Phone UI, we believe Nokia consumers will love this exclusive one stop shop for entertainment.”
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This spring, we introduced a brand new technology called Floating touch in Xperia sola. This unique user experience lets you control parts of the user interface (UI) by simply letting your finger hover above the touchscreen. And with the release of the new Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) update, a Floating touch API is now available. This means you can add Floating touch™ support to your apps! To learn more about this, check out the Floating Touch API tutorial made by Andreas Sandblad, Software Architect at Sony. You’ll get all the details about this API plus a code example, which will enable you to get an innovative edge on your competition!
Category: Sony Ericsson | Leave a Comment
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Xperia™ sola is the first smartphone to introduce a brand new touch sensor technology called Floating touch. This unique feature lets you control parts of the user interface (UI) by simply letting your finger hover above the touch screen. And with the latest Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) update for Xperia™ sola, the API for Floating touch™ is now available, so that you can add Floating touch™ to your apps and allow users to control app actions through finger hovering. This makes it possible to interact with the UI in many new ways! We asked Andreas Sandblad, Software Architect at Sony, to explain the API in detail. Read further to get more information plus code example.
Andreas Sandblad, Software Architect at Sony.
Hi, I’m Andreas Sandblad, and I work as a Software Architect at Sony. In this tutorial I will explain the new Floating touch™ API coming with the latest ICS update, which means you can make it possible to control your own app by hovering your finger above the touch screen. This ICS update actually brings another cool feature for users – now you can highlight any link that you hover over in the web browser. In the Gingerbread software for Xperia™ sola, the link required a CSS :hover selector effect to be defined when you hovered over a link. For ICS, we’ve added a default CSS :hover selection effect which applies to all web sites. The CSS “outline” property was chosen to ensure that the existing web site layout was not affected. So now the Floating touch™ functionality works for all links!
But now let’s dig into the Floating touch™ API. Further down, you’ll find a code example for the Floating touch™ event stream so that you can start to use the Floating touch™ feature in Xperia™ sola for your own app! By doing this, there’s a good chance you’ll get an innovative edge on your competition.
Mapping out the details of the Floating touch™ API
A Floating touch™ event in Android™ is just an ordinary MotionEvent with the action ACTION_HOVER_ENTER, ACTION_HOVER_MOVE, or ACTION_HOVER_EXIT. To get the event stream, you can let your app override View.onHoverEvent or Activity.dispatchGenericMotionEvent. For compatibility reasons between various devices, it is highly recommended to check the action value of the event, and to not rely on all motion events being the same event. This means that you should look at both hover and touch events.
In addition to the X and Y coordinate, the distance of the finger from the touch screen is available through the distance axis. A general rule to keep in mind, is that an application should not hardcode the distance range. Instead it should rely on InputDevice.getMotionRange. The distance value is a raw value from the touch firmware and cannot be mapped precisely to a distance unit such as millimeters. Since this is a capacitive value, the value will depend on the angle and the thickness of the finger, and also other factors such as temperature and hardware differences. Hover events will be dispatched up to approximately one centimeter from the screen.
An application can check whether Floating touch™ is available on a phone by calling the PackageManager.hasSystemFeature method with the feature name com.sonymobile.floating_touch.
Note that the Floating touch™ API is not supported while the phone is used in glove mode, which means it has been unlocked with a glove on. The reason for this is that in glove mode, the Floating touch™ events are rewritten as normal touch events. Read more in my blog post explaining the basics of glove mode!
Example code using the Floating touch™ API
The following simple examples get the Floating touch™ event stream and writes it to a TextView.
@Override
public boolean dispatchGenericMotionEvent(MotionEvent ev) {
StringBuffer output = new StringBuffer();
output.append("action: " + ev.getActionMasked() + "\n");
output.append("x: " + ev.getX() + "\n");
output.append("y: " + ev.getY() + "\n");
MotionRange range = ev.getDevice().getMotionRange(MotionEvent.AXIS_DISTANCE);
if (range != null) {
output.append("distance: " + ev.getAxisValue(MotionEvent.AXIS_DISTANCE) + "\n");
output.append("distance min: " + range.getMin() + "\n");
output.append("distance max: " + range.getMax() + "\n");
}
if (mHasFloatingtouch == null) {
mHasFloatingtouch = getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature(
"com.sonymobile.floating_touch");
}
output.append("has floating touch: " + mHasFloatingtouch);
if (mTextOutput == null) {
mTextOutput = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.textView1);
}
mTextOutput.setText(output);
return mHasFloatingtouch;
}
For all you Android developers out there, let us know if you have any questions about using the Floating touch™ API – drop us a line in the comments field below. We’re looking forward to seeing what you innovate!
More information
Category: Sony Ericsson | Leave a Comment
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10
The Nokia Store is filled with apps and games that make your Nokia smartphone even more fun or productive. One such app is Access Apps, and it makes it easier for you to access important functions from anywhere on your phone, with a simple finger swipe on the screen.
Available on Nokia Belle smartphones, such as the Nokia 701 we’ve tested it on, Access Apps creates another screen that you’re able to swipe into view whenever you want, much like the notifications bar from the top you’re already used to – except this one is delivered from the left side of the screen.
When installed and loaded, all the apps will be included in this new screen. However you can select a few choice apps that you’d like to use the most by picking them from the Set my icons screen.
All of the main phone functions are available, such as the Camera, Clock, Telephone, and Messaging, for example. Additionally, all of the other apps or games you’ve downloaded from Nokia Store can also be selected and included your choice selection, such as Angry Birds, Twitter or MOLOME.
When you’ve activated the new screen (by swiping your thumb or finger from the left of the screen), you’ll see a bunch of icons in view in a grid format, starting with the apps you selected from the Set my icons screen earlier. Beyond those, the rest of the apps installed on your phone are listed in alphabetical order and scrolling down will reveal them to you. Pressing on the app or game will launch it, as you’d expect.
While listing all the apps might be useful to some people, if you’ve got lots of apps, finding the right one can be time consuming. Hitting the My icons button situated at the front of that list is a better way of finding what’s really important to you – the apps you included in the Set my icons screen – this lets you toggle between just your preferred icons and the all-inclusive, larger app list.
If you’d like to launch the app without swiping – although, swiping seems a natural way to do it – you can include a button in the toolbar at the bottom. You do this by enabling the Launch button in the main menu of the app.
If you see yourself using this every time you use the phone, it’s probably worth making use of the Enable autostart option in the menu. This means that every time you switch on the phone, the app will already be loaded, saving you even more time.
Access Apps is one of those apps that makes it feel like a you’ve had a big software update, without actually having one. It fundamentally changes the way you browse for your apps or phone functions.
Available from Nokia Store for £1.50 for Nokia Belle smartphones, download it today and let us know what you think of it, in the comments section below.
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If you’ve ever wondered what the score is with multi-core processors inside smartphones, you’re not alone. You hear the term mentioned all the time, but how, exactly, are CPU cores utilized in a multi-core processor? Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer.
Processors like the Snapdragon S4, which power the Nokia Lumia 920 and 820, are astonishingly complex pieces of silicon, packed with advanced technologies that affect every aspect of smartphone use. Nonetheless, it helps to know the myths and truth about multi-core processing when you’re out buying your next mobile device.
What exactly is the core?
Simply put, a CPU core is one of a number of functional elements that make up processors, such as the Snapdragon S4. In addition to running your favorite apps, it’s called upon for practically every smartphone task you can think of. Sure, 3D games rely heavily on the graphics processing unit (GPU), while high-fidelity audio and HD video rely on the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and the video engine, respectively. But every one of these scenarios route through the CPU cores at some point. In other words, cores are to a processor like a general is to its commanding army.
As you’d expect, a multi-core processor contains more than one core, typically two or four, but there is no technical limit to the number. Within certain limitations, each core can run any given task irrespective of other cores.
Let’s bust some myths
It makes sense to assume that a dual core, such as the Snapdragon S4 MSM8960, is twice as powerful as a single core, and quad core is four times as fast. Unfortunately, this convenient formula is hardly ever correct. While going from single to dual and dual to quad does increase performance, it’s rarely the case that performance is doubled or quadrupled.
One reason is that most applications are single-threaded and thus are only utilizing one or two cores at a time. Only a few high-end games and multimedia editing applications are multi-threaded and can fully reap the benefits of multi-core. The other reason is that many of these processes are distributed throughout the processor, so you have to take into account the power of the GPU, memory bandwidth and speed, and software optimizations.
So how do they work?
Timo Joutsenvirta, Nokia’s Marketing Manager for Smart Devices, has come up with a great analogy to explain the difference of single, dual and quad core. Imagine a coffee shop as the processor and the customers are apps that want coffee. The baristas, meanwhile, are the cores who serve it to them. A single barista pours coffee from one coffee pot to each customer at a time. If more customers demand coffee, the barista might not be able to serve coffee fast enough. In this case, the customer would need to wait.
Adding more cores
One way to solve the waiting problem is to double or quadruple the number of baristas. More baristas can serve many more customers at a time so that none of them need to push themselves beyond their physical limitations. However, increasing the number of baristas also has its drawbacks. A single coffee pot can only pour one cup of coffee at a time, leaving the other baristas pot-less until the first cup is poured. Adding more baristas (or cores) can have an incremental improvement, but it’s not exponential.
Why bother, then?
The easiest way for technology companies like Qualcomm to improve processor performance is to increase the clock speed (or how many instructions a processor can perform in a given amount of time). Unfortunately, increasing clock speed (MHz, GHz) can also increase power consumption and heat generation, which are big no-nos for smartphone users. So, one way of increasing performance without your smartphone sizzling in your pocket is to use multi-core technology.
This enhances performance by allowing applications, if they are advanced enough, to run on more than one core at a time. It also saves power as each core can be run on at a lower clock speed than on single core, thanks to a technology called Asymmetric Multi-Processing, found only on the Snapdragon S4.
The bottom line
Smartphone processors are definitely not created equal. You only need to look at the incredible ways the Snapdragon S4 helps makes the Nokia Lumia 920 an amazing smartphone to see that. However, when comparing devices, it’s clear we should take into account more than just the CPU core.
Hopefully, this has helped you get to grips with the ins and outs of multi-core. If there’s anything else you’d like to know, drop us a line below and we’ll do our best to answer.
Image credits: Marion Doss + Just Winchester
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Watching television has always been a social event. In the old days, that meant the family gathering to watch the latest instalment of a favourite sitcom or soap, and then talking about it the next day with your office colleagues.
Now, laptops, smartphones, cultural shifts and changes to the nature of TV itself have transformed the way we watch. It’s become common for people to multitask, with television being only one of a number of screens we’re paying attention to during leisure hours.
Google has recently published research saying that 77 per cent of the time, people watching television are also watching another screen, 49 per cent on a laptop or desktop PC, and 39 per cent on a smartphone. Presumably, a reasonable proportion are flicking their eyes between three different screens. (Link: PDF)
Generally speaking, apps use alongside television falls into three different categories:
Communication
People have always wanted to chat about what they’re watching. With your smartphone, you can join in a conversation with complete strangers from across the world, a group of friends or one chosen co-viewer.
Internet forums devoted to TV programmes have existed since the dawn of the Internet. What’s changed is the amount of chatter during the shows themselves. Twitter is the most conspicuous place for this. Current affairs programmes like BBC Question Time (#bbcqt) and reality shows like The Apprentice (#apprentice) seem to attract the most attention: I guess people aren’t as likely to want to chat during a tense drama or an epic film.
Your Lumia is, of course, the ideal tool for such chat. With a whole host of great Twitter apps, live debates about what’s going on on-screen are instantly accessible (Twabbit is my current favourite, though I know Rowi has a lot of fans).
Companion
But the Lumia is a great TV companion in more ways than one. I currently use the app TvPyx to find out what’s on the other channels – the app also has a built in Twitter client if you want all your telly needs in one place.
The other ideal use for your phone is as a reference tool. Gone are the days of pondering (and arguing about) what the name of the actor who plays Rory in Dr Who is, and where you’ve seen him before. The excellent IMDB app and, of course, Bing Search will have the question answered in moments. (Arthur Darvill – he was in the TV adaptation of He Kills Coppers).
And, of course, sometimes television isn’t quite engrossing enough. Having some similarly low-stress entertainment on your second screen (Angry Birds, of course) can easily alleviate having to watch your loved one’s dreadful soaps or plainly insane choice of sports events. Pro tip: only plug in the earphone on the side opposite your partner, and nod in agreement from time to time, or you’re bound to get complaints.
It’s possible to do a certain amount of compensating for not being able to watch the show you want, too. For the footy fanatic, ESPN goals provides live scores, and clips of the goals taking place within minutes of them happening at the match. Meanwhile, Soapbox might fill your need for small-town tittle-tattle if the football fan has seized control of the remote.
Control and stream
Speaking of remotes, one feature of Windows Phone that a number of app developers have seized upon is the ability to control your computer from a client that sits on your phone. Apps such as RemoteDesktop bring a 4-inch replica of your desktop PC onto your Lumia. If you’re looking for access to your media library on your phone, then apps such as HD EPG, in conjunction with desktop software like Remote Potato, make it easy to set up a discreet second channel on your smartphone.
And finally, it would be a crime to ignore Nokia’s own PlayTo app for the Lumia, for when it’s time to put your content onto the TV. This allows you to stream photos, music and videos straight from your device onto any DLNA device – these include TVs, Blu-Ray players and games consoles.
How else are you using apps as a TV companion?
image credits: dailyinvention, marcleh
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