Interactive Tele-Journalism

I'm interested in how the tele-journalist will connect the wearable PC to the internet. Availability of WiFi hotspots in the UK is quite limited right now, but I think this would be the best option. I've tried GPRS and it's much too unreliable and expensive. What has anyone else tried ?

WiFi hotspots seem to be the way to go. I am in NYC and there are a good amount of open WiFi networks.

It is fairly cheap to deploy WiFi and if things can be planned ahead of time, a network could be setup for an event that will be covered.

I think GPRS could work for a "slideshow with audio" type of news cast. Down the road I see phone connectivity as a good alternative, especially when phones start coming standard with MPEG-4 based video cameras and high speed connectivity.

I wonder how feasible it would be to combine a webcam (decent quality), a mini-itx board, WiFi network card and a lightweight battery to construct a roving wireless reporter's camera ? Perhaps one of those PCMCIA hard drives for local storage when there's no hotspot around.. Perhaps an embedded OS as well ?

Peter,

That is similar to what I am attempting to do. I am using a Mini-ITX, Linux, an IIDC (Firewire) camera with a laptop hard drive. The PCMCIA card idea is interesting but I don't have an open slot after the WiFi card is in.

Battery power has turned out to be the most elusive but I think I have it licked, working out the kinks now.

Shawn, eloquent description of core pieces of what's needed for the bottom-up tv network! The Interactive Tele-Journalism platform is the stage for an enthusiastic and inspired group that makes content that informs, educates, and entertains ourselves. This group (consisting of both technology and media producers) evolves into the people-powered Cable TV Studio. At first, we (the studio) are both the 'community of users' and the 'tele-journalists'.

Question: Besides hardware/software details, what specifically are the differences between (requirements of) the 'community of users' and the 'tele-journalist' other than proximity to a television and level of participation? Perhaps these two groups are really many groups.

Ah, batteries.. the Holy Grail eh ? I have to tell you that I managed to cover a whole day of the Farnborough Air Show with my Sony Handycam using a motorcycle 12-volt gel-filled battery. When worn properly you can hardly feel the weight :-) I'm looking forward to fuel-cell technology though!

Thanks for the kind words.

Regarding the question about the differences between users (used to be audience) and tele-journalist(s): I see ITJ as an intermediate step, a way to engage the people who have been audience and turn them into participants. My hope is that down the road they will come to think of themselves as involved and be able to become the journalist as well.

Such is what is happening on the internet (with blogs and so forth), the public is engaged and furthermore able to comment, question and then self-publish. Television on the other-hand has a long way to go in this area. ITJ is an attempt at opening it up to the public in a manner that leverages and resembles what is happening on the internet.

Essentially, the "community of users" are very similar to the readers of a blog, able to comment, discuss and in a sense direct the blog but they are not the writer or publisher of the blog. If so inclined they can create their own blog and become the publisher. ITJ seeks to not only start an interactive news program (a tv blog?) but also to give the tools to the users to create their own.

Shawn,
User participation as human input devices I think is firmly in place when young Japanese and now American kids started text messaging like crazy to one another, short hand language of where they are, who they are with and when to meet. I think in order for the "average" user to become involved with and in reporting a story, or raw content feeds to other users within the network it will require a low technology barrier to entry more akin to cell phones then video camera, in their current form. The reason I think this is similar to why I don't carry my high-end Nikon camera around but plan to acquire a very small digital, i.e. form factor and access to content. Perhaps 3G can offer a path to enable users to report, or feed content to to others who can make their own determination as to the "value" that content brings to the community. I see camera phones as the first baby steps and in time people will be be walking around able to stream 15fps of video to the network. So in this slice of the conversation I am suggesting that, form factor, ease of use, ubiquity of the device will all aid in acceptance and adoption.

Gilbert,

I couldn't agree more. I feel as though ITJ in it's current proposed form is just the beginning and the true revolution in news reporting will be when everyone has access to the technology and the means to disseminate the information. When cell phones with video capabilities arrive along with the 3G networks, I think the fireworks will fly.

In the near future there are a couple of phones coming out that might fit the bill. I can't wait..!

I am compelled to announce that I find this stunningly brilliant. Make it go, good man!

Oh, and check out "Creative Thinking and Fluid Analogies" by Douglas Hofstadter

please send me wifi internet datils for a hotel which is 80 rooms & 1 cyber cafe.& please send me
a diagram.