Multimedia and more

So news in the consumer electronics world went crazy yesterday after the announcement of a new smartphone that runs Android, Google’s new mobile operating system. Google wrote the software, and a company called HTC actually built the device. It’s being sold initially only for the T-Mobile network. The device, called the T-Mobile G1, will sell for $179 with a two-year contract.

So, how does this affect the journalism industry? Well I’m guessing that this phone specifically probably won’t have much impact. But more generally speaking, it’s extremely revealing news because it shows the penchant for companies to make smarter cell phones that can do more.

I figure at this point Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and all of other major players in the traditional cell phone market are scrambling to come up with versions of their own smartphones. Many already have them, but will come out with newer iterations that meet expectations. I figure in two years, every company will have a host of cell phone models that have keyboards and Internet capability.

This market of Internet-connected cellphones is such a huge opportunity for the journalism industry, it almost makes me cry. Think about it; name one object that most people in the US keep with them virtually 24 hours a day? Most folks I know use their cellphones as alarm clocks at night. They take it with them to work, to school, to the movies, on vacation - everywhere. And if it is not directly in their possession, it’s usually not more than 10 feet away.

And not only do they have it with them at all times, but cell phones have a much greater psychological characteristic: it’s deeply personal. It is a means of communication with friends and family, it holds people’s conversations via text messages, accesses private voice mails, and is a keeper of personal photographs.

All journalistic mediums have struggled with a basic fundamental challenge of delivering the news to the customer. Whether it’s through delivery of a newspaper, catching a family during prime time, or finding a moment on their daily commutes via radio. The cellphone is another emerging platform.

The problem is, the offerings for news on cellphones is pretty thin. Right now, you can get all of the major players — CNN, NYTimes, CBS, and ABC — pretty easily via mobile sites. But it’s the local content that nearly invisible. If I see a plume of smoke, how can I easily find out if that is a control burn or perhaps some greater event in my town? How can I learn about my local city government — likely the level of governance that will affect me more than all of the other levels.

People praised innovation on the Web like Chicagocrime.org or Everyblock.com for its attention to hyperlocal. Now we need to bring that to cellular technology. Mobile versions of sites has to be a standard with all news sites, and reporters should learn some of the more modern techniques to connecting with readers through services like Twitter, live blogging and social networks.

Also, not quite as obvious, the news industry needs to seriously start thinking about hiring software developers to create programs for these platforms. Software that will not only communicate the news, but help facilitate community and local networks.

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