When we heard that the 2009 edition of the Sidekick LX would be rockin’ an oh-so-droolworthy 858×480 screen, we crossed our fingers in hopes that it could playback video at a resolution worthy of the display. Not content with waiting for tomorrow’s Sidekick shindig, we did a bit of digging - and uncovered pretty much everything there is to know about video on the 2009 Sidekick LX.
The original Sidekick LX got video playback support back in July of last year by way of over-the-air update. While it was a nice bonus, it wasn’t ideal. Limited to h.263 encoded 3GPP videos, it was neither high-quality nor convenient.
According to details shared with us this morning, it looks like they’ve amped things up a bit. Here’s what we’ve confirmed so far:
3GPP: Yes
h.263: Yes
h.264: Yes
Streaming (Presumably 3GP): Yes
MPEG-4: Yes
Maximum resolution: It can playback videos up to the full resolution of the screen, 858×480. There aren’t too many 858×480 videos lurking around, so as a more common metric: it can playback video at 720×480, the same resolution used by nearly all North American DVDs.
We only went digging for playback information, but turned up some details on video recording as well. Here’s what we’ve heard on the matter:
Codec: MP4 in high quality mode, h.263 in low quality mode
Recording resolution: 320×240 or 176×144, depending on settings
These are all theoretical limitations, of course. We haven’t personally seen video playing back at these resolutions, so we can’t vouch for their smoothness. We’re working on getting photo/video recording samples, but that might have to wait until tomorrow’s festivities.
With too many companies to list battling it out for users in the live mobile video broadcasting space, spreading the word is key. Most people just don’t realize such a thing is possible; outside of geekier circles, the entire concept is still fairly new. Stream a live video from your handset and send the link off to some friends that don’t lurk blogs and social sites all day - chances are they’ll be more amazed by the fact that you’re streaming live video from a phone than they are by the content.
Many of these services have turned to outside networks to get the word out, enabling users to automatically share their content out to their already established circle of friends. Just recently, for example, both Qik and FlixWagon added support for Nokia’s Share on Ovi service. That’s all well and good for reaching the geek crowds - but what about everyone else?
This evening, Qik is announcing that they are the first to roll out Facebook Connect support, which could potentially introduce the concept to a massive new group of people.
As they’re leveraging Facebook Connect, they’re able to post videos directly to your video collection or wall without requiring the user to install additional Facebook apps. It’s as simple as could be for the user looking to share, but not without its faults: due to a limitation of the Facebook Connect API, videos can’t be streamed live directly onto Facebook, only posted after the fact. As an alternative, however, users can opt to publish a status update which links directly to their live video whenever they’re streaming.
The update is being rolled out immediately. As it’s a user profile setting, no updates are needed to the handset software. To get things going, users just log into Qik, pop into the “Edit Networks” screen, and authorize Qik as you would any Facebook Connect service.
Over time, however, all handsets will see updates which improve upon the new functionality. Available immediately is an update for non-touch Windows Mobile smartphones which allows users to pick-and-choose which videos they want pushed to Facebook. On other handsets, for the time being, Facebook will be updated with all Qik videos set as “public”.
This is a huge move for Qik and, as I’d imagine that all of the competition is already hard at work at rolling in Facebook Connect support as well, a huge move for the concept as a whole. Facebook is amongst a small handful of social networks that have really breached the main stream. Integrate a product properly, and you’ll be pitching your wares to one of the few online audiences that isn’t almost entirely geeks.
This one is still only in the very earliest stages, but it looks like MobiTV has taken advantage of the big National Association of Broadcasters Show in Vegas this week to show off a new mobile DTV service that it's developed in partnership with Sinclair and PBS, which it hopes will eventually find its way to a few interested cellular carriers. The service itself is a combination of free over-the-air DTV broadcasts (from PBS and the CW, at the moment) and subscription-based on-demand content, which would apparently be made available for a seven-day window and be delivered via mobile WiMAX. Unfortunately, there's no indication whatsoever of a potential roll-out, but it looks like MobiTV will be working hard during the next few days to woo some additional partners, so there's at least a slight chance that we could be hearing a few more details before the show wraps up later this week.
Fake corporate-marketing unboxing videos aren't anything new -- some of them are even pretty amazing -- but this latest one from T-Mobile is definitely the skeeziest we've ever seen. Follow along as a sex-crazed Sidekick LX attempts to limit access to his bubbly new owner's "spring break photos," pushes her into watching her "hot friends" play beach volleyball, and lament that he's ended up in the purse rather than her pocket -- yep, the Sidekick LX is the creepy little brother you wish you never had. No wonder she stashes it next to the pepper spray. Video after the break.
There's all sorts of good news going on here: first of all, the third Lotus color, red, is now officially available at retail from Sprint, making good on the carrier's promise of mid-April availability. Second, in case you haven't noticed, the $99.99 price tag has dropped all the way down to $49.99 on contract after discounts, making the fattest, stubbiest flip in Sprint's lineup more affordable than ever. Dig in, you texters, you.
I don’t want any of you to think that tomorrow’s NYC T-Mobile event has anything to do with anything other than the new 3G Sidekick LX. So, here are two variations of the event invite, which coincidentally were not sent to me by T-Mobile.
Aw, come on T-Mobile. If you’re going to spoil the fun of bloggers everywhere by unboxing your own new toys before they’re even on the shelves, do it well. Or, at least, actually unbox it. This 2-minute long video, which just went up on T-Mobile’s Youtube channel, is about 10% unboxing and 90% some girls face.
Plus - if you can’t top the Samsung Omnia’s parade-in-a-box, what’s the point?
With too many companies to list battling it out for users in the live mobile video broadcasting space, spreading the word is key. Most people just don’t realize such a thing is possible; outside of geekier circles, the entire concept is still fairly new. Stream a live video from your handset and send the link off to some friends that don’t lurk blogs and social sites all day - chances are they’ll be more amazed by the fact that you’re streaming live video from a phone than they are by the content.
