More user generated news content and .....the Hindenberg
The democratisation of news sources continues apace. CNN have launched an application
CNN Exchange that enables viewers send in "your stories, your pictures, your videos wherever you see the I-Report logo. Weigh in on the blogs. Click your way through QuickVotes and more."
However submission is only possible via the website and they are missing the opportunity to support the mobile channel by allowing users to submit video clips or images direct from their mobile handsets. This is already supported by Sky News and the BBC in the UK. Witness for example the recent
video clip from a cameraphone showing the recent tragedy in the UK with a balloon sculpture. Strangely reminiscent of the Hindenberg disaster: Recall that the Hindenberg diaster was the first major disaster broadcast live on radio, in the same way news this recent disaster is distributed via the new medium of mobile cameraphones.
Who, what, where is Payforit?
A secure, open and easy to use WAP billing system is the holy grail of the mobile internet industry. Such a system should offer one click payments across all networks in as many jurisdictions as possible. Also critical that it should have a clear and reasonable revenue share to encourage content providers. There is much comment recently in blogspace about a WAP payments system called Payforit:
2ergo first to launch PayforitHowever very little detail can be found about how this system actually works. There does not appear to be a dedicated website anywhere. The best source of info I can found is an article from New Media Age entitled
Major industry concern with Orange over Payforit charge . This has some very worrying news:
Orange are charging GBP20,000 (sic) to get set up on the system and the revenue share available to the CP's is a staggering 5-10%. Compare this to i-mode's 86%. The future is not so (Orange) bright for this payment system methinks.
UPDATE: I ahve seen some references to payforit.org as the website but this appears to be a domain holding page.
