I’m a huge fan of personal video communications, even if it means I have to shave everyday, not have a bad hair day and even get dressed. When I’m on the go I wish I could see what is up with my fiance who lives 500 miles away and since she is more mobile phone than PC laden throughout the day, it would be nice if what the Nokia Nseries phones let me do with Mobile Video (ask Howard Thaw of iotum) in Europe would work here in the USA as well.
Peter Csathy, CEO of SightSpeed, Luca and Ken Camp have been involved in an online and offline three way dance on this subject, so now I’ll make it a four way.
Mobile Video is not going replace voice. It will supplement it. Just like it took years for the telephone to eliminate the telegraph and to make Western Union obsolete, so too will video have its day on mobile devices.
Also the way society travels will have to change too. We live in a car intensive society here in the USA. Driving and talking are already being made taboo in some states, one only imagine what will happen when people are driving and watching one another.
On the other hand in a mass transit world, like Europe and Japan I could see the idea of mobile video communications taking hold.
We have to realize that what’s good in one part of society and the globe isn’t best for all. A USA centric viewpoint can’t be our only perspective, so viewing through other people’s eyes is often the best way to sometimes look at things.
Luca is bringing a great viewpoint, so is Martin and Jeff. This is a hot topic so I only hope we make it jump from text to live on a future VoIP Think Tank or at a panel at VON.