Mobile multimedia is not exactly accessible.

So, how is accessible multimedia related to mobile multimedia?

• Users have similar limitations
• Technology and software are advancing
• Users are expecting more from the technology
• Similar authoring best practices

How is accessing multimedia using a mobile device similar to a disabled person's experience accessing multimedia?

Users of handheld devices and assistive technology both:

• Access a limited amount of information at once
• May have limited input methods
• Use "alternative" software or devices

PC and cell phone vendors are crossing into each others' territory as phone and computer functionality converges.

• Cellular phones or "Smart phones"
  • A cross between a computer and a mobile phone. They often provide Internet access, larger display screens, an operating system (such as Symbian), more memory, and software.
• PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)
• May combine the capabilities of a computer, telephone/fax, and personal organizer. They may use a stylus and/or mini-keyboard for input or have voice activated functions or support handwriting recognition. Also known as personal mobile tools, palmtops, hand-held computers, pocket computers, etc.

2.5G

• Enhanced 2G (Second Generation) mobile communications technology
• Faster data rates (approximately 28kbps - 384kbps)

3G (Third Generation)

• Always-on data access
• Increased bandwidth
• Multimedia support, including full-motion, live, streaming video

In which generation we belong depends on:

• The device
• Mobile service provider
• Location, location, location

MPEG-4 (Motion Picture Experts Group)

• ISO/IEC standard 14496 for compressed video transmission (voice, video and related control data)
• Stable, high speed video transmissions to handheld devices.
• Data rate and quality are scalable.
• Based on the QuickTime file format.

Supported media types

• Audio
• Video
• Text
• 2D and 3D graphics
• Animation

3GPP and 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project)

• Worldwide standards for the creation, delivery, and playback of multimedia over 3G mobile networks.

Differences between 3GPP and 3GPP2

• 3GPP defines standards for use on Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) networks, the most used type of 3G network in the world.
• 3GPP2 defines standards for use on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000, the second most predominate type of 3G network.

• An open standard specified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)
• Descendent of SMS (Short Messaging Service)
• Messages may contain a combination of:
  • Formatted text
  • Graphics (including charts, diagrams, or graphs)
  • Photographs
  • Audio/video clips
• Create and access MMS from a handheld device or a desktop computer.
• Tend to be easy to create, increasing likelihood for adoption
• Interoperability issues in the US among carriers

Usage

• Mail photos from camera phones to other MMS phones or email accounts
• Mobile blogging

Authoring Software

• Many sites offer MMS content and authoring tools to compose MMS messages.
  • Design MMS messages on the Web or using downloadable PC software on the Sony Ericsson site:
    http://www.sonyericsson.com/fun/

• RealPlayer
• QuickTime
• Flash

Supports

• Streamed, downloaded, or locally stored audio and video
• 3GPP / 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project) standards
• RealAudio / RealVideo
• MPEG-4
• MP3

Adoption

• Released in 2002
• First media player to be commercially shipped with a next-generation mobile handsets (Europe).

Current Implementations

• Content is dependent upon mobile service provider.
• Ring tones

Handheld platforms, devices, and browsers that support RealPlayer:

• Openwave Phone Tools version 7
• Palm OS 5
• Nokia 9200 Series Communicators and Nokia Series 60 phones
• Symbian
• WinCE (Pocket PCs)
  • Pocket PCs currently can handle higher bit rates and frame rates.

Authoring Software

• Helix Mobile Producer 2

• QuickTime file format is the basis of the MPEG-4 standard.
• Using the QuickTime file format (.mov), you can combine MPEG-4 audio and video codecs with other QuickTime-compatible technologies, such as Macromedia Flash.
• Create once, play anywhere.
  • Create on a Mac OS X (not 9) or Windows desktop and play on handheld devices
  • Create on (some) handheld devices and play on your Mac OS X or Windows desktop

Adoption:

• In January 2003, Japan's NTT DoCoMo's Mobile launched MP4 i-motion, the first 3GPP-based 3G network available to consumers.
• In October 2003, Japan's KDDI launched CDMA1xWIN, becoming the first 3GPP2-based network service.

Authoring Software

• QuickTime 6.5 for Mac OS X or Windows and a QuickTime 6 Pro key.
  OR
• Install QuickTime 6.5 and then use the QuickTime exporters in any of these third-party applications:
  • Final Cut Pro / Final Cut Express
  • iMovie
  • Adobe Premiere

• Resizes Flash content to fit the mobile device, scaling it as much as possible without distorting it.
• Aligns Flash movies horizontally or vertically. Display the content sideways, if necessary.

Handheld devices and browsers that support Flash:

• PDA devices (currently Pocket PC, Sony Clie)
• Cell phones, including:
  • Nokia 9200 Series Communicators (even in the US if on a GSM network)
  • Motorola A920

Adoption:

• Japan's NTT DoCoMo requires that every i-mode handset have an embedded Macromedia Flash Lite profile. The Flash Lite profile uses Flash 5 objects and Flash 4 Actionscript. Every future i-mode phone will have Macromedia Flash Lite available for use from within the browser to play screen savers and SWFs.

Authoring Software

• Macromedia Flash MX Professional 2004
  • New, built-in templates for mobile devices correctly preset preferences for the target platform. Each template contains a bitmap graphic of the mobile device that acts as a visual guide while you create your Flash content so you can estimate how it may appear.

In the United States

• Interoperability limitations among devices and carriers
  • In February 2004, Sprint and Bell Mobility became the first in North America to share picture messages (MMS) between wireless service providers:
    http://news.designtechnica.com/article2799.html
• Limited availability of devices and services

Technical

• Limited memory
• Limited bandwidth
• Slow CPU

Usability Considerations

• User's Environment
  • Test using the device while walking down a street, riding public transportation, driving a car, standing in bright sunlight, sitting in a darkened theatre, etc.
• Screen size
  • The small size restricts the amount of information that can be displayed, and limits the overall complexity of applications.
  • Screen size varies widely:
    • Approximately 100x100 pixel screen size for many mobile phones
    • 240 x 320 screen size for Pocket PCs
    • 320 x 480 screen size for some Clie models
    • 640 x 200 screen size for Nokia 9200 Series Communicators

Usability Considerations, continued

• Input methods
  • Numeric keypad
  • Stylus
  • Voice
  • Mini keyboard

Future Considerations

• DRM (Digital Rights Management) and encryption restrictions are on the horizon or are being created now.
  • Legal and technical protection may encourage content providers to distribute more mobile content and multimedia.

• "One size does NOT fit all."
  • Design for specific devices or types of devices to maximize usability.
• Allow the user to interact and respond using multiple methods of input.
• Try not to make functionality device-dependent.
• Provide multiple levels of reinforcement to the user, for example use audio and visual alerts

• World's Smallest Film Festival and World's Smallest Animation Festival
  • International competition for films or animations, up to 7 minutes long, created for mobile devices:
    http://www.bigdigit.com/FF_Frameset-2.htm
• Create your own mobile Flash portfolio
  • Create new Flash files or adapt your existing Flash presentations for mobile display:
    http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mobile/articles/mobile_portfolio.html

Mobile multimedia for handheld devices is...

• Rapidly evolving
• Spreading to the US
• Not "accessible", but will likely become accessible
• Chocked full of wow factor

Glossaries

Macromedia Flash Lite / Player

MMS

MPEG-4

Mobile Blogging

Mobile Standards Groups

QuickTime 6.5 Mobile

RealPlayer