December 27, 2004
Full length films - coming to a handset near you
As of next month, tiny chips will allow most people with recent models to turn their phones into mini DVD players, according to The Guardian.
"The technology makes use of the card slot that mobile phone manufacturers have recently begun adding to their handsets as a means of storing music and photos.
The so-called MMC slots are included in most of the latest models. It is estimated that as many as 15m compatible phones will be sold in the UK alone next year, as network operators push customers to upgrade.
The company behind the technology, Rock Player, plans to sell Digital Video Chips containing television shows and films. Because the content is stored on the card and not transmitted over the phone network, customers can watch the shows as many times as they like and are not thwarted by the lack of a phone signal.
"We don't expect people to watch a feature film in one sitting, but they might watch half an hour on the bus in the morning then another 20 minutes at lunchtime. The screens are also getting bigger and better quality," said Jonathan Kendrick, chief executive of Rok Entertainment Group, which has developed the format. The software contained in the chips also allows users to turn their phone sideways and watch the footage in full screen "letterbox" format."
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