Up close with ICO mim: The new face of Satellite Multimedia (Part 2)
Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 9:59 AM
This is the second part of my experience with ICO mim at CES 2008. Read Part 1 here.
As part of my meeting with ICO Global Communications at CES I had the distinct opportunity to ride in a vehicle outfitted with their Mobile Interactive Media ("mim") service. The vehicle had LCD screens everywhere you looked, all streaming live video direct from ICO mim. The accompanying photos are all taken from within that vehicle.
Since the satellite is scheduled to launch in March, the service was being provided through a terrestrial signal coming from a temporary tower called a COW ("Cellsite On Wheels"). We'll cover more on the COW later.
But first, I know what you're thinking. Is broadcast video really something that the public would want in their cars? Afterall, drivers should be spending their time watching the road, not watching TV. But, it looks like ICO has factored all that in.
For instance, with the advent of polarized screens, drivers can view the GPS navigation interface (provided by ICO mim) while passengers can view the live video content (also provided by ICO mim). In addition, the driver can listen to the video content as if it's a radio (much like how Sirius and XM broadcast the TV feed of CNN, CNBC, Fox, etc). But once the vehicle in is park, the driver can choose to watch sections of the broadcast after the fact - all because the feed is cached much like a DVR/TiVo.
Also ICO mim doesn't just provide mobile video content, it also will offer vehicle assistance similar OnStar. In fact, they pointed out that there is no "star" in OnStar because the service is cellular based - if you have no signal, you have no assistance. ICO mim will provide true nationwide roadside assistance, regardless of whether there's a cell signal.
Navigation capabilities are very similar to what XM and Sirius are rolling out with NavTraffic/NavWeather and Traffic Link. ICO mim will provide real-time traffic and weather alerts, and re-route you based on the conditions ahead.
But there's also an added layer of interactivity.
Using you're regular internet connection at home or work, ICO mim will let you pre-program tasks and activities into your account. Then you can download and access them from your car. So you don't just have the regular points-of-interest on your navigation system, you have personalized data and a custom agenda for use on the road. Pretty cool.
My next question was about content. It's all fine and dandy to have the mobile video capabilities, but that's useless until you have something that people want to watch. That's when ICO told me that they just signed a deal with NBC Universal, and the stream we were watching was live MSNBC. Suddenly this took on a whole new level of reality.
Follow the jump for additional in-vehicle photos (and I do apologize for the blurry shots)...
Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 9:59 AM
This is the second part of my experience with ICO mim at CES 2008. Read Part 1 here.
As part of my meeting with ICO Global Communications at CES I had the distinct opportunity to ride in a vehicle outfitted with their Mobile Interactive Media ("mim") service. The vehicle had LCD screens everywhere you looked, all streaming live video direct from ICO mim. The accompanying photos are all taken from within that vehicle.
Since the satellite is scheduled to launch in March, the service was being provided through a terrestrial signal coming from a temporary tower called a COW ("Cellsite On Wheels"). We'll cover more on the COW later.
But first, I know what you're thinking. Is broadcast video really something that the public would want in their cars? Afterall, drivers should be spending their time watching the road, not watching TV. But, it looks like ICO has factored all that in.
For instance, with the advent of polarized screens, drivers can view the GPS navigation interface (provided by ICO mim) while passengers can view the live video content (also provided by ICO mim). In addition, the driver can listen to the video content as if it's a radio (much like how Sirius and XM broadcast the TV feed of CNN, CNBC, Fox, etc). But once the vehicle in is park, the driver can choose to watch sections of the broadcast after the fact - all because the feed is cached much like a DVR/TiVo.
Also ICO mim doesn't just provide mobile video content, it also will offer vehicle assistance similar OnStar. In fact, they pointed out that there is no "star" in OnStar because the service is cellular based - if you have no signal, you have no assistance. ICO mim will provide true nationwide roadside assistance, regardless of whether there's a cell signal.
Navigation capabilities are very similar to what XM and Sirius are rolling out with NavTraffic/NavWeather and Traffic Link. ICO mim will provide real-time traffic and weather alerts, and re-route you based on the conditions ahead.
But there's also an added layer of interactivity.
Using you're regular internet connection at home or work, ICO mim will let you pre-program tasks and activities into your account. Then you can download and access them from your car. So you don't just have the regular points-of-interest on your navigation system, you have personalized data and a custom agenda for use on the road. Pretty cool.
My next question was about content. It's all fine and dandy to have the mobile video capabilities, but that's useless until you have something that people want to watch. That's when ICO told me that they just signed a deal with NBC Universal, and the stream we were watching was live MSNBC. Suddenly this took on a whole new level of reality.
Follow the jump for additional in-vehicle photos (and I do apologize for the blurry shots)...
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