November 1, 2000

Interactive age
Applications expand PDA usefulness

PDAs are doing all sorts of things these days. By connecting to the Internet, they are enhancing our ability to connect to each other. For instance, TelePost has released a wireless conference-calling service for PDAs or any handheld device with Internet capability. The system runs on either Windows CE or Palm-OS devices, and allows users with a TelePost account to initiate and control multi-participant calls from anywhere at any time. The calls themselves still take place over regular phones, but the PDA serves as an interface for adding, muting, holding, and disconnecting call participants. The TelePost Conference Center service, offered at callbypda.com, is currently in beta testing, with plans to be released in the US and Europe.

Alternatively, Fenestrae's Mobile Data Server (MDS) serves as a gateway for mobile devices. For example, MDS allowed hundreds of conference attendees at a recent Microsoft Conference in Nice, Italy, to access and retrieve information about restaurants, bars, and hotels from a common data repository. Standard GSM or WAP phones, as well as PDAs were able to tap into conference sessions, calendars, and email. Fenestrae claims that MDS is standard independent and works over any infrastructure. Similarly, Veriprise Wireless Corporation has released Version 2.0 of the Veriprise Wireless Platform (VWP), which delivers corporate data and business applications to wireless devices including WAP phones, two-way pagers, and PDAs.

Not your grandmother's TV

For more consumer-oriented applications, VEIL (Video Encoded Invisible Light) 1 and 2, offered by VEIL Interactive Technologies, allow an analog TV's video image to deliver invisible digital information via broadcast, cable, DBS, or home video. According to VEIL, VEIL encoding can't be stripped from the broadcast signal, which means that VEIL can survive video recording and digital compression.

VEIL 1, a slow-speed transmission scheme, has most recently been used in promotional electronic game devices that look like Ericsson's new R280LX Internet-ready phones. The devices, each pre-programmed to be "winners" or "non-winners," are essentially activated when they receive the encoded data from the TV screen. The devices then alert users as to whether or not they have won. The promotional commercials aired October 25, 26, 29, and 31 during ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Such one-way interactive technology can also be deployed in promotional toys, says Jim Withers, VEIL's operations manager. For instance, the technology can be buried within a toy dog, and that dog can then bark or wag its tail on cue, prompted by the VEIL signal embedded in a TV program or commercial.

VEIL 2, on the other hand, provides full interactivity. The technology is not currently in any commercial devices as of yet, so the possibilities are open, but the decoder chip would have to be in a receiving device--either the TV itself, or incorporated into a set-top box that would be connected to the TV. The PDA or cell phone could communicate with the set-top or TV via an RF signal.

The VEIL 2 platform aims to enable users to make purchases, secure reservations, and participate in interactive polls or contests by simply pointing their PDAs or cell phones at their TVs and clicking a button.

While watching encoded programming, users will have to keep their PDA or cell phone on, and keep watching the display for prompts or listening for alerts as the device picks up encoded offers, coupons, and other goodies. The technology seems to be aiming to satisfy Americans' craving for "right now" gratification. Much like Web-based "push" technologies, VEIL intends to enable consumers to purchase now--without moving from the TV screen.

The VEIL vision, however, isn't without significant obstacles. Already, cable TV companies are deploying digital set-top boxes, many of which have a back channel that will support applications like ordering an advertised product. For the most part, the cable companies are planning on using the venerable remote control or a keyboard for subscribers to send data. The VEIL vision, on the other hand, requires that cell phones or PDAs integrate the necessary optical receiver and software.

In fact, it's not clear that the VEIL 2 technology will offer value in the world of digital set-top boxes. The value of VEIL 1 is its ability to send data over an analog signal. But in a digital world, the cable companies plan to explicitly present interactive services on the TV display. That's likely to be a more compelling presentation than anything that might be sent to a cell phone or PDA.

—Leah Jiorle