My First (and the BBC’s first) Live Twitter session

I’ve just finished talking to users of BBC Mobile live on Twitter (http://twitter.com/bbccouk)- what a neat experience – really great to have the direct conversation with them, even if some are alot more technically minded than I am.  Thank goodness for my colleagues helping me with the tough tech questions!

It’s DEFINITELY the first time I’ve done something like this and my colleaugues think it’s a first for the BBC so, to presever this momentous occasion, here’s the transcript.  It was all part of Mobile Day on the BBC Internet Blog  I guess you could call it ‘One small Tweet, for Auntie…’

(Read from bottom up.)

Twittering Live

It’s been really good talking to all of you. Must sign off now. Thanks for participating – I think this has been a first! Jason less than 20 seconds ago from web

Hi @thephazer You’re right it’s not all on the mobile site but we’re working on increasing the amount available and making it work1 minute ago from web

    

Hi @rafeblandford Thanks for the feedback. Hard to know what’s going on without looking at your mobile.2 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @fafeblandford Thanks for the feedback. Hard to know what’s going on without looking at your mobile.3 minutes ago from web

    

To @nathanmassey We’re investigating… no firm plan yet.4 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @catherinelucy Visual radio is a trial right now (a cool one, I think!) – so no firm decisions on where it will be available after trial10 minutes ago from web

    

To @catherinelucy Best to check with TV Licencing on that…14 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @codingmonkey Re HSDPA – It works on Vodafone or 3 if you’re on their networks.15 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @codingmonkey Catchup radio coming to N95 http://bit.ly/17Q2fO15 minutes ago from web

    

To @alaninbelfast It’s a rights issue. But you might try podcasts for time shifted radio on the go.17 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @thephazer Give our mobile site a try – its got mobile optimised video on it http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile18 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @catherinelucy Check out: http://bit.ly/NbUaC about TV licencing20 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @arepeejee We don’t run the networks so best to talk to your network operator directly26 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @johnsto We’re looking at what social features will give you best experience in conjunction with PC BBC iPlayer. It’s exciting!29 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @thefalken Wifi gives a better experience and a free experience – that’s important to us so we optimise for that31 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @thephazer Are you looking at the mobile specific site? Or the PC site on a mobile. News clips should work for you.32 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @allaboutiphone – See David Madden’s post: http://bit.ly/17Q2fO34 minutes ago from web

    

To @markbridge Live radio is on iPlayer on devices that support it and podcasts and are looking at other ways to make live audio available37 minutes ago from web

    

to @stevelitchfield Best to get tech support for your router – we can’t offer tech support on routers because they’re in your home38 minutes ago from web

    

Hi @liveJ We have basic minimum requirements for the devices we can put iPlayer on – if they meet those specs, then we’re considering them.40 minutes ago from web

    

to @stevelitchfield We started w/ N95 because it has large reach. We’re always looking at many other devices-but they need to have wifi too43 minutes ago from web

    

Talked to David Madden and OMA 2.0 is the most suitable right now and don’t forget we’re on iPhone and other platforms tooabout 1 hour ago from web

    

We use standard web technologies for our streaming. We’re looking at whether we can make that work with the 3.0 iPhone softwareabout 1 hour ago from web

    

Re iPlayer on other networks – its not currently supported on all networks but we’re working with all of them to get it there.about 1 hour ago from web

    

Re mobile BBC iPlayer on Android, we see smartphones as key and want to be on as many as possible but I can’t comment on specific datesabout 1 hour ago from web

    

Sorry for the delay. We had some technical gremlins.about 1 hour ago from web

    

Hi everone. This is Jason DaPonte, Managing Editor of BBC Mobile here to answer your questions. #bbcmobiledayabout 1 hour ago from web

    

BBC Internet Blog: BBC iPlayer application on Nokia N95, N85 8GB and E71: I can hardly believe.. http://bit.ly/NPnFXabout 2 hours ago from twitterfeed

    

BBC Internet Blog: Getting mobile in the Blue Room: Up on the fourth floor of Broadcast Centre.. http://bit.ly/SgWKKabout 3 hours ago from twitterfeed

    

This is a fun clip. Here’s Roland Allen in the BBC’s ‘Blue Room’: http://is.gd/YOHe (Gadgets ahoy!)about 3 hours ago from web

    

BBC Internet Blog: Jason DaPonte answering your questions live at 4pm: We hope you’re enjoying.. http://bit.ly/fyCmeabout 4 hours ago from twitterfeed

BBC iPlayer on Mobile wins Global Mobile Award @ Mobile World Congress

BBC iPlayer on mobile (which was produced by the BBC Mobile team, which I am part of) won a big award last night – Best Mobile Music or Video Service.  I won’t gloat but this is a big deal and really exciting.

Check it out: http://www.globalmobileawards.com/winners.shtml#winner_cat1b

BBC Mobile wins in 2008 .Net magazine awards

BBC Mobile (which I’m the managing editor of) has been lucky to get alot of recognition over the last few weeks. Sure, I’m bragging – the stuff we do is great – and its great to see everyone who I work with getting some recognition for the work we all do everyday.

.net award - click to enlarge

We won the Mobile Site of the Year award where the judges said: “BBC Mobile is an attempt to squeeze Britain’s biggest website onto some of the smallest screens around. The incredible thing about it is: it works’. “  Here’s a screen grab since the awards themselves aren’t posted on the website.

However, in some ways it was more interesting to me to see another award the BBC won in these awards.

The BBC iPlayer also won the Web Application of the Year Award. More great news for the Beeb, of course. I worked on the very first BBC iPlayer team many years ago and seeing it live and winning awards has been great.

The really interesting this about this award though is that the photo in the foreground is of BBC iPlayer on mobile. Awesome stuff and I think this just shows how in the last year the boundaries between web content on mobile and web conent made for desktop PCs is blurring. I think it sets us up for a really exciting year where the wealth of content and services available on mobiles will increase dramatically, as will usage. I also think it could be one of the drivers for making mobile AV go mainstream – and I certainly hope so.

.net award - click to enlarge

BBC iPlayer on Nokia N96

The team I work with has just launched the BBC’s on-demand player on Nokia’s new phone – the N96 – and I have to say I think its super cool.  I was really excited when I saw this outdoor marketing for it last night while I was cycling home.  When you work with lots of digital content and services, its nice to see something physical, in the real world recognising what you do.

The BBC iPlayer has been available on the iPhone for a while now but this is the “next step” (as my boss says) for what we’re doing in this space.  Stay tuned.

BBC iPlayer on N96