Cannes or Bust » phones

Citadines Apart’Hotels Cannes introduces mobile keys

Cannes or Bust — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:10:22 +0000

Like something out of a mobile technology tradefair, one flat hotel in Cannes is introducing mobile keys to its customers. At Citadines Apart’hotels on the Boulevard Carnot, guests and residents can avoid the front desk if they already have a booking and go straight to their flats. They can use their mobile phones as an apartment key.

“We are very pleased to bring Mobile Key by OpenWays to France through The Ascott Limited and its Citadines Apart’hotels brand,” said Pascal Metivier, OpenWays Founder and CEO. “With Mobile Key, people check-in on their own terms. Because this is apartment-type living (extended stay), there is no need for residents and guests to interact with staff unless a specific service is needed. We are confident in the success of this pilot program.”

Citadines Apart’hotel is located on the main road towards the motorway, at about 20 minutes on foot to the Palais.

Convenience for Cannes hotel guests

Citadines Apart’hotels offer the accommodations and privacy of an apartment while offering travelers and residents the conveniences of a hotel. There are many such establishments in Cannes and the environs, which cater for people that consider hotels as a function rather than a service.

People that might arrive in Cannes late or leave early certainly benefit from the system, as some flat hotels only have desk staff during office hours.

Besides, we have automatic check-in on planes, so why not at Cannes hotels as well?

Check for availability at Citadines Apart’hotel now

MIPTV and GSMA to launch “Connected Creativity” forum

Cannes or Bust — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:10:48 +0000

With all the talk about multi-platforms at MIPCOM 2010, it’s hardly surprising that MIP should start getting even more cosy with the mobile world. So the news is that Reed MIDEM and the GSMA, the body that represents the worldwide mobile industry and which also produces the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Congress events, have announced the launch of the Connected Creativity Forum, the first conference and exhibition specifically designed for the global entertainment and technology marketplace at MIPTV in Cannes in April 2011.

The Connected Creativity Forum will bring content creators and distributors from all creative industries together with mobile operators and others in the broad mobile ecosystem, including makers of smartphones and tablets, connected consoles and networked television. As such it will be a unique platform through which the technology and entertainment communities can meet, share key industry insights and perspectives and “catalyze new business opportunities”, as the press release points out. A showcase of the latest technology and interactive content is also planned.

MIPCOM to look at smartphone apps and tablets

Cannes or Bust — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 07:10:55 +0000

Everybody has one, it seems, even before we were entirely sure what to do with them. Smartphones and online tablet devices are the new black. So when will the content biz start really monetising them? The answer is “now”, according to a half-day seminar on 6 October at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes during MIPCOM.

The seminar will kick off with a special iPad showcase session during which a range of new apps will be presented, from brand-dedicated apps to those targeting children. Daniel Efergan, Creative Director of Aardman Digital, part of Aardman Animations, and Patrice Slupowski, VP Digital Innovation and Communities at Orange, will speak on the subject, while a broadcaster’s point of view will be delivered by Jen Topping, New Media Commissioning Manager for Channel 4.

This will be followed by a series of case studies: Anna Rafferty, MD of Digital Publishing at Penguin Books, will explain how a leading book publisher is adopting mobile applications and is adapting to multimedia ePublishing; Shaun Barriball, Founder and CEO of Mobile IQ, will talk about being an App creator; Dan Witters, UK Managing Director of Kiwa Media, will describe the new licensing deals; and Cedric Thomas from the Ovi by Nokia App store will speak for online App sellers.

The seminar will be chaired by Ferhan Cook, Publisher of MobiADNews and President of Any Screen Productions Ltd.

“Convergence is finally here. The new tablet devices and the App stores complete the full circle on rich media publishing, with a clear business model for content. A brand new ‘connected publishing’ industry is being born,” explains Ferhan Cook. “We are in the midst of a new publishing revolution which is impacting the entire spectrum of the entertainment industry,” adds Laurine Garaude, Director of MIPCOM.

The Cannes or Bust twitter account, which features news, tips and deals about MIPCOM, MIPTV and MIDEM, is featured on a number of applications. Of most interest to to visitors to Cannes is the iRiveria application.

MidemNet Lab: the 15 innovative digital companies

Cannes or Bust — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:34:12 +0000

This year, MIDEM is introducing a special section for companies that bring innovative digital services. Some are consumer-based, others provide services that could be used by artists, labels or brands. All were chosen by a panel of experts from the music and digital sectors and will be at MIDEM in January, presenting their services

I’ve included here the presentations as they come from MIDEM. In other words, I haven’t road-tested the services myself. Find out more about MidemNet Lab.

Aviary/Myna (USA)
Myna, the new audio editor by Aviary, is a free online artists’ tool. This creative suite allows users to create, arrange and remix music tracks and audio clips, composed from Aviary’s library of 3,000 loops and beats and/or user‐recorded tracks. They are currently working with artists, like Major Lazer, to run remix contests, allowing musicians to engage with their fans on a creative level.

Awdio (France)
Awdio is the first internet platform enabling you to listen to clubs and venues in real‐time from all around the world. With more than 5000 Events broadcast per mMonth from more than 150 TOP clubs and venues worldwide, Awdio aim to become an alternative to music piracy by offering a real‐time music experience, with both an ad‐supported model, and a premium‐paid model.

BandCentral (UK)
BandCentral is revolutionising band management for a new music industry by helping bands to manage themselves online. BandCentral gives bands their very own online ‘Band HUB’ with all the tools they need to communicate with each other, store files, manage gigs, merch, music, money, fans, contacts and everything else associated with their band in one central, secure and instantly accessible place.

Band Metrics (USA)
Band Metrics is a data analytics and decision support system for the music industry that provides comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analytics with in‐depth geographical reporting on social, radio and fan segmentation.

DigiClef/Release Consulting (UK) ‐
DigiClef is a brand new way of retailing sheet music via smartphones. Our mobile apps display legal professional quality tabs with touch‐sensitive controls that allow Musicians to adjust the tempo of the music easily. DigiClef unlocks the value held in sheet musical arrangements, packages it in state‐of‐the‐art technology, and then delivers it directly to musicians on their iPhones.

GoMix (UK)
GoMix is an interactive music format that lets users create personalized remixes of major artist’s songs. Distributed via Social Networks and digital album bundles, GoMix brings labels new revenue and promotional opportunities through advertising and digital retail products. In 2009 GoMix has been adopted by a succession of major artists and advertisers. 2010 will see very significant evolution, adding virtual goods, a mobile platform and a game changing User Generated Content approach.

Kickstarter (USA)
Kickstarter is a new way to fund creative projects and ambitious endeavors that’s radically different from traditional funding channels. Kickstarter is not about investment or philanthropy. Instead, people get rewards and share experiences that are unique to each project. Kickstarter launched in April 2009 and is based in Brooklyn, NY.

Pops Worldwide (Vietnam)
POPS develops, aggregates, and distributes media content, delivering it through cross‐media platforms in Vietnam. They offer digital music to mobile users through a range of WVAS platforms over mobile networks and the Internet. POPS markets its services online and offline through telecom operators, as well as through non‐operator channels, such as online stores, handset vendor partnerships and mobile retail chains. POPS launched the first digital music kiosk throughout Vietnam.

Radionomy (Belgium)
With Radionomy, everyone can create its webradio for his community. It’s easy, free and fun. It’s easy because Radionomy provides free software to create and manage the radio, vast music, jingles and content libraries. The Radio Creator can integrate his own music, creations & audio content. It’s free. Radionomy covers Streaming and Rights. Radionomy inserts 4 minutes of advertising in the radio to cover its costs.

Silence Media (UK)
Silence Media is a cost per engagement (CPE) advertising network for banner advertising. Its clients only pay when people engage with their banner ads by rolling over them. Silence works with Europe’s and America’s leading entertainment websites and was responsible for them working with the CPE model for the first time. Its clients include Sony, Universal, EMI, Beggars and PIAS.

Songkick (UK)
Songkick is the home for live music online. Fans can track their favorite artists and we email them tour alerts with links to buy tickets. After the gig, they can see and share photos, videos, posters, and setlists. Songkick is the largest database of concert information in the world with over 1.2 million concerts from 1960 to the present day.

Streamjam/The Electric Sheep Company (USA)
The Electric Sheep Company’s latest product, StreamJam is a free application for putting live concerts and music events online. Fans need no plugins or downloads to enter 3D virtual clubs, meet other fans, dance, and watch, hear, and interact with their favorite artists. Event holders, at no cost, generate new revenue from virtual goods, tips, and tickets.

Thesixtyone (USA)
Thesixtyone is a fun way to explore new music: artists submit their work, but rather than allowing a boardroom to decide what’s cool, the listeners do. We’ll help you discover new artists and let you earn reputation and unlock achievements for recommending songs that other may enjoy. On thesixtyone, experiencing new music becomes spontaneous, engaging, and trackable.

Tracksandfields (Germany) ‐
Tracks and Fields is the web service that connects musicians, producers and the music industry to work on new projects. Artists from all over the world find the right people to write, produce or remix music and collaborate through dedicated tools. Companies post briefings for remixes, film, game scores or production jobs, receive custom‐made pitches and hire professionals with a few clicks. Tracksandfields.com has been in beta through 2009 and officially launches on the MIDEM 2010.

Tunewiki (US)
TuneWiki is the internationally award‐winning social media music player with the largest legally‐licensed lyrics database in the world. TuneWiki is revolutionizing the mobile music experience by combining subtitled lyrics with music and music videos, lyrics translations into over 40 languages, real‐time mapping, geographical charting and social networking. Our lyrics centric mobile games create new music monetization opportunities to music owners.

Wifi in Cannes: are you being watched?

Cannes or Bust — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:08:00 +0000

In all the years I’ve been travelling to Cannes and using cyber-cafes and later WiFi, I can’t remember ever having to show ID. Simon Glynn of RiveriaOne, however, posted an interesting item on his company’s blog. RiveriaOne provides IT, network and security systems during the trade fairs and also in private residences. He pointed to a rather little-known law in France which in theory affects anyone who uses the Internet while in Cannes…

“Since 2006, any establishment in France providing Public Internet access must have in place a method of retaining user identity and internet activity for a period of one year.

The law (Décret n°2006-358 du 24 mars 2006) extends telecom data retention possibilities, by putting cybercafe owners and WiFi providers (whether access is free or not) in the same category as telecom operators. This means, in practice, that cybercafe owners, as well as bars, restaurants and hotels will have to ask their customers for their IDs for Internet use in their establishments and record their online activity. Any logged data may also be seized directly by the police, without any judicial order.”

I read it twice to make sure that I got it right, and it still reads the same: our browsing in Cannes should in theory be logged and can be made available to the police. Hmm. Worth knowing. But as he points out, very few establishments actually ask for ID, although if you use an access-related WiFi (such as those given out by Midem or the Festival), you can presumably be identified.

Source: RivieraOne

New EU-wide roaming charges in effect

Cannes or Bust — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:23:10 +0000

The long-announced roaming charges on mobile phone calls and text messages are now in effect. Since July 1, visitors to Cannes (and indeed anyone travelling within the EU) will benefit from lower charges thanks to new regulations introduced by the EU Commission. The broad outline of the measures mean that:
* the price for sending a text message while abroad is limited to €0.11. Receiving an SMS in another EU country will remain free of charge.
* the cost of surfing the web and downloading movies or video programs with a mobile phone while abroad has a maximum wholesale cap of €1 per megabyte downloaded. This limit will be decreased each year.
* The new rules will also protect consumers from “bill shocks” by introducing a cut-off mechanism once the bill reaches €50, unless they choose another cut-off limit. Operators have until March 2010 to put this cut-off limit in place.
* prices for mobile roaming calls are reduced to a maximum tariff of €0.43 for making a call and €0.19 for receiving one.
* Introduce per second billing after the first 30 seconds for calls made and immediately for calls received.

* Limits the price for sending a text message while abroad at €0.11. Receiving an SMS in another EU country will remain free of charge.
* Reduces the cost of surfing the web and downloading movies or video programs with a mobile phone while abroad by introducing a maximum wholesale cap of €1 per megabyte downloaded. This limit will be decreased each year.
* The new rules will also protect consumers from “bill shocks” by introducing a cut-off mechanism once the bill reaches €50, unless they choose another cut-off limit. Operators have until March 2010 to put this cut-off limit in place.
* Further reduces prices for mobile roaming calls with a maximum tariff of €0.43 for making a call and €0.19 for receiving one.
* Introduce per second billing after the first 30 seconds for calls made and immediately for calls received.
* Ensure that citizens are kept adequately informed of the charges that apply for data roaming services.

Apparently, a German downloading a TV programme while roaming in France recently faced a bill of €46,000. I still wonder how much this would cost under the new EU Commission-backed rates.

To find out more about the cost of phoning when in Cannes, visit the EU Commission’s list of countries and operators.

Staying connected during the festival and market

Cannes or Bust — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:14:13 +0000

Attending a trade fair without e-mail access is pretty much unthinkable these days. It’s only a few years back that I had to run to a cybercafe near the railway station to check mail, burn CDs (yes, CDs) and print documents (using the wrong keyboard). In fact, my first time in Cannes I didn’t even have a mobile phone (this is going back a bit). Imagine the fun of re-scheduling appointments.

We often get questions about mobile phones and WiFi. To simplify, if you’re from Europe and are staying just a few days, it’s probably simpler just to keep your number and pay the roaming fees. If you’re from outside of Europe and/or staying for the whole festival, you could save money by renting a local number. If you are organising anything, such as a screening or reception, I recommend a local number as you will spend half your time on the phone.

The good news is that your entrance fee to the film market gives you 6 hours of free WiFi access. The bad news is that if you go over that or don’t have a market accreditation, you will pay €15 per day.

So I recommend preparing all e-mails offline and not get carried away using Twitter! The other alternative is to save all connections until you are in your hotel.

Mobile roaming prices down – but not until July

Cannes or Bust — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:09:24 +0000

In a move that will be welcomed by both European and other travellers, Euro MPs have voted to enforce lower roaming fees across mobile services. The cap for a “roaming” text will fall to 11 euro cents (10p; 14 US cents), from an average of about 29 cents today. But the bad news is that visitors to the Cannes festival won’t be able to benefit from them. The EU-wide caps will take effect in July. They cover text messages and data roaming services, such as checking e-mails while abroad.

Will mobile coverage blossom at Cannes this year?

Cannes or Bust — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:08:14 +0000

For about three years, I have been meaning to start blogging from my mobile phone. But I always wondered who would be interested. Although the capabilities are there, is there anyone out there really interested in reading what would be very short messages? Since then, of course, Twitter had made its appearance and seriously changed the way people communicate breaking news (or opinions). And I’m still not sure Tweeting from Cannes is of any real interest to anyone other than the sender (“Look, I was there” – the irony being that I could send the message from the bottom of my garden and no one would notice the difference).

Co-produced by Orange and CANAL+, TV Festival will broadcast from the 13th to the 24th of March 2009. As the official channel of the Festival presenting everything that is news at Cannes it will be on air daily on Orange TV (channel 50), orange.fr and Orange mobiles.

Wi-Fi connections in Cannes

Cannes or Bust — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:16:46 +0000

It’s almost unthinkable to be in Cannes for a few days and not have access to your e-mails. Midem obviously has Internet connections for visitors, although you usually have to stand in a queue. If you want a more accessible connection, you should think about taking a WiFi subscription. SFR is the supplier within the Palais, but I’ve had no luck finding out how much it costs. The site simply says that you turn your computer on, find the network and follow the payment process (without actually giving a price). The SFR site provides no details. The hotels obviously also have connections you can use. But if you’re staying outside town, that doesn’t help much during the day.

Amongst the prepaid solutions, the easiest one I could find information about is Orange. They offer 1, 3, 10 and 30 hour packages you can buy in Relay newsagents or online from the Orange site (in French but quite clear). I’ll probably opt for the 3-hour option for €10 (with 50% extra for €1 if you purchase before January 15), which should be enough to grab e-mails, work offline and then send them out afterwards. If you have experience using other prepaid WiFi solutions in France, why not drop a line about it in the comments?