Cannes or Bust » phones

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.

Nice airport experiments with mobile phone boarding passes

Cannes or Bust — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:39:34 +0000

I’ve been reading for years about mobile phones being used as “tokens” that would act as concert tickets, bus passes and other uses. Nice airport is currently road-testing a system that would enable travellers to use their mobile phones as a boarding pass. After checking in (notably via the Internet), the traveller simply has to scan their phone in front of a reader at departure and do the same for the border controls. The system uses a Near Field Contact chip that means it works even when the phone’s batteries are dead (although it also means it is active everywhere you go). The system will reduce queues, save on costs (for airports) and enables travellers to be kept personally informed about departure times.

The system is being developed by Nice Côte d’Azur airport, Amadeus, Air France and IER using members of the Gold Club Airport Premier and Air France Flying Blue clubs in the experiment. The trial started in April 2009 and will run until September 2009. Nice airport services the French Riviera towns such as Nice, Cannes, Monaco and Antibes.

Will my phone work at Cannes?

Cannes or Bust — Wed, 10 May 2006 12:06:50 +0000

This must be one the most-frequently asked questions that we hear about Cannes. The answer is simple: maybe! To simplify the debate, you should know that just about all of Europe works on 900 and 1800 frequencies. If your phone works on either (or hopefully both), then you’re OK. If not, you’ll have to buy or rent one locally. This is not a major cost these days.

Then there is the more complicated issue of cost. Although local calls are relatively cheap in Europe, international roaming calls can be very expensive – particularly if you intend to use the phone a lot. Remember that if you are using your non-French phone number in Cannes, every call is an international call. Even when you ring a restaurant in Cannes. You will also find yourself calling people on German, British and Spainsh numbers. Plus, ALL incoming calls will cost you money. So it might be worth picking up a French pre-paid card and number. If possible, ask someone local to buy one beforehand. That way you can send this number to your contacts before you hit town. Another advantage with a local number is that your calls will have priority if there’s a bottleneck. This is not something I’ve really experienced, however.

To find a list of pre-paid providers, click over to PrePaid GSM. One other thing you should bear in mind is the validity of the card after you stop using it. If you only come once a year, you can go for a short validity. If you attend any other events such as MIPTV, MIPCOM or MIDEM, you might want to keep a card with a longer shelflife. That way you can at least keep the same number for every time you are in France. The cards with the longest validity are currently Omer Telecom, Virgin and NRJ Mobile. The three biggest players, Bouygues, SFR and Orange, have shorter validities.

Other services you might consider: Fonquest and TravelSIMshop

If you are just dropping down for a day or two, I don’t think it’s worth the hassle. Stick with your usual number and just foot the bill.