Hey there! My name is Scott Webster and I am one of the guys who run AndroidGuys. We’re a site dedicated to Google Android and the Open Handset Alliance. We offer daily updates of news, opinion, and podcasts about anything and everything related to the 34 members of the OHA. I’m here to do a little guest-blogging today, thanks to JoeTech.
In February of next year, television will be switching to an all-digital signal. This move will free up the current swath of 700MHz spectrum being used to broadcast episodes of Jeopardy to your aunt Dorothy. So rather than just let the airwaves go to waste, the FCC held an auction so that some lucky company will end up with the rights to use the spectrum any way they see fit with one not-so-tiny little caveat in the deal. That winner must open the network up and allow any device capable of running on it to do so. This means no restricting devices and locking it up like much of the current cellular system in the United States. It’s very highly sought after spectrum mostly because of the speed and capability to penetrate walls so it attracted around 200 potential bidders by the time the auction kicked off.
So who won? Who cares? I’m here to tell you about what might come about, regardless of who ends up with ownership. Just a little daydreaming about the stuff you and I use on a daily basis and how they could be impacted by the auction.
Cell Phones – Of course! This is the main reason so many companies were involved to begin with. Think peer-to-peer file sharing from your phone. Imagine sending and receiving emails with large attachments and the ability to download music straight to your phone from wherever you are. Yeah, you feel me.
Gaming Devices – Handhelds like the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP could be slightly redesigned to allow for head-to-head gaming outside of your local area network (LAN). Forget being stuck inside your house or coffee shop hotspot. You could be playing against an opponent from another state while riding the bus. Why stop there? Play DS against someone on the Wii. As long as you’re able to connect to the network, you should be able to play. It doesn’t matter that your Dell laptop is used to play Counter-Strike against a friend using an HP desktop, does it?
Digital Cameras – How about being able to take a picture from your camera and being able to upload it directly to your Flickr account or Facebook profile? Yep, throwing a little bit of hardware into your Olympus could allow for that! No need to wait for you to get back home and tether to a PC. No special memory cards like the Eye-Fi either. Point, click, upload!
Mobile Television – Much like the ability to record shows on your satellite radio receiver, you could potentially record television shows on a personal video recorder. Devices like the iPod Touch might have already opened the door. Download last night’s episode of Lost from iTunes. While you’re at it, why not watch ESPN since you’re waiting for your breakfast at Waffle House. The spectrum has already been used for years to broadcast television to your home. This is the next logical step.
Household Appliances – Ladies and gentlemen, we are on the cusp of some Jetsons type stuff. Picture a house where all of your appliances have little computers in them so they can talk to each other or receive instructions. Imagine getting online and turning the thermostat up before leaving work. While you’re logged into the control panel, go ahead and pre-heat the oven. All these devices could communicate with each other once they jumped on the same network. Going on vacation? Keep an eye on your security camera with real time video. There is all kinds of untapped potential here.
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Many thanks to JoeTech for allowing me the opportunity to bring my writing and opinions to another audience!
