Viodi View - August 17th, 2007 Issue

In this on-line publication, we share our analysis, opinions and direction on the interactive television news and views that we believe will be of interest and use to our friends associated directly or indirectly with independent telephone companies. For more information as to the various ways Viodi works with independent telephone companies, please go to http://www.viodi.com/alliance/

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The Viodi View [Viodi, LLC] and its associates used their best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, the Viodi View [Viodi, LLC] does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.

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Viodi View Newsletter - August 17th, 2007

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By Ken Pyle, ken.pyle at viodi.com, Managing Editor, Viodi View

While it is back to school season for the kids, it is the “Back to Show” season for many of us in the Viodi View audience. After almost a month break since the OPASTCO Summer Convention, the tradeshow schedule will be in full force between now and the holidays. For a listing of some of the upcoming shows in which I will be participating, check out this Google industry calendar we put together. We will be adding more shows to this list and maybe, if we get ambitious, we will add the rest of the 80+ independent telco tradeshows and conferences.

Boris Red Software - The Review

While we were in Alaska last month at last month’s OPASTCO Summer Convention, Roger was busy reviewing and learning the Boris Red effects product. In this video, he reviews Boris Red and demonstrates how it puts the extra in ordinary.

From Anchorage to Valdez

The theme of OPASTCO’s conference was along the lines of technology in the final frontier. Roger Bindl took this theme to the extreme, after the conference when he toured our 49 th State in a rented recreational vehicle. This entertaining video provides a glimpse of IPTV in Matanuska, Alaska, an interview with an engineer from a Valdez-based, independent telco that is also a pioneering EVDO-Rev A network operator and beautiful footage of the road in between the two locales.

Mobile Broadband Revisited: HSPA vs Mobile WiMa

As referenced above, Copper Valley Telecom is among the first U.S. telecom carriers to implement EVDO-Rev A to provide high-speed Internet access to cell phones and PCs. In this article, Alan Weissberger looks at what three telecom market research analyst firms are saying about the evolving 3G+ technologies for mobile broadband access. They are not very optimistic about mobile WiMax (see italicized comments below). Finally, we contrast these predictions with the perennially optimistic WiMax forecasts of Trendsmedia (now part of Yankee Group). Click here to read Alan’s analysis.

“Underwrite Rural Broadband” - So Says Nicholas D. Kristof

Interesting column from Nicholas D. Kristof, columnist for the New York Times, who suggests that, "one way to assist family farms would be to underwrite rural broadband just as rural electrification transformed farms in the last century. Then rural businesses might stand a chance." Click here to read the full post.

Grandma Got a Wii – 24% of Gamers Are 50

This video from the AARP reinforces the idea that the Wii spans generations, as it suggests that 24% of the gaming population is 50+. This video demonstrates how seasoned citizens are using the Wii to remain active in a new way. An interesting point, not explicitly stated in the video, is how the Wii’s activities become a central point of focus of social gatherings. This video demonstrates how the Wii facilitates face-to-face interaction by bringing the fun of a bowling alley (or tennis court, etc.) to a senior center. Besides the social benefits, it may even have some physical benefits.

Stay tuned, as in the next issue of the Viodi View, we will explore why some people might consider picking up a Wii and dropping Cable TV. Click here to read more.

Club Viodi Members - Hear This.....

Club Viodi members, on Friday, August 24th at 8:30 AM PDT, Hannah Rothman of HearMe will be providing an overview of their video/audio and text communications' product that could have some interesting application in the independent telco market. Club Viodi members; look for more information in your email in-box in the next week regarding the details.

Some other recent Club Viodi posts include:

People on the Move

Based on feedback, this section is one of the more popular in the Viodi View and I think it is because it is a way to stay in touch with friends, old and new, in what used to be the disparate industries of entertainment, technology and telecom. Feedback, positive and negative, is probably the biggest motivation for putting fingers to keyboard. I think what it says is that, in the end after stripping away our careers, all that really matters are the people we touch in this uncharted journey.

That is a long introduction to say that I have been pleased with the number of responses to my brief article on the passing of Tony Atwater, “the Father of IPTV.” The comments are many and they all eloquently state how important Tony was to them and the industry. Since the previous Viodi View, a fund has been set up to help Tony’s children Click here for the details on how to contribute to the fund, to read the comments made about Tony by industry luminaries and to sign up for more information on a planned memorial for Tony sometime next month.

The Korner - A Couple of Fishy Stories

While learning about technology in the last frontier, Roger Bindl stumbled upon a guy who uses pretty old technology in a pretty fast and efficient way. Roger claims that the guy in this video, Pat Olson, is the fastest fish Filleter in the west. At a buck a fish, it sounds like a good deal, but at the rate he chops up fish, this Filleter could earn $120 per hour.

And, I have just the hotel he can stay at when he goes to San Diego, CA. Observant Viodi View readers will remember this picture of my boys from a few years back at the lovely Dolphin Inn. As you may have recall, my wife did not share my enthusiasm for this inexpensive alternative to the standard convention hotel.

You can imagine the smugness I felt this week when showed my lovely spouse a San Jose Mercury article which suggested that, “Cleanliness is paramount in the 31-room, two-story motel situated 1 1/2 miles from the airport in one of San Diego's prettiest neighborhoods.”

Lastly, those people with Comcast as their Internet Service Provider, please let me know if you are having problems accessing either www.viodi.com or www.viodi.tv.

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The Video Business Case for Independent Telcos – The Report

Viodi’s report, Video Business Case provides results to a survey of independent telcos and their business case for video. Most of the telcos that responded to the survey have figured out a way to deploy video services. This survey provides insight from the independent telcos as well as several of their Engineering firms.

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