SCREEN3 -- It is About Relevant Data
The other day I read about Motorola's SCREEN3, which is software that can push simple and rich content down to mobile devices, content that is displayed when the device is "idle". I believe this idea is very interesting when applied to mobile. I am a huge fanatic of push and "relevant data coming down to the user when needed". I foresee a future that comprise many little personal software agents compiling relevant information and delivering such information in many forms to you. With SCREEN3 Motorola pushes information such as time, news, etc. to the device, but in reality I see SCREEN3 as much more: it is an experiment on mobile data consumption, and I believe the concept is powerful and will prove successful.
When SCREEN3 was announced, Carlo Longino of The Feature wrote about it. But in his article there was a statement that reveals they either don't understand or see the use case:
"Tom rightly asks why send data to an idle screen, like on SCREEN3? It is, after all, the screen that comes up when the user isn't using the phone..."
I think the above statement reflects misunderstanding of the mobile use-cases. The phone is not like a desktop; when a desktop goes idle it is because there is no activity, and very likely means you are not around, or are not paying attention to the desktop's screen. But with mobile devices, you carry these most of the time, and it makes perfect sense to display such information when the phone is "idle"... Let me give an example why this makes sense... Do you use a wristwatch? Or do you use your cellphone's for telling time instead? I bet the majority of the people, like me, don't carry a wristwatch and instead uses their cellphone for time; and users do this a whole lot. This (clock) idle application is used so much that it is hurting wristwatch manufacturers... they are losing money! In short the clock "idle" application proves a lot. People use and will use "idle applications" as long as the information they provide is relevant, and who knows if these "idle applications" will be the first (only?) and/or most prevalent use of the Internet for many people. The idle screen then becomes the "go to screen"... showing information such as "you have mail", or "buddy is online", then taking you to the right application.
It makes perfect sense to extend the concept of "idle" applications to include relevant pushed information. It not only makes sense, it is time we experiment and bring to market such advanced concepts; the technology to support this is here today...
ceo
About the Author
