Mobile Television

Perhaps one of the newest trends to hit the mobile market is the innovative mobile television, which has the ability to deliver broadband entertainment services to its customers, on their handheld, mobile devices. On February 25, 2008, MobiTV released information concerning advertising on this new, and growing media platform. Their findings were compelling and indicate what direction mobile marketing is heading.

As part of its continuous data collection process, MobiTV "...confirmed that targeted mobile television advertising and branded experiences provide increased ad receptivity for marketers." MobiTV found that not only do viewers watch ads but they also interact with contextually-based advertisements. "The recently completed advertising test program documented that users of the MobiTV service engaged with ads they viewed through the service at a rate 300 percent above direct response industry standards." These users were eager to learn more about the products advertised and took advantage of click-to-dial invitations. Instead of traditional television ads, where people tune out and go get food from the fridge, mobile television ads can produce a level of interaction and actually keep a person's attention.

As of right now, MobiTV reaches some three million viewers, ranging from age 18 to 49. As more and more people become interested in this technology, it is sure to impact the mobile marketing industry in a positive way. From MobiTV's research, we see how well received mobile advertising is becoming. Campaigns like these encourage the consumer to learn more about the brands and products they like the best, creating two-way interaction on a broad scale. Because the mobile marketing is continuously shifting, it is important to understand all the current trends and be able to predict where the market is headed in the future.

The Plasma Set Television

Long before plasma set televisions made their appearance, people bought TVs for their size. The bulkier, the better and whoever got the biggest, meanest television screen won the game of one-upmanship with his neighbors.

And then picture quality came along. The game quickly shifted into whose TV made the grass look greener and Halle Berry better looking than she already is. These days, the gold medal probably belongs to plasma television sets.

Why plasma television set looks so good

If you have your old CRT (cathode ray tube) TV, you've probably been amazed at the technology that made pictures come alive through the screen. CRTs also use pixels or dots that when grouped together, form a bigger image. CRTs basically use a vacuum tube that fires electrons against phosphors. Three phosphors make up one pixel, which is made of red, blue and green colors.

The CRT technology has a measure of control on which phosphor group to hit and depending on the strength and length of the hit, the picture tube shows us an image with color and light contrast.

Now CRTs perform well and are in fact still popular in many parts of the world. The only drawback is that they are heavier, fragile and eat up a lot of living room space. You've probably noticed the same issues with your older computer monitors.

With a plasma television set, the technology is different. Gas inside a fluorescent light is excited to a degree and transforms into a plasma state. Pixels are still made with the same three basic colors, but since plasma can be aimed more precisely, more pixels can be hit to form an image. The result? A clearer, prettier picture on the television screen.

Not only is high resolution a feature that plasma television sets boast of, there are also the colors – all 16 million and more of them. Imagine watching the TV and knowing there are millions of different colors dancing right in front of your eyes even if you can only name a few. There's dragon red, leaf green, ocean blue or maybe canary yellow and egg white, but that's just a drop in the bucket of all the color possibilities that plasma television sets can offer.

The view from the other side

Another reason why plasma television sets win a lot of admirers is that it gives the concept of 'sitting in front of the television' a whole new meaning. Remember when kids used to fight for the 'best seats' right smack in the middle for TV viewing? This is no longer true with plasma TV.

With rear projection TVs, the viewing angle is about 45 degrees to the sides. A plasma television set can give you perfect images even at 160 degrees! You can walk from one side of the room to the other and you will still have the same picture quality, so don't worry too much about Aunt or Grandma sitting to the sides of the plasma television set. They are enjoying themselves just fine.

The flatness is also there for a reason other than giving the excellent viewing angles; it also reduces glare. With a plasma television set, you don't even have to dim the lights for better viewing. It works just as well even with ambient light turned to the max.

Issues and myths

No, you cannot refill your plasma television set's plasma content or that it's too radiation-heavy. Those are urban legends that are too silly to be even given a second look. Plasma television sets are a product of the latest technology and as such, still have a few issues here and there.

One of the most common is the burn-in issue, where a plasma television set develops a burned-in image when it's tuned in for too long to a static picture. There is also the half-life expectancy where plasma televisions are expected to burn a little dimmer after a few thousand hours.

These issues are quite true, but the real threat to the life and quality of a plasma television set is really a matter of wise and careful use. If you keep it on hours and hours on one channel with a static image, then a burn-in issue might emerge, but this will only happen after hours of day-in and day-out use. The half-life has also improved from the 30,000 hours (allowing you 9 years of plasma TV use for 8 hours of viewing a day) to 60,000 hours.

The Holy Grail of television sets?

For now, plasma television sets offer a lot to drool about but many would-be fans are put off by its price. Imagine paying about $2,500 for a 42-inch plasma TV. However, plasma televisions are priced that way for good reason – they offer tops in picture quality and contrast and even with the monstrous size some models are available in, you won't want a lot in the resolution department.

Getting a plasma television set instead of an LCD or some other high-def TV is really a matter of personal choice and budget. Shop for the unit that's perfect for you and enjoy all the other benefits you won't otherwise get had you made a different choice.

Satellite TV Review

Satellite TV Review

The following is a satellite TV review that compares the two major satellite TV providers - DISH Network and DIRECTV - so you can decide which provider is right for you.

Who has the most channels?

Currently, DISH Network has 350 channels of satellite TV programming, while DIRECTV has 250 channels.

What kind of programming do DISH Network and DIRECTV provide?

DISH Network and DIRECTV'S programming services include movie channels, sports packages, variety channels, commercial-free music channels, international channels, pay-per-view movies and special events, plus news and weather channels.

DISH Network has the biggest variety of movies, music, international programs, HD programming, and pay-per-view movies and events. DIRECTV carries the most sports packages.

Who has the best programming price?

DISH Network's lowest-priced program package, the DishFamily Pak, is $19.99 per month, while DIRECTV's lowest-priced package is $41.99 per month. DISH Network's top-of-the-line package, which has 350 channels, is $74.99. DIRECTV's top-of-the-line package with 250 channels is $96.99 per month.

Are DIRECTV and DISH Network's equipment really free?

Both DIRECTV and DISH Network will give you the equipment you need – a dish and up to four receivers – plus free installation when you order one of their programming packages. However, DIRECTV charges $19.99 to ship their equipment.

Are DVR's (digital video recorders) extra?

DISH Network will give you a free DVR when you order their service, and DIRECTV will give you a free DVR with their service after a $99 mail-in rebate. DVR's allow you to digitally record, pause, and fast forward live satellite TV shows.

How much does an HD (high definition) receiver cost?

HD receivers are free with DISH Network, and free with DIRECTV after a $99 mail-in rebate. In order to receive HD programming you must have an HDTV.

Can I get my local channels?

Yes. DIRECTV charges $5.00 per month for local channels, and DIRECTV charges $3.00 per month for local channels.

What international channels are available?

DISH Network offers 21 international channels including African, Arabic, Armenian, Caribbean, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, South Asian, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, and Urdu.

DIRECTV has 11 international channels including Caribbean, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Italian, South Asian, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.

Do Dish Network and DIRECTV offer music channels?

DISH Network offers commercial-free 52 music channels and 60 Sirius satellite radio channels. DIRECTV has 67 XM satellite radio channels.

What about customer Service?

Both DIRECTV and DISH Network include 24/7 online and toll-free telephone customer service.

Direct TV Review

How long have you been sitting on the fence about satellite TV? Do you have any idea what an awesome TV viewing experience you’re missing out on if you’re still stuck with the limitations of cable? When I decided to go with a satellite TV system, I did it because I wanted a ton of channels. With Direct TV I got exactly that, and much, much more.

(By the way, if after you read this review you want to see what kind of deal you can get on Direct TV service, you have to scroll down to the bottom of this story and check out the sites I list there. These are the only sites I found where you can find the true up-to-the-second deals Direct TV is offering at the moment. More on that later.)

First of all, I’ll tell you upfront that you’ll pay a little more for Direct TV when compared to some of the other satellite TV providers. But that’s comparing apples to oranges, because Direct TV has several benefits that aren’t offered by their competition.

For example, NFL Sunday Ticket is exclusive to Direct TV subscribers and a must-have if you’re into football. Ever heard of interactive mix channels? Probably not. Only Direct TV lets you watch up to 8 live news, sports or kid shows on a single screen, all at the same time.

How would you like to get a sneak peek at new shows before they go on the air? Direct TV has an exclusive agreement with the FX channel that allows you to do that. And if music is what floats your boat, you’ll be thrilled with the musical events on Direct TV that you won’t see aired anywhere else.

HD programming is quite a buzzword these days. If you’re not watching in high definition, you’re missing out on the ultimate experience in TV viewing. Direct TV gives you 900 hours of HD programs every week, with plans to introduce more than 150 HD channels in the near future. Direct TV was the first to offer the History Channel in HD. I can only imagine how much the history buffs must love that.

You may be wondering how I know so much about Direct TV. I’d like to let you think that I’m just that smart, but the truth is I found those three websites I mentioned earlier (and that I list below) that have a mind-boggling amount of information. If you scroll down, you’ll see the links. Having been to so many bogus sites with misinformation and outdated facts, it was a big relief to find a few that were so straightforward and up-to-the-minute with the latest and greatest that Direct TV has to offer.

But back to the review…

If you’re into movies, Direct TV’s got you covered there, too. Over 70 pay-per-view channels and more than 30 premium movie channels guarantee there’s always a movie available whenever you’re in the mood. The best part is you don’t have to leave your living room. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, movie watching is at your fingertips. Phone in your order, place it online, or use your remote. It just doesn’t get any easier than that.

My in-laws recently moved to the U.S. from Greece. And thanks to Direct TV’s international line-up, they’re still able to watch their favorite shows from their homeland, in the language they’re most familiar with. Direct TV offers programming from around the globe, more than 80 channels in Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Polish, Russian, Greek, Italian and others. That doesn’t include over 55 Spanish language channels.

I don’t see how you could go wrong by choosing Direct TV, but hey, that’s not my call. The decision is yours. Be sure to visit the links below to check out all the information you need to make that decision and, more importantly, to save some cash. You’ll be glad you did.