Yep, traditional TV is going to be left to the less technologically advanced countries...
Pure IP TV is here, absolutely, certainly, definitively.
I'm watching the Live Earth concerts from around the world on my computer (2*24" monitors). I learned about the event on the web (on Twitter from all places), not on traditionnal printed media nor TV / radio.
And I tuned into this global event online. Did I check whether any of my local TV channels were carrying it ? Nope... Direct to the web : google://live+earth and found the site.
It even brings interactivity enabling me to switch from one "channel" to another one. From Brazil, to DC, to China, to Hamburg, to Japan, to London. Content wise, it"s "just" Madonna in Wembley. Awesome entertainment. Live on IP TV.
No clue who is providing the CDN and streaming technology this time, but it's WORKIIIIIIIIIIIING ! at last.
Huge congratulations to MSN for doing it right. Live 8 on AOL had their own issues last time.
Update: I didn't have time to record Al Gore's vibrant pledge to fight global warming. Here's a previous reading :
My guess is that Al Gore should win the Nobel Peace Prize in the next 5 years with his relentless fight.
I just dropped by tonight on Ségolène Royal's new HQ in Second Life. I've been wandering in this new virtual world a couple of times, and I'm almost always alone, anywhere I go. Tonight I'm really surprised: this is the most crowded space I've ever been to, this place is meant for French people, and it's 2 am on a Saturday night...
There was some controversy on whether it made sense to create such an HQ: I believe it's a smart move: the people who show up here could have shown up on any forum to discuss, but at least they also have some fun and interactivity with their fellow people while discussing on Second Life, and it allows the campaign team to interact with them more easily and give them some multimedia content in the amphi...
Nice move... but of course, a marginal move considering all the French people that don't even have heard of SL ever...
ps: the guy in front is my avatar: Rodrigo Television