The Portable and Personal Videos

Portable video for the masses essentially started with the release of Sony's PSP. When the PSP was released, there was wide skepticism about whether people would actually use the PsP for videos. A portable gaming system wasn't and shouldn't be everything to everyone, was the argument. And it had merit because PSP only played movies that were on its proprietary UMD discs. I know I won't buy $30 UMD discs just to watch a movie on my PSP that I can't play on my regular TV. Sony seemed to be a bit too early for the portable video market.

Now, it seems like all the television networks are offering shows for download onto portable video devices. Once Apple released a video version of their iPod, the flood gates opened up.

CBS, NBC, ESPN, ABC, Pixar, are all eager to repackage their programming to your iPod. Even Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo are getting into the game with their video search and download capabilities. Consumers weren't sure how useful cell phones with cameras were, and now that they're pretty much accepted that your new cell phone will have a camera, video on-demand for your cell is not far from the future.

Some links in the past week about video on your ipod or cell phone:

• ESPN the Ring Tone: In the Zone on a Cellphone - NYTimes.com
• CBS, NBC Offer On-Demand Replays of Shows - AP
• Microsoft, AP Team on Online Video Venture - AP
• NHL, ESPN deal covers new media, old games - Reuters
• Microsoft in News Video Deal - TheStreet.com