“Triumph of the Commons ?”

Beyond connectivity, on the opportunity horizon, lies a Holy Grail at the intersection of Connectivity Street and Content Avenue.  It’s a place where two halves of a post come together in real life – where the compelling content, applications, and services experiences we want, where we want them, and when we want them, converges with the full throttle capability of enabling networks and access devices.  For the first time it’s possible to conceive of a future where the constraint isn’t the network or limited applications, but imagination.  A new triple play – lifestyle, convenience, and productivity – has emerged as we quickly transition from bringing networks to life, to giving them a personality.

Enter the world of Converged Digital Media – innovation dedicated to the humanization, feel good and productive interactivity of networks.  A lexicon has emerged to do the equivalent of what’s required to move us from the Pong to the Wii generation of network experience: Interactivity; Personalization; Ease of Use; Integration; Interoperability; Multimedia; Convergence; Personalized Content; On-Demand; Seamless.

From IPTV to the SmartPhone, the first signs of the future to come have emerged, but the space remains largely the domain of explorers and the unknown.  What are the disruptive applications, creative opportunities and new business models that lie in the convergence zone ?  How do we monetize new business models that merge content with distribution ?  What is it about digital media that turns the world upside down for advertisers and network providers, while creating potential for a digital gold rush for content developers ?

It’s Milepost 0 on the Converged Digital Media highway.  Drive a few miles down the road with us as we explore horizons …  and a few potholes.

:: Chris Fields

For details: www.trlabs.ca/icts