Obama Inauguration: A Big Day for iTV Too

While Obama’s inauguration day was a day of many milestones in U.S. history, it was also a big day for web-internet-interactive-mobile television. Today's online video technology either didn't exist during the last inauguration or was in its infancy. Online video, the social Web, and mobile applications took center stage, as millions worldwide accessed and shared the inauguration experience and information online.

For online video specifically, a record number of Americans viewed the event at work, school, or at home. According to Akamai, a record 7.7 million viewers did so simultaneously, making it the most-watched live event in online video's history.

Outside of some expected capacity issues that excluded some users from accessing the stream optimally, the inauguration online was by most reports a success. Some long-time online video enthusiasts might remember an event almost exactly 10 years ago that did not go as well.

By the headline and sub-header, we surely have come a long way. For me, the web stream was moving even faster online than on cable TV!

I also downloaded the Ustream app for my iPhone the day before and thus was able to watch the inauguration while on the road. (No, I was NOT driving!) According to Ustream, over 100,000 users downloaded this application before the inauguration, making it the 6th most popular application in the iTunes store.




This certainly has the hallmarks of a major breakthrough in mobile and online video. I do expect live sporting events and the like to follow shortly, as sports fans, for a reasonable fee, sign up by the millions to watch their games whenever an wherever they want.


PS. I’m told, that if you had a Facebook account, you could log in via Facebook Connect while watching the CNN.com live stream.

Vote for Obama ? McCain ? NO - Me ! Steve Kingsley in 2008!

I promise:

* Gas for less than two dollars!
* 15 percent flat tax!
* Good pay for honest executives only!
* All terrorists' eyes for one victim's eye!
* Judiciously applied political incorrectness!
* Much more to come!!!

Delivered to you courtesy of The Summit Group, tsgnet.com and YouTube.

WOW - Now the fine print I received in an email from YouTube:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear makeitv,

Your video "Vote for Obama ? McCain ? NO ! Steve Kingsley in 2008!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akwArklQUBo) has been identified by YouTube's Content Identification program (http://help.youtube.com/support/youtube/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=83766) as containing copyrighted content which Suburban Noize Records, Inc. claims is theirs.

Your video "Vote for Obama ? McCain ? NO ! Steve Kingsley in 2008!" is still available because Suburban Noize Records, Inc. does not object to this content appearing on YouTube at this time. As long as Suburban Noize Records, Inc. has a claim on your video, they will receive public statistics about your video, such as number of views. Viewers may also see advertising on your video's page.

Claim Details:

Copyright owner: Suburban Noize Records, Inc.
======================================
Content claimed: Some or all of the audio and visual content
================================================
Policy: Allow this content to remain on YouTube.

* Place advertisements on this video's watch page.
Applies to these locations: Everywhere

Suburban Noize Records, Inc. claimed this content as a part of the YouTube Content Identification program. YouTube allows partners to review YouTube videos for content to which they own the rights. Partners may use our automated video / audio matching system to identify their content, or they may manually review videos.

If you believe that this claim was made in error, or that you are otherwise authorized to use the content at issue, you can dispute this claim with Suburban Noize Records, Inc. and view other options in the Video ID Matches (http://youtube.com/my_videos_copyright) section of your YouTube account. Please note that YouTube does not mediate copyright disputes between content owners. Learn more about video identification disputes (http://help.youtube.com/support/youtube/bin/answer.py?answer=83768).

Sincerely,
The YouTube Content Identification Team

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

PS. Considering the checkered history of YouTube re copyright protection, they are really going respectable, wouldn't you say?

PPS...Especially in light of Google Video (remember, the same company...) refusing to run this very same video!!!