February 23, 2004
Technology in Focus features analysis of recent technology news articles, by the consultants in Technology Group, IDA. This is the top pick of the month from a list of 10-20 news analysis compiled monthly.
TunA Lets Users Fish for Music, Wired News, 4th Dec 2003
by Steven Ong, Consultant, ENAT
With the objective of creating an ad-hoc, non-intrusive, proximity network based on technologies that have a positive effect on social relationship, the folks at Media Lab Europe have developed a new system that uses Wi-Fi to connect people who are in the same physical space. The system is called tunA, and it allows people to share the music they're listening to on their handhelds, In essence, they become mobile radio stations for listeners in their immediate proximity.
With tunA, users can "tune in" to other nearby tunA music players and listen to what someone else is listening to. Developed on iPaqs and connected via 802.11b in ad-hoc mode, the applications displays a list of people using tunA that are in range, give access to their profile and playlist information, and enables synchronized peer-to-peer audio streaming. The "tune in" option gives in fact only streaming access to the song that the remote user is currently listening to, not other songs in their playlist. This ensures that the remote user would not be able to save the song onto his/her device's storage, thereby preventing any illegal song distribution and safe guarding copy rights concerns.
Currently, the application is only available on devices supporting Wi-Fi. It is not difficult to see the potential of expanding such an application with instant messaging feature and making it available on the mobile phone. Music files can be discovered and streamed via the Bluetooth protocol instead of Wi-Fi, since Bluetooth support is getting more common these days on the newer batches of handsets. And integrated instant messaging together with tunA would allow anonymous messages and opinions to be exchanged between two complete strangers, making it a more interesting experience.
As it is, the Internet has been hailed as a wonderful way of connecting far-flung people who share similar interests. But it hasn't done a very good job of connecting people who are right next to each other. With the advent of tunA-like applications and other location-sensing technology, that's all about to change.
Some words about the writer
Steven Ong is a consultant with the Technology Group, tasked with the responsibility of identifying, tracking and exploring leading edge enabler technologies in the mobile wireless arena. He is currently looking at areas such as Digital Rights Management, wireless security as well as smartphone application platforms.
Disclaimer:
The Info-Communications Development Authority of Singapore ("IDA") makes no warranties as to the suitability of use for any purpose whatsoever of any of the information, data, representations, statements and/or any of the contents herein nor as to the accuracy or reliability of any sources from which the same is derived (whether as credited or otherwise). IDA hereby expressly disclaims any and all liability connected with or arising from use of the contents of this publication. This analysis does not necessarily represent or contain the views of IDA nor the Government of the Republic of Singapore and should not be cited or quoted as such. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright 2004 Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore. Other than for purposes of circulation WITHIN your organisation/company, this article (or any part thereof) must not be reproduced or redistributed without the prior permission of IDA.