In terms of your own application, the platform would receive the MMS then
deliver it to your application (presumably running on your computer) via an
HTTP POST. If you're at all familiar with web programming this is a very
simple interface methodology. So "No -you don't need a PC with a connected
cell phone". You just need a PC with an internet connection.
Now what you do with the image as you've received it is entirely up to you
at this point.
As for e-mail.... we do not yet have an e-mail avenue for allowing mobile
users to upload images - although I believe that will be implemented in some
fashion as part of the social media aggregation services we are offering.
Now for my editorialization on your questions:
MMS is far and away the easiest method for end users to deliver pictures and
videos to applications. However, there are a number of serious caveats of
which you should be aware:
1. The MMS implementation in the MUSE platform is based on a GSM modem. As
a result, the thruput is VERY slow. You'll be lucky to get 2 MMS per minute
out of it. MUSE is an experimental research platform so I don't apologize
for this limitation. I believe MMS has a role to play in user generated
content from the mobile space, but the reality is that carriers in Canada
are just not positioning any technology to do this on a large scale. It is
my opinion that this will evolve (as it already has done so in other
countries).
2. Currently our MMS gateway is inoperative (effective the beginning of
this week). It's a long story why that is the case. I hope to have it up
again by the end of this month.
3. Carriers restrict the maximum size of MMS messages users can deliver.
This is typically on the order of 300K. This restriction may or may not be
a problem for you application - depending on what you want to do.
e-mail from a mobile phone has the advantage of overcoming the size
restriction on content as well as the scalability issue. However it suffers
from a number of problems:
1. Handset makers make it VERY simple to send a picture as an MMS. Handset
makers in general don't make it nearly so simple to send a picture as an
e-mail.
2. Everyone can send an MMS. Only those who have been successful in
setting up e-mail from their mobile devices are able to send e-mail. I'm
EXTREMELY technically knowledgeable in this area and even I have been
unsuccessful in setting up my phone to work to work with my e-mail server.
3. Pricing for MMS is predictable - and now affordable. Without a plan, it
typically cost a user about $.50 per picture. A Fido messaging plan for
example however allows 1000 MMS and 2500 SMS messages for $20/month. So
worst case a user spends $.50 to send a picture - at least he knows what the
cost is. E-mail however uses standard data rates. Without a data plan these
rates are about $.03/kbyte. So to send a 300K picture via e-mail with no
plan, it will cost the user about $9 - versus $.50 per MMS. Of course there
are now e-mail plans available. Again how many users have e-mail plans
though.
There is another option available to you (which I don't recommend).
Specifically you could write a J2ME application that interfaces to the
camera and allows pictures captured to communicate directly with your
application - bypassing the MUSE platform entirely. This solution has the
following limitations:
1. Users would have to install the J2ME application on their device before
using your solution. Most users haven't a clue how to do that.
2. Not all J2ME implementations provide access to camera resources. Your
app may or may not work on all camera phones.
3. To make the application practical, you would have to become a trusted
J2ME application - which costs some money. Otherwise untrusted applications
have trouble setting up data sessions back to your application.
4. You data traffic would travel over the carrier's data network. That
means the content would be billed at the rate of $.03/kbyte. Even carriers
with unlimited browsing/e-mail plans don't cover this sort of traffic with
those plans. The cost to the enduser would be significant.
I hope this answers your questions.
Jim Udall
Technology Director Mobile MUSE
102-577 Great Northern Way
Vancouver, BC
V5T 1B1
+1-604-716-1523
Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: muse3-p...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:muse3-p...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of b
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 10:49 AM
To: MUSE3 Platform
Subject: Re: Overview of approaches to use MUSE to enable receiving cell
phone images in installation
Hello Jim,
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Inline are a few
follow-up comments.
> In terms of your own application, the platform would receive the MMS then
> deliver it to your application (presumably running on your computer) via
an
> HTTP POST. If you're at all familiar with web programming this is a very
> simple interface methodology. So "No -you don't need a PC with a
connected
> cell phone". You just need a PC with an internet connection.
What is the "platform"? Muse running on a particular cell phone? To
clarify:
-----------------------
MUSE platform is a hosted service available at developers.mobilemuse.ca that
offers a number of features and capabilities. Those services and features
are intended to be useful in deploying network base mobile applications.
Some services are low level and offered as SOAP or REST accessed web
services. Others are packaged as components or applications - configurable
and useable via any web browser. Among the low level services offered by
the platform or bi-directional text messaging and bi-directional MMS
messaging. How SMS or MMS is actually implemented is of no concern to you
as a developer. This is important since especially for SMS, there are a
variety of means to affect services. You as the developer need not concern
yourself with how these services are affected. Indeed, that is one of the
goals of the platform.
--------------------------------------
1. Cell user uses MMS to send image to another cell phone (the one
used for the installation)
2. That second cell phone is running a MUSE application which routes
incoming MMS images to HTTP post on a web-server running on the
installation computer (or somewhere else).
3. The installation computer receives the images via post and which is
then opened in Pure Data.
So if the cell is not connected to the PC, then there needs to be a
cell phone that acts as a router for all the incoming MMS messages. Is
this what the "mms gateway" does?
-----------------------------------------------
The MMS Gateway is a subsystem of the MUSE platform.
---------------------------------
Could a cell be configured to dump all incoming MMS images to flash
memory, which would be mounted via USB mass storage so the files could
be easily transferred to the installation computer?
-------------------------------------------
Understand that this is not something of even remote interest to MUSE
platform. However, if you want to explore this possibility yourself...
Nokia phones (like all cell phones), can be configured to automatically
accept incoming MMS messages (ala SMS). Nokia software I believe allows you
to connect your phone to a PC and copy over the MMS messages. You would
then have to parse these MMS messages (exercise left to the reader), to
extract the pertinent content.
---------------------------------------------
I agree the email and java solutions seem more awkward.
> 1. The MMS implementation in the MUSE platform is based on a GSM modem.
As
> a result, the thruput is VERY slow. You'll be lucky to get 2 MMS per
minute
> out of it. MUSE is an experimental research platform so I don't apologize
> for this limitation. I believe MMS has a role to play in user generated
> content from the mobile space, but the reality is that carriers in Canada
> are just not positioning any technology to do this on a large scale. It
is
> my opinion that this will evolve (as it already has done so in other
> countries).
What is the bit-rate of the gsm modem? I'm expecting images at
1280x1024 at the absolute maximum. The proposal is more about many
people sending images, not the same person sending many images.
----------------------------------------------------
Bit rates are pretty much irrelevant. MMS is exchanges using standard
EVDO/1X/GPRS/EDGE packet data networks. There are of course raw bit rates
for all these technologies, but over wireless, any discussion of bit rates
is meaningless because of issues such as air performance and cell capacity.
Not to mention the cost of establishing and tearing down packet data calls.
IN some sense, on some phones, the sender has more control over the size of
MMS messages. Nokia for example allows you to configure MMS to send
small/medium or large pictures. This is not a universal statement.
And BTW, a notable exception to the ubiquity of MMS is the iPhone. It does
NOT support sending or receiving of MMS.
-----------------------------------------
> 2. Currently our MMS gateway is inoperative (effective the beginning of
> this week). It's a long story why that is the case. I hope to have it up
> again by the end of this month.
What does it do?
----------------------------
See response to "what is the MMS gateway?"
-------------------------------------
> 2. Everyone can send an MMS. Only those who have been successful in
> setting up e-mail from their mobile devices are able to send e-mail. I'm
> EXTREMELY technically knowledgeable in this area and even I have been
> unsuccessful in setting up my phone to work to work with my e-mail server.
> 3. Pricing for MMS is predictable - and now affordable. Without a plan,
it
> typically cost a user about $.50 per picture. A Fido messaging plan for
> example however allows 1000 MMS and 2500 SMS messages for $20/month. So
> worst case a user spends $.50 to send a picture - at least he knows what
the
> cost is. E-mail however uses standard data rates. Without a data plan
these
> rates are about $.03/kbyte. So to send a 300K picture via e-mail with no
> plan, it will cost the user about $9 - versus $.50 per MMS. Of course
there
> are now e-mail plans available. Again how many users have e-mail plans
> though.
I did not realize MMS may be shared per use. How common is its use?
Are people used to spending 50c when they want to do something, or is
it more used in special circumstances? I'm not sure there is
sufficient "payoff" in this proposal to warrant people spending money
to contribute.
----------------------------
I'm not sure what your first statement was intended to say.
I'm in no position to talk about market acceptance of technologies such as
MMS. Broadly speaking, MMS is a lucrative opportunity for carriers.
Verizon reports carrying 250 million MMS/quarter and most recently noted a
30% quarter-quarter increase. Are people used to paying for MMS? I don't
know. If they're used to paying for SMS I suppose they're used to paying
(more) for MMS. As I said, one of the benefits of MMS is that it has a
comprehensible billing play - ala SMS. (Whether there is fair value to that
plan is of course debatable).
Like I say, all carriers offer messaging plans that offer reduced rates on
SMS/MMS. In that sense, the recent kerfuffle over $.15 receive SMS seems
more like a tempest in a teapot - since I messaging plans are relatively
cheap.
------------------------------------------------
That might simplify things for what you want to do.
Cheers,
a
2008/8/11 Jim Udall <jim....@quickmobile.com>:
>
> Responses embedded
>
> Jim
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: muse3-p...@googlegroups.com
> [mailto:muse3-p...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of b
> Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 10:49 AM
> To: MUSE3 Platform
> Subject: Re: Overview of approaches to use MUSE to enable receiving cell
> phone images in installation
>
>
> Hello Jim,
>
> Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Inline are a few
> follow-up comments.
>
>> In terms of your own application, the platform would receive the MMS then
>> deliver it to your application (presumably running on your computer) via
> an
>> HTTP POST. If you're at all familiar with web programming this is a very
>> simple interface methodology. So "No -you don't need a PC with a
> connected
>> cell phone". You just need a PC with an internet connection.
>
> What is the "platform"? Muse running on a particular cell phone? To
> clarify:
>
> -----------------------
>
> MUSE platform is a hosted service available at developers.mobilemuse.ca that
> offers a number of features and capabilities. Those services and features
> are intended to be useful in deploying network base mobile applications.
> Some services are low level and offered as SOAP or REST accessed web
> services. Others are packaged as components or applications - configurable
> and useable via any web browser. Among the low level services offered by
> the platform or bi-directional text messaging and bi-directional MMS
> messaging. How SMS or MMS is actually implemented is of no concern to you
> as a developer. This is important since especially for SMS, there are a
> variety of means to affect services. You as the developer need not concern
> yourself with how these services are affected. Indeed, that is one of the
> goals of the platform.
> --------------------------------------
>
> 1. Cell user uses MMS to send image to another cell phone (the one
> used for the installation)
> 2. That second cell phone is running a MUSE application which routes
> incoming MMS images to HTTP post on a web-server running on the
> installation computer (or somewhere else).
> 3. The installation computer receives the images via post and which is
> then opened in Pure Data.
>
> So if the cell is not connected to the PC, then there needs to be a
> cell phone that acts as a router for all the incoming MMS messages. Is
> this what the "mms gateway" does?
>
> -----------------------------------------------
> The MMS Gateway is a subsystem of the MUSE platform.
> ---------------------------------
>
> Could a cell be configured to dump all incoming MMS images to flash
> memory, which would be mounted via USB mass storage so the files could
> be easily transferred to the installation computer?
> -------------------------------------------
> Understand that this is not something of even remote interest to MUSE
> platform. However, if you want to explore this possibility yourself...
> Nokia phones (like all cell phones), can be configured to automatically
> accept incoming MMS messages (ala SMS). Nokia software I believe allows you
> to connect your phone to a PC and copy over the MMS messages. You would
> then have to parse these MMS messages (exercise left to the reader), to
> extract the pertinent content.
> ---------------------------------------------
>
>
> I agree the email and java solutions seem more awkward.
>
>> 1. The MMS implementation in the MUSE platform is based on a GSM modem.
> As
>> a result, the thruput is VERY slow. You'll be lucky to get 2 MMS per
> minute
>> out of it. MUSE is an experimental research platform so I don't apologize
>> for this limitation. I believe MMS has a role to play in user generated
>> content from the mobile space, but the reality is that carriers in Canada
>> are just not positioning any technology to do this on a large scale. It
> is
>> my opinion that this will evolve (as it already has done so in other
>> countries).
>
> What is the bit-rate of the gsm modem? I'm expecting images at
> 1280x1024 at the absolute maximum. The proposal is more about many
> people sending images, not the same person sending many images.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Bit rates are pretty much irrelevant. MMS is exchanges using standard
> EVDO/1X/GPRS/EDGE packet data networks. There are of course raw bit rates
> for all these technologies, but over wireless, any discussion of bit rates
> is meaningless because of issues such as air performance and cell capacity.
> Not to mention the cost of establishing and tearing down packet data calls.
> IN some sense, on some phones, the sender has more control over the size of
> MMS messages. Nokia for example allows you to configure MMS to send
> small/medium or large pictures. This is not a universal statement.
>
> And BTW, a notable exception to the ubiquity of MMS is the iPhone. It does
> NOT support sending or receiving of MMS.
>
> -----------------------------------------
>
>> 2. Currently our MMS gateway is inoperative (effective the beginning of
>> this week). It's a long story why that is the case. I hope to have it up
>> again by the end of this month.
>
> What does it do?
> ----------------------------
>
> See response to "what is the MMS gateway?"
> -------------------------------------
>> 2. Everyone can send an MMS. Only those who have been successful in
>> setting up e-mail from their mobile devices are able to send e-mail. I'm
>> EXTREMELY technically knowledgeable in this area and even I have been
>> unsuccessful in setting up my phone to work to work with my e-mail server.
>> 3. Pricing for MMS is predictable - and now affordable. Without a plan,
> it
>> typically cost a user about $.50 per picture. A Fido messaging plan for
>> example however allows 1000 MMS and 2500 SMS messages for $20/month. So
>> worst case a user spends $.50 to send a picture - at least he knows what
> the
>> cost is. E-mail however uses standard data rates. Without a data plan
> these
>> rates are about $.03/kbyte. So to send a 300K picture via e-mail with no
>> plan, it will cost the user about $9 - versus $.50 per MMS. Of course
> there
>> are now e-mail plans available. Again how many users have e-mail plans
>> though.
>
> I did not realize MMS may be shared per use. How common is its use?
> Are people used to spending 50c when they want to do something, or is
> it more used in special circumstances? I'm not sure there is
> sufficient "payoff" in this proposal to warrant people spending money
> to contribute.
> ----------------------------
> I'm not sure what your first statement was intended to say.
>
> I'm in no position to talk about market acceptance of technologies such as
> MMS. Broadly speaking, MMS is a lucrative opportunity for carriers.
> Verizon reports carrying 250 million MMS/quarter and most recently noted a
> 30% quarter-quarter increase. Are people used to paying for MMS? I don't
> know. If they're used to paying for SMS I suppose they're used to paying
> (more) for MMS. As I said, one of the benefits of MMS is that it has a
> comprehensible billing play - ala SMS. (Whether there is fair value to that
> plan is of course debatable).
>
> Like I say, all carriers offer messaging plans that offer reduced rates on
> SMS/MMS. In that sense, the recent kerfuffle over $.15 receive SMS seems
> more like a tempest in a teapot - since I messaging plans are relatively
> cheap.
>
> ------------------------------------------------
--
Alexandre Quessy
http://alexandre.quessy.net/
--
Alexandre Quessy
http://alexandre.quessy.net/