IDEA


Idea is to organize home or office network of electronic devices on personal computer. For end-user is looks like application similar to browser, but instead of files and folders there are various devices like car multimedia system, e-book reader, mp3 player, smart house infrastructure elements, other computers. End-user drag some file and send (drop) it to another device. No care about standards, formats, drivers and so on.



Based on the ”UNIVERSAL CONTENT SERVER IN DETAILS” article, from “Telecom Services” partition.


Can be enhanced with ”METADATA CONTENT SERVER ideas, from “Business Cases” partition.


END-USER EXPERIENCE


On the desktop of home PC user have a special application or some area, where he/she can transfer files from/to various electronic devices. Difference from generic files transfer is that files automatically converting to fit the exact device parameters.
For example,

· Pictures from PC to MP4 player or mobile phones are transferring with smaller size and less colors’ depth;

· Text from MS WORD format automatically converted to TXT or PDF, when transferring to E-Book reader;

· MP3 file automatically converting to AMR file when transferring from MP3 player (or from PC) to mobile phone.


There can be additional options such as

· File and transactions manager (with history, properties of conversions and so on)

· Stream drivers for real-time usage of devices as peripheral hardware of PC – camera in mobile phone can be used as WEB-camera or some home security system can send information and then stored in some standardized MS EXCEL file.

· Subscription for e-books and music files for MP3 player can be dove over PC, providing by thus convenient content management on PC (where are big monitor, full size qwerty keyboard and mouse pointer).


Another benefit is that no routines with files’ conversion, along with no sophisticated installation of drivers or tracing these updates. Just having this software product is well enough to manage all devices.


TECHNICAL BACKGROUND


What is the application then and who can be its producer?


The Application has the following properties:

1) Be able to maintain connection with electronic devices by LAN, Wi-Fi, USB, IR-port, Bluetooth, DLNA, e.t.c.

2) Be able to determine USB and other Plug&Play devices using OS functions and separately on base of the own database.

3) Convert multi-media content



Another important part of this service is a WEB-server with devices’ database. This database should include some properties to determine device and confront it to official source of drivers and software updates.


Then who can be a producer of such service? I think it’s quite obviously, that generic software company can. Nothing specific of telecom know-how is necessary to run such service!


BUSINESS CASE


Then there is a question of – how to make money on it? Several options are available.

* Sell this software as unique file and content manager. Remember times when Norton Commander was a really useful program with good retail price? So, it’s the same but for new age of electronic content management.

o Meantime sales strategy can vary from 100USD per license and no subscription fee till free software but payment for year subscription.

o What can be the price? Price for generic amount of convenience. As some modern radio mouse or ergonomic keyboard have price about 100-200 USD and working well for 2-4 years, then supplier of this system can apply similar level of pricing. 100 USD per application and 2 years of free subscription, or free application and 50 USD per year subscription fee (what is just 4 USD per month!).

o Market positioning can be like this – low cost system and you have no more problems with drivers’ installation and keeping up to date, content incompatibility and lost data.

* If you consider that now it’s the age of free stuff like Napster and Linux, then earning solution can be based on advertisement. In the application there is some advertisement banner area and content downloading time to time from internet. Can’t be turned off and placed near or on some important area of the application. For example, ICQ has its banner on smiles selection console.

* Finally it’s possible to offer both of the scenarios above. You want quick and plain application? Pay money. You want free stuff? Then you should watch the advertisement.

· Last variant, which can be used by some vendors of popular file manager, or media player, or internet browser. Just add this functionality for free and win your competitors!


Important notice! The exact software development is not so complicated and costly thing! Costly partition in this project is to collect information from all the vendors world-wide and manage WEB-server with conformity data. There will be full-time personnel, payment for powerful server and quick internet lines.



Another important issue – administrative activities with vendors, that this database is complete with all the devices as much as possible. Yet, there is already one success story - Microsoft once have launched their Plug&Play for Windows 95 and now it’s some common thing for 99% of vendors, that they produce drivers or applications for MS Windows Plug&Play compatibility.


RESUME


You are producer of some file manager or nice media player and you want to enhance your business and earn 100-1000 times more than now?


May be you developing some new release of new OS and search for the “killing application”?


Probably you searching for the opportunity to move in telecom area, which is reach and is with plenty of easy money?


Then for all this questions there is an answer – start this project up!