TVSquad

When I first saw "Cell Phone Shootout" several weeks ago, I didn't think it would work. Contestants have to take cell phone cameras and take pics of prizes that randomly flash on a big screen and they win the prize they took a pic of? I thought we'd have a bunch of blurry photos or photos that didn't show anything but the edge of the screen or maybe someone's foot.

But I've seen it twice now and, if there isn't any editing/retakes involved, these are good picture-takers. I like Jimmy Fallon's Match Game-style microphone. (Did Ted Danson actually carve that pipe on the show??)

I'm always cynical about these studies that show what teens aren't into, but this study was actually done by a 15 year-old, so maybe it's a lot closer to the truth.

He's a intern at Morgan Stanley, and he says that teens today aren't really into TV (beyond watching their favorite shows for a season), they'd rather download music than listen to the radio, and they don't read newspapers at all because it's "wicked stupid." OK, they didn't say that, but they find newspapers too long. They also don't like Twitter. They'd rather update their Facebook page (makes sense - Facebook is more passive, like a web site; you have to really be involved with Twitter).

So this poll is only for the teens out there reading this.

This is never going to happen in real life, but last night Jimmy Fallon deleted all of his social networks because it was getting too confusing and taking up too much of his time. I don't know if there's one button to get rid of your Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, NetFlix, and IM accounts, but I'm sure someone is working on one right now.

I've been online every single day for about 14 years, I have several e-mail addresses, I have a couple of computers, I have a cell phone, and I Twitter. Still, I don't think it would be a problem for me to give up my cell phone and iPod for ten days.

Not the younger folks though, if this video from Today is any indication. The kids just can't handle not being able to get online or text to their friends (17,500 messages in one month??). One kid doesn't even know how to use a newspaper, and another can't read a regular clock (seriously). I think their heads would cave in if they tried to use a typewriter.

Is it really a big surprise that television advertising isn't as effective as it used to be? As TV watchers -- okay, we're uber-watchers -- we know that with DVRs and TiVos we're zooming through ads, or we're channel surfing in between segments of our favorite shows, or renting/buying content in formats that allow us to avoid commercials altogether. Now, according to the Association of National Advertisers and Forrester Research's TV & Technology Survey, we learn that six out of 10 marketers believe that TV advertising has become less effective in the past two years. And it's getting worse.

Apple's iTunes is offering those who sign up for a $45 season's pass to 24, exclusive access to new music in what Variety is calling a "first-of-its-kind deal." The $45 fee allows subscribers to download the 24 hours of the show's season -- each new hour will be made available the day after it airs -- as well as remixed and new tunes. The first song released for iTunes' 24 subscribers is by Crystal Method, the magazine reported.

In other exclusive 24 content news, those with Sprint Nextel cell phones will be able to access sneak peaks of future 24 episodes, along with quizzes about the show, games, tips on how to survive tough situations which may arise while on a "covert op," and 24 ring tones.

What do you think would be an appropriate ring tone for 24? A machine gun blast? An explosion? The computer-generated sound of the ticking 24 clock? Or Jack Bauer growling, "Patch me through to Chloe! Now!"?

And while they're at it, maybe Sprint could toss in a few of those never-say-die cell phone batteries that Jack totes around.

i don't really want to report for i-Report.

That's what CNN calls the video and picture reports that its viewers send in. You're supposed to e-mail or phone any reports you might get from news that's breaking: natural disasters, fires, car chases, celebrity sightings, whatever. I haven't seen too many of these reports on the network (though it is a regular thing so I've probably just missed them), but do they credit you with the pictures/video/audio or just give a general "here's footage shot from a CNN viewer" nod? And I'm sure they don't pay you, right? That would be a whole different level. So you're basically a photographer/videographer for CNN but you don't get paid or any other benefits from it. I bet they'd even frown on you using something on your resume like "correspondent for CNN's i-Report division."

Anyone out there ever send anything in to CNN (or MSNBC/Fox News)?

A new generation of people with myopia (nearsightedness) are about to be created.

According to our friends at engadget Sony and Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson are teaming up to get television shows and channels on their mobile sets. In fact, according to Per Nordlof, Ericsson's director of Product Strategy, the two companies want to have a third of all cell phone users watching TV on their handsets by 2008. In order to accomplish this task, the corporate duo (not to be confused with the Dynamic Duo) are working on a number of solutions. One way is to transmit clips from your living room TV directly to a handset. Hmm, didn't The Riddler try to do something like that in Batman Forever (well, it was transmitting TV signals directly to one's brain. I'm trying to make a funny here, folks!).

It's great that the corporate world is moving ahead with the integration of technologies, but I wonder if it should be at the cost of more people needing glasses. Hmm, maybe this is a whole conspiracy between the telecommunications industry and opticians across the globe.

TV Guide's mobile entertainment division has signed a deal with Cingular Wireless to offer streaming video content on Cingular's mobile devices. The only thing definitely guaranteed is an "on-demand version of TV Guide Channel."

I would imagine if the service does well, it won't take long for episode previews and clips to be offered as well - just like Verizon's V-Cast video service. I find these services odd though. Do people actually pay a couple bucks so they can watch something like next week's Lost preview on their cell phone? I don't think I would pay for it unless it came with a lot of perks.

[via Broadcasting & Cable]

Here's one heck of a way to show fan loyalty to your favorite American Idol contestant. Cingular announced that it's offering ringtones of contestants' performances within 24 hours of the broadcast. Every Wednesday, new ringtones of live performances will be available for $2.49 each on Cingular's website. If the contestant's song doesn't have publisher's clearance during a particular week, Cingular will offer up an older performance instead.

I just checked a few of them out and I realized that I am definitely not in the demographic that this is catering to. For example, all the contestants (including Ace) have voiced a ringtone telling people to vote for them. And yes, it does have Chris Daughtry's rendition of "Walk the Line". Commence freaking out.