Interactive Mobile TV

Receiving TV programming on one's mobile device is a new enough concept... but interactive mobile television might be close on its heels.

Norweigian broadcaster NRK is collaborating with Ericsson to test interactive mobile TV, allowing users to watch and vote on their favorite music video via cell phone during a music TV show, and to chat with other viewers.

NRK and Ericsson say that hundreds of users have downloaded the special software necessary to view the show. "Our solution makes it possible for viewers to interact with a show that they are watching on their mobile device in a whole new way, creating a much richer TV experience with the help of the mobile channel," said Kurt Sillen, vice president of Ericsson Mobility World.

NRK has been a pioneer in cell phone broadcasting, debuting the use of a cell phone to broadcast a ski race live this past spring. The outcome of this current experiment will be of great interest to anyone with their eye on mobile TV... since the actual demand for such service is presently unclear.

Sources: San Diego Union-Tribune, Techdirt