Nokia and Reuters develop mobile journalism toolkits
This summer, select Reuters journalists have begun using a mobile journalism application with a special toolkit featuring the Nokia N95 and Nokia SU-8W Bluetooth keyboard (photo via Symbian Freak) as part of an ongoing research project developed by the news service and the Nokia Research Center.
The kits, which also include a tripod, microphone, and Power Monkey charger, have enabled participants to "edit, combine and file text, images, sound and live and recorded video streams, producing and publishing multi-media stories of broadcast quality without needing to return to the studio or office."
The equipment and what will likely be a modified version of the application (the current one is linked to Reuters’ in-house editorial process) will soon be tested with university students, as the implications for mobile blogging (what the companies are referring to as "citizen journalism") are quite clear.
Even though most bloggers have already been using similar set-ups for years, it’s still great to see large corporations putting substantial effort into studying and hopefully building upon it. Creating an ideal mobile office is particularly interesting to me at the moment because I’ll be traveling in November, December, and January, and I don’t think any single mobile toolkit I could pull together with the gear I have would be suitable for all three trips.
[Press release via Mobility Site]
