MoJo: Can the mobile kit get any more convenient?

By Lexa Deckert & Sarah Redohl

Using the Vericorder technology and the mobile kit has been a gift for a number of reasons. Not having to juggle heavy, inconvenient equipment across Columbia has possibly been my favorite part of this capstone project. All the equipment I need can fit in my purse or a small bag.

How could the mobile kit get any more convenient? Something that Sarah and I have discussed is the amount of attachments. Despite the usability and size of the phone, there are a lot of different attachments to remember. We have the Bubo, two lenses, a light and two microphones.

There are things that Vericorder can’t help, when it comes to the attachments, specifically because of their partnership with Apple. IPhones do not have zoom capability while in video mode, so lenses are helpful. Interference from the phone sometimes causes crackly audio. The overall quality is quite good but definitely has room for improvement.

Sarah and I were recently shown the Nokia 808 PureView and Nokia Rich Recording by a professor here at MU, Clyde Bentley. It shoots 41 megpixel stills, HD 30 fps video and records high definition audio with the built in mike. The pixel density eliminates the need for a telephoto lens. Below is a video that demonstrates the abilities of the Nokia 808 PureView.

After enjoying the flexibility of our mobile kit, it’s hard to believe that we could eliminate even more equipment and be left with a single phone that can do it all.

Bentley also showed us a phone using more advanced editing system, the Samsung Galaxy Note. You can perform complicated edits on the Note, including on Photoshop. They have other special features, but all are made possible because of the phone’s large screen and its stylus system.

http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxynote/note/applications.html?type=find

If the high quality of these phones is proven, there’s no reason mobile journalism can’t be used in every newsroom. Vericorder definitely brings something to the table with their editing system, but perhaps what’s next is the combination of all these great features on one phone. That day may not be far away.