iPhone owners getting control of digital signage

Ever dream of controlling a billboard with your phone? Us neither. Nevertheless, it is coming thanks to an unholy partnership between CBS Outdoor and Clusta. Using WiFi or 3G, iPhone owners (and others, apparently) can pinch, swipe, and poke at the objects on digital posters to make them zoom, spin, and change color. The idea here is simple: captive consumers buy more stuff. Perhaps, but without video or a detailed explanation describing how easy/hard it is to connect, well, we've already lost interest.

[kamakaze @ Jun 5th 2009 8:07AM]

i find it funny how completely jaded technology blog writers usually are...

[ShirkPower @ Jun 5th 2009 8:14AM]

shhh,
if it was about the pre you would have already jizzed.

[Look_Around_You @ Jun 5th 2009 8:20AM]

So you are assuming that he would behave like you if this was about some other product?

News for you. People outside of the RDF really do not take their like for a product to the obnoxious extreme that people like you do.

[Tim Brown @ Jun 5th 2009 9:07AM]

What will be funny is when some one works out how to display their own images on the billboards. A new form of graffiti as well as other definitely 18+ content will soon be covering the ads. Apple will probably do an app for that, iFfiti or something similar

[tikiwk @ Jun 5th 2009 8:10AM]

I never had interest.

BTW, Captive audiences that do not know they're captive, but believe they're choosing freely will buy even more.

I do not want the advertising mechanism from Minority Report to roam freely in my path. Dead ads drive me nuts now, forget about live ads. I'd perhaps kill myself to avoid the invasion.

[iphonerulez @ Jun 5th 2009 8:13AM]

Now everyone that can afford to will be buying iPhones. Including those that already have one.

[Look_Around_You @ Jun 5th 2009 8:16AM]

Dude, just shut up.

This hyper fanboy cliche character you're playing isn't even remotely humorous anymore.

It's now just as stale and predictable as all the others.

[Frankfurter @ Jun 5th 2009 8:21AM]

Hey Look, you're a trip. Do you meticulously scan through every comment, looking for someone to say something even remotely fan-boyish about the iPhone? You come across as almost stalker-like.

[Look_Around_You @ Jun 5th 2009 8:27AM]

Uh, no.

I do like to read what people are saying about a genuinely interesting story.

But some of these hyper-fanboy BS comments just beg for someone to respond to them because they are so ridiculous.

[Frankfurter @ Jun 5th 2009 8:35AM]

Ahh, I see. Did it ever occur to you that they might be doing that -just- to get you riled up?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

Just a thought.

iPhone FTW!

[Mike10010100 @ Jun 5th 2009 11:21AM]

Does that make them any less of an asshole? NO! In fact, they are even more of one! Congrats! You just joined their ranks of assholery, Frankfurter.

[Jared @ Jun 5th 2009 11:47AM]

Successful troll is successful.

[logicbomb.de @ Jun 5th 2009 12:30PM]

The silly rube falls for the troll-bait everytime.

You'd think he'd have wised up by now.

[m3tric @ Jun 5th 2009 6:57PM]

Appropriate name, considering Job's Frankfurter is halfway up your arse.

[ShirkPower @ Jun 5th 2009 8:14AM]

iPhone FTW! :D

[ScrapMaker @ Jun 5th 2009 8:44AM]

More advertising = major fail.

Why would anyone WANT to see more advertising? I'd rather gnaw off my own arm to escape.

[Jimmy Jones @ Jun 5th 2009 8:17AM]

So I really have that much interest and time in billboards that I'll pull over driving 75MPH just so I can pinch, zoom, flick, swipe, poke, et al on some gigantic billboard advert image?

You've gotta to be kidding me.



Hopefully they can come up with something like ....you like an advert on a billboard, yep, we've got an app for that.... :-)

[Jorvay @ Jun 5th 2009 8:47AM]

Who said anything about driving?

Most billboards that I see are on bus shelters while I'm walking through the city I live in...kindof like the one in the picture.

[Jorvay @ Jun 5th 2009 8:49AM]

So I get a credit on my monthly phone bill from advertising revenue right? No? Then bite me.

[Jorvay @ Jun 5th 2009 8:50AM]

Sorry Jimmy Jones, I have no idea why that second message was set as a response to you. Engadget comment system strikes again.

[Wonderkid @ Jun 5th 2009 8:19AM]

What's the point? Only one person can interact with the ad, so others will miss out on content that may have a more general reach. Why not just beem ads to the actual device (with an opt in procedure of course).

[whowhatme @ Jun 5th 2009 10:22AM]

Hi wonderkid, this is the marketing and PR department from Apple, we would like to offer you a position as head of the advertisement department. Please reply to this comment and leave your email, so that we may "beem" you further details.

[Pyro @ Jun 5th 2009 8:20AM]

What a cool place to swipe iPhones.

1 - Camp out near a billboard.
2 - Wait for someone to get a zombie expression while swinging his phone in the air.
3 - Kick leg/bash kidney + grab phone.
4 - Run.

[superhobo @ Jun 5th 2009 8:28AM]

Unholy alliance indeed. :-/

[chefgon_ign @ Jun 5th 2009 8:32AM]

It's probably just a mobile website that plays canned animations.

[Mike @ Jun 5th 2009 8:34AM]

Let me see...I'm going to install an app on my iPhone that takes up some memory so I can play around with a billboard?

[Eric Foor @ Jun 5th 2009 8:44AM]

They needs more ways to create lots of money with the iPhone. That way I would want to spend more on useless items I don't need.

[Jorvay @ Jun 5th 2009 8:51AM]

So I get a credit on my monthly phone bill from advertising revenue right? No? Then bite me.

[SpydaKat 17 @ Jun 5th 2009 9:26AM]

Those chucks look neat.

[Wicker24 @ Jun 5th 2009 4:57PM]

Ya I just wish there was a way to check them out in different colours, maybe spin them around and view from other angles!

[SpydaKat 17 @ Jun 6th 2009 2:04PM]

Yea that's a good idea.

[Quikboy @ Jun 5th 2009 9:30AM]

I can't tell if I'm happy or disappointed that this won't be available to WinMo phones.

[wnr @ Jun 5th 2009 9:48AM]

I'm looking for less interaction with advertisers in my day to day life, not more.

[patrickkettner @ Jun 5th 2009 9:54AM]

"Ever dream of controlling a billboard with your phone? Us neither"

LIES!!!

http://www.engadget.com/2004/03/24/interactive-billboard-gaming-in-times-square/

[Carl @ Jun 5th 2009 9:58AM]

Wait...........what................??

[Vander @ Jun 5th 2009 1:11PM]

@patrickkettner
And you wait 5 years to say it...

score?

[virgil @ Jun 5th 2009 10:45AM]

How cool would this be if jailbroken ifonz had an app to manipulate the billboards beyond what is (ahem) "acceptable to the public"? I for one would love the ability to post silly pictures (not pron, that would be tacky) on billboards from my phone. Pleez Jay Saurik, pleez!

[Mizzike @ Jun 5th 2009 11:28AM]

And not for people who own any other phones right... thanks. Ill pass that stupid idea

[shul @ Jun 5th 2009 11:54AM]

I think its cool, now infomercials will actually be informative.. hopefully..

[required @ Jun 5th 2009 11:40AM]

I swear apple's iphonepodtouch is constantly playing catch up with the five year old PSP (just a friendly note to those blogging about apple).

[kakapo @ Jun 5th 2009 12:12PM]

Kind of reminds me of Minority Report...

Next step is to scan your eyes.....

(can you now hear the theme for Twilight Zone and Rod Serling starting to speak?)

Of course, not.

You are, for the most part, to young to understand these references...

Or not..

Interesting but I see a better use besides passive persuasion in perpetual perpetuity ...

Local mapping for places of interest and places to eat and yes shop .... but in-duh-vidual products to mentally ma$terb-ate with- Nawww.

Cheers from Downunder

[Angdvl089 @ Jun 5th 2009 1:11PM]

Control a billboard? That's all apple? How about a g1 + gmote? Control your entire computer.

[Honza @ Jun 6th 2009 4:46AM]

This will be great if you have a Graffiti Artist with hacking skills in the local area...