We all know that the NBN is a big investment for Australia. But once we get past the politicising of the infrastructure project, the biggest hurdle the network is going to face is educating the less tech savvy Australians about the benefits of high speed broadband to the home. That’s where this video comes in – but does it do enough? Does it educate the masses as to why they need the NBN?
Last month, I argued that the biggest hurdle the NBN would have to jump (after the endless politics) would be selling the message. This video is the first real attempt. While I like the simplicity – having an older guy doing the selling is a good idea, as is the “different rooms in the same house” pitch, I kind of felt that the futurising of technology within each room was disjointing – there’s nothing necessarily new about the fibre technology being used to build the NBN, so why are we suddenly going to experience Minority Report-style UIs when it rolls out? And why don’t we have see-through monitors available now?
Overall, I think it did a pretty good job of conveying key points, but I think it would have been stronger if it hadn’t delved into the science fiction of future technology. What do you guys think?
Michael
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:14 PMWhat!? You have to get off the couch to use the virtual change room?
If they showed the people doing all those things with a Kinect in place (and none of those stupid transparent screens) it would be much more believable.
Michael
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:27 PMand for some reason they still used an ipad 1
Michael
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:21 PMDave also has very high end super screens
Beredan
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:22 PMThey had me till we got to the mirror. I must admit I thought it was a bit too much.
Woodze
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:31 PMI don’t know that the mirror wall is that far off..
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/digital-mirror-helps-shoppers-with-purchases/story-e6frgakx-1226072159045
If there it works well in the home and there becomes a market for it, this will start appearing in homes..
Maybe the whole wall is a bit further off.. but still..
Woodze
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:32 PMdamn.. a misplaced ‘there’.. Nick, can I get an Edit?!
Chris
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:27 PMI think the use of “science fiction” elements are there to subtly convey the message that it’s not going to be available for a while yet, but when it gets here this is what we think you’ll be able to do.
Remembering that the vast majority of households won’t be connected for a few more years yet.
Alex Lohrere
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:38 PMDon’t forget the fact this advertisement cost $550,000 to create…
Woodze
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 2:24 PMThis is true, but everything else you read or see on TV is selling the negative side for free… see here: http://www.news.com.au/technology/advertisements-worth-550000-used-to-sell-nbn/story-e6frfro0-1226075322184
There is not one positive point raised there.. not even any points that might make people stop and think about what is possible, or want to believe that things could be better.. At least Nick raised the question.. the way the mass media handles things these days makes me sick..
Unimpressed
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 3:39 PMAlthough, if people want an overly plaice bias on the NBN they can always find it here at Gizmodo or the ACN or at any Labor party office. There’s plenty of bias on both sides. 1/2 mill on propaganda is just a waste.
Unimpressed
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 3:47 PMSorry for the typo… “plaice” should be “positive”
Brett
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:38 PMWhat about the issue of service dependance once it’s in and the implications when a tree falls through the overhead fibre lines that are run across power poles. How will the small businesses feel about loosing all voioce and data for weeks at a time while fibre is replaced or repaired? Mr & Mrs Public will no longer get their TV, the kids won’t be able to do their homework, and teleworkers will no longer be teleworker capable.
Scott
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:49 PMHow is that any different to power supply nowadays? That doesn’t mean that it isn’t a service we must have. Silly argument to say we will be dependent on it because it is so useful, so therefore we shouldn’t have it at all. The same argument goes for power or your car breaking down.
codework
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:48 PMIt reminded me a bit of “A Day Made of Glass” Corning video.
Oh and why wasn’t the mum working and the dad doing the shopping, reprogramming the offpeak usage and cooking the dinner? Still pushed a lot of traditional roles in a future household.
Steve
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:56 PMYeah I pay your comments Nick – that was a good message, but if you’re trying to clue-in the clueless, then why fuzzy things up with future technologies. All the same, it’s a video I can show my mum and she’ll understand it, which I guess was the general goal. (Not for my mum specifically lol)
KD
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 12:58 PMWhy is the NBN the only good thing I think that this current government is doing? I voted for Labor last election (and the one before that) and all they have done is screw things up. I feel very betrayed but I don’t want the NBN to be scrapped come next election.
It will be bittersweet when Gillard loses government.
The only problem is that we will have another bunch of incompetent assholes running the country. Politics in this country is screwed.
Ken Oath
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:26 PMStill yet to see the benefits and this video only consfuses what they’re trying to sell. Everything demonstrated in this video is possible using today’s technology and bandwidth.
Woodze
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 2:16 PMSure, it is possible but I think the point is that it will be better..
I’ve tried video conferencing for work from home and even on ADSL 2+ its miserable…
Ryan
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:30 PM“Does it educate the masses as to why they need the NBN?”
They don’t ‘need’ it. It might have converted them into ‘wanting’ it though. Then again they might ‘want’ to spend their income the way they choose, not the govt. These types of projects, good or bad, always leave a sour taste in my mouth.
Woodze
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:46 PMWhile I agree that showing off future stuff might have made it a bit fuzzy.. It does make you think about what is possible, which is the point.. maybe they are hoping that smart people will see that and have even more ideas?
I have been sitting here thinking about practical applications and already have this: My father had a heart operation two weeks ago, and is now on the blood thinner Warfarin. This means a trip to the doctor every day for a blood test, and then wait for the doctor to call to tell you what dose to take next.. If there was a pin prick blood test device (like the ones for diabetes) and the house call doctor visit they showed in that video, his life would be a lot easier at the moment. Also it would even cut out the hour commute to see the heart surgeon for a check up.
Ryan
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 2:35 PMThat sort of thing is possible over an average broadband connection. Unless you care about the fidelity of the doctors face.
Woodze
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 2:50 PMTrue, but not where they live.. They have ADSL 1 that is very dodgy..
Also, if the doctor was studying you, to make sure you were getting better, then fidelity would matter..
attila
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:47 PMThey have to show mythical future technologies because otherwise justifying the dizzying cost is a lot harder.
Mark
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 1:58 PMExessively calming non-threatening new-age utopian society drivel. Unfortunately that’s exactly what the mindless drones need to accept what truly is fundimentally positive infrastructure investment.
Foxe
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 2:19 PMConsidering who this video is targeted at, I think it does achieve its goal. Anyone reading THIS site will already be technically savvy, and understand the potential of the NBN.
The video is designed to educate non-tech savvy people as to the ‘potential’ benefits high bandwidth brings, and they highlight that nicely at the end.
It’s not about the detail or the equipment used in the video – it’s about making sure any of this is not impossible due to bandwidth – which it currently is.
Quietly impressed to be honest.
Matt
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 3:25 PMWait, I don’t understand this… Will I or won’t I get higher DPS with the NBN? What will it mean for my spell rotation?
If they really wanted to sell me on this, they’d give me some free hats for TF2.
justin
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 5:08 PMWhich ad agency came up with this rubbish? how about you tell people the facts about the NBN and not made up things that dont even exist!…not to mention who will be able to afford to live in one of those wonderful things call a house! more like we will all be living in units sharing one crapy over sold NBN line….Rubbish!!!!
moey
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 6:58 PMand about two seconds later, their 5gb broadband limit gets capped
EMH
Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 10:10 AMI am surprised at the negativity and to be honest the ignorance that most of you have contributed to this! The CSIRO and other organisations are working on the applications and hardware that we will use with the NBN and I saw nothing in the video that is not achievable in the very near future. The video does a good job of telling people who are not terribly familiar with IT’s capabilities what WILL BE available to them.