‘I’LL never forget three years ago, when I was on the airplane and some guy was watching some really hot love scenes on his laptop DVD,” says Robert Thompson, professor of TV and pop culture at Syracuse University.
“These two little kids were sitting in the seat next to him – their mom was on the other side – and it was impossible for them to not get an eyeful of that stuff.”
If you think that’s bad, imagine what it could be like once video iPods, Sony PSPs and other portable video gadgets become commonplace on New York subways. It’s not that far off – Apple has sold more than 8 million programs alone, and more straphangers are staring at screens rather than the floor.
And with underground cellphone service currently under negotiation, New Yorkers are teetering on the brink of having the most consistently annoying subway experiences of their lives. Every rider will be engrossed in his or her own television show, porn movie, video game or phone conversation – a stifling electronic din that could turn subway cars into a hellish tomb of media overload.
The result is two seemingly contradictory trends – we’re all becoming more engrossed in our private worlds, even as we infringe on everyone else’s peace and quiet.
“We’re coming closer to everyone’s dream of living in the ‘Matrix,'” says Michael Malice, author of the book “Overheard in New York” and a blogger for the Gothamist Web site.
But if people don’t un-jack, you could very well find yourself shouting “excuse me!” to get off the train, only to miss your stop because the person blocking your exit was glued to an old episode of “Lost.”
And forget about striking up a conversation with the person sitting next to you.
“These electronic devices are almost like invisible ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs on our bodies,” says etiquette expert Jacquline Whitmore, author of “Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success At Work.”
“People are using them to establish boundaries, especially on trains and subways or before airplanes take off. It’s a way to be in your own world and it can isolate us from society.”
Isolated, and often rude. Headphones can leak noise, and screens can be seen by anyone nearby. People don’t realize – or don’t care – who can overhear or oversee them, even if they’re watching the “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.”
“There will be fights over this on subways and buses at some point, just as people like to complain when there’s stuff [like that] on air,” Thompson says. “‘Melee breaks out in New York subway when rider refused to stop screening porn when asked by another rider.’ You can see it from 100 miles away.”
And the next headline? People don’t stop watching when they leave the subway.
” People trying to manage office productivity are going to curse their invention because the biggest place to watch [the portable gadgets] will be at work,” Thompson says. “You’d never get away with a portable TV, but you can sneak around with your cell phone or iPod to get caught up with what you missed when you were out partying the night before.”
But others embrace the portable video revolution – saying that it allows them to retreat even further away from the annoyances of a tightly-packed commute.
“I think it would be the opposite of annoying because the type of people [that use the gadgets] are usually not that interesting to observe anyway and they’re taking themselves out of the people watching arena,” Malice says.
“It’s the same thing as [regular] iPods: The vast demographic of people that listen to them right now are hipsters and since they’re generally loathsome individuals, no one’s interested in what they have to say anyway.”
Ultimately, Malice thinks the idea of being entertained by mini videos far outweighs any potential drawbacks for straphangers.
“The most annoying problem on the subway is teenage kids getting out of school and being really loud and obnoxious,” he says.
“This way, they’ve got little ‘Clockwork Orange’ screens to keep them quiet and focused and keep their ADD under control. If that’s the case, I’m very pro video iPod.”
RATING THE PORTABLE PLAYERS
SONY PSP
4 stars
Price: $249.99
Screen size: 4.3 inches
Capacity: Movies are on individual UMD discs, but it’s possible to rip at least two full-length movies onto a memory stick.
The skinny: Right now, it’s not hard to feel like you’re about to get robbed when you’re carrying one. But if PSPs become as ubiquitous as iPods, and you’re careful cradling it, that should go away.
You’ll be even less concerned about that once you see how terrific the video playback looks. Providing you haven’t smudged up the screen with fingerprints, that is.
Sure, the PSP is mostly used to play videogames, but judging from the ever increasing list of PSP videos – currently over 300 titles ranging from the newly released “Transporter 2” to season one of “Viva La Bam” – its use as a mini-cinema is clearly catching on.
The biggest problem with the PSP though, is its shape and weight. It’s awkward to hold with one hand because it’s so long and heavy. Unless you’re propping it up against something, both of your hands will quickly get tired of holding it.
VIDEO iPOD
3.5 stars
Price: $299 (30 GB), $399 (60 GB)
Screen size: 2.5 inches
Capacity: Up to 150 hours of video (60GB) or 75 hours (30GB)
The skinny: The great thing about the video iPod is that you can comfortably hold it in one hand, making it perfect for strap-hanging commuters.
Despite what it may seem, watching an hour-long show (like “Lost” or “Battlestar Galactica” – downloadable for $1.99 per episode on iTunes) on a 2.5-inch screen is not blindingly irritating. The quality of the picture is great, although there are moments when you can clearly see some pixelation.
The biggest problem with the video iPod is that since you can’t (legally) transfer your DVDs to portable media players, you’re limited to what Apple has on iTunes. Of the 2,000 music videos and TV shows that Apple claims to have available, popular shows like “CSI” and “24” aren’t represented.
Another issue is that you’ll run out of juice after 2 or 3 hours of constant video playback.
CREATIVE ZEN VISION
2.5 stars
Price: $399.99
Screen size: 3.7 inches
Capacity: Up to 120 hours of video
The skinny: Part MP3 player, part TV, part radio and part personal organizer, the Zen Vision can multi-task with the best of them.
Its TiVoToGo support means you can record and watch just about anything your heart desires, whether it’s a movie or a TV show.
Although it isn’t compatible with iTunes, you’re sure to find files worth downloading on the Internet.
The Zen Vision loses points, for only being compatible with PCs that run on Windows XP. Also, something called “BriteView transflective technology” – supposed to provide better image and video quality, especially in sunlight conditions – actually gives the player an odd reflective quality that makes it hard to watch unless you find the right angle. Like the PSP, it’s also fairly heavy.
GAMEBOY ADVANCE SP
2 stars
Price: $79.99
Screen size: 3 inches
Capacity: Movies are on individual cartridges
The skinny: Virtually every young kid has a GameBoy Advance, so it comes as no surprise that the movies and TV shows available for it – little cartidges like the games themselves – are geared towards the short pants set.
Right now, the “Shrek” series and “Shark Tale” are the only three feature-length movies available, while the TV titles are heavily Cartoon Network, Pokemon and Nickelodeon related.
The quality of video playback isn’t the greatest – it’s not exactly progressive scan DVD – but in a pinch, it’ll stop the kids from scrambling around in their seats long enough to get from point A to point B. Plus, the GBA’s flip up 3-inch screen means it can be rested on a lap while being watched.
AMP’D MOBILE
2 stars
Price: Phone is $99 (service plans starting at $29.99)
Screen size: 1.75 inches
Capacity: A 256MB memory card can hold 85 video downloadsThe skinny: Launched earlier this month, Amp’d Mobile has the widest range of mobile content available on cell phones to date.
Right now, there’s everything from lengthy clips of “Beavis and Butthead” and “King of Queens” to previews of upcoming episodes of “Gilmore Girls” and “Love Monkey,” all available with the press of a button. (In the next couple of months, they’ll unveil content from Playboy, too).
The problem with Amp’d, is not the comparatively paltry 1.75-inch screen, but that you have to wait for clips to buffer, put up with occasional frozen frames and give it all up if you don’t have cell reception.