Now that we own digital content in a lot of different places, several companies are working on the problem of making it accessible everywhere. Skifta, owned by Qualcomm, is one such player with a new Android app, and an affinity for DLNA. The Skifta set-up is reasonably simple. Download the app on your phone and install the software on your computer or NAS drive. Skifta will also work with the content already on your phone or stored in certain web-based media services. Choose your content source, your DLNA playback device and you can start streaming from your phone.
Although I love the concept of Skifta, I have certain reservations about how well it can succeed. First, it’s competing against other better-known services like Orb, which also automatically transcodes media for customized playback. Second, the company has to have incredible luck to get the timing right for its product. Video is the killer app for Skifta since you can already plug in a music player virtually anywhere, and photos on a large-screen TV aren’t terrifically compelling.
I spoke with Skifta exec Gary Brotman recently about what’s in store for the product, and why he thinks the application has potential.