Chapter 4: Metadata Magic 121 the memories and experiences are kept safe and sound from one generation to another. As more content forms are permanently and comprehensively transferred to the digital domain, the importance of keeping the content alive increases further. 4.9.3 Existing Solutions for Interoperability There are several attempts in industry to standardize the use of distributed media content with various devices in a heterogeneous environment. There are many standardized organizations creating solu- tions in content management, working on only partially overlapping areas. In the content management area, two important consortia are Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Forum and Digital Living Network Alli- ance (DLNA). UPnP forum tries to create interoperability for data transmission and also partly at the application layer. DLNA creates use-case based interoperability guidelines for application layer. Many DLNA guidelines are based on UPnP. COMMENT: DLNA AND INTEROPERABILITY Imagine a world in which content fl ows effortlessly between all of the user’s devices no matter where it is created, where it is purchased from, or how it reaches the user’s home. Three forces are at work today driving convergence towards this vision. First, mobile devices are becoming increasingly capable with gigabytes of storage, high reso- lution displays, and mega pixel cameras. Second, content is increasingly available in digital formats from many domains including broadcast, the Internet, and pre-recorded media. Finally, devices are increasingly networked with standard protocols such as 802.11, enabling PCs, TVs, and mobile devices to communicate with each other for the fi rst time. Because the devices come from multiple industries, standards are very important to completing the picture for ubiquitous content access. An example of one important industry effort is that of the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). The DLNA creates inter operability guide- lines for device vendors in the mobile handheld, consumer electronics, and PC industries that address how to dis- cover, control, transfer, and stream content between mobile and home devices. In the future, the usages will grow to include synchronizing and searching large media collections, access to the user’s home from any Internet connection, and programming PVR recording schedules. With the key forces described above and the demonstrated indus- try momentum on interoperability, mobile devices will offer consumers an exciting way to access, control, and