In my MA Online Journalism session this week I’ll be looking at mobile journalism. As part of that, below I’ve compiled 4 lists of things I think a mobile journalist needs: hardware, software, systems, and mindset. I’d welcome anything you can add to this.

In the spirit of mobile journalism, I will also be streamed the session live on Bambuser from 9am UK time on Thursday, for around 45 mins – if you can join us online and chip in, please do. I’ve embedded the player below (skip past it for the lists of things a mojo needs).

A note from the comments

Some comments rightfully point out that this list is potentially terrifying. I’m not suggesting you need all these things – my favourite response said that you needed a Posterous blog, a smartphone, and lots of batteries, and I’d go along with that. But here are a whole lot of potential things to explore when you get itchy…

Mobile journalism – hardware

• Smartphone with camera, video, audio, unlimited data plan
• Digital camcorder, e.g. Flip, Kodak Zi8
• Digital dictaphone or Zoom (a Livescribe pen is also useful)
• Portable mic
• Portable mini tripod?
• Batteries (including extra mobile phone battery)
• Extension lead – and chargers
• Portable chargers, e.g. solar
• Bluetooth keyboard
• Mifi and/or 3G dongle
• Eyefi card
• Wifi laptop or netbook with webcam

Mobile journalism – the software

• Apps for your phone and services you can email or text to. Good ones include…
• Shozu
• Spinvox – blog via voice
• iBlogger
• Audioboo
• Twitterfone
• Twitvid
• Twibble – GPS twitter updates
• Zyb – synchronise contacts and calendar
• Opera Mini; on iPhone use bookmarklets on Safari like ‘Read Later’, ‘Post with Tweetie’, ‘Save to Delicious’, ‘Share on Tumblr’
• Qik, Bambuser, 12seconds – streaming video
• Posterous – blog via email (shutting down April 2013)
• ZoneTag – geotag images
• JoikuSpot – create wifi hotspot from 3G phone
• Google Maps

Mobile journalism – the systems

• Email must be set up – more than one account as backup (Google Mail occasionally goes down)
• Useful phone no.s, e.g. Twitter, Twitterfone
• Useful emails, e.g. Twitpic, YouTube, Twittermail, Facebook, Posterous etc.
• Map of wifi hotspots
• Map of mobile and 3G coverage
• Blog via email or text – Postie plugin/Posterous/app/etc.
• Pulling RSS feeds from Twitter/Flickr/YouTube/Posterous/Tumblr/Google Docs
• Embedded players for livestreaming/liveblogging
• Geotagging information for mapping
• Mashups
• Preparation: web-based video/audio/image editors
• Collaboration – preparing the users, hashtags, tweeting, feedback

Mobile journalism – the mindset

• ‘Always-on’ approach – tweet on the go; share images; stream quick video. Think humour, art, quirky, as much as ‘news’. Prepare yourself and users for when you need it.
• Play with new mobile tools – follow TechCrunch etc.
• Try out mobile apps
• Find the stories that are not online
• Be part of a mobile community – follow people like @documentally @alisongow @ilicco @patphelan @moconews
• Be creative with mobile, not formulaic: the rules aren’t written yet