Are You Tired of Your Cable Box?

Have you ever thought about the differences between accessing content on your TV verse accessing from the web? Do you find yourself making excuses? It's always been this way, no keyboard, it's good enough. Well it isn't. Unfortunately with the control in the hands of cable companies, there is little reason to change. And so if you can't go through the mountain, go around them.

"Most TV sets for sale by 2013 will be able to connect to the Internet right out of the box, setting the stage for companies such as Google Inc., Yahoo! Inc. and Intel Corp., to make televisions a lot more like computers and smartphones." As content companies find revenue models that work without the cable company, they will provide channels through IP technology. Notice that TV manufacturers have stopped trying to work with cable companies. These TV sets don't have Tru2way or CableCard technology to easily connect to programming; no, they are all connecting via the internet. And as more compelling content gets presented through the internet, cable subscription will drop.

Cable companies will complain that there are too many legacy set top boxes out in the market and too expensive to change. But they won't even allow a third party manufacturer to sell a box directly to the consumer. Wouldn't you love to see a Tivo box that can actually access on demand. How about an authorized Apple set top box with internet and cable access. It is time for cable companies to see the future and change else they will become like AOL. Once the top ISP and now simply a footnote.

Tivo and Dish, Will They Merge?

Dish has lost the fight against Tivo. In fact, Dish has until the end of the month to either pay or turning off their customers' DVRs. Heaven forbid the latter, as they would have a nightmare on their hands. And so the Citibank speculation is that Echostar will acquire Tivo.

Sounds simple, but life never is. Despite expecting a huge settlement, Tivo also has other suits to settle and potentially an even larger payout. Is Dish their best partner or would it make more sense to price itself out to the highest bidder. Maybe Direct TV has an interest or even Verizon. And don't forget Comcast although their hands are full with the NBC Universal merger attempt.

So watch the stock market closely as the financial players might smell M&A blood.

The Internet’s Last Hope

Great article in Mother Jones:

"This week, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals dealt what looked like a deathblow to "net neutrality," the principle that Internet providers shouldn't get to pick and choose which information moves quickest over the web. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has one last chance to prevent these companies from fundamentally changing how the Internet works—and not for the better. But will the commissioners take on the telecoms?"
http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/04/net-neutrality-fcc

All Web Traffic Is Not Equal - No Net Neutrality

I guess I am a bit surprised that there has not been much discussion regarding the court's ruling against the FCC and overturning net neutrality. "Federal regulators lacked authority to censure Comcast Corp. for interfering with subscribers’ Internet traffic, a U.S. court said in a decision that could limit the government’s power to police companies’ Web behavior." That is to say that your broadband company can determine which web sites get priority for speeds to your home. This could be most troubling for bandwidth heavy video content companies like Netflix, Amazon, and yes, even Hulu. Instant streaming could be slowed down for other priorities, for example, Comcast's Fancast.

There is much involved in this decision and revisions in policy may need to be considered in order to create a fair and competitive digital landscape. "The decision 'creates a dangerous situation, one where the health and the openness of the Internet is being held hostage' to the behavior of telephone and cable companies that own the wires used for Internet traffic to homes and businesses, said the Open Internet Coalition in an e-mailed statement." For now it is Comcast over the FCC; but in the battle verse the war, there may be more to consider. Comcast's merger application with NBC is also in front of the FCC. And should hard feelings remain, that approval may be affected.

Should You Buy an iPad Today?

A friend of mine wrote me wondering if she should buy her husband an iPad for his birthday. And my advice to her was to wait. It seems I am not alone. "After all the hype, after all the reviews, tweets and blog posts analyzing every detail of the iPad, from the placement of the headphone jack to the reflective qualities of its glass screen, you may still be wondering: Should I buy one?
In one word: no. Well, let me revise that: not yet." And that was my same advice. Despite its potential, it is still a work in progress, just like the iPod and the iPhone were when they were launched. Apple creates amazing machines but they require a learning curve to get them to their best potential. And so the iPod became the iTouch and the iPhone found religion with 3G. The same will hold true for the iPad.

In fact, I can see its potential as a device in each room of the house, just like each TV in your house has its own remote. The beauty is that they all talk, not only to each other, but to your other mobile devices as well. Will the iPad become a more mobile device as well; perhaps in time. "It weighs too much to hold in the hand comfortably as an e-reader. It’s not so easy to sync documents with another computer. The Apple iPad case, which also serves as a stand, isn’t steady enough. And on and on." For this and other reasons, Apple needs time to get feedback, adapt, and grow. They have the appeal, they have the fans, they have the time. They have built another revolutionary device that over time will only get better. Apple is truly a leader in the industry.

An iPad Newsstand

What Apple's iTunes did to the music store, Apple's iPad will do to the newsstand and perhaps even the bookstore. "Some publishers say they also worry iTunes sales leave them at the mercy of Apple, which publishers believe has ambitions for creating an iPad "newsstand" for newspapers and magazines the way it has an iBooks storefront."

As a virtual provider of written material, consumers will find ease and convenience shopping online and stop driving to purchase. For Tower Records and HMV, the lesson was learned far too late; for Barnes & Noble and others, there is still time to adapt and prosper. Create new reasons to come into the store and to even bring the device with them. Make it a social and economic advantage and these new reading devices will be seen as complementary, not destructive to the industry.

And as the subscription business goes, what was once mailed to the home, will now be wirelessly sent. "Some newspaper and magazine companies have resisted selling through iTunes in part because more than seven of every 10 U.S. periodical copies are sold through subscriptions." But subscription revenue has been suffering and iPad could be the shot in the arm for a rebirth. And it allows publishers to update erroneous copy and remain current and time sensitive.

Apples iPad a Sales Winner

Did you buy your iPad? On ABC's TV show, Modern Family, all one character wanted for his birthday was an iPad. And so did many many others. "The company sold some 700,000 devices, Gene Munster, of Piper Jaffray & Co., said yesterday. The Minneapolis-based analyst had previously predicted sales of 200,000 to 300,000, while Sanford C. Bernstein & Co.'s Toni Sacconaghi projected 300,000 to 400,000." That is more than 2x predictions. If that trend continues, Apple will have once again slayed the market. And as new apps get written to extend the iPad's usefulness, more and more consumers will be standing in line at the Apple store to order one. Did you buy your iPad yet?

The potential is enormous. I see one potentially on every coffee table, talking wirelessly to the set top box sharing data on live games, American Idol type voting and more. I see another in the briefcase, for reading during the daily commute, at the beach or pool. I see another in the kitchen, for lists and calendars, sharing data with folks iPhones. I see a whole new relationship with computers and society. The iPad will be that next quantum leap.

Are Apple and Verizon Finally Working Together

The buzz is that the Apple iPhone may have found a new phone partner this Fall and for Verizon customers it could be good news. "The Wall Street Journal reported late Monday that Apple plans to release an iPhone this year that would work on CDMA networks -- a technology used by Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Inc. in the U.S., as well as some carriers overseas." As a fan of the iPhone, I wanted one the moment it came available, but I struggled with its phone capabilities. I was a former AT&T Wireless customer who switched to Verizon one day after number portability was allowed. And having struggled with dropped calls, poor signals, and the inability to make a phone call while sitting in Penn Station, I vowed never to return. Verizon was a welcome relief.

But the Apple iPhone was only available with AT&T and I could not go back; so I have patiently waited. Just yesterday I asked a friend again about their iPhone and their response is they love everything but the phone call feature. Heck, that is what I need a cell phone to do the most. Without that connection, it is simply a brick in my pocket.

The light at the end of the tunnel may finally be in sight. I look forward to the day an official announcement is made and the day the Apple iPhone is first available for connection with my Verizon wireless phone number. For now, I will continue to wait patiently.

DirecTV Puts On ESPN's 3D Glasses

I just spent too much money for a family of four to see "how To Train Your Dragon" in Real 3D this weekend. My kids were excited; I was not. Early on in the film, the 3D created a nice effect of delineating foreground from background. But as the story took root, I nearly forgot that it was in 3D, except that I hated wearing the glasses.

And so networks are launching 3D channels, TV sets are being made with 3D capability, and even blu-ray players come with the 3D option. And I keep wondering why? What works as an added value for a theatre experience, seems silly for a home experience. At the movies, we focus entirely on the screen; at home we multitask, even as we watch movies at home. We chat on the phone, we email, we go on Facebook. Are we really going to keep these glasses on watch at home. And while I love watching sports on TV, I don't think the 3D experience will improve it.

I'll wait for the day that technology enables 3D without the glasses; I may even wait till we build 3D rooms to watch so that we are feeling immersed in the action of the movie or the sport. Until then, no 3D TV set for me.