New Business Alert - Set Up Home Networking

The Consumer Electronic Show is next week and new announcements are expected. This one by Verizon FIOS seems to echo what Time Warner Cable demonstrated earlier this year at the NCTA Cable Show. "Verizon will debut a home-management service for FiOS next year that will let customers remotely lock or unlock their doors, check video cameras, adjust thermostats and power settings, and control lights -- via a smartphone, PC or FiOS TV widget." So much potential for cable to be the eyes and ears to the home. And a great opportunity for someone to come and offer both sales and installation to the home. While some may be able to connect remote cameras, new thermostats and other equipment, most consumers will prefer to hire someone to install it for them.

Theatrical Film Revenue Down

As the year is near its end, it may be worth noting that movie ticket sales and revenue are down for the year. Was it high ticket prices, a bad economy, or the technological impact of on demand, no word yet, but it would be hard to discount all three from having an impact. Per the numbers, ticket sales are down 12 billion tickets, the lowest number since 1996. Thanks to higher ticket prices, last year was a banner year for sales. This year revenue is below 2009 with 2 days remaining, but still above $10 billion, a healthy amount.

So less people are going to the movies but still paying more. Still they are watching movies, through on demand, DVD, and other means. So likely, the revenue coming to movie studios should be higher given the additional distribution streams selling movie views.

So what were the most financially successful films in 2010? According to The Numbers, Toy Story 3 is number 1, with Avatar close behind. Alice in Wonderland, Iron Man 2, and Twilight Eclipse round out the top 5. Clearly 2010 was the year of sequels, with 3 of the top 5 and 4 of the top 10. Sequels should once again top the list in 2011. And of course 3D also helped with more than half of the top 10 films.

So watch your wallets and choose where you want to watch. 3D is clearly helping to push consumers to the theater. Budgets also cause others to wait till On Demand or DVD to catch up. In either case, the revenue continues to remain strong.

Another Year End, Another Contract Negotiation

The year is almost over and once again a cable company faces another programming contract negotiation. This time it involves Time Warner Cable and Sinclair Broadcasting. "A blackout would affect 33 stations reaching more than 5 million Time Warner Cable customers and block channels such as Fox and ABC in Columbus, Ohio, and CBS in Portland, Maine, Sinclair said." Have we become hardened to such news. Typical stuff. And when it doesn't affect your own particular home, do we even care. Eventually every increase in fees eventually translates to higher cable rates to the home. And with no wall in sight, it looks like these rates will only continue to rise.

The solution, obviously is disruptive change. New technology, new service providers, new sources for content that cause us as consumers to bypass our current platform for a new one. Today, it is called cord cutting. Rates are only rising and consumers must either pay the piper or stop feeding it.

Apple 2011 Plans

Can Google of Microsoft beat Apple? It seems rather than innovate, they copy more to catch up than to lead. For Apple, the future is iPhone for Verizon, the next generation iPad, and new iPhone features. And let us not forget what Apple TV might finally emerge as a real must have product too. "Analysts are of the stern belief that 2011 will further have Apple’s domination in media headlines. Apple iPad 2, a revamped tablet with Apple FaceTime video chat and Verizon iPhone, a CDMA iPhone on the country’s largest cellular service provider Verizon Wireless will be the stars of 2011 for Apple." I know I keep waiting for the Verizon iPhone to be released although I have been told that I should wait till the 4G version is released, possible late in 2011. Till then, perhaps the iPad 2 is on my list.

While Google tries to be original, all Microsoft seems to do is keep releasing updates to its operating system. Their only recent success has been the XBox. But is that enough to continue or do they need some new blood to retake the technology lead. It seems they may have been resting too long on their laurels.

Star Trek Predicts The Future Again

It seems that Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, made 40 some years ago, continue to predict the future. From disks to store data to mobile phones, the future was in the creator's mind and brought to life on TV. And now another reality emerges with the Universal Translator. On the show, languages spoken were translated into English. Today, what is written can be successfully translated thanks to new apps. "... the brand new TGPhoto app lets you take a picture of foreign words with your smartphone and translates the text for you. Developed by LinguaSys, a translation software company, TGPhoto works with 50 languages, including many that use non-English characters, including Russian, Arabic and several Asian languages." I can only suspect that developers are already working on apps that will record the language spoken and play back translations. Amazing how science fiction is now fact.

HBO, SHO, Starz Verses Netflix

As the year ends, some thoughts go to finances and budgeting for the new year. Certainly, the entertainment budget has been forced to grow, what with rising cable prices, movie tickets, online and more. And being home for the week, it is easy to pay closer attention to how we watch TV. And I must say, it is hard to justify the high cost of cable. As we scroll through the list of on demand movies, some free, some transactional, and some included with our premium subscription, I wonder if it makes sense to continue to buy my premium subscriptions. It seems that most choice exists through Netflix and I could not only drop my premium services and buy a Netflix subscription AND save money at the same time. Perhaps the biggest reason to make the switch is the streaming that Netflix offers. It is just as convenient as on demand. Instant access of movies and TV shows at a lower cost.

Will I go all the way and drop cable completely? Probably not, but it sure looks like a slippery slope. Certainly, it has been the original series on premium that keeps us buying, but if you can wait a year, they will end up on DVD and on Netflix. I haven't made the move yet, but I sure feel the pull.

Sirius Growing

Howard Stern is re-signed and sales are looking up. And so is Sirius' stock price! "Yesterday the satellite radio company announced it has teamed up with BMW to offer an introductory one-year subscription of the "Sirius Everything" package with every new model year 2011 BMW Mini and several of its new motorcycle models." Adding another car line will only help to improve its subscription base, making it easier for folks to sign up for the service. All good news as Sirius enters a new year.

Comcast-NBCU Tell Staffs Deal Won’t Close This Year

The train has been delayed, not cancelled, but delayed as the likely merger between NBCU and Comcast will not be closed by end of the year. Certainly for fiscal year reporting, not clean, but so goes the slow engine of the government. For fired staff members of NBCU, more days of employment, and for others, who knows.

"Despite considerable objection, including from the very vocal Sen. Al Franken, the merger still appears to be on track for approval but it also likely will come with strings attached designed to protect consumers from the consolidation." What will those rules entail and how will they impact the future business of this merged organization remains to be seen. But like we say in business, there is always a work around solution. And whatever the rules may be, solutions will be found to allow the business to move forward. Ahhh, the old loophole trick.

When will the deal close? Some speculation the delay may only be two weeks or less, others through January. Hard to imagine it going on too much longer.

Gaming Revenue - No Movie Required

It doesn't take a movie tie-in to make a game successful. And Activision's Call of Duty seems to hit the spot for gaming enthusiasts. Despite its Adult Rating of M for mature, Call of Duty Black Ops sales has exceeded 1 billion dollars in just 42 days on the market. "That's quicker than the company's previous blockbuster video game, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," which passed the 10-figure plateau in 64 days." It seems that the Call of Duty franchise is doing quite well, even without a movie connection. So will the game inspire a movie? I wouldn't doubt it.

More impressive for CoD - BO is that it is more successful then any movie, except for one. "'Avatar' -- the 3-D blockbuster ... wears the crown as the fastest entertainment property to ring up $1 billion in sales, having done so last year after just 20 days in wide release." Certainly in this depressed economy, entertainment still has its winners.