Alles over Warner Bros. offers video on demand through Guba | rss feed | toevoegen | e-mail nieuwsalarm | Software Headlines :: Index | 2006-06-27 00:20:26
Guba, a pioneer in the user-generated video content space, became a pioneer of another sort today, when Warner Brothers' film and television content went on sale on Guba.com at 2 PM PST. Through its deal with Warner, Guba will initially sell almost 200 movie and television titles (quickly expanding shortly thereafter), ranging from new releases like "Good Night and Good Luck" to 'classic' television content like "The Jetsons". Guba will offer two services to users. View-On-Demand (VOD) is priced from $1.79 to $2.99 and affords the user a 24 hour rental. Download-To-Own (DTO) will range from $9.99 to $19.99 for newer titles and allows unlimited viewing on 2 computers and 1 portable device, while allowing a single DVD burn for backup. The service will play content through Windows Media Player on a 640X480 screen. Downloads are progressive and will run up to 1.3MB/second. The deal sounds similar to the Warner/BitTorrent deal, but Guba is out to consumers first, so kudos to them. To be honest, my money was on Apple to get there first since the Pixar/Disney merger. But Apple's power probably worked against them here. Having a broader online distribution network in place will give the studios more leverage in negotiations. As to Guba being one of the chosen few, CEO Tom McInerney offered: "We treated the studios with respect, we listened and were responsive to their needs. Our proprietary technology gave the studios confidence that we could protect their copyrighted material and that our user-generated content could exist side by side with their premium content." I can't think of any negatives for Guba in this deal. I don't know how long it will last, but a lead is a lead and any differentiation in this space is a plus. Good buzz, extra traffic, and the goodwill of at least one major Hollywood studio, which might help them soon add another, will be a nice shot in the arm. On the studio side, I like the concomitant release through web and DVD. It shows Warner is starting to get it. But what I don't like in the deal is the pricing. While the VOD pricing seems reasonable when compared to a video rental, DTO is too high. Equivalent pricing through the two channels will hurt web uptake. These are savvy consumers. Distribution costs through the web are lower and, while I haven't reviewed the experience yet, I doubt the experience will be equivalent to a DVD. Yes, I know lower web pricing could raise the ire of Warner retail distributors. Still, since the move online is a test, now is the time to understand the effectiveness of lower pricing in the web channel. And, of course, a lower price point is also the best way to combat the studio's biggest fear online piracy.GubaTags: TechCrunch, Web2.0, Guba, WarnerBros, WarnerBrothers, TV, video, VOD, movies, film Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Techcrunch?m=992 Neil Kjeldsen http://www.softwareheadlines.com/modules/planet/view.article.php/11792
Alles over Is Zoove Groovy? StarStar Dialing Codes Deliver Info on Demand | rss feed | toevoegen | e-mail nieuwsalarm | Software Headlines :: Index | 2006-06-21 18:22:00
Shortcodes, Shotcodes, ColorCodes, NextCode, Pixecode, MobiCode, Baracoda, SemaCodes, UpCodes - and these are just some of the companies in this space that end with code . So what is Zoove and how will their StarStar Dialing Codes differentiate this enterprise from the scores of others in this incredibly competitive space?Simply put, Zoove places small visual codes (for example **Benz ) on display advertising. The idea is that the consumer will then enter the StarStar Dialing Code into a mobile phone and with the additional information they receive become a more likely buyer.I dont doubt that those customers that take the steps and view the content probably are more likely to buy - but by definition if someone has taken the steps to note the code, dial the phone and view the information provided they were probably far more inclined to buy anyway.Judging by the significant amount of competition in the physical world hyperlink space - great info on which can be found at The Pondering Primate Blog companies are convinced of the enormous potential this arena holds, the problem is that all it is right now is potential unrealized.With dozens of competing strategies all vying for mindshare, none of which are necessarily obvious to the typical user I simply dont see any one strategy or company taking a commanding position and dominating with their platform.Granted **Brandname is probably one of the easier ones for people to comprehend the company is still going to have to spend an awful lot of money simply getting people to understand what its about and how to get more information.My perspective is that this is a difficult proposition. Were blasted with so much advertising from every angle, the best of which weve already subscribed ton- or which has been contextualized in tools we use specifically when we are seeking goods or services - that this kind of interrupt what Im doing to get spontaneous information type of marketing which then leads to a two step or more step sales process seems cumbersome - at least to me.The other thing that isnt clear from Zooves site is how they treat me after Ive dialed **whatever and given them my mobile number? Have I just set myself up to be mercilessly targeted for the bane of the mobile world? Unsolicited messages that cost me money?The site doesnt say anything about privacy or what they do with your mobile number or other data. That being the case, in addition to my skepticism about this means of marketing, I would feel very uncomfortable giving over my most private and direct means of contacting me to who knows how many people for who knows what purpose.I realize Ive been a bit tough on Zoove - its not that I have an axe to grind, I simply question weather any of these codes will find a place in the consumers heart. I invite a representative of Zoove to please comment here. Perhaps some of my questions and concerns can be addressed in such a way that I become less certain that groovy isnt the most apropos adjective for the business.Tags: mobileadvertising, physical-world-hyperlink, mobilecrunchSource: http://mobilecrunch.com/2006/06/21/is-zoove-groovy-starstar-dialing-codes-deliver-info-on-demand/ Oliver http://www.softwareheadlines.com/modules/planet/view.article.php/10911
Alles over TiVo Applies For Content-On-Demand Download Service | rss feed | toevoegen | e-mail nieuwsalarm | Gizmodo | 2006-06-18 09:11:13
Speaking of TiVo, the US patent office gave the world a sneak peek at TiVo's new download service labeled "Method and apparatus for secure transfer of previously broadcasted content and Method and apparatus for secure transfer and playback of multimedia content".
In English, this means TiVo is going to let you download a show/movie on demand, kind of like pay-per-view. The different types of content are going to be free, subscription or pay-per-view, and are going to be priced accordingly. TiVo is using the same type of authentication scheme as the TiVoToGo encryption/decryption system.
This is quite interesting, and we'll be interested in finding out whether the downloaded content will be in HD, in the case of their upcoming HD capable TiVo systems. – Jason Chen
TiVo Applies For DVR PPV Patent [Zatz Not Funny - Thanks Mike!]
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Related: Free TiVo For Nashville Sounds Fans On Father's DayRelated: Road Runner Troubles: Is It Us?Related: dJays Earphones: Get Rid of the Noise
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/tivo-applies-for-contentondemand-download-service-181524.php
Alles over How IT Must Shape And Manage Demand | rss feed | toevoegen | e-mail nieuwsalarm | Recent Research from Forrester | 2006-06-17 21:59:39
Good IT governance ensures that organizations obtain the maximum business value from their IT investments. IT demand management is a critical IT governance process that extends beyond merely aggregating requests for IT resources and automating workflow. Best practices in IT demand management: align the supply of IT resources to optimize business value; influence and modify end user behavior by providing meaningful information; and enable a more complete understanding of the costs and tradeoffs associated with the consumption of IT services and resources. This increased transparency leads to improved decision-making and increases the business value of IT investments — the goal of good IT governance. http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=39660&src=RSS
