Internet Provided Video to Your T.V. Next Big Thing.
All the prize horses are leaving the stables and are headed for the track. The usual favorites Google and Apple already with a few wins under their belt. Roku and Tivo have good careers, but countless newcomers like Boxee are trying to prove they can compete with the big boys.
Last Friday I went the GDGT event held in San Francisco. More important than the technology (well at least to me) Veronica Belmont handed me a T-shirt and a smile. I shook Tom Merritt’s hand. I had a chat with Eileen Rivera while waiting for a drink at the bar and commenting about Sarah Lane having equal issues trying to get a drink.
With stars in my eyes I saw a lot of great tech, but the amount of companies trying to deliver internet video to televisions is was what struck me.
I have mentioned previously that I would love to kick overpriced cable to the curb and these guys are trying to figure out an affordable way to allow me to do just that.
First there was Logitech showing off their Revue unit that uses Google TV. According to this PCMag article it’s an overall good Revue (har har). I love the possibilities, but much like the first generation of Android phones I don’t like the lack of refinement. I am going to wait for updates or new models to see if they clean up some of their issues.
I pressed the Roku guy pretty good because I honestly didn’t see much of a reason to go with their product. He convinced me it is a straightforward device where there isn’t 1 billion buttons or menus and a need for a full qwerty keyboard. It can access most of the content that the competitors offer with the major players Netflix and Hulu Plus, but at a low $60 entrance price point. (bravo)
I was excited to see the Boxee Box and their new interface. I have seen some people who didn’t like the new UI, but it is much cleaner and easier to navigate for those new to the platform. I agree with this engadget review that until they add Netflix and Hulu Plus to fill out their content I won’t buy it. They have announced that both are headed to the Boxee Box by the end of the year.
DivX is now offering DivX TV which is an add-on UI kind of like Google TV or Sony’s Blu-ray connected player UI. I don’t know if they are going to make it in this already seemingly crowded market. Currently you can find DivX TV on LG Blu-ray players.
Lastly at the event there was Tivo. I kind of feel bad for Tivo because they could and should be the one heading this charge. They already have their boxes in many die-hard fans’ homes. If they added more than just Netflix and really integrated internet video into their UI I think they could have had a leg up in this emerging market. I have a Tivo box that has a lifetime membership on it and it burns video stored on the hard drive to a disc, but never get to use it anymore. Update my software and give me reason to take you off the spare bedroom TV.
Tivo has a name and a trusted UI. When I asked the rep what they were doing she said she was excited about their new remote and the fact that they now have Netflix streaming. It is just sad with all the innovation going on around them in this GDGT event that is all they have to offer. Come on Tivo I am rooting for you to look what is happening and start competing instead of sulking about losing the DVR market to the cable providers.
These were just the ones that were at the event. There are plenty of others out there that are rushing to get in early to grab the advertising or hardware pie for distributing user specific content that isn’t controlled by mega conglomerates.
