According to the Journal, Google has paid over $100 million in advances to obtain the original content, and will share 55 percent of ad revenue with providers after the initial investment is recovered. Under the terms of the revenue sharing plan, videos must remain YouTube exclusives for 18 months and can only be removed from Google after three years.
Well, it's nice to see that Google is finally paying for the stuff they use. Unlike their earlier plan where they wanted the rights to simply copy every printed work without the authors' permission.
Lol, you took the bait. Just to be clear: I have been predicting an Apple Television, aka iTV around here for 5 years now. Some of the guys get onto me saying "next year, eh?" etc., but I stayed firm and remained convinced of my views on the matter, and now it seems to be getting closer and closer.
An important point to note is how high a percentage of members around here laughed at the very thought that Apple might build an actual television. I was called all sort of things; one of them being "arrogant" for my conviction of belief that this would happen. And my view point that people who don't think this will happen "just don't get it" remains the same. To me, the whole idea of Apple building a TV was and is so inevitable it's prically comical that we even need to debate the matter.
It's just like the iPhone; they basically have no choice because others will do it and they'll eat Apple's lunch - and the living room too.
Interesting recollection. I recall something different...you were ridiculed for vehemently predicting an actual Apple television every single frigging time we had any Apple event. Loudly and often. To the point of spamming every damn thread. Back when we had many huge threads predicting what the next mac would be. Which is amusing (and somewhat sad) given that the recent stealth speed bump nary generated much interest.
I recall you also got ridiculed for insisting it must be a plasma TV. Something else you eventually dropped.
When you stopped being an ass about it and predicting an Apple television SOMEDAY most folks said maybe but the situation would have to be different from today.
And they were right...the right time for an actual television from Apple depends largely on the ability for Apple to get the content part of the equation right. That Apple can make an excellent TV was never in doubt. They could 5 years ago and they certainly can today. What was in question then and now was whether it could get access to the content it needed, what the hell folks would do with their existing expensive HDTV sets and how many freaking sizes they needed.
The latter two issues are solvable. The content part was always the tall pole.
This whole content this is mind boggling. Why is this so hard? I pay 100 a month for internet and about 6 channels I actually want (I get maybe 200, and thats "basic" +HD). The first company to pull their head out of their asses and offer me anything close to a desirable format gets my money.
If it weren't for my wife I'd have cancelled cable a long time ago.
1) Except for music videos, few people watch YouTube for any serious entertainment.
2) YouTube lacks the biggest draw of cable: live sports.
3) Google has the same 'pipe' problems as Apple does, only more so. Cable providers will be even more suspicious of Google than they are of Apple. Many people tell me that Google has an increasing trust deficit in the business world.
4) The last version of Gtv was a disaster not only because of the crappy/bloated hardware, but also the key fact that no one was willing to partner with them for content.
Bottom line: This is Google throwing more stuff at the wall looking to see what will stick.
I AM NOT GOING TO SCREAM AT MY TELEVISION TO GET IT TO DO CRAP.
And I'm not going to hold a microphone when I already have a touchscreen remote that would do more than Siri ever could.
Wooah there! no one said you'd have to yell. There are many simple ways to tackle this problem that already exist. When you hit the Siri button your remote/iDevice, A) Your AppleTV starts to monitor the audio coming through it and uses that knowledge to cancel it out from the mic your holding to speak to Siri, and/or it lowers the volume in the room momentarily and gracefully to allow you to speak to the remote without interference.
That doesn't mean that Siri will be only way to handle all interaction with your AppleTV or even the most common, but it does setup the ability to tackle one of the most complex situations that TV viewers have increasingly had to deal with since the dawn of the digital cable box.
Rarely do we find a new tech completely obsolesce a current tech. Usually it works to supplement it. Just look at the mouse. The keyboard is still here. Speaking of keyboards, if you have a DVR, TiVo, cable or sat box that you want to configure you are using the very slow arrow over then press select to type feature. It's not good! It's slow and clunky. iDevices with the AppleTV has helped that a little, but you can't rely on that all the time, you need to have a way to input text quickly without a keyboard. This is where Siri could do a lot for you in a short amount of time. From finding a show, to setting up dates and times to record the show, to simply playing that show with a simple voice command. It's like finding a restaurant or setting up a reminder in the iPhone 4S. These are much much easier now with Siri doing most of the monotonous steps.
Quote:
Never mind that Spotlight is absolutely wonderful at this already…
Spotlight search still goes unused because people don't understand it and it's very intuitive. It does some things easily like math, but people still will take the time to find the calc app and use it with a slow moving of the mouse from button to button, even after being shown Spotlight can do math quickly and easily. Personally, I grab my iPhone over my Mac Calc because of the touch interface.
Quote:
There's NO money to be made! It's TELEVISIONS! Do you know anything about that market?!
Apple doesn't have to make a TV to make TV better.
When this random speculation about Siri TVs began I immediately wondered how rapidly it would be changing channels in response to all the screaming in the room that often occurs during SuperBowl.
And how do you keep the remote away from the wife if she can yell at the TV just like she yells at me??
One can say exactly the same about mobile phones too.
Weak argument.
1) Those are the same thing. TV can refer to the device or the system of delivery and content it transmits. With a mobile phone it's just a device. If you referred to the mobile phone industry or cellular network that would be a different story.
2) I've explained many times various ingress points in which Apple could infiltrate the HEC (they already dominate the living room). Of all those methods how are they all weak arguments? I've been very detailed!
I've gone over the new info in GoogleTV and these YouTube channels. I don't like it. I think it's a recipe for failure. I especially hate Google trying to leverage YouTube for the one stop video site. It's known as a place to watch user-uploaded clips, and music videos, so I can't imagine users wanting to there to purchase or rent content. They need a new service, a new brand, a new look and feel for progressional content you want me to pay for.
Apple doesn't have to make a TV to make TV better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
EXACTLY. Bingo.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
One can say exactly the same about mobile phones too.
Weak argument.
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
1) Those are the same thing. TV can refer to the device or the system of delivery and content it transmits. With a mobile phone it's just a device. If you referred to the mobile phone industry or cellular network that would be a different story.
2) I've explained many times various ingress points in which Apple could infiltrate the HEC (they already dominate the living room). Of all those methods how are they all weak arguments? I've been very detailed!
Actually, Apple could do both... and more:
1) Make a more robust AppleTV 3 STB with:
-- Siri
-- Ability to stream different content, concurrently, to multiple "personal TVs" (iPads)
-- Ability to crossload apps/content from iTunes on local WiFi network
-- Ability to download remote/local iCloud content
-- Optional Plugin external HD
2) Make an Apple TV Set incorporating the above
3) License 1) to STB mfgrs/cablecos
4) License 2) to TV mfgrs/cablecos
5) cut deals with the cablecos and the content owners/aggregators/broadcasters for distribution and content.
Apple could manufacture 2), an Apple-branded TV set as a limited edition exemplary model (1 or 2 sizes) for display/sale in Apple Stores.
In addition, Apple in its Online and Stick and Stucco stores Apple would reference authorized Apple TV (ATV, Mac, iPhone, iPad, etc.( dealers that sold, serviced, and supported all the above.
The consumer would have almost unlimited number of sellers and devices to choose from.
An Apple branded TV would make money and they could offer top notch quality with only a few screen sizes (32", 50" and another or whatever you think)
As I stated in the other thread I think that Apple could license native AirPlay capability to TV manufacturers. That would give you the "Apple TV" experience anywhere there was an iOS device.
The Apple branded TV would just have an iOS device built in...so you could do other stuff with your iPad/iPhone without bogging it down.
With AirPlay on Samsung, LG, Vizio and other TVs the current aTV STB could be phased out. As Dick suggested you can also license to STB device makers.
1) Those are the same thing. TV can refer to the device or the system of delivery and content it transmits. With a mobile phone it's just a device. If you referred to the mobile phone industry or cellular network that would be a different story.
2) I've explained many times various ingress points in which Apple could infiltrate the HEC (they already dominate the living room). Of all those methods how are they all weak arguments? I've been very detailed!
No one has been saying Apple should get into the TV content or content delivery business except you. I doubt very much that Apple is going to remotely bother with the business of taking a cut of either cable subscriptions or X% off the top of TV content subscriptions. The cost/benefit is simply not worth it. (Just as it was not, with mobile phones. However, notice how the App Store, which was practically non-existent or primitive in the business, changed everything. Just as no one imagined an App Store then, none of us are able to imagine the corollaries that Apple has in mind).
I think you've built a content/distribution strawman that you keep arguing against.
Apple will do very well with brilliantly and elegantly designed hardware, with some superb way to: (i) interface with the content (perhaps some new version of iOS); (ii) physically access the content (e.g., touch, Siri) all of which will reimagine the stupid 'remote'; (iii) provide a set of complementary products (e.g., App Store, gaming, expanded AirPlay features); (iv) integrate our home multimedia and communication needs (incl. perhaps media management/editing capabilties).
That combination of features alone will be enough to hit it out of the ballpark.
Comments
According to the Journal, Google has paid over $100 million in advances to obtain the original content, and will share 55 percent of ad revenue with providers after the initial investment is recovered. Under the terms of the revenue sharing plan, videos must remain YouTube exclusives for 18 months and can only be removed from Google after three years.
Well, it's nice to see that Google is finally paying for the stuff they use. Unlike their earlier plan where they wanted the rights to simply copy every printed work without the authors' permission.
Lol, you took the bait. Just to be clear: I have been predicting an Apple Television, aka iTV around here for 5 years now. Some of the guys get onto me saying "next year, eh?" etc., but I stayed firm and remained convinced of my views on the matter, and now it seems to be getting closer and closer.
An important point to note is how high a percentage of members around here laughed at the very thought that Apple might build an actual television. I was called all sort of things; one of them being "arrogant" for my conviction of belief that this would happen. And my view point that people who don't think this will happen "just don't get it" remains the same. To me, the whole idea of Apple building a TV was and is so inevitable it's prically comical that we even need to debate the matter.
It's just like the iPhone; they basically have no choice because others will do it and they'll eat Apple's lunch - and the living room too.
Interesting recollection. I recall something different...you were ridiculed for vehemently predicting an actual Apple television every single frigging time we had any Apple event. Loudly and often. To the point of spamming every damn thread. Back when we had many huge threads predicting what the next mac would be. Which is amusing (and somewhat sad) given that the recent stealth speed bump nary generated much interest.
I recall you also got ridiculed for insisting it must be a plasma TV. Something else you eventually dropped.
When you stopped being an ass about it and predicting an Apple television SOMEDAY most folks said maybe but the situation would have to be different from today.
And they were right...the right time for an actual television from Apple depends largely on the ability for Apple to get the content part of the equation right. That Apple can make an excellent TV was never in doubt. They could 5 years ago and they certainly can today. What was in question then and now was whether it could get access to the content it needed, what the hell folks would do with their existing expensive HDTV sets and how many freaking sizes they needed.
The latter two issues are solvable. The content part was always the tall pole.
Quit making an ass of yourself.
This whole content this is mind boggling. Why is this so hard? I pay 100 a month for internet and about 6 channels I actually want (I get maybe 200, and thats "basic" +HD). The first company to pull their head out of their asses and offer me anything close to a desirable format gets my money.
If it weren't for my wife I'd have cancelled cable a long time ago.
I think it is debatable who the real ass is.
If it weren't for my wife I'd have cancelled cable a long time ago.
... If it weren't for cable I'd have cancelled my wife a long time ago!
2) YouTube lacks the biggest draw of cable: live sports.
3) Google has the same 'pipe' problems as Apple does, only more so. Cable providers will be even more suspicious of Google than they are of Apple. Many people tell me that Google has an increasing trust deficit in the business world.
4) The last version of Gtv was a disaster not only because of the crappy/bloated hardware, but also the key fact that no one was willing to partner with them for content.
Bottom line: This is Google throwing more stuff at the wall looking to see what will stick.
Prediction? Fail.
Apple will never make a television.
That was true before Siri. But now Apple has a way for consumers to control TV and search for content.
Now an Apple television is inevitable. There is too much money to be made, and the competition is feeble.
There's the small matter of getting the TV and movie studios to sign contracts, of course...
That was true before Siri.
Geez, people, get it through your skulls:
I AM NOT GOING TO SCREAM AT MY TELEVISION TO GET IT TO DO CRAP.
And I'm not going to hold a microphone when I already have a touchscreen remote that would do more than Siri ever could.
But now Apple has a way for consumers to control TV and search for content.
Never mind that Spotlight is absolutely wonderful at this already…
Now an Apple television is inevitable.
The exact same thing said in 2003 when it was only a few weeks away, too.
There is too much money to be made
There's NO money to be made! It's TELEVISIONS! Do you know anything about that market?!
and the competition is feeble.
Well, yeah.
Geez, people, get it through your skulls:
I AM NOT GOING TO SCREAM AT MY TELEVISION TO GET IT TO DO CRAP.
And I'm not going to hold a microphone when I already have a touchscreen remote that would do more than Siri ever could.
Wooah there! no one said you'd have to yell. There are many simple ways to tackle this problem that already exist. When you hit the Siri button your remote/iDevice, A) Your AppleTV starts to monitor the audio coming through it and uses that knowledge to cancel it out from the mic your holding to speak to Siri, and/or
That doesn't mean that Siri will be only way to handle all interaction with your AppleTV or even the most common, but it does setup the ability to tackle one of the most complex situations that TV viewers have increasingly had to deal with since the dawn of the digital cable box.
Rarely do we find a new tech completely obsolesce a current tech. Usually it works to supplement it. Just look at the mouse. The keyboard is still here. Speaking of keyboards, if you have a DVR, TiVo, cable or sat box that you want to configure you are using the very slow arrow over then press select to type feature. It's not good! It's slow and clunky. iDevices with the AppleTV has helped that a little, but you can't rely on that all the time, you need to have a way to input text quickly without a keyboard. This is where Siri could do a lot for you in a short amount of time. From finding a show, to setting up dates and times to record the show, to simply playing that show with a simple voice command. It's like finding a restaurant or setting up a reminder in the iPhone 4S. These are much much easier now with Siri doing most of the monotonous steps.
Never mind that Spotlight is absolutely wonderful at this already…
Spotlight search still goes unused because people don't understand it and it's very intuitive. It does some things easily like math, but people still will take the time to find the calc app and use it with a slow moving of the mouse from button to button, even after being shown Spotlight can do math quickly and easily. Personally, I grab my iPhone over my Mac Calc because of the touch interface.
There's NO money to be made! It's TELEVISIONS! Do you know anything about that market?!
Apple doesn't have to make a TV to make TV better.
Apple doesn't have to make a TV to make TV better.
EXACTLY. Bingo.
Apple doesn't have to make a TV to make TV better.
One can say exactly the same about mobile phones too.
Weak argument.
Your family room ca 2011-2012:
you on iPad: "Siri: what new kids movies are available on netflix?"
Siri: "I found the these listed by newest first..."
you on iPad: manually scroll list appearing on iPad Screen
or
you on iPad: "Down"
you on iPad: "Down"
you on iPad: "play toy story 4 on the TV"
Siri: begins playing Toy Story 4 on HDTV
you on iPad: reduce volume with slider
or
you on iPad: "Volume Down"
...
you on iPad: switch apps -- Toy Story 4 continues playing on the HDTV
you on iPad: doing emails, etc.
...
you on iPad: "Siri: What actor played the captain of the German ship in African Queen"
Siri replies to you on your iPad: "Peter Bull played the part of Captain of the Louise" -- Toy Story 4 continues playing on the HDTV
you on iPad: "Show me the scene"
Siri: begins playing the scene from African Queen on your iPad -- Toy Story 4 continues playing on the HDTV
...
you on iPad: "Siri: pause the TV, and play this music video I just received from Sheena"
Siri: follows the link and plays the video from Sheena Video on the HDTV
...
When this random speculation about Siri TVs began I immediately wondered how rapidly it would be changing channels in response to all the screaming in the room that often occurs during SuperBowl.
And how do you keep the remote away from the wife if she can yell at the TV just like she yells at me??
One can say exactly the same about mobile phones too.
Weak argument.
1) Those are the same thing. TV can refer to the device or the system of delivery and content it transmits. With a mobile phone it's just a device. If you referred to the mobile phone industry or cellular network that would be a different story.
2) I've explained many times various ingress points in which Apple could infiltrate the HEC (they already dominate the living room). Of all those methods how are they all weak arguments? I've been very detailed!
Apple doesn't have to make a TV to make TV better.
EXACTLY. Bingo.
One can say exactly the same about mobile phones too.
Weak argument.
1) Those are the same thing. TV can refer to the device or the system of delivery and content it transmits. With a mobile phone it's just a device. If you referred to the mobile phone industry or cellular network that would be a different story.
2) I've explained many times various ingress points in which Apple could infiltrate the HEC (they already dominate the living room). Of all those methods how are they all weak arguments? I've been very detailed!
Actually, Apple could do both... and more:
1) Make a more robust AppleTV 3 STB with:
-- Siri
-- Ability to stream different content, concurrently, to multiple "personal TVs" (iPads)
-- Ability to crossload apps/content from iTunes on local WiFi network
-- Ability to download remote/local iCloud content
-- Optional Plugin external HD
2) Make an Apple TV Set incorporating the above
3) License 1) to STB mfgrs/cablecos
4) License 2) to TV mfgrs/cablecos
5) cut deals with the cablecos and the content owners/aggregators/broadcasters for distribution and content.
Apple could manufacture 2), an Apple-branded TV set as a limited edition exemplary model (1 or 2 sizes) for display/sale in Apple Stores.
In addition, Apple in its Online and Stick and Stucco stores Apple would reference authorized Apple TV (ATV, Mac, iPhone, iPad, etc.( dealers that sold, serviced, and supported all the above.
The consumer would have almost unlimited number of sellers and devices to choose from.
As I stated in the other thread I think that Apple could license native AirPlay capability to TV manufacturers. That would give you the "Apple TV" experience anywhere there was an iOS device.
The Apple branded TV would just have an iOS device built in...so you could do other stuff with your iPad/iPhone without bogging it down.
With AirPlay on Samsung, LG, Vizio and other TVs the current aTV STB could be phased out. As Dick suggested you can also license to STB device makers.
And how do you keep the remote away from the wife if she can yell at the TV just like she yells at me??
Do as you do now...
1) either share/pass around a single remote (iPhone, iPad, Touch)...
or
2) have multiple remotes -- and announce that "It's All Skate!"
1) Those are the same thing. TV can refer to the device or the system of delivery and content it transmits. With a mobile phone it's just a device. If you referred to the mobile phone industry or cellular network that would be a different story.
2) I've explained many times various ingress points in which Apple could infiltrate the HEC (they already dominate the living room). Of all those methods how are they all weak arguments? I've been very detailed!
No one has been saying Apple should get into the TV content or content delivery business except you. I doubt very much that Apple is going to remotely bother with the business of taking a cut of either cable subscriptions or X% off the top of TV content subscriptions. The cost/benefit is simply not worth it. (Just as it was not, with mobile phones. However, notice how the App Store, which was practically non-existent or primitive in the business, changed everything. Just as no one imagined an App Store then, none of us are able to imagine the corollaries that Apple has in mind).
I think you've built a content/distribution strawman that you keep arguing against.
Apple will do very well with brilliantly and elegantly designed hardware, with some superb way to: (i) interface with the content (perhaps some new version of iOS); (ii) physically access the content (e.g., touch, Siri) all of which will reimagine the stupid 'remote'; (iii) provide a set of complementary products (e.g., App Store, gaming, expanded AirPlay features); (iv) integrate our home multimedia and communication needs (incl. perhaps media management/editing capabilties).
That combination of features alone will be enough to hit it out of the ballpark.