I don't know if getting those answers is possible but I think HP perhaps took a step back and looked at their course and what their needs require and realized that MMC and iHD are functions that a computer company can profit from. Not to say you can't profit from BD-Java but it's obvious that Microsoft is simply not going to support Java as a standard install in Vista yet the tech to run iHD will be there in time.
Ah, but did Microsoft help develop iHD because they honestly wanted something better than Java or did they do it simply because they don't want to support what they don't own? Their hatred for Java goes back many years.
And finally, another question. Blu-Ray has planned to implement Java and HP was fine with that for a couple of years now. In fact they have been exclusively pro Blu-Ray up until this point claiming dual support.
I guess originally iHD was to be separate from Vista and royalties would need to be paid. At this time HP was fine with Java. When Microsoft announced that it would be built into Vista, HP suddenly changed their tune. Since they are going to be paying for Vista anyway...
Maybe the licensing fee for BD-J was just recently announced and HP got sticker shock.
When HP says "lower development costs", I think they mean lower development costs for HP. Of course it is much cheaper for HP if Microsoft does all the work for them.
Ah, but did Microsoft help develop iHD because they honestly wanted something better than Java or did they do it simply because they don't want to support what they don't own? Their hatred for Java goes back many years.
People are giving Microsoft too much credit. Disney was as large a factor in the development of iHD. Disney is a Blu Ray proponent and did fight for iHD but was unsuccessful in getting it passed.
A snippet from the article that made me chuckle...
"While the major next-generation DVD market will be based on dedicated DVD player platforms, there is a substantial and growing market for playback on PCs," said Lipoff of IP Action Partners. "Microsoft, then, can add the needed digital rights management to the Windows operating system for a more-seamless and perhaps higher-security protection of the content than would be possible for DRM software that is an add-in."
Microsoft DRM "more-seamless and perhaps higher-security protection..." sounds like an oxymoron to me seeing how they are doing such a wonderful job with security with their OS. Anyhow, I thought the article was intersting in that I thought they were right about some possible Microsoft strategies which I think are two-fold...
1) To prolong a possible format battle so that they may become the vendor in the living room possibly providing online content.
2) To not have Java running with their OS.
However, I believe their strategy will fail because I think that the distribution of online video content still has a lot of maturing to do and if anything, I think Apple will capture that segment, capitalizing on their success of iTunes and the iPod. Maybe MacWorld in January will give us some sort of picture in that regard. Also, I think their strategy will fail given the indusrty support of MHP (within the articl and Java-based) which I was not aware of. Anyhow, I don't want to underestimate the pull ol Microsoft has, but given the support of 90% of the Hollywood studios, the impact PS3 will have from Sony, and the overwhelmingly stacked numbers of vendors in the Blu-Ray camp, I think Blu-Ray has a better chance of being victorious than does Microsoft swaying the batlle to the support of HD-DVD. Too little, too late.
We'll just have to see, 2006 should be very intersting indeed.
I will never rule out Microsoft or their effect on the HD DVD vs Blu Ray battle.
In 2007 I'm going to buy a 55 inch or larger HDTV. I will also look to build a HTPC and if Apple doesn't have a viable solution I'll move to a PC based unit. I think that Microsoft is right in that by 2015 we'll be laughing at people still buying their plastic discs. Looking at the projection for broadband speeds and other swarm/bittorrent like technologies will make urban households more well connected.
Already the VoD features of Comcast are nice but overpriced. Thus I see the HTPC being the next big thing and I hope Apple doesn't screw this up. I have no worries about what format wins if I can toss both optical units into a case and build my system around both.
If Microsoft is going to give financial incentive to chose HD DVD then I look for more than a few companies to take advantage of this. Money talks.
I think that Microsoft is right in that by 2015 we'll be laughing at people still buying their plastic discs. Looking at the projection for broadband speeds and other swarm/bittorrent like technologies will make urban households more well connected.
I like to physically own what I pay good money for. I can barely stand iTMS but at least the songs are on my hard drive.
Comments
Originally posted by hmurchison
I don't know if getting those answers is possible but I think HP perhaps took a step back and looked at their course and what their needs require and realized that MMC and iHD are functions that a computer company can profit from. Not to say you can't profit from BD-Java but it's obvious that Microsoft is simply not going to support Java as a standard install in Vista yet the tech to run iHD will be there in time.
Ah, but did Microsoft help develop iHD because they honestly wanted something better than Java or did they do it simply because they don't want to support what they don't own? Their hatred for Java goes back many years.
Originally posted by marzetta7
And finally, another question. Blu-Ray has planned to implement Java and HP was fine with that for a couple of years now. In fact they have been exclusively pro Blu-Ray up until this point claiming dual support.
I guess originally iHD was to be separate from Vista and royalties would need to be paid. At this time HP was fine with Java. When Microsoft announced that it would be built into Vista, HP suddenly changed their tune. Since they are going to be paying for Vista anyway...
When HP says "lower development costs", I think they mean lower development costs for HP. Of course it is much cheaper for HP if Microsoft does all the work for them.
Originally posted by 1984
Ah, but did Microsoft help develop iHD because they honestly wanted something better than Java or did they do it simply because they don't want to support what they don't own? Their hatred for Java goes back many years.
People are giving Microsoft too much credit. Disney was as large a factor in the development of iHD. Disney is a Blu Ray proponent and did fight for iHD but was unsuccessful in getting it passed.
http://www.eet.com/news/latest/showA...leID=175400242
A snippet from the article that made me chuckle...
"While the major next-generation DVD market will be based on dedicated DVD player platforms, there is a substantial and growing market for playback on PCs," said Lipoff of IP Action Partners. "Microsoft, then, can add the needed digital rights management to the Windows operating system for a more-seamless and perhaps higher-security protection of the content than would be possible for DRM software that is an add-in."
Microsoft DRM "more-seamless and perhaps higher-security protection..." sounds like an oxymoron to me seeing how they are doing such a wonderful job with security with their OS. Anyhow, I thought the article was intersting in that I thought they were right about some possible Microsoft strategies which I think are two-fold...
1) To prolong a possible format battle so that they may become the vendor in the living room possibly providing online content.
2) To not have Java running with their OS.
However, I believe their strategy will fail because I think that the distribution of online video content still has a lot of maturing to do and if anything, I think Apple will capture that segment, capitalizing on their success of iTunes and the iPod. Maybe MacWorld in January will give us some sort of picture in that regard. Also, I think their strategy will fail given the indusrty support of MHP (within the articl and Java-based) which I was not aware of. Anyhow, I don't want to underestimate the pull ol Microsoft has, but given the support of 90% of the Hollywood studios, the impact PS3 will have from Sony, and the overwhelmingly stacked numbers of vendors in the Blu-Ray camp, I think Blu-Ray has a better chance of being victorious than does Microsoft swaying the batlle to the support of HD-DVD. Too little, too late.
We'll just have to see, 2006 should be very intersting indeed.
In 2007 I'm going to buy a 55 inch or larger HDTV. I will also look to build a HTPC and if Apple doesn't have a viable solution I'll move to a PC based unit. I think that Microsoft is right in that by 2015 we'll be laughing at people still buying their plastic discs. Looking at the projection for broadband speeds and other swarm/bittorrent like technologies will make urban households more well connected.
Already the VoD features of Comcast are nice but overpriced. Thus I see the HTPC being the next big thing and I hope Apple doesn't screw this up. I have no worries about what format wins if I can toss both optical units into a case and build my system around both.
If Microsoft is going to give financial incentive to chose HD DVD then I look for more than a few companies to take advantage of this. Money talks.
Originally posted by hmurchison
I think that Microsoft is right in that by 2015 we'll be laughing at people still buying their plastic discs. Looking at the projection for broadband speeds and other swarm/bittorrent like technologies will make urban households more well connected.
I like to physically own what I pay good money for. I can barely stand iTMS but at least the songs are on my hard drive.