Ah... it has a name!
Ah... it has a name!
For years, we have talked about convergence... today... it has a name: "Google Cube"
This is something that was written quite a while ago, however, it still has merit today:
Light Reading - Google - Google Cubes - Telecom Blog
What happens when a technology company with lots of brains... sits down and says, "hey, let's make the world better and only charge each person that is helped by it $0.02 a day." That would be a $110M idea (roughly). Imagine if you could produce something that would do that?
If the mythical "Google Cube" could be produced... it would easily produce a $0.02 a day revenue stream via... can you guess it? Advertising.
Now, many folks have said things such as, "oh, well, I'd rather pay to get rid of the advertisements." And, while I believe a few of them, I don't believe most of them. Let's take satellite radio as an example. XM is doing well, but so is Sirius. The key part isn't in their profitability now... but in their market capture rate. Both are gaining steam. The point here isn't an analysis of Satelite radio... but two services that offer content, and a method to deliver it, on a special device (that, I might add, you must pay for)... two services. What's the difference? Commercials. Sure, there's a bit of a content difference... but commercials are the real difference. XM is virtually commercial free while Sirius considers commercials "okay" and has banned them from only a few of their stations/channels. Which is doing better? It's hard to say. This disproves the concept that people will flock in droves to that which does not have commercials.
Truth be told, while most Americans will tell you that they don't like commercials... the actual reason is NOT that they don't like the commercials.. but that they don't want to be FORCED to watch them. See, Americans are a funky bunch. We (myself included) don't like to be forced to do stuff on a particular schedule. We like to do things when we like to do things. We want to watch mind-numbing sitcoms... and we will do so... Why do we hate commercials? Because we're FORCED to watch them if we want to get what we want. Oddly enough, if we're told that something is funny/intriguing/stupid... we'll watch it. Even if it IS an advertisement... We like advertisements... just not the ones that we're forced to watch.
So... now... imagine a device that would provide you with
But it's a myth for now.
For years, we have talked about convergence... today... it has a name: "Google Cube"
This is something that was written quite a while ago, however, it still has merit today:
Light Reading - Google - Google Cubes - Telecom Blog
What happens when a technology company with lots of brains... sits down and says, "hey, let's make the world better and only charge each person that is helped by it $0.02 a day." That would be a $110M idea (roughly). Imagine if you could produce something that would do that?
If the mythical "Google Cube" could be produced... it would easily produce a $0.02 a day revenue stream via... can you guess it? Advertising.
Now, many folks have said things such as, "oh, well, I'd rather pay to get rid of the advertisements." And, while I believe a few of them, I don't believe most of them. Let's take satellite radio as an example. XM is doing well, but so is Sirius. The key part isn't in their profitability now... but in their market capture rate. Both are gaining steam. The point here isn't an analysis of Satelite radio... but two services that offer content, and a method to deliver it, on a special device (that, I might add, you must pay for)... two services. What's the difference? Commercials. Sure, there's a bit of a content difference... but commercials are the real difference. XM is virtually commercial free while Sirius considers commercials "okay" and has banned them from only a few of their stations/channels. Which is doing better? It's hard to say. This disproves the concept that people will flock in droves to that which does not have commercials.
Truth be told, while most Americans will tell you that they don't like commercials... the actual reason is NOT that they don't like the commercials.. but that they don't want to be FORCED to watch them. See, Americans are a funky bunch. We (myself included) don't like to be forced to do stuff on a particular schedule. We like to do things when we like to do things. We want to watch mind-numbing sitcoms... and we will do so... Why do we hate commercials? Because we're FORCED to watch them if we want to get what we want. Oddly enough, if we're told that something is funny/intriguing/stupid... we'll watch it. Even if it IS an advertisement... We like advertisements... just not the ones that we're forced to watch.
So... now... imagine a device that would provide you with
- a connection to your family via voice and, if you chose, video (video phone anyone?)
- your television shows/movies when you want them, how you want them (your favorite sitcom sans commercials!)
- a connection to your home with just a few lightswitch type devices to control lighting, heating/cooling, your oven (to start dinner on your way home) and other home automation tasks.
But it's a myth for now.
posted by Andrew 'Mickey Knox' Gearhart @ 10:24
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