Two observations on Microsoft’s recent ventures into modern entertainment, motivated by my attendance this morning at a Windows 7 event (“Windows 7 event recap” to follow shortly with a summary of the non-entertainment aspects):
First, is Netflix trying to take over the movie world by partnering with everyone?! Not satisfied with lightning-fast turnaround of physical discs via snail mail, and expanding the pool of supported blu-ray players with the PS3 disk they released in December, now they’re arm-in-arm with Microsoft with Windows 7.
Second, while “Internet TV” (prominently discussed in the Windows 7 event; just sign up here with your Live ID …) sounds cool, it loses much of its charm from two facts:
(1) opening commercials which the watcher must endure, and
(2) inability to record shows for later offline use, unless the content provider expressly allows it (the speaker indicated that probably most will not).
Conventional home-based TV viewers, whether advertisers like it or not, are accustomed to being able to use VCRs and DVRs to record shows and to skip commercials. An Internet substitute for conventional, cable, satellite, … TV that omits the big advantages of VCRs and DVRs isn’t likely to be very appealing to home-wired or mobile consumers.
At least with a Netflix membership, customers have the dual options of instant viewing OR getting a physical disc to watch when, where, and with how many ever interruptions they please – and that includes a lot of TV series, although not on as timely a basis as Internet TV could offer.
If they were to handle live streaming of sports events which are subject to regional blackouts, they might have a small hit on their hands, but only if they can avoid the ESPN 360 syndrome of cable Internet/DSL providers who don’t support the service (they won’t pay the fees ESPN asks, and block ESPN’s data streams as a result).
Until wireless becomes universally pervasive and free, along with sufficient or wireless power to sustain a portable computer with wireless on (which in my road experience is a battery-killer) for the duration of a TV show, there’s not much of a value proposition for people who want to entertain themselves during long offline periods. I’m not convinced that the newer smartmediaphones (eg iPhone 3GS) aren’t at least as good an alternative for bored road warriors.
Did I miss something? If so, kindly enlighten me!
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