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Sezmi Expands to Malaysia With YTL Partnership - Template For 4G Carrier Deals in U.S.?
Sezmi is expanding into Malaysia, partnering with YTL Communications to provide the digital television service component of YTL's hybrid broadcast-wireless 4G "quadruple play" that also includes voice and data services. For Sezmi, the move is its first significant international deal, and could serve as a template for partnership deals in other developing countries that don't have or can't affordably build extensive wired broadband networks.
Importantly, the YTL deal also provides a possible glimpse of Sezmi's value as a partner to domestic U.S. carriers rolling out 4G service who might seek to
offer a competitive over the top TV service. 4G is gaining momentum in the U.S. Just last week Verizon announced that it would introduce its 4G "LTE" service in 38 markets around the U.S. by the end of the year, with data speeds of 5-12 megabits per second. Both Clearwire and Sprint have already rolled out 4G services to over 50 market each and T-Mobile is in over 60 (albeit none of these always have 100% market coverage just yet). AT&T is planning to launch an extensive 4G network by mid-2011.
Categories: Broadband ISPs, International, Telcos
Topics: AT&T, Clearwire, SezMi, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, YTL
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5 Items of Interest for the Week of Oct. 4th
It's Friday and that means that once again VideoNuze is featuring 5-6 interesting online/mobile video industry stories that we weren't able to cover this week. Have a look at them now, or take them with you for weekend reading!
Verizon to Launch 4G LTE Networks in 38 Markets
Verizon will enable 5-12 megabit/second mobile data speeds in 38 markets, reaching 110 million Americans by the end of the year. The 4G technology, known as "LTE" promises a major new growth opportunity for HD mobile video, making smartphones and tablets even more appealing as video viewing devices.
Time Warner Sees Ally in Web
Time Warner's CEO Jeff Bewkes understands the Google TV value proposition, explaining that it will help program discovery and provide another option for paying subscribers to view. Those sentiments echo what I said in my initial thoughts on Google TV, that incumbent TV networks should be enthusiastic about Google TV because it doesn't disrupt their business models, but - by fully tying in the Internet - creates all kinds of new on-screen engagement opportunities. I expect other TV networks will follow soon.
Sony's Crackle movie and TV streaming service debuts on Android phone app
In a sea of new Android app releases, the new app from Crackle stands out because it offers streaming of full-length TV shows and movies on all Android devices. I sampled it this week on my Droid X and the video quality was outstanding. With the launch of LTE from Verizon later this year (see above), the quality bar will be raised further. Given Android's momentum, all premium quality video providers (e.g. TV networks, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, etc.) should be optimizing their content for it.
Rupert Murdoch: Simultaneous Theater-VOD Release 'a Big Mistake'
A word of caution from News Corp head Rupert Murdoch: so-called "premium VOD" - where theatrical release windows shorten to allow for a new high-priced home VOD option - is a mistake. Murdoch didn't give further details, though he does see some window compression happening. I continue to argue premium VOD would be a wrongheaded move by pay-TV operators who should be focusing on new ways to deliver more programming for lower prices (to compete better with Netflix, etc.) than less programming for higher prices.
Ford revs up Web series
The latest branded entertainment entry is from Ford, which has partnered with the producers of "The Amazing Race" to create "Focus Rally: America" a new series serving as pre-launch marketing for Ford's new Focus cars that will be featured on Hulu. Ford will use the series to highlight the SYNC and MyFord Touch entertainment/navigation options. Branded entertainment continues to gain steam as an augment to traditional TV advertising as the format allows brands to tell a fuller story in a more immersive context than 30-second TV spots allow.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Branded Entertainment, Cable Networks, Devices, FIlms, Indie Video, Mobile Video, Video On Demand
Topics: Android, Crackle, Ford, Google, News Corp, Sony, Time Warner, Verizon
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #76 - Oct. 8, 2010
Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 76th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for October 8, 2010.
Today we focus on Google TV and the new Logitech Revue which was introduced on Wed. First I explain some of its key features and benefits, which are detailed more fully in my post from Wed. Then we debate the product's appeal. Daisy is a major skeptic, arguing that it's overpriced, doesn't have a clear value proposition/call to action and most of what it enables can already be done online on a computer.
The $300 price for Revue is admittedly a huge issue. However, if you took price out of the equation for a moment and considered the Revue relative to other connected device options, it is clearly superior. As Daisy suggests, and I agree, a lot of Revue's and Google TV's success will derive from effective marketing and promotion. That's why I've separately suggested that Google should offer the first 1 million Google TV buyers a $150 rebate in order to stimulate sales and stoke word-of-mouth promotion. It would be a financial drop in the bucket for Google and yet would be a significant investment in a highly strategic product.
Click here to listen to the podcast (13 minutes, 58 seconds)
Click here for previous podcasts
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Google Should Offer A $150 Rebate On The First 1 Million Google TVs Bought
Following Logitech's launch of its Revue yesterday, the first Google TV product to hit the market, a consistent theme in many of the reviews has been that
the $300 price point is too high. Indeed, I called this out as the first big "con" of the Revue in my review (no pun) yesterday. The price point is surely mandated by the bill of materials (i.e. the Intel Atom processor, 4 GB of memory, etc.) plus Logitech's margin expectations.
However, if Google is seriously committed to Google TV, it should put its money where its mouth is to drive initial adoption. One compelling way to do so would be to offer a $150 rebate on the first 1 million Google TVs purchased, effectively reducing the price of the Revue to $149 (Sony's prices are still not known for sure). A $149 price point is in the ballpark of other connected devices like Roku, Apple TV, boxee, etc and would immediately draw attention.
Categories: Devices
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Initial Pros and Cons of Logitech Revue, The First Google TV Product
Logitech debuted its Revue connected device, offering an up-close look at the first implementation of Google TV to hit the market. I attended the press briefing in NYC; here are some of the key highlights, followed by pros and cons as I initially see them:
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Logitech Revue will retail for $299.99, which includes the box itself and a "keyboard controller" which is a lightweight combination QWERTY keyboard with a touchpad and left/right/up/down arrow controller
- Revue is available for pre-order at Amazon, BestBuy.com and Logitech.com. Delivery is expected by end of October.
- Optional accessories include an additional keyboard controller ($99.99), a "mini controller" ($129.99) which offers all the same features in a smaller clamshell form factor and a Logitech TV cam, which is a 720p HD webcam that works with Revue ($149.99).
- Apps for iPhone and Android are available free and effectively turn these devices into a third controller for the Revue.
- A one-touch search bar allows discovery across broadcast TV and online sources, both free and paid (a Google spokesperson said a new optimized content "corpus" with just relevant video is searched, not the entire web; this means you don't have to wade through a lot of typical Google results for any term you enter into the search bar).
- Search will also tap into your DVR recordings for pay-TV operator optimized set-top boxes. The only operator on board so far is Dish Network, which has a short-term exclusive deal to only work with Logitech. Dish will also retail the Revue box and the accessories.
- In addition to search, you can also navigate via menus for websites, channels, apps, most visited, and "Spotlight" which allows surfing. A "queue" feature lets you explore podcasts.
- When using the apps, voice control navigation is also enabled. We saw a neat example of searching for "The Price is Right" simply by speaking the words. You can also share a video discovered on your phone to the Revue device with a couple of clicks. Both very Jetsons-like.
- "Dual view" is a picture in picture mode that allows you to watch video in one window while searching or doing other things in the larger background.
- Flash 10.1 video is supported.
- Netflix has created an app for Google TV that looks a lot like the first version of the Roku app I'm very familiar with. Note that browsing the Watch Instantly catalog isn't yet possible, and also that Revue's search doesn't crawl the Netflix catalog to expose results for searches conducted. This type of true universal search is already available in the TiVo Premiere for example and is really valuable.
- Other apps preloaded include CNBC, Chrome, Napster, NBA Game Time and Pandora, though none of these were demo's. No social media app was demo'd either, though Twitter was mentioned earlier.
- There's a Logitech media player that allows you to access and play media files from other devices on the network
- 720p HD-quality video calling is enabled with the new webcam using the Vid HD app. This can work Revue to Revue, or Revue to PC/Mac. Less than 1 megabit is needed upstream for video calling.
- Revue uses "Harmony Link" with RF connections so that all devices currently recognized by Harmony remotes will be recognized immediately
Categories: Devices
Topics: Google TV, Hulu, Logitech, Netflix, Revue
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Auditude and Inlet Partner for Ads In Live Flash Streams
Ad manager Auditude is partnering with Inlet Technologies to deliver an automated ad insertion solution for live video streaming using Flash. The move means that media companies can better monetize live streaming events which have more complex ad insertion and management characteristics than do on-demand streams. Under the arrangement, Inlet's Spinnaker streaming appliances can detect cues from Auditude's ad manager in order to insert the right ads at the right time.
Serving ads in live streams has been a differentiator for Auditude, helping it recently land its first Asian deal with Allies Pacific Sports Network which has the rights to stream MLB games in various Asian countries. The deal was similar to one which Auditude has with Yahoo for MLB games domestically. Live streaming as a whole is growing rapidly and offers another exciting online video distribution opportunity for rights holders. The proliferation of both connected devices (allowing on-TV viewing) and mobile devices (allowing on-the-go, remote viewing), both suggest even broader appeal for live streaming events.
Still, with its unpredictable ad breaks with inconsistent durations, inserting ads in live streams is a new challenge. By helping ease the operational complexity and improve the ROI of live streaming, Auditude and Inlet will help the market grow.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).
Categories: Advertising, Live Streaming, Technology
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AdoTube Data Suggests Video Ads Benefit From Viewer Control
AdoTube, an online video ad manager and network is releasing data on the performance of its "Polite Pre-Roll" and interactive ad formats this morning, which provide more insight about viewers' behaviors and preferences. AdoTube's Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Steven Jones walked me through the results yesterday.
AdoTube began offering the Polite Pre-Roll format last year to clients and has done A-B testing on it vs. standard pre-roll ads on 30 million servings. With the Polite Pre-Roll, viewers are able to click to close the ad, and then a reminder overlay appears at the bottom of the screen, which also can be closed out. In addition the Polite Pre-Roll has far deeper engagement opportunities than standard pre-rolls.
Categories: Advertising
Topics: AdoTube
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Magnify.net Lands Patagonia As Video's Role Broadens to Supporting Brands
Magnify.net, a provider of video management and curation services, is announcing later this morning that its platform will be used by Patagonia, the
outdoor clothing and gear company, to power a new multimedia gallery on its site.
The video-focused initiative will highlight Patagonia's commitment to environmentalism and reinforce its brand positioning. In explaining the gallery's role and using Magnify, Bill Boland, Patagonia's creative director, online, said, "Together, we expect to build a brand, lifestyle and e-commerce experience that will connect with our customers and provide both knowledge and entertainment for them." The deal is significant because it's yet another example of how video's use is evolving to include non-media companies who see video's strategic video in supporting their brands, not in the traditional ad-based or paid models. I caught up with Steve Rosenbaum, Magnify's founder and CEO yesterday to learn more about the deal and this broader trend.
Categories: Brand Marketing, Technology
Topics: Magnify.net, Patagonia
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