Internet TV partners: Intel and Adobe, Roku and Amazon, Netflix and LG

Steve O'Hear — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:33:34 +0000

With the Consumer Electronics Show just around the corner, it’s traditional for companies to push out a flurry of pre-show announcements, hopefully clearing the way for more exciting news. Today, a number of industry players announced partnerships relating to getting Internet content onto the TV – a theme that will, once again, be prevalent at CES.

Roku and Amazon

Roku’s set-top box will soon be adding support for the streaming version of Amazon’s on-demand video service. Previously, the hardware was a one trick pony, with Netflix ‘Watch Instantly’ functionality only. From the press release: “Beginning in early 2009, the Roku Player… will offer access to Amazon Video On Demand’s more than 40,000 commercial-free movies and television shows enabling Roku customers for the first time to watch new release movies titles instantly.”

LG and Netflix

LG and Netflix’s partnership isn’t new but it’s taking a new turn hardware-wise. This time, LG is to bypass the set-top box altogether, adding Netflix streaming support to new range of Internet connected TVs.

Intel and Adobe

Flash video coming to a TV near you if Intel and Adobe have their way. The two companies announced that they are collaborating to bring Adobe Flash to Intel’s Media Processor CE 3100, a chip designed for set-top boxes, Blu-ray Disc players, digital TVs and other consumer electronics. This is expected to pave the way for “richer and more seamless Web-based and video viewing experiences”, according to the joint press release. It’s more evidence of Intel’s intention to further spread its wares beyond traditional PCs, and in particular new Internet-connected TVs — see Deja vu: Internet ‘widgets’ coming to the TV in 2009.

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Wal-Mart ditches DRM at a cost

Steve O'Hear — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:49:59 +0000

When Wal-Mart first starting selling DRM-free music through its online store, we had one major complaint. Alongside those iPod-friendly MP3s from EMI and Universal Music, sat copy-protected tracks from the two remaining major labels that were only compatible with PCs running Windows and supported PlayForSure devices. A sure way to confuse customers and create a very poor shopping experience, we concluded.

Along with a redesign of the Wal-Mart online music store, the “world’s largest retailer” has finally ditched DRM completely but at a cost. Rather than successfully negotiating licensing deals with the DRM-free holdouts – Sony BMG and Warner Music – Wal-Mart has sacrificed music from those two labels completely (tracks from Sony BMG’s Neil Diamond seem to be the exception, reports Wired).

So why has Wal-Mart relaunched its online music store – DRM-free – without waiting till it could offer music from all four major labels? As Insanely Great Mac notes, the retailer is likely holding out for much more favorable terms, and by relaunching early is calling Sony BMG and Warner’s bluff. The majors are renown for demanding very favorable terms, which often involve substantial upfront costs and/or equity. If you’ve ever wondered why iTunes doesn’t carry DRM-free tracks from all four major labels (yet), there lies your answer.

Aside from having a half full catalog, the new Wal-Mart online music store still suffers from another major demon: the site requires Windows Internet Explorer running on XP or Vista — no Mac or Linux customers allowed.

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Internet TV partners: Intel and Adobe, Roku and Amazon, Netflix and LG

Wal-Mart ditches DRM at a cost