<slightly OT> I've been saying this for about a year now and here it comes AOL TV. Did you ever stop and wonder what a full service Directory product could do for services like this?
Peter
AOL offers first peek at TV service
By Rob Lemos, ZDNN
January 6, 2000 2:54 PM PT
URL: zdnet.com
LAS VEGAS -- Internet giant America Online Inc. showed off its AOL TV service for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show here on Thursday.
While the company stressed how the service was different from Microsoft's WebTV Networks Inc., demonstrations left no doubt that Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT) and AOL (NYSE:AOL) are once again ready to go head-to-head.
"This is the biggest thing for us in 2000," said Carlos A. Silva Jr., vice president of the AOL Devices division's product studio. "We are aiming on bringing the best of AOL to the TV set."
The new service, which will debut later this year, essentially allows you to surf the Web with your TV. AOL's service will also allow its members to chat with "buddies," as well as send and receive e-mail.
"All of our members tell us they want another way to be connected, besides the PC," said My-Chau Nguyen, vice president of marketing for the AOL Devices division.
While Nguyen would not discuss pricing, she indicated that AOL TV should be considered a premium service. "We are not a low-cost provider," she said, adding that even members would most likely have to pay additional fees for the service.
The 20-million edge
AOL's service outshines its rival WebTV Networks Inc.'s in at least one way: Instant access to more than 20 million subscribers easily trumping WebTV's approximately 1 million users to date.
"When people wanted to sell video phones, you always needed to sell two," said Silva, referring to the fact that many devices can only communicate with others that own similar devices. "We don't have to do that because we already have 20 million subscribers."
Both Hughes Network Systems and Philips Electronics announced devices that will be able to connect to the AOL TV service.
"Consumers want more control and personalization of their television viewing experience," said Rob van Oostenbrugge, president and CEO of Philips Digital Networks.
The Hughes set-top box is both a DirecTV receiver and an AOL TV device, while the Philips receiver works with other satellite and cable services. Pricing for both products has not yet been announced.
Final piece
The final piece missing from AOL's devices is the ability to pause live TV and search out and record TV programs to a hard drive for later viewing, a la the "personal TV" technology from TiVo Inc. and ReplayTV Networks Inc.
That will definitely be in a future product, said Richard Tatem, senior product manager for Hughes Network Systems' broadcast products and services division. "We are looking at that right now."
Both Philips and DirecTV have already announced products based on TiVo technology. |
