As I digest the AOL/Time Warner merger news, I am compelled by the value of Gemstar in this equation.
e-town.com
CES LIVE: AOLTV 'SNEAK PEEK'
Surprise! It looks a lot like AOL on TV 1/8/2000
By Stewart Wolpin
LAS VEGAS, NV, January 8, 2000 -- The odds are 20-1 that WebTV will be overwhelmed when AOLTV launches later this year.
These odds represent the disparity in the current subscriber base of the two services, which is the primary reason AOL will likely dominate the Web-via-TV market with its mere presence.
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The service also includes AOLTV Guide, an electronic program guide (EPG), automatic notification of email receipt, and the familiar raft of AOL features, such as Instant Messaging, buddy lists, pictures and chat. It even has that familiar voice harping "You've got mail!" In short, it's literally AOL on your TV with some TV-related enhancements.
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As noted above, AOLTV has a built-in audience of 20 million current subscribers, whereas WebTV has struggled to gain 1 million users in its few years of existence. "Our members have been asking us to deliver AOL to them in more ways," asserted My-Chau Nguyen, AOL's VP of marketing for devices.
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Plus AOL is working with similar hardware partners and easily available technology. WebTV has an integrated DISH Network satellite receiver with a built-in Personal Video Recorder (PVR). AOL is working with DirecTV and, "if hard-disk recording is what our customers want, then we'll supply it." AOL also has not announced any interactivity features. |
