Dave Zatz
Google Envisions A Future Of Smart Devices Serving Ads
Google, by way of the WSJ: We expect the definition of “mobile” to continue to evolve as more and more “smart” devices gain traction in the market. For example, a few years from now, we and other companies could be serving ads and other content on refrigerators, car dashboards, thermostats, glasses, and watches, to name … Read more
Netflix to expand…
In a pair of back to back public communiqués this week, Netflix has announced their intentions to expand both their geographic coverage and programming breadth. First, at a finance conference, CFO David Wells indicates the streaming service will “expand the content library meaningfully” via additional “four- and five-star” video — which has been Netflix’s biggest knock and why … Read more
AT&T To Acquire DirecTV
As widely rumored, AT&T has formally announced their intention to purchase DirecTV for $95/share. This purchase price implies a total equity value of $48.5 billion and a total transaction value of $67.1 billion, including DIRECTV’s net debt. While this transaction, should it be approved, would result in one of the largest pay television providers, I see … Read more
RCN Now Leasing TiVo Roamio as "T6" … for $45/Mo
RCN has hopped onto the TiVo Roamio bandwagon and is now the leasing 6-tuner DVR under less Shakespearean “T6” branding … for a whopping $45 a month. Given existing Premiere Elite “Q” $30 pricing, in light of the additional two tuners, increased recording capacity, and built-in iOS streaming, we suppose RCN had to go there. But … Read more
Share Your Vudu Movies
We’ve long pined for the day we could legitimately share our legally acquired digital content, similar to how we often recycle physical media, without piracy or loaning out HBO credentials as so many do. Well, the UltraViolet consortium, consisting of a large number of movie studios, obviously sees some value in keeping their customers happy — perhaps as a way to … Read more
TiVo Relaunches Internet Affiliate Program
After a several year hiatus, TiVo is once again offering Internet entrepreneurs bounties for hardware and service sales… which may or may not be related to their newly appointed CMO. Whereas TiVo previously ran with the pricey Commission Junction, and featured something like $60 commissions, the new program is hosted by Share-A-Sale and storms out of the gate with pretty … Read more