Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Notebook TV
byTV’s keep getting bigger...huge in some cases. Then, Apple comes along and offers the small option...enabling people to access a growing list of TV content on a video iPod. What’s missing here is the middle market: notebook TV. Of course, you can already play DVD movies on many notebook computers, but I’m talking about downloadable or streaming current television shows that go straight to your notebook computer.
Notebook computers are popular for a good reason. They can hold a lot of content. They’re portable, amazingly versatile and the screen size is an acceptable size for viewing comfortably. It can’t be long before notebook TV will be another popular option for what today is mostly only available on the stationary TVs anchored to the floor or wall in Amercian family rooms.
Consumers want this kind of choice. What we have seen repeatedly in this type of high demand environment is that someone will eventually provide these new TV options and probably make a great deal of money in the process.
This TV programming could be made available through higher resolution downloads on iTunes store (and other similar sources). Or, it could be provided more directly through IPTV...TV that is streamed to you through your IP connection (ethernet or wireless).
The big plasma TV screens get a great deal of the attention at the consumer electronic shows. Small-format TV programming available via the iTunes store has also attracted a wealth of media buzz. I think the next big thing will be medium-format TV programming available on your notebook (or desktop) computer. And, if that is where the market is headed, I would guess Steve Jobs already has his arms firmly around the opportunity. Certainly, his Disney/Pixar thing will allow him the means and relationships to put his own personal stamp on what was Walt Disney’s concept of Tomorrowland.
