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Fuzzy Logic Can SanDisk TakeTV to the next level in TV download wars?
Fuzzy Logic Can SanDisk TakeTV to the next level in TV download wars? | Can SanDisk TakeTV to the next level in TV download wars? |
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| by Alex Zaharov-Reutt | |
| Tuesday, 23 October 2007 | |
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Page 2 of 2 SanDisk's dream of creating an exceptional end-to-end entertainment system will be the case when ALL (or virtually all) your favourite TV shows and movies are available for download, whether in free edition with advertising or paid editions with no advertising, SanDisk says they launched Fanfare now to “begin to expose people to the innovative concept of easily transferring content from the PC to the TV”, and promise additional features when the full version launches “early next year”. Featured Whitepaper
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SanDisk say there are 85 titles available today, with plenty more on the way, including premium titles and, next year, the desire to introduce an “advertising-supported model for current season television programming”. SanDisk expect the service and the player to be popular, and predict that “dozens more [TV shows are] expected to be added each week to grant consumers access to thousands of hours of television programming”. Kate Purmal, senior vice president and general manager of digital content for SanDisk, said that: “Video downloading – particularly television—is in its infancy, and standards and business models are still emerging. SanDisk saw an opportunity to create a new solution that meets consumers’ needs for a seamless user experience to access and play back television and other video content on our video-enabled products. We’re excited to bring this innovative service to consumers.” How much more successful SanDisk will be at igniting video downloads even more than video capable iPods and iTunes have already will be very interesting to watch. If SanDisk can offer a broad range of TV and movie programming that people want to download and watch at their leisure, with Fanfare being truly easy to use and TakeTV working flawlessly when plugged into a television, TakeTV really could take SanDisk’s TV and movie ambitions to the next level. The question is, will it be enough to catapult SanDisk into the No.1 spot in front of Apple, instead of behind it in No.2? In its current form, and working only thus far with TakeTV, and up against the behemoth that is iTunes and the iPod/iPhone themselves, the answer clearly is no. But to at the very least stay in the No.2 spot while working feverishly on innovative new devices of their own to compete with the Apple juggernaught, TakeTV and Fanfare are an important step – especially one in a battle that also comprises Microsoft’s Xbox Live video download service, Joost, Babelgum, Windows Media Center’s upcoming Internet TV, an upcoming PS3 movie and TV show download service, and competitions from Amazon’s Unbox, TivoToGo and a number of other competitors. Life isn’t all about watching TV shows and movies, but one thing’s for sure: couch potatoes and mouse potatoes who love their TV have never had it better when it comes to access to the world’s video libraries, whether through legal or illegal means. Thanks to concerted efforts from major manufacturers and TV content owners and producers to finally get the online distribution of video content happening on a wide scale, the world of TV and interactive video entertainment sourced online and played through a range of digital devices will soon be as natural to everyone as free-to-air and pay television is today. The battle between the digital media titans of the modern era has barely just begun, with many price wars and subscriber battles yet to be fought. SanDisk’s new moves won’t win the war, but are crucial steps in the right direction for SanDisk in their battle against everyone else as they hope to see TakeTV really switch on with consumers. |
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