Michael Arrieta, senior vice president of Sony Pictures, said at a US Digital Hollywood conference that it wanted to copy the iTunes model and apply it to movies. “We want to set business models, pricing models, distribution models like (Apple Computer CEO Steve) Jobs did for music, but for the film industry,” said Michael Arrieta in an interview with CNET News.
Sony plans to digitize their top 500 films and make them available in a variety of formats, including flash memory for mobile phones, in 2006.
“Sony’s plans–and similar moves by other studios–are likely to avoid empowering any one technology company–such as Apple in the music equation–and allow studios to pocket more of the profits,” Stefanie Olsen writes for CNET News.
Full article here.
SuzieMacFan,
No problem. Anyway, that’s just my two cents. If Apple can pull off a way to make all that happen sooner rather than later, I’ll be just as happy as you. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Cupertino has hit us out left field, would it?
Sony said, at a major industry event, that they want to copy Apple. They get some points for honestly assessing their own lack of creativity.
Microsoft launched MSN video downloads today
http://www.msnvideodownloads.com/
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/mar05/03-30MSNVideoDownloadsPR.asp
Since we’re talking consumer electronics, and not geek/business IT-serviced computers, it will come down to who has the easiest-to-use and nicest-looking setup. Which means software and an integrated well-designed system.
Cable TV into the house is simple to setup and use. A cable connected to TV or set-top-box (then to TV), channel guide, remote control, voila. (Channel access via subscription.)
Apple will create a system that is just as simple. Internet into the house (cable, dsl, satellite) connected to Mac mini AV box that is connected to TV (and speakers). iFlix channel guide. Remote control. Voila. (Channel access via subscription; some channels free.)
Just like iTunes, iFlix will enable you to choose from your personalized playlists, that is, all the items already stored per the rules and parameters you entered; either primarily downloaded from Apple’s iFlix store or optionally recorded off of broadcast/cable TV. Or choose to stream Quicktime 7 IPTV (like the radio stations in iTunes). Or to listen to your iTunes or Garageband music. Or to view your own iPhoto photos and slideshows, or your own iMovie movies, or your DVDs.
Wifi-rendezvous to remotely find (via Spotlight) and play content from any other AV box/computer in the house. Optional Firewire connected hard drives for AV box. Lots of other options (like DVD jukebox) from ecosystem partners. Possibly an AV box for the car, and possibly an video tablet.
How does this differ from Windows media center? TV tuners are expected to be external – main focus is on video over IP. Mini AV box will cost around $699 with 80GB drive, DVD burner, wifi, and remote control included. But the real keys are smarter software, simpler-around-the-home network, and content.
Sony is weak in software, and will serve up a crappy interface for its client running on either a PC or a custom box. MS has yet to integrate well its average software with all of its hardware partners (Media Center PCs and PMCs) and can’t spend more time with one partner to get better integration, to the exclusion of other partners.
Sony only has an advantage regarding its own content. But as a competitor, they are at a disadvantage regarding another studio’s content. And there is more than movies. There is news, sports, TV shows, etc. MSN just started their video download service – it is unlikely that most of their content is exclusive, as many content owners, driven by advertising, try to place their content everywhere.
For those of you that don’t realize it, Safari has a little secret in the Activity Window– EVERYTHING on a website, including QT and Flash movies. Match the URL and check for a large file, .mov or .swf, same size as the one you are viewing.
Click on the file URL and it will open up by itself in it’s own page/tab, then save it wherever you want on your hard drive.
Even if you prefer 3rd party apps, this is a good method to know in case the 3rd party apps don”t work after Tiger is released.