IPTV Provider Akimbo Joins with AT&T
crashFaster writes to tell us TechWeb is reporting that in a recent deal AT&T has teamed up with Akimbo Systems to bring internet-based video-on-demand services to customers as early as this summer. From the article: "The AT&T Homezone service, being trialed within several states, integrates AT&T Yahoo! high-speed Internet and AT&T DISH Network programming. The service provides video on demand, digital video, and Internet content, such as photos and music through a set-top box." AT&T and Akimbo have also both issued press releases with a few more specifics.
Movilink (Sony+other studios) - couldn't be given away.
Starz/Real partnership - dead.
Kontiki/AOL - Kontiki dead.
Netmovies - (napster + others) dead.
Tivo + Netflix - dead dead dead
+ many many more
What makes this so special ?
I was already getting video-on-demand with BitTorrent three years ago. And now with sites like The Pirate Bay, all the movies or television I want are right there for the choosing, even obscure foreign films.
In the city in Romania where I spend about half of the year, the local ISP offers a city-wide DC++ network where one can download whole movies from one's fellow citizens for free in a matter of minutes. The world outside the U.S. is little-by-little realizing that media should be free, it's risible that in the U.S. you have companies like this that can launch a video-on-demand service knowing that people are actually going to pay for stuff.