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Intel To Launch Paid Web TV Service With Set-Top Box
New submitter kdryer39 writes "In an unexpected but kind-of-makes-sense move, chip-maker Intel has decided to delve into the TV world by creating a set-top box and a paid Internet television service. The box will contain an HD camera and microphone for various 'novel applications.' Intel expects to provide various live and on-demand content, as well as re-inventing the wheel by changing the way people search for content. How will they do this, and where will they get the content from? Unfortunately, we don't know...and apparently neither does Intel. Erik Hugger, head of the newly-created Intel Media group, has stated that negotiations with content providers are in process, but gave no specific details. Is this an effort for the company to re-invent itself? Perhaps, but either way, it'll be one of those things that will be interesting to follow as it develops."
The "novel applications" for the on-board camera include identifying who's watching the TV and providing programming it thinks they'll like. At one point, Huggers said, "There's a scenario where the TV recognizes that it's you and says 'Hey, I know what you like. I know what you want to watch', versus the environment we're in today where the TV literally is not interested in you at all.' Maybe I'm getting old, but I like that my appliances aren't particularly interested in me. (Haven't they seen Maximum Overdrive?!)
Let me start off by predicting failure.
Look, itâ(TM)s been tried. Apple, Microsoft, others⦠The Cable Giants have the real estate, mind share, contracts with entertainment producers, and they are not giving it up. Indeed, many of the cable giants OWN the content producersâ¦
Not going to happen.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
"Hi there! This is Bippy, your personal interactive video helper! I see you have your pants off! Shall I show you what's on Cinemax?"
If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
Products which provide something you didn't know you needed create successful new markets. Products which provide something you know you don't want, don't. This is the latter (for me, anyway).
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
Listen, Corporate Overlords, you know that little buzzer or dinger that goes off incessantly whenever I leave the lights on or don't buckle up and you think it's a "feature"? The first week of every car I've ever owned is spent taking apart the dashboard and removing that feature, and then pulverizing it with a hammer and throwing the remains on a base of burning coals. I shit you not, I'm serious about that crap.
Try putting cameras and microphones in things, and you'll find them equally under-appreciated in my household. That is, assuming I feel there are no better choices on the market... if even one of your competitors opts out, that's where my dollars go. Don't tempt me.
Signed, Interested Customer
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
This open us up to a whole new way of stalking!
No more will we be going through people's garbage to find out about them. We will pint out pictures of their faces, wear them as masks and see what they like watching when they are alone.
Hmm its 6 o'clock, I wonder what Natalie Portman would like to watch?
. .
If they talked to each other they could play your preferences wherever you are. Think of the fun when you are visiting family and the TV starts playing.
"Is that yours?"
"Nope, not mine. Dad?"
"Never seen it before"
"Uncle Fred have you been watching this stuff?"
"Uh-uh, not me, I don't like midgets"
All together : "GRAAAANDMAAAA!!! "
I'm guessing that wasn't on their radar screen...
All this device needs now is for it to be impossible to shut it off, and for the audio volume to be possible to reduce slightly, but never fully silenced,
I know I will be looking for that corner of the room that the lens can't see.
I am getting irritated with Youtube , and other services lately, that are making recommendations to me based on what I looked at in the past.
Just because it caught my interest once, does NOT mean I'm looking for a steady diet of it. So a 'cute cat' video caught my attention once... I DO NOT want to see a list of 100 'cute cat' videos staring me in my face the next time I go into YouTube!!
Look. We all have flat panel televisions now. Exactly how are we supposed to put these boxes on top of them?
You need to call these something else.
Under set box?
Accessory box?
Smart TV box?
Or start building a shelf on top of the TV.
There is a camera you don't really control pointed at your face every time you talk on a smartphone. And another one covering the 180 degree opposite view too. They're putting them in TVs and other appliance devices now.
Help stamp out iliturcy.
Intel is kind of a no compromise company. They want the power..and the margins. Look at the rest of their businesses:
They own a huge chunk of the margins on PCs and servers, and basically dictate to OEMs what their products will be.
They kicked Nvidia out of the chipset/motherboard market because, y'know, can't have that.
They wouldn't budge on prices for chips in the original Xbox, which doomed it to failure and havn't sniffed the console market since.
They're in and out of mobile, mostly because they can't line up any partners.
And now they're going to play nice with the content/distribution cartels? The path to their door it littered with the corpses of start-ups and wunderkinds that only needed the Ace of Content for the staight flush.
Don't blame me if I don't hold my breath there.
FUNK!