In an unprecedented multi-partner new product category, Google – providing Andriod OS and Chrome browser, Sony – manufacturing the TV, Intel – providing processors, and Logitech keyboard and remote, WebTV is reborn.  But this time it is a TV that browses the Web, wait, no, a computer that plays TV, no wait, both.  The promise is that: both.  Based on the TV you’re watching, you’ll see ads, tweets, references, blogs, etc. that you can click and navigate to.  Google’s business model fits right in.

Straight forward, right? Not quite, much better.

The TV experience is passive.  You sit down pick a channel (or 17) and watch.  The Web is active: click, click, click.  TV works on a schedule (slightly disrupted by TiVo and other DVRs) and the Web is always available.  TV is to pass time, an entertainment.  The Web is to waste, sorry to spend time, searching, learning, and finding amazing content (like this blog); there’s a sense of discovery in every click.  TV is a family activity, at the very least to avoid talking.  The Web is individual.  What Google seems to want to offer is the Web experience for TV content.  All shows, all movies, all channels, all sports, all reality shows, all news; all of it ready to be found.  In other words, and infinite DVR with Google’s amazing search technology.  Pretty cool, and pretty disruptive for cable and satellite operators, especially with the newer generations that waste, I mean spend much more time online that in front of the TV.

To this humble blogger, these disruptions are what make radical changes in the way consumers behave. This will do to TV content what  iTunes and Rhapsody did to music, Expedia and Orbitz did to travel agencies, or Amazon did to retail.  A totally new way to find and enjoy professionally  produced content (I know you’re thinking “unlike this blog”): on your own schedule.  No more “I forgot to TiVo the game”.  The beauty of these disruptions is that they grow the pie and lengthen the tail.  In other words: more is consumed and there  is room for new suppliers.

Whether the two sets of habits converge nicely is yet to be seen.  But one thing is sure: multi-million dollar TV advertising campaigns will go the way of the LP: a distant memory of other times.

Enjoy.

One of the most impressive (or at least intriguing) features of the Palm Pre was its ability to “sync” directly to iTunes. It made it the only pretend-iPod phone available to the non iPhone world (if that makes any sense). As you probably know, the Palm Pre was designed by ex Apple employees hired by Palm to revolutionize their product line. That they did but they also brought in the keys to the iTunes kingdom giving the Pre a hand over other smarthphone.

Apple, of course, did not like it.

This is the deal: Apple recently announced that the new version of iTunes will most likely not allow non-Apple devices that sync to it to continue

to do so. They did not specifically name Palm, but who are they kidding we all know who they’re taking about. It is not a reaction that is surprising. As we all know, Apple likes control over the entire experience and does not like intruders in their system. That is what has made them so successful in the port

able music business and now smartphones. It is not surprising that Palm tried it either, what is surprising is that there are no lawyers back and forth arguing each others case.

Apple can claim unlicensed use of technology and it will be hard to argue. When Palm announced this feature in the Pre we all made funny faces. Why did Apple allow that? It turns out they didn’t. So a law suit could have been in order. Granted, not to much to be gained and they managed to control the damage relatively quickly. So, if you bought the Pre and had it working with iTunes DO NOT upgrade either one (ever) you might luck out and they can still work.

Palms legal case may be a bit more interesting, but too big and complex for Palm to entertain sponsorship. Let me explain: If you’re old enough to remember Netscape and its demise you’ll understand. Microsoft used its huge market share (i.e monopoly) to take Netscape out by simply including I.E. (Internet Explorer) as part of Windows. Magically 97% of PC in the world had I.E. If you wanted Netscape you had to download install, etc. so it became a pain. In April iTunes became the number one music retailer in the world when it passed Wal-Mart. It is no doubt the leader in portable music players and distributor of digital music. By locking iTunes to work only with Apple products, one can allege that they are using their market leadership position to fend out hardware competitors.

Yeah, Yeah, I know, Palm will never do it, and Apple will claim that they have leadership in music players and smartphones simply because their product is much, much better. Tough to argue, and tough to prove wrong or right. But it makes you wonder why all of us geeks complaint about Microsoft’s muscle games but ignore (actually admire) Apple’s? Is it because Apple has mastered the geek-appeal?

Enjoy.