Boxee
WSJ: Google to spend $100 million on original YouTube content
April 6, 2011: 4:37 PM ETIts acquisition of Next New Network is just the start.
Google (GOOG) has always cut a pretty clear line between "organizing the world's information" and creating it. However, a recent significnt purchase of Next New Network and a report by the Wall Street Journal today seem to indicate that Google is now forging ahead in creating its own content.
The company is planning changes to the homepage that would highlight sets of channels around topics such as arts and sports. YouTube is looking to introduce 20 or so "premium channels" that will feature five to 10 hours of professionally-produced original programming a week. Additional channels will be assembled from content already on the site.
That seems pretty in line with what Next New Network did before they were acquired.
NNN is a network of networks that has made an art of finding grassroots YouTube talent -- like Obama Girl, now at home on its Barely Political channel -- giving them equipment, ad and marketing support, syndication, and cross-promotion in exchange for a split of the revenue. The company utilizes what it calls "super distribution" to meet viewers where they are, be it iTunes, MSN, Yahoo, Hulu, or emerging venues such as Boxee.
This is a risky move for Google/YouTube, especially in light of the regulatory/monopoly/competition buzz around the company right now. When Google was only organizing and hosting video content, it was harder to show that it was playing favorites. Now with its own content, its distribution strength will be criticized again, in yet another sphere of influence.
In fact, it sometimes seems like Google is trying to get itself in as much trouble as possible.
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Today in Tech: Why the iPad 3 is one to watch, Verizon killing unlimited data
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The Telegraph reports that Steve Jobs was reportedly blocked from knighthood because the Apple CEO refused an invitation to speak at the Labour Party conference. (Other notable honorary knights include Bill Gates and Apple collaborate-U2 frontman Bono.) The info comes from a former senior Labour Party MORE JP Mangalindan, Writer - Mar 2, 2011 5:00 AM ETPosted in: Apple, Beluga, Bing, Boxee, Facebook, Google, Hulu, iPad, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 3G, iPhone, Labour Party conference, Mobile, new iPad, StatCounter, Steve Jobs, unlimited data, Verizon iPhone, Verizon Wireless -
As Google battles Apple for your TV, Boxee unveils a third way
The new set-top, social home theater box isn't about challenging Apple and Google, says Boxee's CEO. It's about changing the philosophy behind TV and online video altogether.
Earlier this week, Avner Ronen launched the Boxee Box. Almost a year-and-a-half in the making, the set-top box represents the latest step for the start-up whose software until now offered a convenient free, partially-open source software solution that aggregated users' digital content -- Netflix, MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Nov 12, 2010 1:28 PM ET -
Today in Tech
Every day, the Fortune staff spends hours poring over tech stories, posts, and reviews from all over the Web to keep tabs on the companies that matter. We've assembled the day's most newsworthy bits below.
Less than an hour after TV media like Anderson Cooper and Dr. Phil accused Amazon of "peddling pedophilia" for recognizing and selling a pedophile "how-to" guide on Amazon's Bestsellers list, the ecommerce site pulled it from its MORE JP Mangalindan, Writer - Nov 11, 2010 6:00 AM ETPosted in: Adobe, Amazon, Andreesen Horowitz, Boxee, Cisco, Dennis Crowley, Facebook, Farmville, Foursquare, Google TV, iPad, iPhone, Kevin Lynch, Marc Andreesen, Mixed Media Labs, Motorola, RIM, Skyfire, Windows Live Messenger, YouTube -
Wal-Mart's VUDU brings high-def streaming to Boxee
The high-quality streaming service comes to the cross-platform home theater app.
In another coup for VUDU, the startup Wal-Mart (WMT) acquired back in February for over $100 million, Boxee announced today that the high-quality video-on-demand service will appear on Boxee Box, a dedicated $199 set-top box launching next month, as well as the Boxee app.
"It rounds out our movie offering," says Andrew Kippen, Vice President of Marketing for Boxee. "We have MORE
JP Mangalindan, Writer - Oct 28, 2010 10:55 AM ET -
ARM and Intel's new battleground: the living room
One chipmaker rules the mobile device arena; the other dominates personal computers. Both have ambitious goals for expansion, and that means butting heads is inevitable
By Seth Weintraub and JP Mangalindan
As Intel's power-hungry chips grow more efficient and ARM CPU designs make strides in performance, the two chipmakers find themselves facing off for market share in a familial safe ground that's become a veritable hot zone brimming with untapped potential and MORE
Jun 8, 2010 2:07 PM ET -
Internet TV: When, dammit?
Hulu touts about TV anytime, anywhere. But hooking your TV to the Net? Crazy talk!
I had an epiphany early last year when I visited Hulu for an article David Kirkpatrick and I were writing about the unexpectedly successful young venture.
Watching TV shows on Hulu was such a pleasant experience with Hulu that the company should encourage users to connect their PCs to televisions. Technologically it's not a difficult thing to MORE
Adam Lashinsky, Sr. Editor at Large - Nov 11, 2009 6:52 AM ET -
Why Boxee loves Apple
Here's an interesting statistic about Boxee, the freeware media browser that makes it easy to find and watch Web video and streaming TV shows on a computer screen.
Of the 370,000 people who have downloaded the free Boxee client since it became available last June,
67% are running it on Macs
25% are running it on Apple TVs
4% are running it on Linux boxes
4% are running it on Windows PCsThis is not the MORE
Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Apr 2, 2009 12:06 PM ET
