Driving by Smartphone

The combination of cars and smartphones usually results in distracted drivers and a multitude of accidents waiting to happen. Clearly phones and driving don’t mix. But at the same time, the smartphone has become an integral part of the car experience, acting as the central location for entertainment (music at least), communication and navigation. Read more »

The Rollercoaster Ride of Cable Innovation

At the Cable Show last month, the most significant surprise that I encountered was the cable companies’ collective fascination with the headend. This is, of course, where all content congregates, prior to being sent to cable company-connected TVs around the country. From a cable company perspective, the headend is fundamental to how content is – and possibly even “should be” – distributed. Read more »

Data Cap Reality

Verizon Wireless’ decision to move to tiered data plans was the least surprising telecom move of the year. AT&T made its leap from unlimited roughly one year ago and Verizon’s decision to follow suit became a matter of when, not if. Now that Verizon has the groundswell of iPhone users and can match AT&T device-for-device, the carrier no longer needs to stand-out with a value proposition and can step back to the safety of data caps, concentrating instead on the old marketing stalwarts of quality and coverage.

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I Want My MTV (on my tablet)

I recall a time when MTV was a leader in popular culture. It was edgy, unique, and a must-watch channel in order to stay current within one’s peer group. Unfortunately for Viacom, this peer group is now using smartphones and tablets to view content, rather than sitting around the family TV, and the company’s attempts to resist the cable companies’ goal of addressing this need is about as futile as King Cnut’s attempt to stop the tide from coming in.
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