Bizmology |
| PlayStation 3 working a little VUDU Posted: 30 Nov 2010 01:47 PM PST Ever since the so-called "next-gen" video game console wars kicked in with the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 in November 2005 Sony has had to watch its console champ PlayStation be usurped not only by the US-based software giant, but by country-mate Nintendo, which has famously competed with both power punchers by moving to a lighter weight class with its family-and-friends-focused Wii (pronounced, as its bent would suggest, "we"). The thriftily equipped Wii has sold 30% more than either of the two cutting-edge consoles. After four years on the market, the PS3 has made up a commendable amount of ground, but it still trails the 360 in total units sold. But being third in a race of, at best, three, and some would even argue two, is nothing short of an astonishing fall from grace on the heels of the greatest-selling console of all time, the PS2. It's like a Bizarro World Rocky movie, with behemoth Sony as Balboa taking the beating instead. Proprietary games have long been a prime competitive advantage for console makers, and even here Sony couldn't keep its grip, losing one of its greatest (some would say the greatest) exclusive franchises when in 2008 it was announced that Final Fantasy XIII would launch on the 360 and PS3 on the same day. And its industry-leading car racing franchise Gran Turismo has been lapped by the new pole position franchise, Microsft's Forza Motorsport. There have been some victories along the way. Avoiding a repeat of its loss in the war between Betamax and VHS, Sony pursued the high-definition video disc format Blu-ray while Microsoft banked on HD-DVD. When Blu-ray finally won in early 2008 it may have given the PS3 some traction, but Microsoft has been able to shrug it off, particularly with the advent of online HD movie rentals, purchases, and Netflix streaming. Which brings us to the first sign that the veteran from Tokyo might be pulling itself up off the mat. Having been late to the party on most everything, including Netflix streaming, Sony has finally made what can be considered the first offering on which it has been able to beat Microsoft to the punch: a recent deal with HD movie streaming service VUDU which brought the service exclusively to the PS3 on November 23. While Netfilx was Blockbuster by mail, and, more recently, HULU on steroids, Wal-Mart-owned VUDU is akin to Blockbuster online but in full, 1080p high definition and 5.1 surround sound, making HD movies available for rent or purchase the day they become available on DVD or Blu-ray. It's more of a wake-up punch than a knockout, but it's a sign of life, something the PlayStation has been lacking for a bewilderingly long time. ~ Picture by włodi, used under a CC-Share Alike license." |
| Posted: 30 Nov 2010 12:15 PM PST
By now you have likely used or heard of the coupons and discounted deals associated with Groupon. Utilizing the power of collective buying, Groupon (short for “group” and “coupon”) allows local businesses to attract customers by offering them ways to save on things to eat, see, and do in more than 150 cities across the Americas and Europe. In each participating city, Groupon advertises a daily deal, typically a half-off coupon for anything from meals at a local restaurant to bungee-jumping lessons; if enough consumers buy the coupon online by midnight, the deal continues, and the featured business receives a sizable chunk of sales. The company’s group buying model is a red-hot trend with smaller competitors and start-ups racing to gain some of its share. It was designed as a lower-risk alternative to traditional advertising. Whereas most marketing campaigns, such as print ads and radio and TV commercials, require upfront payment, Groupon costs businesses nothing out-of-pocket. Once a daily deal reaches its buyer quota — the tipping point — Groupon takes a cut and the company takes the remainder. Simple as that. And Groupon’s business is skyrocketing as many analysts predict more significant growth in the years to come. Through the purchase, Google would enter the vastly untapped, lucrative local online advertising space and would potentially obtain valuable information on consumer buying habits and local merchants. The Herculian innovator of the Internet grows larger, cries for antitrust investigations get louder. It’s important to note that as of today neither company is 100% confirming the deal, but sources close to the companies say it will be announced this week. An online New York Times post today states: A representative for Google declined to comment. Andrew Mason, Groupon's chief executive, declined an earlier interview request, adding that he would talk "only if you want to talk about my other passion, building miniature dollhouses." Way to play it coy, Mr. Mason. Way to play it coy. ~ Photo by Bram Van Damme, used under a Creative Commons license. |
| Posted: 30 Nov 2010 11:02 AM PST
A sale is just one of several possible paths for MySpace, which has seen its relevance and traffic drop in recent years to the likes of Facebook and Twitter. The company’s recent wardrobe change as an entertainment-focused site aims to stem user churn. “MySpace got very, very diverse in its offering, and didn’t really have a specialized service that users understood,” company CEO Mike Jones told Fortune. ”So, as we broadened our service over time, I think we lost some of the core strategic functions that MySpace offered early on that delighted its customers.” Rebuilding the site as an entertainment destination, Jones added, enables users to create personalized content around their favorite movies, TV shows, celebrities and music (something Facebook already does, the Fortune interviewer astutely pointed out). MySpace is no also-ran, garnering 60 million users in October. Compared to Facebook’s 151 million, however, speculation has increased over the company’s viability. Some, like Miller Tabak analyst David Joyce, believe MySpace would be an easy sell for News Corp. since it is a stand-alone operation. CEO Jones, however, insists that independence is what will make MySpace profitable. “We do work with other News Corp. groups, but we pitch those deals as we would pitch them to any other partner,” Jones said. ”News Corp. does a great job of allowing its independent businesses to really function independently, and that allows us to grow, and to work with others as needed.” |
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