Silicon Alley Insider / Hulu / TV
While it’s on my sidebar, I really want to point out the Silicon Alley Insider; a blog run by one time securities analyst now banned from Wall Street for life Henry Blodget. He made some bad calls during the dot-com era, but Wall Street’s government mandated loss is our gain – SAI is an outstanding wealth of technology business analysis. Blodget’s post titled Hulu: Great Product, Still Screwed is a perfect example that captures the unsettling economic problems facing NBC and News Corp’s soon to be released online video service. (Disclosure: I posted a comment on the Hulu post).
While Blodget’s thoughts are well reasoned, I should also add some positive perspective. I have a beta membership to Hulu and I have to say the service is outstanding. The video quality is great, the ads aren’t terribly intrusive, and the interface is decent. My biggest complaint is that searching for videos is more challenging than I would prefer, especially for shows like Saturday Night Live where there are literally hundreds of clips available. Still, as far as legal online video goes, Hulu is the best thing going right now and leaves iTunes in the dust by virtue of being 100% free.
Which leads me to my next question about why I would even want to own a TV. With so much quality media online, does the traditional TV even matter anymore? I, for one, am not planning on buying an HDTV any time soon, and might even take the opportunity to just throw away my old TV when the digital switch happens next year. What are your TV plans (there’s a poll here if you don’t see it in your RSS reader):
Your TV plans for the next year?
- I already own an HDTV (33%, 2 Votes)
- I'm planning to buy an HDTV (0%, 0 Votes)
- I'm planning to buy a converter (or have one already) (0%, 0 Votes)
- I'm throwing away my regular TV and switching to the Internet (33%, 2 Votes)
- No TV for me, either online or offline (33%, 2 Votes)
- HD what now? (1%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...
So if you’re planning on ditching your TV, what are you watching DVDs on?
I’m debating whether or not I should my TV should make the move this summer. I’ll watch some shows and DVDs on my laptop, but that doesn’t really work for watching with other people, and I don’t have plans to get a desktop computer anytime soon.
I guess I don’t see a need to buy an HDTV, but I’m not really ready to get rid of my current TV.
I already do not own a TV, have never owned my own TV, but I do keep up with some shows on the internet (Heroes, for example). I get other stuff through Netflix. For me, watching things on the laptop works just fine.
Barbara: I guess I would watch DVDs on my laptop. That’s actually a serious issue because I don’t have a couch in front of my computer. But still, should I buy a TV or a couch?
Miriam: hope you’re doing well in Thailand! Do you have your laptop there?
No, but there are enough people who do and satellite internet. I’m online fairly often, but most likely when you’re sleeping.