http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/01/05/google.to.sell.videos/
Google to sell video content online
updated 03:20 pm EST, Thu January 5, 2006
Google to sell videos
Google is expected to announce , and will soon allow users to purchase videos from content partners in direct competition with Apple's iTunes Music Store. The Wall Street Journal reports that the search giant will unveil the plan at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on Friday, in Las Vegas. Google will likely reveal partnerships with CBS and the National Basketball Association (NBA), allowing customers to purchase television shows and other video content that can be downloaded onto PCs. Additionally, Google plans to introduce a software package dubbed "Google Pack" with offerings from Google and other companies, according to the report.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2001
sigh
Well, who isn't going to offer video and music content these days. It's going to get crazy. I wonder Apple can partner with all the content providers or do consumers have to sign on with multiple services to see the shows they want.
Example: I want to download a show on NBC but in a few months NBC signs an exclusive partnership with MS since they're MSNBC partners. Google gets exclusive rights to NBA content, etc.
Honestly, I don't know why pay to download is where it's going. Well, of course there is the revenue for the content providers but I never liked pay per view on cable.
This is why Tivo rocked. I'll Tivo any show I want and watch it on my home theater or transfer it to my iPod (except for us Mac users). All I'm really looking forward to from Apple as far as a media center computer is to have the DVR functionality and ease of use of Tivo but be much more Mac friendly (Tivo - bring back the iTunes and iPhoto streaming and bring Tivo to Go to us Mac users). I think Front Row takes this to the next level.
If Apple wants to include the ability to download video (which it should), that's great. But don't leave out the DVR features.