I am an avid Internet content consumptionist (I may have just coined that term). I have no cable or satellite service, only Internet (which is through Comcast). I have been “borrowing” my friends HBO Go service (something that I would actually pay for separately if there was an option). During my usage of this service I have watched HBO Go on my TV (through a dedicated computer), laptop, iPad and iPhone. Kudos for the iPad and iPhone apps – the following criticism for their Web based offering (and actually some feedback for apps too).
The next time I log into HBO Go I want to see a pop-up message across the screen that says welcome back Dave (remember that I am borrowing this service). We notice that you are currently watching The Wire. We hope that you are enjoying the series. It appears that there is 22 seconds remaining on Episode 8: “Lessons”, would you like to continue watching that episode or start Episode 9: “Game Day”? There would obviously be appropriate (accessible) links available to help me make my choice as well as a “No thank you, bring me to the home page of HBO Go” link prominently positioned somewhere on the screen along with a checkbox that reads “Please do not show this screen again”.
Cue Netflix. I know that Netflix has none of these features either and I can’t quite understand why. We are in the time of Engagement, I know this because I used to work in the CMS – Content Management System space which has been recently renamed Engagement Management System. The one thing that separates HBO Go and Netflix and other online services from its sad predecessor (DVD Rental and Network Television) is that with the Web (and apps) I am known. Lots about me is known and trackable. What shows I watch (Netflix’s recommendation engine will soon become a device I will use on other sites), how often I watch – what show I am watching RIGHT NOW (that’s a figure of speech since I am clearly writing and not watching RIGHT NOW). Information that network television (includes cable and satellite) could only guess at. However, neither of these two giants (include Hulu and Amazon in this mix too) get it. There is a medium available to enhance my viewing pleasure. Use it.
So here are the things that HBO Go needs to do to make me a more engaged customer
- Change the font for all of their content so that is scalable (truly scalable – like 46″+ HDTV scalable)
- Add an option to “Watch a Show” – which would include the ability to track which episodes I watched and which I haven’t
- Provide a “Watch Next Episode” button at the end of show (Netflix +1 for already offering this)
- When I move from one device to the next – track me – please. Bring me right where I left off previously
- Build larger images for your movies and shows with a larger “mouseover” that doesn’t require me to get out of my chair to read (Netflix +0.5 you are ok at this but your recent changes to movie “scrolling” sucks)
- Make some freaking recommendations already
I am excited about where this new streaming medium will take us but it has a long way to go. Hey HBO – you hiring – I think you need me.
Sometimes innovation is introduced by accident. On other occasions innovation has been purchased. We sometimes see innovative ideas spread through grass roots efforts and on some occasions, we see innovation because of unique opportunistic changes.
Take this writers strike. Many of us are still baffled by the fact that all three major networks and all 1 billion (seems like it anyways) other networks are so radically affected by one group of people. I know that this strike represents the power of unions (the AFLCIO is one of our customers so I know all about unions) and I am all about unions. However, I am not so sure that a strike by this powerful union and the early demise of the 2007 prime time television season is such a good idea.
One of the items that the writers guild is complaining about is that they do not receive fair compensation from the sale of DVD’s and the revenue sharing for shows that are aired over the Internet.
I have spent some quality time with Joost recently (4 days off with friends and family that you have not seen in a while – a long with some late night quality time with friends) and I have to say that I am impressed. The idea is not all that innovative except that the content is offered exclusively over the Internet. Essentially, they have “channels” where you can find different content. They have content ranges from comedy to sports and almost everything else in between. I am not sure exactly how many channels by they claim to have over 15,000 episodes. Now granted some of these “episodes” are one minute long and it can be difficult to find quality episodes that last more than 10 minutes but here are a few things me and my family enjoyed over the weekend:
- 3 full length Snowboard movies
- several 20 minute extreme sports shows from “MuchMusic” – a content provider for mainstream television
- Season one episodes of the original Transformers (Mikull – you have to see it)
- Videos of all the latest songs from MTV and other stations
- David Letterman’s top 10 lists (great for last call)
If you want to watch last weeks Patriots game or the MLS championship you may not be in luck but the model represents an interesting shift in entertainment. Much like YouTube but only better quality. My Joost watching was done on a 27 inch Westinghouse HD LCD TV and at full screen it had no problems. The shows are “interrupted” with a very small advertisement (about 1/64th of the screen) in the bottom hand corner of the screen. And since the user can be targeted (hello targeted ads again) the advertisements can be sold for more, they can be more relevant (no more feminine product ads during my viewing time).
Remember when you were a kid (if you grew up in the 70′s and 80′s) and all you had was 4 channels? You still watched it. I think that this new medium (the Internet – he he) is really in it’s infantile stages. There are new “tools” popping up every day. I just looked at the new product from Adobe called the Adobe Media Player. Although the name and interface are lame and the content is lammer, it did have streaming HD and it was very quick – not so good at full screen but pretty good.
Now I can’t say for sure that I will be using Joost every day but I can say that at a time when there will be sparse new content on the old school media (good bye TV) I can say that I will be looking elsewhere for my entertainment. The Writer’s Guild better be sure that I don’t find something very interesting or they may have walked themselves right of a job.