Future of TV 2.0 - TVNZ on PS3

As follow up to my last post on the Future of Television (here), TVNZ have announced the launch of a new TVNZ On Demand application on the Playstation 3.  

This is a huge step for the broadcaster. There are already over 100,000 PS3's in New Zealand and the biggest barrier to audiences viewing On Demand wasn't the service itself, but the platform on which you view it. Now, you can have easy access to the service in your living room, on your LCD/Plasma screen, all without having to connect your computer up to your TV (something only tech geeks really bother with). And it's not just about access. TVNZ (as they always do) have done a great job of packaging. It looks great on the PS3 and naturally fits into the PS3 GUI - it doesn't feel like a bolt on.

It's these types of partnerships that will leap VOD forward, and smartly, TVNZ have decided they want to be a part of that future rather than being consigned to the history of scheduled TV. But this is only the first step. What they need next is more and more content. It can't simply remain a place for catch up TV, it needs exclusive and niche content. And there is no reason why it should remain exclusive on PS3. Why not a TVNZ On Demand app on Xbox Media Centre, Boxee, Vieracast and any other platform that will run it. For now, rights are an issue but the more this world opens up, the faster the content creators are going to need to find solutions to that problem. The audience doesn't understand or care about rights - they just want the content.

Also, in other news relating to my last post, Boxee have announced they are expanding their service to more platforms. In a few months, Boxee will become available on the iPhone, iPad and Google's Android. This will allow Boxee users to access their content whenever they want and on whatever device they want. It's incredible the pace of this change. Only last week I was writing about Boxee changing the future of the box in your living room - seems like this week it's intent on changing your content consumption on any platform (you can read more here).

It's an exciting future for Television. But it's no longer a scheduled broadcast future. Continue to watch this space as who knows what will have happened next week! 

The Future of Television

The box that sits in your living room is changing. 

It's slimmer, higher definition, sounds better and 3D is on the way (and looks incredible if the latest Panasonic Viera's are anything to go by).

But the change I am talking about is far more fundamental than aesthetics. The television is becoming smarter, connected and a whole heap more social.

Leading the charge on this change are the manufacturers themselves. Panasonic have launched Viera Cast that provides you with an internet connected TV that can access your home network, YouTube and has an inbuilt Skype client amongst other 'apps'. 

Pushing the boundaries even further are newcomers such as Boxee who are incredibly exciting and set to revolutionise your Television experience. Boxee is a new form of media centre. It will run on any existing computer (and is free to download) or you will soon be able to buy a Boxee Box. Simply plug it into your TV and it opens up a world of internet enabled content including Hulu, Joost, YouTube and even works as a social media centre telling your friends on Boxee what programmes you enjoy watching and how you rate them. It also allows you to watch any movies, TV shows, music or photos stored on your hard drive and will scour the web for the artwork to match that content to complete your media library.

It's an incredibly sophisticated piece of software that essentially cuts out the broadcasters. You can watch whatever programme you want, whenever you want. The service is currently geo restricted meaning you can use it here in NZ but you won't be able to watch the latest episode of Lost or Desperate Housewives however you can imagine the future. That passive box that has always sat in your living room has just been opened up a whole new world of potential. Imagine it like a giant iPhone sitting in your living room with streaming HD video, music, social and other apps.

     

To learn more about Boxee, check out the video below. The blog post from Boxee founder Avner Ronen at this link is also really interesting. Keep a close eye on this space as it's about to become the future of your TV experience.

Boxee Beta from boxee on Vimeo.

What was hot for NZ Consumers in October

Click to view the full report:

TV Update w/c 1 Nov - Prime New Season

Click the image to view more. This week we look at the 2010 New Season launch for Prime TV.

TV Update w/c 25 Oct - Reservoir Hill

Click the image to view an update on TV for the last week. This week we look at the new TVNZ VOD only show - Reservoir Hill. This is a really interesting new use of Video on Demand and a great example of engaging a digital savvy audience. Watch this space for more shows of this nature in the future....