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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Microsoft beats Apple to the TV with Xbox Live Video

They sure did. But it happened back in 2004. Anyway, Ars Technica writes:

Microsoft has finally announced their online video entertainment strategy for the Xbox 360.

Beginning on November 22, Xbox 360 owners will be able to buy and rent over 1,000 hours of programming using the new Xbox Live Video Marketplace.

Microsoft's arrival in this emerging market brings with it some impressive firsts. The company has narrowly beaten Apple in the race to find a practical set top box-like solution to get commercial video downloads to the family room TV without having to move hardware around. Apple is expected to launch its own wireless set top box solution, dubbed iTV, some time in the first quarter of 2007. Apple has already announced a retail price of $299.

Dahhh... Microsoft and its partners have offered Media Center PCs that allow people to download rented and purchased movies via services like CinemaNow and MovieLink for quite some time. So I don't think it's fair to say Microsoft "has narrowly beaten" Apple. Instead, I'd say that Microsoft and its partners actually innovated in this space and Apple is just playing catch-up. Don't get me wrong. I'm looking forward to iTV. But seriously, let's get the facts straight.

[ Posted at 2:48 PM | Permalink ]