TV in the cloud--cloud computing will make television smarter

With the development of cloud computing technology, it is an unavoidable trend for TV to move into the cloud. The media, like books and music, are now developing into cyberspace. Netflix, Hulu, and even Apple TV are making a big show of traditional TV shows and movies on the web. According to comscore, a well-known US internet statistics Company, YouTube has received increasing attention, with YouTube taking up 7% of the total time spent on the internet.

However, the television and film industries have proved that they resist this shift more than any other form of media. But change will always come, but the speed of transformation is not as fast as music, news and books.

The television industry is still sticking to its claim. The US Starz television network has given up on Netflix's cooperation, and Hulu seems to be planning to sell itself. Even Apple is struggling to change the pattern. Apple recently slowed down its television rental business (which we had expected one months ago) because television networks did not want to cooperate seriously.

Cloud computing will make TV smarter

No one doubts that the internet will eventually defeat the rigid programme guide of cable and satellite television to achieve the ultimate victory. Most people only watch dozens of-channel programs, but pay 500 channel fees. If we can choose the program we want to watch and pay only for the channel, a lot of people will choose to do it.

Clearly, what users want, what time and equipment they want to watch (TV, notebook, iPad, cell phone), these factors can give users a better experience. But these are not enough. In the age of cloud computing, it's not just about transferring and allocating resources, but it's easier to find and share new programs and change our consumption patterns. Asymco analyst Horace Dediu recently wrote in an article on the subject that "cloud computing will make TV smarter".

Unlike the impact of smartphones on the internet, television has no intelligent content. Its intelligence does not appear in hardware devices, but is embodied in program production. This is not to say that there is now a lack of good programme production. But there is still no innovation on internet television programming. The way to make and distribute programs is to adapt to people's lives. For half a century, television shows have not changed much. Program classification, time, business model, series, format, broadcast time table and value chain are the same as the 1951 "I Love Lucy" broadcast. They think that users watch TV programs at the same time every day (there's nothing else to do). They also believe that the impact of people on brand advertising is the same, most of the audience are homogeneous.

TiVo tried to make TV more intelligent. But cable and smart TVs have also changed, and they will insist on using DVR technology on their set-top boxes. While TiVo forced their parents to license fees, their user brands are falling. Just look at what Ed Bott's graph of "Netflix" and "TiVo" and "Media Center" For comparison searches in the tech blog.

DVR technology already belongs to "endangered species"

Bott concludes: The trend is no more obvious. In the 2008 into the era of streaming media, DVR technology has already belonged to "endangered species."

But combining computers with television does not solve the problem. Once the video content can be compiled and propagated, it will change the entire user experience. Without the help of YouTube's program guides, users can share video through search engines and social networks as they search for other information on the Internet. Traditional TV programs are still locked in a set-top box because it is still profitable for content providers. Television commercials are still dwarfed by all online advertising, not to mention the cost of paying their bills every month.

In addition to YouTube, Google wants to combine the two with Google TV. However, internet companies that control traditional TV programs do not want to co-operate. Apple has been trying to connect Apple TV with itunes, but that looks like a tough move. There are plenty of rumors that Apple will redouble its investment in the field and develop its own TV and programs.

Some observers believe Apple will never enter the commercial television market because its profits are too low. But this view is too one-sided. Apple does not want to sell TV, Apple wants to reshape the TV experience, and if you need to build a TV, do it. At the same time, TV is just a display device, the real value is stored in the cloud. Because the content can be saved, searched, propagated, and shared.

The current Apple TV box is just a media linker with no storage capability. Once icloud is launched, film and television will likely become part of him. Apple's current pricing model is to customize the payment by menu. The user orders the program to pay. Although this is not ideal. But if Apple has access to quality programs and movies, it could end up being cheaper than a monthly-paid cable. Just as Netflix will automatically recommend related or similar videos based on what the user has already watched, it makes it easier for users to find videos of interest to them. This may be the first step towards intelligent television.

The next step is to build a guide to social network television based on videos viewed or recommended by users ' friends or interested objects.

There are already a number of similar referral programs on the iphone and ipad (such as BuddyTV, Dijit, yap.tv). But there is no reason to rule out the viewing experience that can be used to improve television.

If the combination of television and the Internet will bring about a very different result. A program that cannot be shared and linked will not be noticed. In addition to real time news, sporting contests or awards ceremonies, the era of television shows will be gone forever. The Internet will be our DVR, which can be freed from the tiresome Program Guide of DVR.

The content that the user wants to watch is no longer restricted, and the content of each user's view is different.

Fair, put everything in the cloud and everything will be better.