Is Verizon FiOS Blocking Wifi Enabled TVs From Connecting To Routers?

Having Samsung Wireless Link FiOS Router Problems?

What most people don't know is that Verizon FiOS has a nasty reputation of secretly blocking competition by creating technical hurdles that make devices not work any longer.  I had my Samsung TV hooked up to my Verizon Actiontec router for over a year and it suddenly stopped working.  This happened a few years ago when I was using Slingbox as well and trying to access TV programming remotely.  Verizon blocked access.   Are they not blocking access to their routers from Samsung and other WiFi-enabled TV's?  

Why would Verizon FiOS do this?  First, they want to rent you DVR boxes for $10-$20 per month.  Second, they don't want their customers using Netflix, Pandora, or anything that competes with watching TV or video on demand.  Why is no one investigating this?   FCC?

Free 3G Amazon Kindle Fire Android Tablet?

Amazon Kindle Fire with Android OS is Coming for $199 

Amazon announced today a WiFi only 7 inch Android tablet that it will sell for $199.  However, will Amazon's next version of the Fire have free 3G wireless?  Amazon allows customers who have the black and white Kindle to access AT&T 3G for free.   The next Amazon Fire could have free AT&T 3G for $299 similar to the black and white Kindle for $79.  The current WiFi only Fire tablet has a 7 inch screen and weights only 14.6 ounces.  The Amazon does not include 3G and you can pre-order it for $199.  Shipping date is November 15, 2011.

This is a tremendous breakthrough for the industry where the device itself becomes a commodity and the services behind the device become the real value.  Subscriptions to content like Pandora, Netflix or Amazon movie become more important and thus will allow Amazon to subsidize the price of the device.

It remains to be seen if newspapers can get into the game of require subscriptions to view their content.  My speculations is they won't have much success getting people to pay for news and simply will have apps build in this Android platform that are filled with ads.

If you compare this device to the iPad 2 its $300 cheaper and does not have the following features.  Camera and GPS which are unnecessary for most tablet users.  Tablet users are primarily inside the home and office and only need WiFi.   Also, if you are a savvy user and have figured out how to tether WiFi devices to your 4G smartphone than the WiFi only version will also be sufficient.  

Why Pandora Could Be The Next Google

Pandora is Not Just About Music

Personalization of the web is the next big thing and its just as big as search was 10 years ago!  That is why I am so happy to hear that Pandora raised $250M in an IPO this week after being rejected by hundreds of "smart venture capitalists" who said the company will never make any money and be successful. That is the same thing many said about Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) back in 1999 before they found their search advertising model Adsense and Adwords.  I am still kicking myself for not buying Google's stock at $95 per share and not making the same mistake buying Pandora at $13 per share below their IPO price of $16.  Aside from the obvious economics issues all of the short sellers and negative analysts are point out, I think the company could be disruptive to three huge industries who may resist the change (Telecom, Advertising, Entertainment).  This is why I love the company and I am not making the same mistake this time and buying the stock (NYSE: P).   Here are reasons why I like the product, stock, growth, the vision and the industry disruption.

1. Pandora is FREE and buying music via Apple iTunes is very expensive
2. Discovery of new brands, products, bands and music is endless 
3. Its not JUST about music.  Pandora will recommend TV, Movies and Videos? 
4. The Music Genome Project can apply to other things using 1's and 0's
5. Ad-supported cloud-based business models are red hot
6. The average person listens to 13 hrs of radio & 3 hours of owned music/week
7. Pandora currently has 94M registered users up, up from 77% from 53M
8. The company operating almost break-even only losing $6.8 million
9. Revenues of $51 million, up 131% from $21.6 million in qtr
10. Projected revenues of $250M in 2011
11. Active listeners of 34 million, up 88% from 18 million
12. Average listener hours up 127% to 1.6 billion hours from .7B hours
13. Pandora’s adoption driven by Apple iPhones, iPads and Android Phones
14. Pandora 94M users with only 1% of customers are paying (huge upside) 
15. Netflix 25M subs paying $100 per year forecasting 50% growth (Market Cap 13B)
16. Sirius 25M subs paying $100 per year forecasting 40% growth (Market Cap 8B)
17. Only a $5 CPM covers the cost of running the Pandora service (upside)
18. Pandora hasn't even started to sell local advertising yet (huge upside)
19. Pandora's display advertising is targeted, relevant and not annoying. 
20. Entertainment & telecom companies hate change (upside)
21. Wireless carriers may up sell data plan packages Pandora mobile data plans
22. Small stock float only 9.2% of shares outstanding compared to 24% tech avg
23. An interesting short squeeze opportunity with all the negative sentiment
24. Reed Hastings of Netflix says WiFi in TVs is a revolution.  (huge upside)
25. Pandora TV app eliminates need for the expensive home audio system
26. Pandora is another reason you don't need a cable box anymore 

This is ongoing list I will continue to add to.  Please submit your suggestions below.  See this company presentation on Slideshare about what the Genome project is measuring for recommendations.  Its not just likes.   

Pandora and the Music Genome Project

View more presentations from CAMT

Related Posts:
Why Apple or Google Should Buy Pandora
Pandora vs Rhapsody Compared
Why DataCaps Are Killing iPhone App Market

WiFi in TVs is a Revolution

WiFi in TVs is a Revolution

Today at the All Things Digital Conference, Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, said "WiFi TV is a Revolution."  Watch the video below and fast forward to 6:55 into the video to hear the visionary statement.  This statement struck a chord with me and if you have not been enlightened to the benefits of having a networked enabled TV, then you are missing out!

All HDTV's today have the capability to connect to your router WiFi or Ethernet cable to download movies or stream content from companies like Netflix and Pandora.  Its a tremendous innovation that cable companies have been resisting for years because it disintermediates their programming agendas and control of what your eyeballs watch.  The only hope for cable companies to survive in the content business is to maintain their monopoly licensees on live sports programming.  Personalized content is the next big thing on the web and Pandora and Netflix are driving it.

There are many technical benefits to having a WiFi enabled TV, which include software upgrades and access to any content anywhere on the web.  Boxee, Google TV, and Apple TV have been early pioneers at helping you aggregate and watch content through specialized boxes.  However, the reality is TV manufacturers like Samsung are leading the way to home-viewing innovation.  It took almost a decade for IPTV to arrive thanks to an innovative company from Korea called Samsung which is paving the way to the future.

One snafu that Netflix is starting to deal with is the broadband carriers starting to impose data caps on customers in order to protect their expensive cable programming subscriptions the consumers are starting to bypass.  In order to help avoid breaking bandwidth caps starting to get imposed by broadband ISPs, Netflix is letting U.S. customers adjust their bit rate and video streaming quality settings.  Netflix is already allowing customers to manage the bit rate in Canada.

Related Stories:
How to Improved Home WiFi Signal
Why Pandora Could Be The Next Google
Walt to FCC: Cable Companies Have Been Screwing Their Consumers For Years
10 Reasons to Cut your Cable TV Cord
ESPN & NFL Saves Cable Subscribers

Must Have Consumer Electronics for 2011

• 
  Survey Conducted by SmartBrief.com
  
  
  What will be the must-have electronics in 2011?

  Tablet	46.42%
  Streaming video box or app	19.89%
  Smartphone	10.88%
  Not sure	10.08%
  3DTV	9.02%
  E-reader	3.71%

• Primary reason for to connecting device to WiFi or 4G?

  find exact content	41.47%
  no more wires in living room	20.74%
  cheap content	18.89%
  its new	14.75%