Digital Distribution

The last couple of weeks have confirmed to me that there is a lack of compelling innovation in the consumer electronics space… at least right now. Phone and smartwatch launches have become small iterative enhancements rather than substantial innovations, while IFA, the large European consumer electronics show, was a muted affair with little to set the world on fire.

Kentucky and some of its neighboring states have far greater challenges facing them than a lack of broadband. But can broadband play a small role in helping to revitalize the state?

Last week, under the shadow of a dozen new Echo devices, Amazon continued their pursuit to redefine TV. The latest product launch expanded the Echo device ecosystem deeper into the home with new speakers, a plug, clock, microwave, and other voice-enabled gadgets. Further, the all new Fire TV Recast device is aimed at routing a larger portion of consumers TV viewing time through Amazon’s ecosystem of hardware and services.

Yesterday Amazon unleashed a tidal wave of new products, from clocks and microwaves, to an in-car Echo, and a bevy of music devices. But what is most interesting is likely not the overwhelming quantity or specifics of every item, but the clear path Amazon continues to take in both owning and partnering within its ecosystems.

The technology ecosystem is evolving and the smartphone may no longer be the dominant consumer product. Welcome to the Age of Voice and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Networks, providers, and consumers are touting their vision of TVs future and it’s not as straight forwards as the migration from broadcast to cable in the 80s. Traditional cable providers are investing in advanced set-top boxes that integrate apps such as Netflix, virtual MVPD user interfaces are seamlessly bridging the in-home and mobile experience, TV networks are going direct-to-consumer, and viewers are subscribing to unique combinations of services to fit their needs. I’m often asked “which distribution model will win,” a question beached in sound, but traditional, thinking...

The show when:
- Blockchain, AI, VR and other buzzwords
- Hey Google!
- One well placed rant
- The robot uprising has begun
- Not all robots were feisty
- Time for a new body?

The U.S. is number four in the list of innovative countries worldwide, according to a June 2017 Business Insider article. On the surface, it's a puzzling rank. This is, after all, the country that put a man on the moon (and maybe will again soon), built the initial Internet, and is home to many of the major tech companies, such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple. And yet, Switzerland, Sweden, and the Netherlands all rank higher for innovation. Ouch.