The de- and re-construction of TV
Traditional pay TV services have unraveled quickly with the rise of streaming services. But the rise of multiple, partially unique streaming services has led to a growing number of small, monthly subscription fees slowly choking the wallet. But if you are seeking free or ad-supported streaming services, there are quite a few free services, though they are long on older content and short on originals. They are Crackle, Tubi, Pluto TV, Kanopy, Roku Channel, Plex, IMDb TV, Vudu. Wired
dis-rup-shun: Then there was cable. Then there was the $180 monthly TV bill. Then there was Netflix and its followers. Then your monthly TV bill was $240. Then you cut the cord and your bill was only $100 (multiple streaming services and lots of ad hoc purchases). Then there was AT&T TV which was just like cable but with different bundling and pricing. Then you realized new TV looks a lot like old TV. Expect the young, tech savvy and un(der)employed to stop paying for premium streaming services and feast on free and bootlegged programming. For the paying household, what did all that gain? New choices, better bundles and the majority of TV viewing being ad-free.
Uber reveals statistics on sexual assault
Uber released statistics which show 5,981 reports of sexual assault between drivers and riders in 2017 and 2018. The data includes reports of 235 rapes. Riders were often the accused, but in the case of rapes, the majority of the accused were drivers. CNBC
dis-rup-shun: Uh oh, this is bad news. Seems like new things are really great until they aren’t. Get ready for a firestorm that rips through the ride share industry, reducing ridership and stock prices. The results will include much better driver screening and safety standards, lots of in-car video cameras, controversy over the loss of privacy from video cameras installed for your safety, and the rise of more exclusive subscription-based ride services with well-screened drivers, and, of course, higher prices.
Chime challenges banks and skyrockets in value
Chime is the largest of virtual banks, with no physical branch. It has recently closed a $500 million Series E investment round and its valuation has ballooned to $5.8 billion — a 500% increase in the past 9 months. The bank is opening around 150,000 new accounts per month, catering primarily to those who have had rocky relationships with banks by charging no overdraft fees, no fee for accounts, and early deposits on direct deposit paychecks. CNBC
dis-rup-shun: Disruption delivered by Internet companies often follows the same pattern — break the established rules of the industry in order to deliver customers what they really want, using the Internet as delivery mechanism, and don’t worry if the business model is clear — as that is secondary to locking up users.
Will cheap security products win trust?
CNET offers a list of very inexpensive products designed to give you peace of mind through monitoring. The list includes Wyze cameras and Wyze sensors (each priced at $20), Amazon Echo Dot to provide smartphone alerts if it hears anything of concern while you are away ($25), and inexpensive smart lighting, again from Wyze for $8 for one bulb.
dis-rup-shun: These are really inexpensive products, but a system, they are not. What is a system? It is a collection of different devices with specialized functions that are integrated and can be controlled as one. These are great for dabblers and for apartment dwellers and for those not interested or willing to pay for an integrated home security system. The question is, will these products impact the market for home security systems? The answer is no. These products remain in a separate category and we should devise a better name for them, as they appeal to a different buyer with a different set of needs.