Spotify enables group therapy
Spotify’s premium subscribers may now enjoy and group listening feature. By offering others a temporary code, the subscriber can quickly create a group listening session in which all members can control the queue and be the DJ. The Verge
dis-rup-shun: For music lovers, the fun of Spotify has long been to sit with friends and ask questions about favorite bands — then play favorite songs. Now a group of people can share control and set new rules for the session, enriching the Spotify experience over its rival music streaming providers.
TiVo Stream 4K cord cutter
If you are familiar with TiVo and want to cut the cord, the company has released a dongle/remote combination device, similar to Chromecast, Roku and Amazon Fire Stick. The $49 device uses Google Assistant for voice search, and provides top notch sound and video quality. The device provides an intelligent user interface that learns based on what you like to watch. Forbes
dis-rup-shun: With live sports on hiatus, there just aren’t many compelling reasons to pay a fat cable TV bill anymore. And those DVRs that we have learned to love? They are playing a smaller and smaller role in our lives as we are more inclined to stream, except of course, for Grey’s Anatomy and non-existent sports.
Quibi is not essential entertainment, say consumers
Despite initial signs that this video-only subscription video service was an early hit, things are not going well. Slow subscriber uptake is being blamed on Corona virus and on the app’s inability (by design) to not share screen shots with other apps or on social media. The Verge
dis-rup-shun: It seemed like this novel concept was off to a great start, serving 1.7 million downloads in its first week. It seemed that Corona virus and a captive audience’s need for entertainment would provide the launch with unprecedented advantages, but alas, it seems that people are not craving another subscription entertainment service. With an all-star cast of executives (Jeffery Katzenberg, Meg Whitman and others) behind the venture, creative ideas may improve uptake. With T-Mobile offering a free year of Quibi, word of mouth may create demand among people who will pay.
Tesla will support in-car video conferencing
Musk recently commented that Tesla models will soon support video conferencing, using the tiny built-in camera and the 15 inch displays on the dashboard. The features are ideal for future, self-driving models, but will be available in limited situations before then. Forbes
dis-rup-shun: Tesla is working hard to show the auto industry a lot of things, but one of those is that a long lag time for new technologies to be built-in to cars should not exist. Technology accessories have long been important product differentiators, and by incorporating important features, like a 15 inch tablet on the dash, Tesla is engaging tech lovers and digital natives.