Wednesday, December 2, 2009

YouTube TV Would be Better Than iTunes

Google's ever-expanding presence could mean trouble for Hulu and iTunes, as YouTube may one day let you buy streaming TV shows the day after they air. But Google's foray into seling TV shows on YouTube has one major problem in the eyes of skeptics: Google wants to stream the TV shows instead of letting customers download them, so you'd need an Internet connection to watch. That could be a problem for travelers, who can always take their media with them and play it back in full resolution. Apple Insider says Google's plans "would seem to offer less functionality" for the same $1.99 as a show on iTunes. Kafka himself says streaming could be "a tough sell."

The naysayers may have a point now, but Google is way ahead of the curve on both the future of Internet access and the availability of YouTube on a myriad of devices.wireless By Google's logic, eventually the Internet will be everywhere. That's the idea behind Chrome OS, and that's what would make paid YouTube content a success. You already get Internet access throughout your home, in coffee shops, and at libraries with Wi-Fi; and there's a renewed interest in Wi-Fi hotspots. Smartphones and 3G cards extend the connectivity. Over time, connection speeds and availability will increase even more thanks to next-generation wireless technologies such as WiMax and LTE, and the capability to stream high-definition content from YouTube will get easier.