Underground Media: Reloaded

Sounds ominous, right? Well, it should. Most tech shootouts do more harm than good to the consumer. Anybody remember Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD? Lasting for over two years, this Hi-Def DVD format face-off split the entertainment content community and left consumers standing on the sidelines scratching their heads. And Blu-ray's eventual victory earlier this year surely tasted of ashes. They were left with either angry customers who had spent hundreds on HD-DVD boxes and its respective media, or hopelessly confused customers who still didn't know that simply owning a Play Station 3 had put them in the winners' circle . What does that mean for the looming Mobile Phone slug-fest? More of the same consumer confusion. Perhaps I should explain. Recently, in a test market, smart-phone owners were asked about the capabilities of their phones and how they used them. It was determined that, although the smart-phone owners confidently claimed to use 100% of their phones' features...

I had a little time this past weekend, so I decided to test out the Netflix's movie streaming service . Yes, in this day of ginormous HDTV and Bluray DVD's, I am perfectly willing to stream in 480p (standard def) to my 15" laptop screen. First up, was Justice League: The New Frontier . Bruce Timm, the genius behind Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited decided to dish up a period piece set in the 1950's. As an avid comic superhero fan, I've got to say that it was too cool to see the Silver Age versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. But, as sci-fi and fantasy often does, it focused much more on social relevancy than on the wonders of having super powers. In fact, the story opens with Hal Jordan (the Green Lantern) flying a combat mission over North Korea. Conscious of the pro-propaganda nature of that decade, it presented traditionally pro-American themes in a very different light. For example, Wonder Woman is in Cambodia freeing enslaved wom...

And who the f*ck really cares anyway? I am man enough to admit I was dead wrong about this. I was sure HD-DVD was going to stand victorious in the end. It was cheaper, the same quality (picture not content) as blu-ray, and the porn industry was all over it. It was VHS part deux, right? Wrong. Porn did certainly drive VHS adoption, but the alternative in 1975 was a seedy movie theater with sticky floors. VHS *saved* porn and brought it safe and sound into the home of Joe Sixpack. In 2008, HD-DVD was a possible porn outlet, but the industry is certainly in no need of a savior. Thanks to the internet, it's a multi-billion dollar industry with plenty of outlets into the consumer's home. Pay-per-view, network cable (they fuzz out the naughty bits), websites, magazines, cell phones, and let's not forget good old fashioned standard def DVD's! This was the first flaw in my analysis. The second has to do with customer apathy. Retails and industry experts have concluded...

Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are going to grab a niche market with the early adopters.......and that's it. Don't take MY word for it. Listen to Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of Dreamworks Animation: "Blu-Ray and HD DVD are a niche business. They're not going to become the next platform." See? It sounded just like him! Check out the article ...

Blu-ray will replace all other DVD's within 3 years? Somebody's been drinking. Besides me. People own LOTS of DVD's. Dozens, hundreds.... I'm sure there's even some freakshow out there with THOUSANDS! And I don't want to hear any high def 1080p bullsh*t. A good upconvert stacks up fine next to blu-ray. Hmmmm, $90 or $900. Except for the enthusiasts, DVD's ain't going anywhere for a looooong time... What do you think?