Living Room Wars – The Players & Potential Winners

(Via WSJ) The living room is the Ground Zero of the information revolution. Telephone giants, cable titans, computer companies and consumer-electronics makers are all vying to provide the next generation of high-tech entertainment - a single network of gadgets that lets you view photos, listen to music, record DVDs and tune into whatever TV programs you want to watch, whenever you feel like watching them. This convergence of computing, communications and entertainment is becoming real now and the open question is who is going to be in control.
All the major players have their advantages - and weaknesses.
- Computer companies say the processing power and adaptability of the PC gives them an edge in delivering innovative services to the living room.
- Consumer-electronics giants, tout the reliability of their extensive line of home-entertainment devices.
- The big Baby Bells are investing heavily to deliver a nearly unlimited supply of broadcast and on-demand programming over their broadband optical-fiber networks.
- At the moment, though, it's the cable companies, that have the edge over rivals. In some sense, there are really two separate match-ups: cable vs. telephone to deliver traditional and on-demand television programs, and PC vs. consumer electronics to provide the hardware in the home-entertainment system. But to an increasing extent, everybody wants a piece of everything.. It is indeed the mother of all digital battles and clash of titans - all with deep pockets!!