If there are three constants in life, the Internet’s arrival on your living room TV has probably claimed its rightful spot alongside death and taxes.
There have been numerous failed attempts to bring the Internet to television, and even the recent success of Apple comes with an asterisk. AppleTV, originally touted by Steve Jobs as “the missing piece” in Apple’s multimedia empire, took only two months of cool reception to become a “hobby” for Jobs and the company.
Building B, a new Silicon Valley (Belmont, Calif.) company is the latest to try to bring Internet to your TV, and has raised $17.5 million from Morgenthaler Ventures, Omni Capital, Index Ventures and undisclosed private investors.
It’s with past woes in mind that Building B’s president Phil Wiser points out that his service “enables access to some content available on the internet…fully integrated with the traditional television content.”
Building B hasn’t launched its product yet, but says it is creating a video entertainment service that offers broadcast, cable and film programming alongside Internet content without the need of a computer. If Building B can really offer such an all-inclusive set-up box, it should overcome the large hurdle that has hindered Internet video from being adopted in the living room.
Building B has partnered with Claria for use of their Axon service to customize content. By examining user web-browsing activity with Axon, Building B will be able to provide personalized recommendations for the consumer as well as extremely targeted ads for advertisers. Unfortunately, the Axon service appears reminiscent of the tracking found in Google History – a service that created an immediate privacy uproar.
With few specifics available on the service’s content, Building B’s video-on-demand will presumably face the same uphill battle to accumulate programming as Joost – a VOD service made for the Internet. Unlike Joost, Building B has brought aboard executives from numerous broadcasting backgrounds to provide in-roads for the task. Andy Lack, Sony BMG Music Entertainment chairman, is on the board.
Content withstanding, how Building B will distinguish itself from the entrenchment of existing cable and satellite VOD services has yet to be seen.
8:43 am
My Vision for Internet Video on Our TV Screens at Idea Tagging said:
[...] appears from this post on VentureBeat about a new company named “Building B” that we may soon be one step closer to my [...]
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Building B to Truly Merge Internet with Home TV? said:
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Building B to Truly Merge Internet with Home TV? | Tekjuice.com said:
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August 20, 2007 at said:
[...] Clear Channel Outdoor Expands Digital Net To Top Markets MEDIAPOST Clear Channel is set to introduce digital billboards to Philadelphia and the Chicago metro area, according to CEO Paul Meyer, who said the new HD displays would be up and running by the end of August. The company will also double the size of its digital network in Los Angeles, bringing it to a total of 16 displays. Overall, Clear Channel now operates 16 digital signage networks in 14 DMAs, having added 76 new displays in 2007 alone. Source> Building B Raises $17.5mm for Integrated Set-top Box VENTUREBEAT Building B, a technology startup, raised USD17.5m funding to develop an integrated set top box, which will combine TV services with VoD and online video offerings. The round was led by Morgenthaler Ventures, with participation from Index Ventures, Omni Capital and various angel investors. The company claims the set top box will combine these services without the need for a PC, by using wireless technology. Although little is known about the mechanics of the box, analysts suggest that information may also be passed using airwaves, which would suggest the need for a lease of partnership to gain access to them. Co-founder Phil Wiser hopes that the public will find the one box does all approach refreshing. No indication has been given as to the pricing of these sets, although a release in Q3 has been given. However, this market is already bustling with offerings from Motorola, Apple, Vudu and Cisco all in the pipeline, which means Building B will have to act fast to gain appeal and market presence. Source> [...]