Comments for Tech Disruptions

Comment on The Connected Home by Marc Lennox

Marc Lennox — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:48:34 +0000

That’s a lot of devices! I can’t wait until kitchen appliances are connected just so I don’t have to reset the clock after power failures.

Comment on Turning Founders into Employees by Michael Herman

Michael Herman — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 02:19:22 +0000

So true.

Comment on The CRTC and ‘Cable Cutting’ by Jim Glover

Jim Glover — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:12:14 +0000

Hi Peter,

Netflix alleviated your problem yesterday – by reducing the quality non discernibly it reduced the bandwidth required by 66%. Technology resolved the challenge and usage based billing still makes sense.

I think the larger competitive issue and barrier to innovation will occur when the cableco ISP starts selectively treating traffic, under the disguise of traffic management, that competes with its own content. Lets wait and see.

Comment on The CRTC and ‘Cable Cutting’ by Chuck Tatham

Chuck Tatham — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:21:15 +0000

I have just had the same experience Peter! Son bought himself a new xbox, asked if he could enable the Netflix trial….I reluctantly said yes and gave him my cc number and made him create a calendar entry to remember to cancel the trial….knowing our rogers bill level already (cable, HD, PVR, internet, home phone) I didn’t want another charge added. Then I experienced the fun of just grabbing a movie on netflix and started thinking hmmm maybe we will keep it. Then while on the road last week my son sent me a bbm saying “just got a message saying we were at 75% of our internet allowance”. WTF!!! For the first time ever, with non stop networked gaming in our home, 4 pc’s always on and always connected with 2 teenagers, I have tripped a limit on Rogers. Can you say “Rogers on demand competition”? Its pure and simple their way of preventing Netflix and other streaming services from riding their network.

Comment on The CRTC and ‘Cable Cutting’ by David Crow

David Crow — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:00:44 +0000

Hi Peter,

I cancelled my cable, switched providers (to TekSavvy Cable), and purchased Netflix and in the spring will probably purchase a better OTA HD Antenna for the house. Our bill has reduced from over $300 to around $75. Some of the TV quality has gone done. Some of the choice has gone up. But generally I’m just happier with being able to watch TV on my devices (Wii, iPad, AppleTV, XBox 360, MacBook Air) where I am.

I’m not expecting anyone to put up with the complexity that is my TV experience (my spouse is tolerating it for now – we’ll see how long that lasts). But the differences in service and availability with services like Comcast and FiOS and the changes to the content distribution with Netflix, Hulu, Boxee and others.

I hope that as Canadians we aren’t regulated into the past generation of technology.