Exstatica

I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts during my commute. Usually the podcasts I listen to are geared toward tech. Most of the news in these podcasts is news I’ve already read about, I have to thank Google Reader for that.

Lets discuss Youtube, Flash, and the changes to 3rd parties first.

Today on my commute I listened to Buzz Out Loud podcast #1111. In this podcast they discussed Youtube and its (unlike Googles) decision to restrict the API for devices connected to TV’s. While they made some excellent points, I have a theory on why all of this has happened.

Lets look at the timeline…

1. Adobe announced a new beta of their flash player using hardware acceleration. This new player makes use of the GPU of devices to play better video, and overall a better flash experience.

2. Youtube announced 1080p content rolling out.

3. Youtube restricts API usage to only license partners.

Looking at all of this you have to wonder if there was some sort of strategy behind all of this. What each company gains, and what each company stands to loose. Youtube has been trying to find a business model to build a revenue stream.  Adobe gives flash away for free, and my guess would love to build a licensing model for 3rd party hardware vendors. If Youtube is trying to bring paid content to their platform, wouldn’t it be difficult to bring said content of these content providers if they have to compete with their own products? Mainly television.

With Youtube closing the gap to their API and only allowing the flash based API to work, this gives Adobe the ability to license its Flash player to hardware vendors which brings them additional revenue. The restrictions that now exist on the API for vendors not using flash require licensing agreements, like the ones they have with Panasonic and Sony. In less than two weeks all of these changes have taken place. I just can’t believe its all not related.

With companies like Boxee getting ready to provide hardware devices with integrated software to allow Youtube, and other online social networking platforms to connect directly to your TV, why wouldn’t you want to get them to license that?

Lets discuss Google’s aquisition of Gizmo5. This was mainly a discussion from a podcast of Twit where Leo Laporte, and John C Dvorak discussed Google Voice and Gizmo5. Everyone talks about how you can use Google Voice to connect to Gizmo, which can connect to skype to get free inbound numbers. What people don’t realize is you can connect physical devices to Gizmo5. They allow you to register Sip Devices, which include ATA’s, Desk Phones, Soft Clients, Mobile Clients, and even Asterisk boxes. Imagine the power of being able to register your device like a Linksys Pap2 (popular Vonage device) and put it in your house and have it linked to your Google Voice account.

Google Voice already allows you to connect your mobile phone for voicemail and outbound calling. Then there are rumors of a Google Phone. I think its coming and I’ll tell you why. If you remember Google bid on the 700mhz frequency. I don’t think they even wanted it, but they got what they did want. They pushed for open standards, open networks, and open devices. If you think about it, a data only phone would fit right into their strategy. A sip based client on a phone takes care of voice, which links into Google Voice, which could tie into your home phone.  I think when the time is right, Google is going to ask for their “Open Devices Favor” and get exactly what they want. The ability to provide a device that works only with data, and gives them the ability to still provide every service they want to offer, including voice.

This is my take on it all,

Andrew