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Some Things I’d Like to See

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Some random thoughts.

me From Broadband providers: if you want me to stay a loyal customer in these days of multiple devices, charge me as a user once to hook into your service, not by the number of devices I may own. Also forget data+voice+sms+whatever else. I’ll gladly pay an additional fee for each device I add to the plan, but no more than $5 per device.

From Microsoft: Ditch the multiple SKUs for operating systems. Provide a one price for all plan and a family plan or multiple computer plan. I think one of your competitors does that.

From the Digital Book Publishing Industry : Allow me to purchase a book and then allow me to read it as an e-Book or listen to it as an audio book and sync it across multiple devices regardless of how I ‘read’ what I just purchased. It would be fantastic to listen to an audio book in my car and then be able to pick up another (or the same) device later and continue reading it and have it synced up to where I left off in the audio version.

From Hollywood and Intel: Quit living in fear of your customers and forcing the creation of new DRM schemes that don’t allow users to enjoy that which they gave you money for. HDCP is nuts and your best efforts get cracked anyway.

From device manufacturers everywhere: Stop with the glossy, OK. I don’t care what the marketing focus groups say, glossy doesn’t work in the real world, except for the narcissistic who like to look at themselves in their own screens.

From anywhere in the cloud: A real discussion over the coming collision course between broadband caps and those who are creating (or have created) online services for backup, media distribution, etc

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Travis

    04/22/2009 at 7:40 am

    Verizon my ISP doesn’t care how many devices I have connected to my DSL (3000/768)it is always just $29.99 a month. I currently have 4 computers and 2 TiVo’s connected.

  2. Sumocat

    04/22/2009 at 9:41 am

    @Travis: I’m guessing you have not had to deal with a new Verizon DSL modem lately. My old router served me fine when I had Verizon DSL. Pretty much plug and play into my modem. Then after I moved outside Verizon’s service area, I sent the router to my mom and talked her through the installation on her new DSL modem. So simple.

    But a few months ago, I tried to install a router for a friend, and her Verizon modem would not take it even after fiddling with the MAC address and all sorts of tricks. Modem wouldn’t even work with my tablet or her laptop unless I reset it; it was locked to one PC (in this case, her desktop). Verizon didn’t used to care about number of devices, but they clearly care now.

  3. ChrisRS

    04/22/2009 at 2:37 pm

    I suspect that Warner was talking about mobile access. I use a T-mobile family plan with 5 phones. WiFi is a flat fee covering all lines, text messaging is a flat fee covering all lines. Not so for a data plan. Tethering? I don’t know! If i’m mobile I should be able to pay one fee that covers both phone and pc.

  4. Virtuous

    04/23/2009 at 7:14 pm

    Warner,

    It’s too bad your ideas are wishful thinking. The people that run the companies you’re referring to are clueless.

  5. Ben

    04/23/2009 at 7:46 pm

    I agree with all these points.

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