When it comes to TV/video, it's now becoming clear that what will happen is content rather than device convergence. TVs and PCs will remain distinct in most cases and for most people, but set-top boxes (Akimbo, TiVo + Brightcove, etc.) will permit people to access TV and online video/audio content over their TVs. Slingbox, among others, already permits the reverse (TV on the PC [and mobile devices]).
Today, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req'd) reports that Cisco and AT&T, which is making a big bet on so-called IPTV, just invested $15.5 million in Akimbo (bringing total investment in the company to $31.5 million). In addition to its set-top box, Akimbo is also a software vendor embedded in other people's boxes/systems (including the MSFT media center OS).
AT&T is currently rolling out Homezone, a sattellite based offering that combines TV and web content and will incorporate Akimbo's library of content later in the year.
In the second-coming of WebTV, Homezone incorporates AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet access. TV is now just one of several fronts in the battle between telcos, for new revenue streams and customer loyalty via product bundling, and cable companies. Both sides now offer TV, Internet, phone and wireless (cable companies through a deal with Sprint).
Here's more from Om Malik on Akimbo.
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And on a tangentially related note, let me make one irresponsible comment (since I just had a cup of coffee). I've got to believe that AT&T will seek to merge with or acquire Yahoo! at some point in the next couple of years. Of course the corporate cultures would crash and burn if they tried to integrate. But simply considering it on paper AT&T, whose traditional businesses are flat (yellow pages) or dying (landlines), would benefit across the board from Yahoo!'s brand, online reach and content relationships. Unless I'm mistaken — I couldn't verify this — AT&T currently is a significant shareholder in Yahoo!
Yahoo!'s market cap is currently $44.2 billion vs. AT&T's $106.4 billion. And of the two, Yahoo! is clearly the better brand — brand of the future.
Related: Via MediaPost, Merrill Lynch is arguing MSFT should buy Yahoo! (or eBay).
