Apple is teaming up with 20th Century Fox to deliver movies over iTunes. The stage is set for broadband rentals for the masses. Blockbuster made headlines with Jackass 2.5 in an effort to promote their broadband entertainment. Netflix is already doing the same. Tivo has a similar feature. The difference between Apple and these other companies (except Tivo) is the hardware. Apple introduced Apple TV alongside the iPhone. People aren’t buzzing about Apple TV because they don’t really get it. The infrastructure is in place, but the concept is still not clear to consumers.

Who wants to buy a thing that connects your TV to the internet for movies? As long as people have to think about getting a new "thing" to watch broadband entertainment the concept will grow at slug speeds. Device integration will speed up the process. Smart companies will begin to build the streaming device into televisions. They will also incorporate the capability into DVD players/burners, DVR, and HD conversion boxes. All televisions will have to accept HD signal. A smart device manufacture will realize that HD converter/HD DVD players with Wi-Fi access will make it easier to receive and purchase broadband entertainment. People will embrace broadband entertainment when they don't have to think about it. An HDTV with built in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and DVR will be ready for the 2008 holiday shopping season.

 
 

What if search engines were more than just tools? Google is best known for their search engine. Their simple goal to organize information has lead them into all kinds of markets. They are one of the most innovative companies on the planet. But, they have been neglecting their search engine. Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia has been funding a new type of search engine.  A search engine that doesn't share information with advertisers. This new search engine will have some social elements and allow users to rate searches.  Google does own the concept simple fast searches, but people want more than that. They want richer searches. Not everyone wants to search differently, but the time is right for search engine innovation.

Ask.com has been trying to differentiate their algorithm and Yahoo still offers a rich portal page. I believe the true innovation will come when we move beyond the simple search. Before the end of the decade we will have a powerful visual search engine. Johnathan Harris, The creator of wefeelfine.org, teamed up with Daylife to create the Universe. Daylife takes headlines and links them to multiple global perspectives. The Universe is a visual interface that illustrates the universe of a particular subject in the form of stars and shapes. As broadband speeds pick up, so will the power of visual and even audio browsing. Searching isn't just about information. Context is important too. You can add any word in front of search to get an idea of how things are changing. Social search, responsible search, local search, and visual search are just some examples. Try optimizing that.  We are moving beyond text. Slowly but surely.

 
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