Google sell video and take on iTunes Music Store?

We've only got until tomorrow to find out what the real deal is with Larry Page's more or less expected keynote here at CES, but the rumor mill's been a-churnin' over desirabilities possibilities. The Google PC thing came and went, officially rebuked by Google themselves, but latest on the chopping block is that G will be announcing a pay-per-download video service to take on Apple's now-misnamed iTunes Music Store (with video, as we like to say). Ars is reporting that they've lined up content partnerships with CBS and the NBA, and they may be distributing video content via RealPlayer, but it's all whistles to us until the man himself gets on stage and tells us what's what.

[Thanks, Dave]

[jc @ Jan 5th 2006 2:24PM]

...and in the next episode, we will finally get to watch Google jump the shark.

[Andy @ Jan 5th 2006 2:28PM]

If they're using RealPlayer, then they can keep it. I'm not even remotely interested in using anything that uses that worthless crap.

[rich @ Jan 5th 2006 2:31PM]

So Google has CBS and the NBA, Apple has NBC/Universal, ABC/Disney, and college football, and various cable outfits have their own offerings which will no doubt eventually go pay-for-download or at least ad-ware. Why does this just seem like another content mess? Unless everyone plays nice for everyone else's players (HA!), you'll need three or four subscriptions to be able to view what is now still for free over the air or available all at once from DirecTV/DISH/cable.

[Chris @ Jan 5th 2006 2:31PM]

Ugh... real player. If that is true then that is reason enough for me to stay away.

[Jesse @ Jan 5th 2006 2:34PM]

Real player doesnt seem to fit with the Goog's philosophy of small apps (Google Talk) or with ease of use.

[Jonathan @ Jan 5th 2006 2:37PM]

i agree with post one.

[Mr. Tips @ Jan 5th 2006 2:38PM]

NBA? CBS? RealPlayer???? Bad rumor or even worse business decision.

[emory @ Jan 5th 2006 2:43PM]

Yeah seriously, does anyone think that Real is even a player anymore?



Why in holy hell would Google align themselves with that platform?

[Gigabeat Freak @ Jan 5th 2006 2:51PM]

And Microsoft announces that content from: TiVo(R), MTV, VH-1, and Major League Baseball will be available on their PMC like the Toshiba Gigabeat S series.

[JGEMBERTON @ Jan 5th 2006 2:55PM]

Look out AOL, MSN, and Yahoo... here comes the next ISP.

[TorontoGuy @ Jan 5th 2006 2:56PM]

There is a Chinese saying: "Let mad dogs destroy each other!" This is an appropriate situation.

[macstibs @ Jan 5th 2006 2:58PM]

debunk the bunk...



Real + Google = best laugh today

[Jay @ Jan 5th 2006 3:00PM]

Apple & Google partnership of some sort would finally rid the market of all the other garbage and give us only the best. In this field, other than iPod, there simply ain't nothing else.

[treo007 @ Jan 5th 2006 3:04PM]

Google and Real??? Right......

[Brian @ Jan 5th 2006 3:05PM]

Sounds like a "planted" rumor to throw everyone off of the original rumor of a Google hardware announcement, be it Goolge Cubes, PCs or whatever. RealPlayer just doesn't sound like their style, and signing one network and one sports league doesn't sound like a coup to me.



With everyone else at CES focusing on getting video content into the living room and mobile devices, how does this Google video announcement get their partners' content where it needs to be?



Something doesn't add up on this one.

[mike @ Jan 5th 2006 3:18PM]

#6,



CBS is the #1 network in the US and it has the CSI franchise, the number 1 shows on TV (I am not a fan of them, but they have the most viewers)...



the NBA lost its appeal though (for me)



and Real Player BLOWS, so there are so bad business moves i guess, but i dont the CBS part is...

[AtomicBomb @ Jan 5th 2006 3:21PM]

Surely google will create their own media player, one that can display ads and generate even more revenue for them?

[Liam @ Jan 5th 2006 3:40PM]

So any word on pricing?

[Jay @ Jan 5th 2006 3:47PM]

This doesn't make any sense and certainly not for Google. Something like a video movie store is not part of Google's identity. Focus is the key to success; when you start wandering into areas that you have no business in, you lose. History never fails.

[JL @ Jan 5th 2006 4:00PM]

#12



Apple & Google??



Oh hell no! Why would Google stoop so low?



Besides, I thought proprietary platforms is against

what Google is all about.



That's why it's laughable to hear rumours about Google and Real.



It would be the same thing with any kind of Apple association.



You damn iPod fanboys really want to kill all innovation, don't you - But ohhh, if it's Apple doing it that's ok, but if it's M$ or anyone else.. the world ends.



I hope Google beats them all, just to spite you Mac drones..

[WHAT @ Jan 5th 2006 4:08PM]

Please wait.. buffering.



Google hasn't learned from the dot.bomb have they. They went on a hiring and buying spree and are now over their heads in useless crap no one wants or needs. Imploding is fun!

[Jay @ Jan 5th 2006 4:20PM]

#19. You are quite the idiot aren't you?



You're blasting Apple, when it was Apple that STARTED this whole digital music thing and changed the world. No other company in the world has been able to do that. All those other clowns attempt to steal from Apple an idea that IT MATERIALIZED INTO SUCCESS.



iTunes and iPod is the best 'legal' music experience hands down. Nothing comes even remotely close. Whatever Apple has done to protects ITS OWN service/product is 100% meritted and any other company would have done the same.



So please take your Apple envy and your lack of a clue and go play elsewhere. I hope Apple & Google actually do join forces to rid the market of the filth that pollutes it. Maybe that will force other companies to THINK and come up with something interesting rather than spend billions of dollars trying to leach off of someone else's success.

[Chris @ Jan 5th 2006 5:01PM]

Yeah, um... no.



True:

Google: "Do no evil"

Real = Evil



Assert:

Google + Real = False

[3rdsun @ Jan 5th 2006 5:39PM]

"Apple that STARTED this whole digital music thing "



Dude where were u when napster was alive. Apple is filling yall heads with more garbage than a landfill.



anywhos why is everyone so bashful against realplayer its is the one of the only media players i use and it works great. i tried others an dumped them in a jiffy.



realplayer if a great tool who else thinks less is a fool. nuff said..

[satama @ Jan 5th 2006 5:42PM]

"Apple that STARTED this whole digital music thing and changed the world."



No,it didn't. Only Apple lovers like to think so.

[Mu Doggy @ Jan 5th 2006 5:50PM]

google obviously would use the google video player. We'll probably all end up using it because it'll probably rock once its an app and not just an online controller. Seesh. you people.

[sarah @ Jan 5th 2006 6:09PM]

real and google? hmm..



#22



i think youre a little confused... apple did not start digital music.

[mike @ Jan 5th 2006 8:58PM]

i think youre a little confused... apple did not start digital music.



--



before apple there was... napster(illegal).. so yea, Apple made it viable for business

[summit @ Jan 6th 2006 9:52AM]

I have had horrible experience w/ Real... Hate them in fact :)



#22, most of the Google products are not compatible w/ apples, why do you think? to keep you fanboyz happy?