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Anvil
Issue Eleven
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*Anvil is a weekly newsletter and Web site providing insight into
online industry news, issues and trends in easy to swallow caplets.
In this week’s issue:
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TOP
INDUSTRY NEWS
*Yule Help
*Users Tune Out WebTV
*Microsoft Founders Face-Off in Online Publishing Arena
DESIGN
*New Standards for Audio and Video Conferencing
*Turn the Channel Online
HOSTING
*Wireless Internet Access Becoming Reality
*Cable Companies Offer Internet Link
MARKETING
*FreeRide for Consumers
*GVU Online Survey Offers Insight into Future
TOP
WEB PICKS
*Better Business Bureau
*US West Yellow Pages
*Electronic Olive Gallery
*MuchMusic News
*The Jerky Boys
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TOP INDUSTRY NEWS
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*Yule Help
As a somewhat responsible member of society, I would like to take
this time to remind everyone that the holiday season is the time
of giving. Regardless of national origin or religious affiliation,
everyone should consider donating just a little time, money or other
resources to the less fortunate. Just a few hours at a local shelter,
a few dollars to your favorite charity, or even donating unused
clothes will make a huge difference. Thank you for your support,
and Happy Holidays!
*Users
Tune Out WebTV
According to Dataquest’s most recent survey of 7,000 households
nationwide, a great minority of consumers are even remotely interested
in the new WebTV technology. Only 3.2 percent of non-computer using
households would consider purchasing WebTV products and services.
The low interest level can be attributed to two primary factors:
current TV technology and target audience. TV technology has changed
little since 1939, and is currently unable to handle higher resolution
Web sites common on the Internet today. This problem can be solved
with the new DVD (HDTV) technology, currently about two years away
from mass market. The second factor limiting the marketability of
WebTV is the consumer. A large majority of non-computer users have
little knowledge or interest in the Internet, and prefer the passive
entertainment TV can offer. Even electronic stores salesman are
having trouble selling WebTV, as they don’t understand it well enough
to sell it. Computer users, while slightly more interested in WebTV,
realize their PCs will soon be able to offer the same functionality
as a TV with only a few software and hardware modifications. Why
spend $300 on low resolution WebTV, when you can buy a video card
and use real-time streaming audio and video over the Internet to
get similar functionality for the same price? To further support
the second argument, the majority of WebTV buyers will be early
adopters, who are more likely to own a computer in the first place.
The most practical application for WebTV will be catering to business
travelers in the hotel industry, who are likely to check email and
surf corporate and client sites from their hotel room.
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,6247,00.html?nd
http://www.dataquest.com/
http://www.webtv.net/
*Microsoft
Founders Face-Off in Online Publishing Arena
ABC and Starwave are teaming up to create an online news service.
The site will compete with CNN and MSNBC, which is owned by Paul
Allen’s long-time friend and former business partner, Bill Gates.
The deal will likely include ESPN for sports news and an unnamed
financial services company. Look for the site in Q1 1997.
http://www.starwave.com
http://www.msnbc.com/
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DESIGN
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*New Standards for Audio and Video Conferencing
PCTV has moved one step closer to reality with the new H.323 standard.
The new standard is supported by the International Telecommunications
Union (ITU) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Microsoft
and Intel recently announced they have delivered H.323 standards-compliant
products for real-time video communications over the Internet. Microsoft
NetMeeting conferencing software version 2.0 beta 2 and Intel Internet
Video Phone beta 1.0 integrate the H.323 standard for audio and
video conferencing. These new standards will allow for worldwide
video conferencing with previously incompatible software.
http://ww.microsoft.com
http://www.intel.com
*Turn
the Channel Online
In the spirit of MSN, PointCast and Backweb comes a new site from
corporate giants Sony and Visa. The electronics and commerce giants
will soon announce a new Web site: The Sony Station. The new channel-oriented
site will likely include multimedia 3-D graphics and sound. Similar
to MSN’s offerings, the site will include soaps, children’s shows
and music. The catch is Visa’s commerce implementation, where users
will be able to purchase products and services online during commercial
breaks. The reality of this probable partnership is the likely slow
start, due to technology and bandwidth issues.
http://www.sony.com/
http://www.visa.com/
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HOSTING
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*Wireless Internet Access Becoming Reality
CellularVision’s Digital Network system is entering beta testing
of their new high speed Internet access service. First deployments
are scheduled for Brooklyn and Manhattan in Q1 1997. CellularVision
is currently providing its service to several high-volume Internet
users, including Internet Service Providers, computer programmers,
and several Web site developers. The final step is formulating pricing
for the service, which is predicted to be significantly less than
ISDN service, with substantially lower installation and equipment
fees. In similar news, Lucent Technologies recently ran a working
demonstration of a wireless asynchronous transfer mode local area
network featuring wireless laptop computers running Motion Picture
Expert Group-2 video and Internet content in a building environment.
While the market is still young, it looks very promising.
http://www.cellularvision.com/main.html
*Cable
Companies Offer Internet Link
Cablevision Systems Corp. recently launched a high-speed cable-modem
service connecting 15,000 homes to the Internet in North Oyster
Bay, N.Y. Download speed are estimated at 50 times that of regular
phone lines. During 1997, Cablevision is expected to expand the
service to more than 150,000 Long Island homes, as well as to customers
in Connecticut. In addition to Internet access, Cablevision will
offer Optimum Online, a service package which includes electronic
mail, sports, traffic reports, sports and an interactive version
of Cablevision’s News 12 local cable news channel. The service will
cost $34.95 a month and will include a hot link to Time Warner Inc.’s
Road Runner cable-modem service. Consumers will also have to purchase
a cable modem for $295. Cable companies with similar services include
Tele-Communications Inc. (At Home) and Comcast Corp.
http://www.cablevision.com/
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MARKETING
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*FreeRide for Consumers
Brand name advertising has reached a new level of interactivity.
A new Web site developed by New York ad agency Mezzina Brown will
give people points toward free Internet access for grocery shopping
and surfing product Web sites of name brands. Similar to frequent
flier mileage programs from airlines, FreeRide will reward consumers
for time and money spent online. While the venture is well-funded,
analysts debate whether Web surfers are also coupon users. Another
area of concern is the required use of proof of purchase via mail,
which would seem to negate the online experience. Earthlink and
InfiNet (ISPs) partnered with FreeRide for the January 1 launch.
Consumers have to be signed up with participating ISP to receive
points, and receive discounts from the ISPs only after nearly 1,000
points are earned. FreeRide estimates the average transactions per
user to be 40 per month, which translates to 25 months of continuous
usage before a discount is possible. At $19.95 a month for access,
users will spend $500 before looking forward to a discount. Beyond
the dollars and sense, the important issue is the concept. While
not revolutionary or new, this implementation will be the largest
of it’s kind to date. The 700,000 pre-registered consumers will
soon dictate whether the idea will fly or die within the first half
of 1997.
http://www.freeride.com/
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,6248,00.html
*GVU Online Survey Offers Insight into Future
The Graphic, Visualization, & Usability Center (GVU) recently
published the results of their 6th WWW User Survey. The GVU runs
the surveys as a public service. Their latest survey is their largest
to date, with over 15,000 unique respondents generating 59,400 unique
responses. The survey is available to the general public for free
on their Web site. A few of the highlights include: 36 percent of
respondents felt censorship is the most important issue facing the
Internet today, followed by privacy and navigation. Almost half
of the respondents felt more connected to people who share their
interests online, which may demonstrate that the Global Village
effect is more than just talk. The average age of respondents, now
at 34.9 years, is slowly increasing. Males still dominate the Internet
at 68.6 percent. Most importantly, nearly 68 percent of respondents
reported that they were not willing to pay fees for accessing web
materials. This number is up slightly from the Fifth survey. Perhaps
CyberCash and other micropayment companies should increase their
marketing budgets.
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/user_surveys/survey-10-1996/
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TOP WEB PICKS
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*Better Business Bureau
BBBOnLine is an online program designed to help consumers identify
online marketers who have met Better Business Bureau standards for
customer service and marketplace ethics. BBBOnline, Inc. is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the promoter
of the highest ethical relationship between businesses and the public.
The site will include links to the extensive library of Better Business
Bureau consumer and business advisory publications. The site also
includes the ability to file a complaint against any business that
has not been able to satisfy the customer and assistance in resolving
disputes between consumers and businesses, including mediation and
arbitration services and assistance as a neutral third party in
disputes involving online advertising claims. Businesses online
can apply for BBBO’s encrypted seal, which resides on the site,
attesting to the companies commitment to ethical business practices.
The seal links to the Better Business Bureau’s report on the company.
http://www.bbbonline.org/
*US
West Yellow Pages
Speaking of the BBBOnLine seal of approval, US West recently put
their approved site online. The site includes over 23 million business
listings and 70 million residential listings nationwide. Additional
functionality includes local news and community information by city,
Instant Solutions and Smart Tips. The Smart Tips can help you do
anything from buying a car to a manicure.
http://yp.uswest.com/
*Electronic
Olive Gallery
Art lovers and computer users looking for cool wallpaper check this
out. Ken Fair, a self-proclaimed Mac addict and artist has posted
is works online in an extensive gallery. The themes range from planetary
to 3-D recreations of personal memories.
http://www.electricolive.com/Index.html
*MuchMusic
News
Can’t get enough dirt on the film, TV, music and print industry?
MuchMusic offers an index of the latest industry news in the above
areas as well as the online industry. The site compiles news from
many leading industry news sources. Bookmark and check regularly.
http://www.muchmusic.com/rapidfax/
*The
Jerky Boys
WARNING: THIS SITE MAY BE OFFENSIVE. The following site contains
explicit language, but it’s so darn funny and technically advanced,
it’s worth a look. The Jerky Boys are famous for their prank calls
and shenanigans, currently available on tape, video and CD. They
have developed a fairly comprehensive and amazingly technically
advanced site using Shockwave. Users can follow their favorite characters
with animation, audio and text files and email. Check the biography
and discography for a better feel for what these guys are all about.
While audio transcripts from past CDs are not available, they have
created all new work. Don’t say I didn’t warn you jerky.
http://www.polygram.com/mercury/artists/jerky_boys/jerky.html
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