As the industry changes, we find more and more consumers choosing internet-based services to get their entertainment. Back in September, I wrote about how the DVD market is shrinking and how online streaming is increasing.
While rural America is still in its infancy when it comes to broadband services, the areas that are getting it are consuming more and more entertainment via the internet.
One indicator of the eventual demise of DVD is the fact that half of Apple’s product line no longer has optical drives, and that it has dropped the popular iDVD software from its standard iLife package that comes with new Macs. Couple that with the rumors flying around that Apple will be getting into the smart television business soon, and you have a recipe for DVD doom.
It’s not surprising that trendsetters like Apple and HP are lighting the path for the entertainment industry as new consumer electronics are developed.
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Speaking of consumer electronics, software giant Microsoft has been slowly, and somewhat secretly, developing more hardware than software lately.
On the heels of the Xbox Kinect motion detection interface, Microsoft’s Edison Lab is now developing a virtual environment that literally surrounds the user using projections and camera sensors. Stereoscopic panels that reflect their surroundings are also part of what is being developed, to provide a realistic perspective view for each virtual “screen”.
This interactive system will revolutionize not only the gaming industry, but also the medical and manufacturing industries.
The Verge has a video out on YouTube showcasing some of the system’s possibilities: