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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

HTML 5 - Google at AOL

Last week, AOL hosted the National Capital Area Google Technical User Group.

In AOL’s lobby, they had HiDef video presentations, the kind AOL has been perfecting since the 1990s. They are getting sharper with new technology and better production values, but the use of post-TV video has been an AOL feature for as long as I can remember.

Google’s Arne Roomann-Kurrik and AOL’s Dave Artz were giving HTML 5 demonstrations, HTML 5 – The Wow and the How, HTML 5 Rocks, and HTML 5.com. It was diverting, flapping graphics and wavy type.

I couldn’t see the value, although I have seen enough new stuff to realize I am somewhere between a late adopter and a reluctant adopter.

The next morning I was watching the TV advertisements interrupting the weather and saw the same flapping graphics and wavy type I saw as HTML 5 the night before!

Cable companies are doing a fantastic job of driving people away from TV. (“With the shift to HDTV you will need a cable subscription,” “The problem is you need to buy a new computer,” “You will need to buy a different service if you want the same basic channels on both televisions sets,” “Your service has stopped as a result of our upgrade,” “During our maintenance we removed your information from our server...no, that won’t affect your billing,” and “Would you like to purchase a premium channel package today?”

As people are driven to reliable post-television entertainment, AOL has the programming, and HTML5 has the low bandwidth way to provide the industrial light and magic we are used to watching on TV. Be nice to see AOL winning in a different niche.

I am sure there are other benefits, but for me, HTML 5 increases the entertainment options from computers.

Comments?

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2 comments:

  1. Dick:
    As technology changes the way we communicate, get programming, and acquire things, we seem to be faced with more and more of the 'improvement to make your life worse' from the traditional providers. The old guard has often spoken of customer loyalty (spelled 'inertia') and with few choices available may have been able to rely on it for retention, no matter how disruptive their 'improvements'.

    I once changed cable companies, cancelled the prior carrier's service and requested a detailed final bill. I got an email indicating my final bill was now available in my on-line account. When I tried to sign in, I was informed that my on-line account had been cancelled - no access. Brilliant!

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  2. Holy cow! Read Write Web agrees!

    Forget Web Development, HTML5′s Biggest Impact is on Advertising http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/forget_web_development_html5s_biggest_impact_is_on_advertising.php

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