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Today’s Must-See Story. Finally, Intel Is On-the-Record About Its Forthcoming Web-Based TV Service. But Why Is It Better Than Streaming Services Like Netflix or Amazon or Hulu-Plus From Your Game Console to Your HDTV? Or Better Than Roku or Apple TV?

Feb 13, 2013  •  Post A Comment

For the first time, an Intel executive goes on-the-record about the company’s new over-the-top Web-based TV service.
The most controversial feature of Intel’s new service is that it will have a camera in its hardware device to identify who’s watching the TV at any given moment.
The person interviewed is Erik Huggers, the corporate vice president of Intel Media. The interviewers are Walt Mossberg (with the beard) and Peter Kafka, both of AllThingsD.

4 Comments

  1. “Over the top” is putting it mildly.
    Seriously… how could anyone in their right mind even begin to think something like this is a good idea? I can’t even begin to describe how absolutely bad it is.
    Can anyone produce even one good reason that an American citizen would want a camera (that can identify who is watching TV) in a “home entertainment device”? If this camera can identify who is watching then it will also be able to identify how many are watching.
    Why would would I want such a “home entertainment device”?
    I don’t. The proponents of this couldn’t afford to pay me enough to take one of these things.

  2. This is DEAD ON ARRIVAL.

  3. No one remembers when AT&T introduced the picturephone in 1961. Back then everyone alive remembered the nazi’s and to what length they went to to monitor their citizens. With countries like China and North Korea continuing this “tradition” and continuing stories of hackers gaining access to your picturecam on your computer, these people are either evil gueniuses or total idiots with no knowledge of history. I think it is a combination with a HUGE push from the marketing department thinking this would be a great thing to sell to Neilsen.

  4. Something I meant to address, but neglected, was why those who propose this think it is a great idea.
    Money.
    Being a laisse-faire capitalist myself, I have no inherent problem with the pursuit of wealth… however… somethings are simple too much to support.
    With camera systems that can tell who is watching (and by inference, how many) this idea will turn “pay-per-view into “pay-per-viewer”. Having a big family or friends gathering for the Superbowl or other event? Prepare to pay up.
    Is this insidious… an evil conspiracy to deprive people of even more money? No, what they’re doing is obvious.
    I simply don’t like it… or spending more money.
    And then there’s the long-term political consequences, which I won’t go into, because they’re even more obvious.

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