Sign In
SHARE
More Head-scratching About Blockbuster-Circuit City
So I'm reading remarks that Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes said to USA Today explaining the bid for Circuit City, and I can't help wondering what planet Keyes has been on.
Some stuff from the story:
The plan to blend entertainment hardware, software and service "is a game changer," Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes says.
Really? A game changer? More than the iPod-iTunes combo? More than TiVo was? Blockbuster-Circuit City -- two struggling retailers who as far as I know have no R&D lab and little ability to innovate -- is going to do that?
"As a customer, if you have any experience with digital content, trying to load devices or watch movies on a PC, you're probably thinking: There's got to be a better way. We think we have an opportunity to break through the consumer confusion and frustration."
For the most part, you put the DVD into the slot on the PC and, voila, a movie plays. Or you click on a TV show on Hulu, or a song on iTunes, and it just plays. What problem does Keyes think he can solve? Oh -- right -- Blockbuster bought Movielink, the highly unsuccessful online movie site that's always been too hard to use.
He says things are moving fast in home video: For example, Apple's iTunes recently began to rent digitally downloaded videos. "We will be in (consumer electronics) on our own, or with Circuit City," Keyes says. "The combination simply allows us to accelerate" that plan.
Yes, Blockbuster is planning to sell a set-top box for movies, and just about every blogger out there is ridiculing it. The idea seem like too little, too late.
"The magic in the Apple store is bringing hardware, software and service all together," Keyes says. "They make it easy for the consumer."
Ah, and Keyes thinks Blockbuster and Circuit City can replicate the popularity of the Apple Stores? Does he understand that a big part of the attraction is the actual Apple products? That plus the coolness factor that makes people want to hang out there? Has anyone ever felt any coolness about a Blockbuster store? How about 7-Eleven, which Keyes used to run?
This sounds like a lot of bluster from someone who doesn't know the tech industry.
Loading...
Thank you for registering as a Portfolio.com Insider. Your comment has been added.
Create Your Public Profile
- First Bytes: SEC Eyes Tweets, Waiting on a Verizon iPhone
- Apr 27 2009 9:10AM EDT
- Last Bytes: A New MySpaceFace, Technological Necessities
- Apr 24 2009 5:22PM EDT
- What the One Billionth Downloader Won
- Apr 24 2009 2:37PM EDT
- The End of Innocence at Apple
- Apr 24 2009 11:25AM EDT
- First Bytes: Social Videos, 1 Billion Apps, Mt. Everest Calls
- Apr 24 2009 10:23AM EDT
- Last Bytes: Microsoft and Amazon, Two Tales of the Economy
- Apr 23 2009 5:40PM EDT
- Dell's Plastic Surgery
- Apr 23 2009 3:12PM EDT
- Why High Tech Needs the Wall Street Quants
- Apr 23 2009 11:20AM EDT
- First Bytes: New Blood at MySpace, Steve Jobs Testimony
- Apr 23 2009 9:05AM EDT
- Last Bytes: Apple Profit Soars; eBay Profit Falls
- Apr 22 2009 5:04PM EDT
- Earth Day Special: Gadgets to Green Your Lifestyle
- Apr 22 2009 1:52PM EDT
- First Bytes: Cyberspies and Belgian Bots
- Apr 22 2009 9:55AM EDT
- Last Bytes: Is Texting Passé? Not Yet.
- Apr 21 2009 5:52PM EDT
- Happy 20th Birthday, Game Boy
- Apr 21 2009 4:11PM EDT
- Gaming Geeks (and Curt Schilling) Unite!
- Apr 21 2009 12:43PM EDT
Archive
Categories
Links
- Kevin Maney's site
- TechCrunch
- GigaOM
- Engadget
- USA TODAY Tech
- Romenesko
- BuzzTracker Tech
- Roger McGuinn's Folk Den
- Maney's band on MySpace
- Spiedies, mmmm
- Somewhat Frank's tech conference list
- Marc Andreessen
- Mark Cuban's blog
- Tom Foremski
- Fred Wilson
- Pandora
- SciTech Daily
- Todd Bishop's Microsoft Blog
- Steven Johnson
- The Long Tail
- paidContent
- John Battelle's SearchBlog
