Vecta on Convergence

Vecta Consulting

Vecta on Convergence

Convergence means different things to different people but it is always interesting.

To many it is the relentless creation of new business possibilities as creative and cultural people exploit the possibilities arising from the spread of digital technologies from their computing roots, via telecommunication, into new media.

Convergence is - arguably - the most powerful source of innovation; spawning new ways to deliver entertainment, information and education to wherever, whenever and however we want to receive it.

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Whatever the definition, convergence is changing the way we live.

Most of us already experience the Internet PC, the Games Console, Digital TV, and the DVD Player on a daily basis. Many use a digital camera, or a digital camcorder to record our holiday moments. A few are taking snapshots and video clips on their 2.5G and 3G handsets.

Some use video-editing tools and DVD writers to transform those moments into longer lasting productions. Some will already be creating the early stages of demand for the next generation storage devices that will displace DVD. Just as its penetration was the fastest-ever consumer product, maybe its demise will also be the fastest ever as users become frustrated by its limited capacity for handling full quality high-definition video, perhaps the next big driver of digital technology as our home and public screens beecome larger.

Our devices are becoming more interconnected as Bluetooth, wireless LANs, and 3G communication spread.

We already have affordable camcorders capable of near broadcast quality video; our PCs are almost fast enough to perform real-time rendering; our hard disks can readily capture several hours of 500-line video but our removable media are limited to no more than 20 minutes of full quality video, a few hours when compressed - and quality-reduced.

And some of us would prefer more than 500 lines - even on our mobile devices!

The next five years will be interesting as Intel drags Microsoft and the entire digital industry into a new era of personal entertainment, information and education with the PC, increasingly in mobile form, remaining at the centre. Critical to success must be the emergence of a new high-capacity removable medium that, for the first time, will not itself emerge from the consumer entertainment industry. User-created content will - eventually - prevail with each form of wireless communication - eventually - having a specific role.

Our Strategy Experts Network is dedicated to exploring the key issues related to developments in business strategy. This involves projecting the evolution of market areas and approaches, identifying strategic business needs and understanding revenue models and valuations.

Our extended network ensures we have the expertise to help you solve just about any business or technology problem.

More info from:

Frank.Morris@vecta5.com

Vecta Consulting Limited, Mulberry House, 2 The Spinney, Broad Lane,
Cottenham, CAMBRIDGE, CB4 8RN
Tel: +44 (0) 1954 250222, Fax: +44 (0) 1954 252333

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