DivX for Grandma: a review of Alaska Air's video iPod

Michael Gartenberg | May 06, 2004, 07:19 AM

Excellent review of the new portable video system in use on Alaska Airlines via PVRblog. It's interesting that it seems to use DiVX and a Linux as the core technology. The real issue for these devices and where a lot of the debate is centers around usability and the ability to get legit video content. In terms of usability, we have long argued that the experience, while different from what music offers can be very compelling for consumers and clearly the it seems that these are a hit on the plane. As to where will consumers get content? Well, while most offerings today that are open are extremely difficult to work with and those that are very consumer friendly, like TiVO are locked down at the moment. Then there's Media Center PC, which records TV content in a fairly simple manner and also has ties to paid rental services like Movielink. If and this is a big if, the Portable Media Center team can execute on their vision, we may see the first successful forays in portable media beyond music later this year.

There has been a lot of speculation in the last year about when a personal video player would go mainstream in the US (they're pretty popular in Japan already), and many are waiting for Apple to take the lead and expand the iPod to serve video. Well, as I found out on a recent cross-country flight on Alaska Airlines, the technology is already hereand it's pretty useful....

It's clear why this device is only available for rental in a commercial setting -- Hollywood hasn't yet figured out a model they're comfortable with for distributing content to customers. The only barriers are social and legal, as the technology is already here.
[PVRblog]