From CES: Justin Timberlake, MySpace On Your TV, Pandora In Your Car
This week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas includes plenty of news about smart tvs and car connectivity with two big announcements on Monday related to music. With the help of Justin Timberlake (video below), MySpace and Panasonic announced the introduction of MySpace TV which should debut the first half of this year. Pandora announced additional deals with automakers and aftermarket suppliers that continue a long, complicated process of establishing a solid base in the automotive industry.
Justin Timberlake's CES Moment for MySpace TV
Though CES officially kicks off today, Monday was full of events for the press from announcements of new products and services to celebrity appearances. The announcement of MySpace TV by Justin Timberlake combined all those elements. The new service will be available on 2012 Panasonic VIERA Connect-enabled HDTVs:
"Initial channels on Myspace TV will be music-focused…Myspace TV will expand beyond music…to encompass movies, news, sports and reality channels, with a growing lineup of today's most popular broadcast and on-demand content. Audiences will not only be able to view their favorite television programs, but Myspace TV will also allow them to chat about what they're viewing while they're viewing it and invite friends to watch with them virtually….A companion app will be available on tablets and smartphones, providing instant sync capabilities for a seamless experience."
While MySpace had one big announcement, Pandora had multiple deals to announce with Acura, Kia and Audiovox (auto aftermarket) bringing their automotive partnerships to "16 automotive OEM brands and seven aftermarket manufacturers." They also announced a partnership with satellite TV provider Dish Network.
Pandora's news doesn't seem quite as big as that of MySpace because it's part of the ongoing long term process of building a defendable position in the automotive industry and we already knew where they were headed. But for both companies the stakes are high as MySpace struggles to rebuild and Pandora faces a growing array of competitors. Finding a spot in the living room and on the road may be no easy task but it certainly reveals a commitment to longer term success.
Hypebot Features Writer Clyde Smith maintains his freelance writing hub at Flux Research and blogs at All World Dance and This Business of Blogging. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.
I thought CES was awesome this year! Not sure what MySpace is going to end up turning into, but I think it’s cool they’re trying so hard to reinvent themselves. I really liked some of the stuff Sony is doing, but I’m really looking forward to DISH releasing the Hopper, it’s the one thing to come out of CES that will truly affect my daily life. It has 250 hours of HD recording space, the Remote Finder, and PrimeTime Anytime; the ability to record three hours of shows, all in a row, on ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS, virtually putting an end to timer conflicts (which will be HUGE between my wife and I). My co-workers and I at DISH had a chance to preview the Hopper before it dropped at CES and I can’t WAIT to get my hands on one!