Verizon, AT&T, SBC, & Google – Let’s End the “Free Lunch” For Everyone!

Verizon and SBC/Southwest Bell/Pac Bell/Pacific Telesis/AT&T or whatever they’re called this year has called for an end to “free lunches” on the internet – running out of revenue options (guess that customer service and adding new features, that wasn’t on the table?) and that companies like Google are taking advantage of a “free lunch” on their bandwidth.

So, I guess it’s a two-way street Verizon?

Speaking of streets, how much are you paying to drive on our streets?

Or those “free” right of way poles you string your wires on.

Free lunch ends when yours does, buddy. It’s my street and my property. I don’t have any of your “services” so come and take down your wire running in front on my house since it’s an eyesore and besides, no free lunch for anyone, right?

I have Comcast phone & cable broadband and they have their own wires so feel free to set up a 4-hour window with me to come and take down your wires getting a “free lunch” on my visibility and property.

And while I haven’t polled all my neighbors, if we decide to switch over to all non Bell companies, don’t bother driving on our streets after we make the switch – after all, you wouldn’t want anyone getting a free lunch.

And if we take a step back, when you were a monopoly utility, didn’t WE pay for that wiring and presumably you take tax deductions on that expenditure – you are going to give all that back? (along with that other free lunch – the “regulatory fees” you charge us but aren’t actually regulatory since you pocket them?)

And really, doesn’t the internet belong to WE THE PEOPLE – remember, no free lunches – we’ll get back to you on what the back monthly royalty fees you owe us, WE THE PEOPLE.

I almost forgot, even though I’m not a customer anymore and NEVER EVER intend to spend another dime with you, you keep sending me mail at a DISCOUNTED LOWER BUSINESS RATE than the $.39 I have to pay for each letter. Let’s end that free lunch also.

Be careful of the Pandora box you open.   

Apple & Blockbuster? So 20th Century?

Blockbuster Movie Rentals will clearly have to re-invent themselves soon
before they become the typewriter repair shops of today – quaint reminders
of a different time.

But why would Apple spend BILLIONS to buy Blockbuster, its THOUSANDS of
employees and its BILLIONS in debt?

There are ZERO reasons.

Yes, Robert Cringley us right about one thing. The future evolution of the
iPod will clearly be the iPod as a er … pod.

The first step in the next releases will undoubtedly be wireless/bluetooth,
et, al but before long (and of course, long before anyone else gets its
right), Apple will “fix” the iPod so you can dock it in a mothership pod to
buy music & movies.

Does Apple need Blockbuster to do this? No, Apple just needs about an 8’ by
5’ foot space … do you need to buy a 10,000 square foot store to install a
vending machine?

No.

Apple will probably add to their stores first and then, it will be a fight
to see who gets it next. Like the intent on vending machines – which is to
draw in foot traffic – and who knows, that customer might buy something else
– that’s all you would need. A space or a wall will do nicely.

If Apple wants to buy anyone, they might buy, Zoom the company with the ipod
vending machines: http://www.zoomsystems.com/home.html

But why would you spend billions of a store and a store name that reminds
people of the days of video and not DVD’s?

Why would you spend billions on a store clearly fewer and fewer people are
going into – associating it with old technology? When they have Netflix or
Video-on-Demand now?

These iPod motherships would be perfect on campus, in company cafeterias, in
airports, and in countries where homes are smaller or a more social
societies (pretty much the rest of the world) where people tend to gather in
the streets, in plazas and coffeehouses, the un-tethered iPod is perfect –
people can dock in while buying a coffee, or waiting in line.

There’s still plenty of work to be done – the whole authorization issue,
security issues regarding accounts, etc … (perfect for an Apple iPod phone
that adds your purchase right to your Apple mobile phone bill :-)

But you can see the possibilities are endless.

However one possibility is not just remote but pointless.

Apple needs to buy Blockbuster the day they need to buy Del Monte.