Bush have recently started advertising their 'Internet on the TV' offering on the TV. This coincides with Homechoice's big advertising push as well as TiVo's increased advertising activity.

There's nothing new about an 'internet on your TV' proposition. Microsoft have been doing it for years with WebTV and all the digital platforms, cable, satellite and digital terrestrial, provide various levels of web enabled interactivity.

However, there are a few things that are intersting about the Bush Internet TV proposition:

1. I saw their advert on TV sitting with my mother and grandmother-in-law both of whom were immediately interested.
2. They are amongst the first to offer a TV with an integrated set top box if you don't want the STB separate.
3. You don't pay any subscription fee for the service. You just pay the "£169.00 Typical High St Price" for the device itself and thereafter everything's free (though one imagines Bush are taking a cut of e-commerce transactions).

The first of these three points is the most interesting. Mass consumers are now pretty much all aware of the internet even if they don't use it. The internet is something that they feel they probably should know about and use but they don't necessarily feel comfortable with computers, which until recently they have inextricably linked with the internet. Microsoft's WebTV was doomed to failure, in my view, because it was not perceived as a TV thing, it was a software, computer-y thing. It was also too ahead of where the mass market mindset was.

Consider also that very few people have bought into digital TV platforms for the interactive services per se. The vast majority have bought Sky, NTL, OnDigital or Telewest for the increased programming choice. (There's a good, free report from Oftel which looks at consumers’ use of Digital TV, including the uptake and attitude towards interactive services at http://www.oftel.gov.uk/cmu/research/digi1000.htm ).

The Bush proposition seems to me to be the first that explicitly links the friendly TV set, as a well trusted device, to the internet. And when we say internet we are really talking e-mail, as ever the killer app. I'm sure there are great swathes of parents and grandparents out there who would love to communicate with their families via e-mail, but who don't feel comfortable with computers, nor are they likely to enter the realms of digital platforms and set top boxes before they absolutely have to. The same sorts of people that if they have succumbed to Digital will probably have chosen the OnDigital route because of its comparative ease of installation - no dishes, no special modems etc.

The Bush proposition, in terms of its bringing email to the TV, isn't so different from the effect that web enabled games consoles (primarily Dreamcast and PS2) have: they too are giving very large numbers of 'mass audience' users access to email through the TV, albeit the users are much more likely to be web savvy.

The question I was asked by the intrigued mother and grandmother-in-law as the resident internet expert once they'd seen the Bush internet TV advert was "Is it any good? Should I get it?"

Unfortunately I couldn't really answer not having used it but I would be particularly interested in the following:
1. Speed - what kind of connectivity can it run over?
2. Content - I've had a look at their web site http://www.bushinternet.com/ which appears to be the TV site as well. It doesn't appear to be a fully walled garden as there are links out to external sites. Good in terms of freedom to roam but how will these sites look when displayed on the TV? How well does the Bush STB convert sites for TV viewing?

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with any views / experience here.

For more information visit the Bush internet site (the same as would appear on the TV) at http://www.bushinternet.com/ or for product info go to
http://www.factoryoutlet.co.uk/info/product_home3.html

Ashley,

Funny you should mention your Grandmother's interest. I saw the same interest and went one stage futher. I bought her (my Grandmother that is!) the STB for Christmas.

As you describe, she'd heard a lot about the Internet, but felt that the cost and technology of computers would always be beyond her.

Not with the Bush. It was the best reaction that I've ever had from giving someone a present.

If you're used to the Internet with a PC, large screen and ADSL then you'll hate the Bush. Slow - 56k at best but seems slower; Low-res and lower functionality (no flash, java, plugins etc).

If you're new to the Internet you'll get what you need - email, web access that has a Bush-friendly portal for starters but allows access to the full web (except I believe sites blocked by the ISP as having unsuitable content, eg pornography).

My Grandmother learnt how to navigate with it astonishingly quickly - and is still going strong. I'd hate it - her reaction and progress tells me there is definately a market for such devices.

James

PS In their results announcement Alba said that they do intend getting revenues from services, rather than just the sales of the STB.

On 8:35:49 14 November 2000 ashley wrote:
>Bush have recently started advertising their 'Internet on
>the TV' offering on the TV. This coincides with
>Homechoice's big advertising push as well as TiVo's
>increased advertising activity.
>
>There's nothing new about an 'internet on your TV'
>proposition. Microsoft have been doing it for years with
>WebTV and all the digital platforms, cable, satellite and
>digital terrestrial, provide various levels of web enabled
>interactivity.
>
>However, there are a few things that are intersting about
>the Bush Internet TV proposition:
>
>1. I saw their advert on TV sitting with my mother and
>grandmother-in-law both of whom were immediately
>interested.
>2. They are amongst the first to offer a TV with an
>integrated set top box if you don't want the STB separate.
>3. You don't pay any subscription fee for the service.
>You just pay the "£169.00 Typical High St
>Price" for the device itself and thereafter
>everything's free (though one imagines Bush are taking a
>cut of e-commerce transactions).
>
>The first of these three points is the most interesting.
>Mass consumers are now pretty much all aware of the
>internet even if they don't use it. The internet is
>something that they feel they probably should know about
>and use but they don't necessarily feel comfortable with
>computers, which until recently they have inextricably
>linked with the internet. Microsoft's WebTV was doomed to
>failure, in my view, because it was not perceived as a TV
>thing, it was a software, computer-y thing. It was also
>too ahead of where the mass market mindset was.
>
>Consider also that very few people have bought into
>digital TV platforms for the interactive services per se.
>The vast majority have bought Sky, NTL, OnDigital or
>Telewest for the increased programming choice. (There's a
>good, free report from Oftel which looks at
>consumers’ use of Digital TV, including the uptake
>and attitude towards interactive services at
>http://www.oftel.gov.uk/cmu/research/digi1000.htm ).
>
>The Bush proposition seems to me to be the first that
>explicitly links the friendly TV set, as a well trusted
>device, to the internet. And when we say internet we are
>really talking e-mail, as ever the killer app. I'm sure
>there are great swathes of parents and grandparents out
>there who would love to communicate with their families
>via e-mail, but who don't feel comfortable with computers,
>nor are they likely to enter the realms of digital
>platforms and set top boxes before they absolutely have
>to. The same sorts of people that if they have succumbed
>to Digital will probably have chosen the OnDigital route
>because of its comparative ease of installation - no
>dishes, no special modems etc.
>
>The Bush proposition, in terms of its bringing email to
>the TV, isn't so different from the effect that web
>enabled games consoles (primarily Dreamcast and PS2) have:
>they too are giving very large numbers of 'mass audience'
>users access to email through the TV, albeit the users are
>much more likely to be web savvy.
>
>The question I was asked by the intrigued mother and
>grandmother-in-law as the resident internet expert once
>they'd seen the Bush internet TV advert was "Is it
>any good? Should I get it?"
>
>Unfortunately I couldn't really answer not having used it
>but I would be particularly interested in the following:
>1. Speed - what kind of connectivity can it run over?
>2. Content - I've had a look at their web site
>http://www.bushinternet.com/ which appears to be the TV
>site as well. It doesn't appear to be a fully walled
>garden as there are links out to external sites. Good in
>terms of freedom to roam but how will these sites look
>when displayed on the TV? How well does the Bush STB
>convert sites for TV viewing?
>
>I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with any views /
>experience here.
>
>For more information visit the Bush internet site (the
>same as would appear on the TV) at
>http://www.bushinternet.com/ or for product info go to
>http://www.factoryoutlet.co.uk/info/product_home3.html