Gateway as Content Distributor?

crovira writes "CNet has an article about Gateway testing the waters of the music business and using their retail stores as music outlets." crovira excerpts: "So far, Gateway executives have not specified exact plans that the company will pursue, but they have indicated that it could position itself as a conduit for content from established and new artists. Turner also indicated that Gateway is contemplating bypassing the titans of the music industry if necessary. 'We have retail stores that aren't beholden to the music industry,' Turner said. 'There are a lot of artists out there.'" Makes one wonder if the xxAAs will roll-over and take their tithe or if they'll try to find some anti-competitive legal maneuvering leverage to keep Gateway out? And can Apple be far behind with video services out of their own retail outlets?"

Re:kinko's!

[1024x768]

They have some funky rules about fair use. But that doesn't mean they are beholden. It means they got whacked a few years ago: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/primary/cases/c758FSup p1522.html (wrapped url, take out the space)

Stupid recovery idea

[Lagrange5]

With a $3.5 billion drop in net sales [gateway.com] in FY2001, and with a stock price [gateway.com] under $7 a share, not to mention an increasingly competitive marketplace for OEMs, dontcha think Gateway ought to be focusing on consolidating their business instead of trying wacky new ventures?

Yea, but...

[OneFix]

To quote the article:

And can Apple be far behind with video services out of their own retail outlets?

I think anyone who follows Apple knows about the whole Apple Records thing...

But, last I checked, Apple Records didn't have a problem with them distributing video content.

They have already set precedent, because...

We've got QuickTime [apple.com] and all of those related products...

And, we've got Apple Distributing Movie Trailers [apple.com] on their web site...

If they were going to persue Apple on the video front, I'ld figure it would have already been done.

Re:How The Music Industry Can Keep Gateway Out

[RoboOp]

Here's the problem, if you want to make stars (like the music industry most certainly does), than you need to get them exposure. The web isn't bad for distribution, but promotion is tough. The simple reason is there is just too much out there for people to focus in on a group or two and make superstars out of them. In the music business, people are spoon-fed the next big thing; they make a selection from a limited pool of applicants.

Well, when the soundtrack for "Oh Brother, Where art thou" came out, it received little airplay because media focus groups thought it sounded 'too twangy'. Turned out that because the music was good it really didn't need radio exposure.

In fact, as good as the internet is for distribution, it would be far better for exposure. But don't take my word for it - look at how well spammers and con-artists have been leveraging the internet.

Word of mouth is usually used to sell most items. And over the net it is far more effective and efficient than the current system of using marketing groups and advertising to push music onto the populace. I have purchased far more music through trusted advice over the Internet than what I hear on the radio.

So it doesn't sound like a problem to me. Who knows - it might bring about a musical reinaissance where the emphasis is back on art and experimentation, rather than image.

Re:Gateway is NO BETTER..

[srvivn21]

You obviously don't own a Gateway.

I do, and I'm typing on it right now. I had a problem (over a year ago) with the PS/2 ports locking up on boot, which prevented the computer from reliably booting.

As part of the over-the-phone trouble shooting steps where to remove the cover, and reseat the CPU and memory.

Personally, I have never had a very high opinion of tech support (as a whole, there are certainly exceptions), but I Gateway's service to be knowledegable and helpful.

Perhaps Gateway will turn into a draconian drain on creativity, but for the time being they seem to be interested in taking the path less traveled.