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Unlike my blogger peers, I’m not usually wont to skewer a so-called scoop. And I won’t start doing so, but I will point out that two intriguing pieces in the The Wall Street Journal came off as old news, warmed over instead of hot stuff.
First is this piece about the Google cloud storage drive–something first unveiled over five years ago:
“Drive allows people to store photos, documents and videos on Google’s servers so that they could be accessible from any Web-connected device and allows them to easily share the files with others, these people said. If a person wants to email a video shot from a smartphone, for instance, he can upload it to the Web through the Drive mobile app and email people a link to the video rather than a bulky file.“
I guess the news is that it is coming in weeks or months. I’m thinking that this will provide some interesting competition for Dropbox and Box.net, especially if the service is free for most consumers and businesses.
Next up is a more recent development. The Journal noted that Google is building a home entertainment system that streams music through the home, using WiFi.
Now I know for a fact that this is no shocker. I attended the same Google I/O show at the Moscone Center last May and saw Google’s streaming music system for the home in action. Heck, Silicon Filter nails the point in its headline here:
Then it was called Android@Home because, well, it consisted of Android-powered devices in the home. It may start with stereo systems, but Google anticipates powering lights and thermostats and household appliances, such as dish washers and refrigerators.
The thing that’s interesting about the Journal’s story, and this is what makes it a mini-scoop, is that Google will supposedly market the system under its own brand. That’s interesting; Google makes Android, but co-brands only pure Google experience phones.
Some think this is the same device, compared to Sonos systems, that Google lodged a patent request for with the FCC last year.
This brings me to my next point: You didn’t think Fiber was just a speedy broadband test did you? Well, it is, but if it works as Google hopes it will, it will be used to power devices such as the streaming music server in users’ homes.
The streaming music server would be fueled, of course, by Google Music, with perhaps an assist from Sirius.
Google wants to own the user experience, from desktop to mobile and back to the home, from Google TV and the music system to household appliances. All of these would be controlled and accessed by smartphones and tablets.
This streaming appliance could launch later this year, which in my mind would make a late June launch at Google I/0 a distinct possibility. I expect Google Drive sooner.
How about you?