Why did VHS win in its infamous
war with Betamax? The answer was largely down to the introduction of the first
VHS camera. Why did that make a difference? It enabled the pornography market
to create cheaper, more edgy films and importantly enabled amateur pornography
to flourish. This is turn created demand and demand reduced prices and being
able to capture film became as important as watching films
Pornography has always been at
the cutting edge of technology and it is now interesting to hear of their
obvious interest in the forthcoming Google Glass. The technology will enable users;
to capture close and intimate hands free action, upload it live and even for some
users to watch their pornography dreams whilst they do whatever they wish. An
Android app store MiKandi is already planning to make content to watch on the
new technology.
Just like the early VHS cameras
made us all film directors and actors so the new technology promises to take
that a stage further and free our hands and make everything filmable. Everyone
you see and meet could be filming us on devices that are ‘connected’ to the
world.
However, trying to ban or curtail
the use of the new technology might be like trying to ban people using mobile phones.
The technology itself is only going to get cheaper, smaller and even less detectable.
We are entering the world where everyone could be potentially filming and uploading
images at any time. The question is not how we control pornography, but how we
protect civil liberties and privacy.
Once the butler peeked through
the keyhole to glimpse at what was happening behind closed doors, perhaps soon
he will merely be able to film through the door itself and instantly stream it
to the world.
2 comments:
I don't argue with your comments on the use of Google Glass, but I'm not totally sure that pornography was the big deciding factor with VHS/Betamax. I always thought that rental stores stocking policy was the killer?
Brian
Betamax had a superior technology and was Sony only. The films were there but when the others came along all on VHS it was a bit like Apple vs Android, or windows vs OS2 etc the public went with choice.
Irrespective there was a major step when the first VHS camera came along as this gave consumers the ability to make film and one of the first to jump was the porn industry as it gave them a big new opportunity, reduced their cost base whilst extending their distribution reach.
Some will say urban myth but it was one of a number of factors that killed off betamax.
Thanks for your comments
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