Loaded: Is Amazon the new Costco? Video

Loaded: Is Amazon the new Costco? Video Transcript

AMAZON BECOMES MORE LIKE COSTCO, THE FCC IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE A NEW NET NEUTRALITY PLAN, AND GOOGLE BOOKS GOES BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. IT'S MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST. I'M NATALI DEL CONTE AND IT'S TIME TO GET LOADED. [*] AMAZON HAS STARTED ITS OWN LINE OF CONSUMER ELECTRONICS. AS IN AMAZON-BRANDED CABLES, DVDS, DRIVES, ETC. THEY AREN'T MAKING ACTUAL GADGETS OR COMPUTERS, UNLESS YOU COUNT THE KINDLE. THE BRAND IS CALLED AMAZON-BASICS AND IT IS OF COURSE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE CHEAP. THEY ARE ALSO SUPPOSED TO HAVE FRUSTRATION-FREE PACKAGING. THE LINE WILL EXPAND IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS BUT WE CAN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT WILL INCLUDE. FOR NOW, WE SEE THIS AS KIND OF THE KIRKLAND BRAND OF CONSUMER ELECTRONICS. WHICH MAKES AMAZON LIKE COSTCO. EXCEPT THEY DON'T SELL HOT DOGS THAT GIVE ME A STOMACH ACHE. [*] YOU MAY SOON HAVE TO PAY FOR HULU. RECENT REPORTS ARE THAT EXECUTIVES AT THE COMPANY HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO PAID SUBSCRIPTION MODELS. OF COURSE NO ONE CAN CONFIRM OR DENY THIS BUT MY GUESS IS THAT IT MIGHT INVOLVE SOME KIND A-LA-CARTE PAYMENT PLAN WHERE YOU PAY PROGRAM BY PROGRAM. OR PERHAPS SOME KIND OF OPT-IN TO PAY TO OPT-OUT OF THE ADS? IF THIS IS TRUE, IT MUST MEAN THAT THE COMPANY ISN'T MAKING MUCH MONEY OFF OF THOSE CREST WHITENING STRIPS ADS? [*] IN OTHER HULU NEWS, THE COMPANY HAS LAUNCHED A FACEBOOK APP. NOT ONLY CAN YOU WATCH HULU SHOWS IN FACEBOOK, YOU CAN WATCH IN GROUPS. NOT ONLY CAN YOU WATCH TOGETHER, YOU CAN ALSO ATTEND PREMIERS AND SCREENINGS AT PRE-DETERMINED TIMES. THE FIRST PREMIERE EVENT WILL BE THE SEASON OPENER FOR HEROES ON TUESDAY. [*] THE FCC IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE A NEW PLAN FOR NET NEUTRALITY TODAY. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISION CHAIR JULIUS GENACHOWSKI IS GOING TO MAKE A NEW PROPOSAL TODAY DURING A KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTE. WE DON'T KNOW TOO MANY DETAILS AND THE PLAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE BROAD BUT IT SHOULD INCLUDE NEW GUIDELINES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS AND THEIR CONTROL OVER THEIR NETWORKS. IT WILL ALSO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION, GATEKEEPING, OR FILTERING. WE WILL REPORT ON THE DETAILS IN TOMORROW'S BROADCAST. [*] I OFTEN HAVE PEOPLE ASK ME HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO APPLE OR HOW TO MOVE THEIR APPLICATION ALONG. I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN OR SUBMITTED AN IPHONE APP BUT FOR SOME REASON PEOPLE THINK THAT I HAVE THE INSIDE TRACK. NOW I CAN REFER THOSE PEOPLE TO APPLE'S NEW APP STORE RESOURCE CENTER. THIS IS A DESTINATION FOR DETAILS ON APPLICATION REVIEW AND DISTRIBUTION. YOU CAN FIND IT AT developer.apple.com/iphone/appstore. [*] YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE WON'T BE RATTING YOU OUT ANY MORE. THAT IS BECAUSE BEACON HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN ONCE AND FOR ALL. BEACON WAS FACEBOOK'S ILL-FATED ADVERTISING SCHEME THAT WOULD TELL YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS BASICALLY EVERYTHING YOU WERE UP TO ON THE WEB. IT WON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. RECENTLY FACEBOOK SETTLED A YEAR-OLD CLASS ACTION SUIT ACCUSING THE SITE OF NOT PROTECTING USER PRIVACY. FACEBOOK HAD ALREADY MOSTLY PHASED BEACON OUT BUT NOW IT WILL HAVE TO PHASE IT OUT ALL THE WAY. THE COURT HAS STILL NOT APPROVED PENALIZATION FOR FACEBOOK WHICH MAY INCLUDE A $9.5 MILLION SETTLEMENT FUND TO SET UP AN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION TO FUND PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES THAT PROMOTE ONLINE SAFETY. [*] GOOGLE IS READY TO LET YOU SEARCH ITS BOOKS DATABASE. OF COURSE YOU COULD ALWAYS DO THIS BUT NOW YOU CAN DO IT FROM WITHIN THE MAIN SEARCH PAGE. THE COMPANY HAS ADDED A BOOKS OPTION IN THE SEARCH OPTIONS PANEL. THIS IS AN INDICATION THAT GOOGLE IS GETTING MORE CONFIDENCE IN ITS BOOK SEARCH INDEXING. THE COMPANY'S BOOK LIST HAS NOT BEEN FOOLPROOF BUT IT IS NEW AND HTIS IS A START. [*] SPEAKING OF THE GOOGLE BOOK PROJECT, THE SETTLEMENT WITH THE AUTHOR'S GUILD IS FAR FROM OVER. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MADE IT CLEAR ON FRIDAY THAT THE DEAL NEEDED MODIFICATIONS. THIS IS THE AGREEMENT THAT GOOGLE MADE TO HELP AUTHORS MAKE MONEY FROM THEIR DIGITIZED BOOKS. APPARENTLY OUR LEGAL SYSTEM IS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT HARMING COMPETITION AMONG AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS. GOOGLE IS HEADING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON HOW IT ALL TURNS OUT. [*] THOSE ARE ALL OF YOUR HEADLINES FOR TODAY. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. I'M NATALI DEL CONTE WITH CNET TV AND YOU'VE JUST BEEN LOADED.