Talking Tech, Friday, October 13

0.17 – Mark and Kevin jump right into this week’s show with a discussion on Bell Canada Enterprises Telus’ decision to do the same thing

1.20 – Mark wonders if this is a sign that the Canadian carriers are in a battle with the cable companies and that the income trust structure is the best way to be able to spend money. Kevin agrees and says that the low investment phase the industry is in now makes sense for the income trust conversion – for now!

2.37 – Bell had its chance to make a big play in the space, but blew it when Microcell was lost to Rogers. Both Mark and Kevin agree that this is a platform for a push into wireless

4.15 – Will Bell even be in existence in five years? All their business units are on the decline but Kevin thinks it will still be around in some form – due in part to the resources at its disposal. Once Bell turns the battleship around, it will be a major force

5.33 – The guys turn their eyes on the international scene and the Google YouTube deal. Kevin says the deal is all about advertising and Google has simply combined its cash with YouTube’s “eyeballs�. Mark thinks advertising will be key, but the ability to deliver video to consumers will transition from free to paid fairly soon

6.05 – Cheap entertainment isn’t going away, but as the networks and studios get more “user friendly� companies will increasingly look to monetize their content.

7.34 - Google Video was not a success so Google is looking to buy, not build, and Mark predicts history will credit Google with a great bargain. Kevin agrees that the acquisition is a calculated gamble but that there’s not a lot of downside – as opposed with the rumoured Yahoo! Facebook deal

8.19 – Neither Mark nor Kevin is worried about copyright for YouTube – The power of Google will conquer all!

8.56 – What’s next? Are we on the precipice of another technology M&A bubble with a lot of strategic moves to where sites with big numbers being bought so companies aren’t outflanked? Kevin thinks so and points to back of the napkin style “valuations�

9.53 – There is an exponential danger in Yahoo! going after second or even third tier players especially with a fad-site like Facebook whose U.S. visitors actually dropped last month.

10.20 – Mark and Kevin discuss legal music downloads - they have doubled over the first six months. Does that mean the people are abandoning file-sharing services? Kevin doesn’t think that they are going away, but as iTunes and others offer more, consumers may be more willing to pay.

11.40 – Mark introduces a Russian player to the music download scene, All of MP3.com. They contend that because they are only subject to Russian law, they are are perfectly legal. Both Kevin and Mark have tried it on an experimental basis. Kevin thinks that if the Russians want to be a part of the World Trade Organization, they better get their copyright laws in order.

12.51 – Kevin points out that the music business at home could do itself a service by “taking the pill� and offering up as much of there music as possible. Until legal services offer as much variety as rogue sites, people will still be inclined to download illegally.

13.25 – Mark wraps things up by saying that iTunes and others should learn from All of MP3.com because it is very user friendly, well designed and priced properly.

Comments for Mark and Kevin can be left on the comment line: [phone].

As always, the music is No Mojo by Anthony Stauffer and Holy Smoke which is available on the pod safe music network.