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WOW is Stepping Up Their Game

The ISP industry is full of tough competition. The bigger players assume they'll win. But they're ignorant of challenger brands, like WOW.

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WOW is Stepping Up Their Game

Updated 02/26/2020

The ISP (internet service provider) industry is full of tough competition. Much like the fabled game of golf, being an ISP requires companies to read the landscape and adjust as necessary. Larger, more established companies are seen as the favorites, easy winners. But they're ignorant of the challengers. Challengers like WOW (Wide Open West). Coming up this weekend, the PGA is hosting the Ryder Cup in Paris, France, at Le Golf National Golf Course. It’s one of the many tour championships the PGA hosts throughout the year. And much like internet service providers, there are the well-known names, and then there are the challengers.

Golf is Golf

Golf is a difficult game to play. Some would argue it’s a difficult game to watch too. The golf enthusiast would argue differently though. Golf requires strategy and skill. It’s not an easy game to play. Anyone can pick up a golf club. But it takes training and commitment to play well. Talent will only get you so far. Professional golfers practice constantly to ensure they’re ready for the big games. If they don’t perform well, then they’re not going to get sponsored. Then they don’t have a job. To get an edge in the game, golfers need to know how to read the elements around them. This is why you usually see a golf player staring pensively at the horizon as they get ready to tee off. They’re calculating the slope of the ground, wind speed, and how much force they’ll need to put into their swing. If a professional golfer were writing this, they’d likely add a lot more detail, discuss the nuance, and explain the exact science behind evaluating a shot. To summarize- it’s a lot! Luckily for golfers, the only time they need worry about this is doing this during a game. Companies like WOW, on the other hand, have to worry about this constantly.

ISPs are Not Like a Game of Golf

While golf is a challenging game, it’s only during games that competition is stiff. ISPs are competing constantly. The larger brands, like AT&T and Verizon, are well-established and have huge budgets behind their marketing. It’s “easier” for them to expand and try out new technologies. Even though they are the fifth-largest ISP in the nation, WOW is a challenger brand. They have the skills to compete with the big brands, yet, they’re having to break into markets. WOW! isn’t small by any measure. It’s just that other companies are so huge. WOW! is using this to their advantage. As a challenger brand, they’re working harder to compete on price, service, and cutting-edge technology.

Whole-Home Wi-Fi

A common complaint with wi-fi is the loss of signal even when you’re inside your home. The router may be centrally located, but the signal is getting blocked by other materials and elements in the house. As the concept of mesh wi-fi gains in popularity, WOW! is taking part in the newest trend. A mesh wi-fi uses extra devices to connect to your wi-fi router. These little devices, dubbed satellites, are plugged in throughout the home and create a miniature wi-fi network within your home. WOW is partnering with EERO to provide mesh wi-fi to its customers. As part of their Whole Home Wi-Fi package, customers not only get wi-fi, but the mesh satellites are included with the service. Whole Home will help eliminate dead zones within the home. They also help when friends and family come over as well. All those extra devices on the network can bog down your speed. With a mesh wi-fi network, you’ll be able to handle the extra load.

Mesh Wi-Fi

With a mesh wi-fi, you’ll get to enjoy consistent speeds within your home. This will give you the speed you’re paying for and deliver it most of the time. Another perk of mesh wi-fi is you can move the satellites from room to room. These little satellites will work so long as they’re plugged in and within range of the router. If you want to expand your network to your garage so you can play your music while you work on your car…you can. Or say you have friends coming over and they want to hang out outside. You can move one of your satellites to an outdoor plug so you don’t have to sacrifice wi-fi coverage.

WOW! as a Challenger

Beyond mesh wi-fi, WOW! is already a solid ISP. Just ask Netflix. Netflix has a speed index rating system. They constantly check the download speeds during peak hours. These hours are generally between 5 and 10 pm at night. It’s during this time that most families are home. And when they’re home, they listening to music, watching TV, or surfing the web. To do that, they use up the wi-fi. Then there’s the house next door that’s full of people using their wi-fi too. ISPs generally see a dip in performance during this time. As everyone gets online and uses their bandwidth, the ISP compensates. This usually means slowing down to handle moving all that data at once. From August of 2017 to August of 2018, WOW! averaged 4.03 Mbps. Considering the best ranking on the index is 4.19, that’s not bad at all. WOW! is able to consistently deliver even during peak hours. So if you’re a golf enthusiast who has WOW! as your ISP, you’re in luck!

Competing 24/7

Unlike golf, WOW! is competing 24 hours a day, seven days a week with companies that are bigger and more established. This hasn’t seemed to be a problem. Back in August 2018, WOW! partnered with Breland Companies to provide fiber internet to Town Madison. Town Madison is a new housing development in Huntsville, AL. As more and more home features are going digital, WOW! getting in on the development of the homes themselves and installing the necessary equipment to make them “digital ready” when they’re finished. Fiber optic internet, the fastest internet connection available, is going to be installed in Town Madison. Residents will get to enjoy above-average speeds. This will be especially helpful as the community grows and smart home devices become more prevalent.

Check out WOW!

For those who enjoy golf, or any sport for that matter, make sure to check out coverage of the Ryder Cup this weekend. Better yet, make sure to check out WOW! internet deals and packages. By combining your internet, cable, and voice through WOW! you’ll be able to cut back on bills and save time. All your services will come through one provider. And for those who are not golf enthusiasts or have never been on a golf course in your life, there are plenty of other sports to watch and enjoy. Or movies, or music! Make sure you take advantage of the mesh wi-fi. You’ll be able to move freely about your home without worrying about stumbling into a dead spot.

UCaaS Helps Businesses; Furry Creatures Not Included

UCaaS provides a means for small businesses to communicate more efficiently and effectively. Kind of like a Disney princess.

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UCaaS Helps Businesses; Furry Creatures Not Included
UCaaS provides a means for small businesses to communicate more efficiently and effectively. Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) is offered by many software companies and ISPs (internet service providers). There’s a long and technical explanation for how they do this, but given I’m not the most technically savvy, I’m not going to try. Instead, as I like to do, I’m going to use something for pop culture to help me understand it. From what I’ve gleaned so far about UCaaS; they provide communications within a company through the cloud. I take that to mean that UCaaS does something for you and you get to relax. Or at least, have one less thing to worry about. Almost as though you can sing a few notes, and someone will come to help you with something. Like a Disney Princess!

Furry Creatures are Helpful

Disney Princesses, from the very beginning, were portrayed as a friend to all living creatures. It was never really explained how they got to be such good friends, they just were. Along with this friendship, the Princess in question could sing a few notes and the woodland creatures would immediately gather around her. This strange power, again, was never really explained. But it meant the animals knew her, knew her voice, and knew the notes needed to put them at her beck and call. A group of animals would show up and create a semi-circle around the princess. She’d smile as they’d eagerly await her commands. She’d then break into song as the animals carried out some task. No instructions are given. The animals simply knew what was expected of them.

Reality Sucks

This trope, as amusing and nostalgic as it is, leads to some false beliefs. For one, I dumbly believed all animals were good-natured. Second, they inherently knew what I needed. The first one was proven false when a random dog bit me. The second one was also disproven when my own dog stared at me dumbly when I told him to roll over. That trick took a while for him to learn. Maybe it was because I wasn’t a princess? No matter, I managed to train my dog to roll over, play dead, and occasionally fetch. It was a growing experience for both of us.

Laughing At Themselves

The trope continued on in many Disney, and non-Disney, movies. And with any writing convention that’s gained trope-hood, parodies soon follow. Not to be outdone, Disney joined the trend. Back in 2007, Disney parodied itself with Enchanted. In this film, Princess Giselle is sent to a horrible, terrible place with no magic- New York City. But Giselle being Giselle, she’s still able to call woodland creatures to her when she needed help. The only problem with this is she’s in New York City. This metropolis is far, far, far away from any real forest. So she has to make do with city animals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n15UKexKf4k It’s quite entertaining. But this isn’t the only movie to spoof the trope. Check out the best internet deals so you can download and stream a wide selection of them. You’ll save time and money while you laugh!

UCaaS doesn’t use Woodland Creatures

Disney Princesses calling forth furry creatures for help does resemble UCaaS… in a way. Don’t worry, UCaaS providers aren’t trapping and forcing helpless animals to do their work. Instead, UCaaS is unseen within a business until it’s needed. Much like a Disney Princess who needed to clean a Manhattan Loft. The skill is there all along. While UCaaS doesn’t need a special tune to be activated, it does need to be properly installed. UCaaS includes a range of services; video conferencing, messaging, voice, apps for collaboration, and a way to track all the devices owned by the company. When properly installed and maintained, UCaaS blends in with the rest of the company’s network. This means employees and managers can use it without the hassle of running multiple apps at once. And isn’t that the point of UCaaS?

Types of UCaaS

UCaaS comes in one of two different setups. There’s the single-tenancy. Single-tenancy is a customized software created for a specific company. As you can guess, this is expensive. The upside is UCaaS is integrated with on-site applications, and the service is unique to the company itself. The provider uses a template and modifies it to fit the company’s needs. And there’s multi-tenancy. With multi-tenancy, UCaaS is installed and used on a subscription basis. Multiple companies can use the same software that’s hosted off-site. By setting up an account, a company is granted access to all the unified communication applications. The downside to this is that its offsite and if one customer goes down, chances are all will go down. It’s cheaper though. Which is good news for small companies that need communication services. Or it’s helpful for companies that have high turnover due to seasonal employees. Larger companies can still use UCaaS. They can either take the single-tenancy approach or the multi-tenancy approach. Single-tenancy might make more sense as larger companies would have more funds to create a customized UCaaS that’s hosted within their network. But, if they have multiple locations, a multi-tenancy may be better. Having someone else run the cloud is one less thing to worry about.

How to Pick a UCaaS?

Unified Communications as a Service are available from many different providers. A few ISPs have also created their own UCaaS to integrate within their own internet services.

What Does Your Business Need?

To find what’s best for you and your business, first, determine what your business needs. What works for one business doesn’t always work for the next. Take the time to do an honest assessment of how your business communicates and how they can do that better. Once you know that, then you can search the internet to find UCaaS that have the right services for you. There are basic packages with a few key services but look for the ones that have all the services that you require. If they have one or two that you don’t, see if you can negotiate that out of the contract. Better to pay less for what you need than more for something you may never use.

Check out their service agreement.

This does involve reading the fine print, that way you know exactly what the UCaaS provider is going to do for you. And since it’s your business, it’s better to be prepared than blindly signing with another company. This service will have access to your internal network. With that in mind, make sure they’re worthy of the responsibility. Once that’s done, you’ll also want to know what their network requirements will be. This is important because you'll want to know how much they’ll be able to access from their end. If security is a touchy subject, then move on to the next provider.

How Do they Work With You?

Check with their customers. While reviews are helpful, they’re not always unbiased. Most reviewers only write a review after they’ve experienced a problem, or felt they’ve been mistreated. This often skews the tone of the review to sound negative. Instead, ask their customers how often they use the UCaaS and for what. This puts on the focus on the real uses of the service and away from any negative reaction they may have had. And finally, the last piece to consider is the cost.

Is Your Business Ready for UCaaS?

Disney Princesses have a convenient skill for getting work done for them. I have yet to see one run an entire company though. Maybe that should be the premise of the next Disney movie? Not a bad idea. In the meantime, check into your businesses development and functionality. It might be time to consider having a system for unified communications. This will allow you to save time and frustration. If you’ve chosen the right UCaaS provider, then you’ll have one less thing to worry about.

Windstream Internet Review 2020

For those who haven’t heard of Windstream yet, consider this your first introduction. As they expand, and help more people, we'll hear a lot more.

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Windstream Internet Review 2020

Windstream Internet Review 2020

It is the year 2020 and with all the talk about coronavirus some stories are getting buried especially those about companies who are providing excellent internet and tv service.  For those who haven’t heard of Windstream yet, consider this your first introduction. If this were a movie, there’d be this cool intro where the CEO of Windstream would walk in and start talking about…something important. Or, if the movie was created and produced for younger ages, there would be a song and dance number. As a comedy, Windstream would be portrayed as the hardworking company that was getting no love in the media. What’s important to understand is that Windstream is expanding and they’re doing so at a consistent rate. Whether they ever make their story into a movie is not the point. Would make for an interesting movie though.

By the Numbers

Windstream currently has a presence in all fifty states. Of the 42,000 zip codes in the United States, you can find Windstream in 14,854 of them. If my math is correct, that’s 35% of the country. That’s not bad. The 35% of the country that can get Windstream service, there’s a range of options available. Depending on the area, customers can choose DSL, cable, fiber, and fixed wireless. Check with the best Windstream deals to find out what’s available in your area. Their top download speeds, for fiber, is 1 gigabit. That’s their fastest. Unfortunately, their fiber coverage is only 20% of their total areas served. But it’s not all bad, there are other services that you can get to make it worth your while. Windstream is also one of the top providers when it comes to downloading times during peak hours. Netflix has this handy speed index that calculates every provider and how well they handle downloads during peak hours. These peak hours are usually 5-10 pm every night. The average for their DSL connections over the last year is 3.17 Mbps during peak hours. This makes them one of the more reliable ISPs out there. That reputation for reliability has also helped them as they seek to expand. Within the last two years, they’ve merged with Earthlink and acquired Broadview Networks. Through these expansions, they’ve been able to utilize and incorporate these networks into their unique branding.

What Have They Been Up To?

Like any good company, Windstream has been busy.

Veterans and Military

In August, they were named ranked among the best companies for veterans. US Veteran’s Magazine listed Windstream on their Best of the Best Top Veteran-Friendly Companies. Windstream stood out among the other 350 companies that participated. The Military Friendly Designation was also bestowed on Windstream by VIQTORY with help from the Military Friendly Advisory Council. They were ranked eighth for the 2019 fiscal year.

Fixed Wireless

Windstream has also been working to expand their fixed wireless capabilities. Unlike satellite internet and tv companies like hughesnet, viasat and directv, which can be affected by weather, fixed wireless uses line-of-sight. A receiver, installed on the home or structure, will connect with the transmitter on a tower or a tall structure. So long as the line-of-sight is unimpeded, customers can get reliable internet. This method is far more cost-effective for rural customers, and for ISP startups. Windstream utilized this technology to connect Poteau, OK. Located in Eastern Oklahoma, Poteau is like any other city; they need reliable internet to connect to the larger world. Given Poteau’s rural location, however, deploying fixed broadband to the area has been economically challenging. Windstream took on that challenge and rolled out fixed wireless technology to the area. So far, the first phase allows 900 residents to get fixed wireless installed. When the entire project is completed, about 8,800 residents will have access to fixed wireless. As fixed wireless technology expands, residents who once had their options severely limited, if any at all, now have the same opportunities as those in more urban areas. And Windstream is part of realizing that dream.

Their Biggest News

While Windstream is helping to connect rural areas, as well as residential customers, they’re all helping small businesses. To do this, they created OfficeSuite UC. OfficeSuite provides a means for small to medium-sized businesses to run their operations through the cloud. Like most UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service), OfficeSuite provides a means for small business to send messages, collaborate, and meet, among other things, all through cloud connectivity. What’s set OfficeSuite apart is the fact they’ve grown by 20% year-over-year. While this may not sound terribly exciting to most people, when you stop to think about it, it’s quite mind-boggling.

What this Means for Windstream

Winning awards, accolades, and exceeding sales goals are all signs of healthy company growth. But it’s nothing new. What really matters is what Windstream is doing. And more important than that, what is Windstream working towards? Let’s see... Windstream is on target to expand and help more and more customers connect to the internet. With this as their main goal, Windstream is working hard to make this a reality. The fact that they’re winning awards and hitting sales goals is just icing on the cake. These metrics are really pointing to how many new customers they’re helping, and how they’re running their business. And it’s working. Windstream, though considered “small” is doing more than what the bigger companies are; they’re utilizing different technology and targeting unique markets. They’re doing things differently. While the bigger companies are still around, they’re expanding into more and more markets. If AT&T’s purchase of Time-Warner isn’t contested, then AT&T’s focus will shift. They’ll begin to expand HBO and other entertainment properties held by Time-Warner. Providing more and more entertainment options seems to be their top priority, rather than reaching more and more customers. Windstream is moving up into the void created by such expansion. While it probably won’t hurt AT&T too much, Windstream stands to gain a lot from AT&T’s lack of focus in this area. If this were a movie with a good scriptwriter, there’d be some intriguing scenes written about this expansion. Instead of a boardroom, there’d likely be shots of exec’s walking around, talking with sharp wit about what to do now that AT&T is distracted. That is if this were a movie.

Try out Windstream

I know I keep bringing up the movie analogy, but what can I say? I watch a lot of movies. Out in the real-world Windstream is a solid company with more than just internet to offer. They have OfficeSuite. They’re also actively utilizing fixed wireless and working with veterans and the military. It wouldn’t be so surprising to see them overtake one of the “bigger” names like AT&T internet, Centurylink Internet, Spectrum internet soon

. Even if that doesn’t happen, Windstream is one of the many ISPs available across the United States. It may not be as big as let's say a Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Centurylink or ATT but don't let that fool you.  Windstream internet deals, streaming options and customer service make it a formidable opponent to the bigger internet and cable companies in the US.  To find if they have a presence in your area, input your zip code through Konecteaze This way you’ll see the deals, and who’s providing them, in your area. And then you can stream any movie, or show, written by Aaron Sorkin that involves lots of walking and dialogue. One can easily get the impression that all company executives talk this way. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. The truth is that despite no snappy dialogue, Windstream is doing above-average work and is worth taking a lot into.

The Staying Power of Retro Games

Retro games have this odd sort of draw on people, even those who do not consider themselves “gamers.” These games have achieved legendary status.

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The Staying Power of Retro Games
Retro games have this odd sort of draw on people, even those who do not consider themselves “gamers.” These games, though simplistic compared to the games available today, have achieved legendary status. And legends tend to stick around. Just ask David Kaelin of Game Over Videogames.

Game Over Videogames

In 2005, Kaelin opened his first store in Austin, TX, dubbed Game Over Videogames. The goal of the store was simple; create a store to clean and restore classic games and resell them. Since it’s inception, Game Over Videogames has expanded more than just what it sells but also to new locations. You can find the most recent games sitting next to classic ones, vintage game consoles alongside the latest generation ones. But as the gaming industry continues to evolve, more and more games are going to the cloud. Soon we’ll see a similar shift in gaming like we did with TV and movies- subscription-based services. In fact, EA launched their Origin Access Premiere service on July 30th of this year. Kaelin isn’t worried about this. While more and more games will be delivered via a streaming interface, there is still the draw of the classic consoles and games. Sure, there may be a switch in the type of controllers they sell, but Game Over Videogames will still have a solid customer base. Retro games, even for me, do hold a particular sway.

“Non-Gamers”

There are those who spend hours playing games. The complicated leveling system, loot boxes, combos, etc. takes time to learn. It’s also frustrating for first-time gamers. The graphics are stunning, no doubt, but the thought of spending all that time getting “into” the game puts me off more than anything. And besides, I’m a writer, I love writing, and to be a better writer, I read. I love reading. I read articles all day. And I have audiobooks going when I’m driving. For these reasons, I consider myself a non-gamer. Kaelin, on the other hand, argues that I am still a gamer. Why? At one point in my past, my family did own a Nintendo Entertainment System. It was second-hand, given to us by our grandparents who bought it at a yard sale. Of course, this did not make my mom happy. But that’s another story.

The Original NES

This NES came with the regular favorites, Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt. There was also Russian Attack, WWF Super Slam, 1942, and a couple others. For about a year we played that NES as much as we could. After all, we lived on the northern coast of California. It rained most of the year and the city wasn’t very well developed. We were far, far—far—away from major metropolitan areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles. How better to spend our time? Well, I could have read more, but that’s beside the point. We played the NES until we got bored with it and sold it. Then I got a Game Boy. An Original Game Boy! The grey brick! I still have it and it still works! Even my mom got into playing that thing. She beat everyone in Tetris 2, putting up the highest score and staying there. When I admitted this to Kaelin, he pointed out that those gaming experiences, though in my distant past, still make me a gamer. Despite the lack of an Xbox and a subscription, I was still a gamer. The fact that I’ve played retro games makes me a gamer. I should also add that I did play Goldeneye and a few other titles sporadically from junior high through college. I didn’t get seriously into it as some of my roommates did. But pull out the classic NES, and I’m down to play.

Gamers

Thanks to retro games, and stores like Game Over Videogames, there’s a place for the casual gamer and the self-proclaimed non-gamer to get their gaming fix. More than that, stores like Game Over Videogames provide an introduction for those wanting to expand their gaming history. Younger ages can come in and find out all about these games that older people keep waxing nostalgic about. As long as retro games exist, new gamers will be curious about them and videogame resale stores will be there to answer their questions. More interesting than these games is the mythos that can surround a retro game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wjMn6yjOjQ On April 26, 2014, outside Alamogordo, New Mexico, a film crew, an excavation crew, and a slew of gaming fans showed up…to a landfill. The legend goes that a large shipment of the worst game ever made had been dumped here back in the late 80s.

ET Phone Home

In 1982, “ET: The Extra-Terrestrial” came out This heartfelt sci-fi/family movie has become one of Steven Spielberg’s, the film’s director, most well-known feature films. The story centers around a young boy, reeling from his parents’ divorce, finding a friend in a lost little alien he names ET. The little alien who just wanted to go home has become part of pop culture. The plot was reused back in 2011 for Super 8. It was produced by Steven Spielberg but directed by JJ Abrams. But that’s another story. To capitalize on the ET’s popularity, a video game was commissioned. To get it out in time for Christmas, production was rushed. They did succeed in getting the game ready and out on time.

The Myth Begins

The game itself, however, was not well received. In truth, it wasn’t bad, just difficult. Yet, many gamers at the time didn’t appreciate this level of difficulty. As a result, sales of the game tanked and soon existing copies were either pulled from shelves or sold off at deep discounts. Because of its level of difficulty, the game was dubbed as the “worst game ever made.” And copies were rare to find. This lead to a mythology around the game itself. “The game so bad that it was banished from existence.” Then news spread that a large shipment of copies was dumped in a landfill in Alamogordo, NM. Zak Penn put together a crusade to dig into the landfill and determine if, indeed, the large shipment of the worst game ever did exist. He documented the story in “Atari; Game Over.” It’s an interesting documentary, well worth the watch. George R.R. Martin and Ernest Cine even make appearances. What strikes me the most is the story of the game's designer, Howard Scott Warshaw. I won’t ruin the end for you. Just know that Warshaw did an incredible job on the game and the industry recognizes him for it. And rightfully so. Make sure you have a streaming service to watch it. Check out the best internet deals in case you don’t.

The Mythos Lives On

While ET: The Extra-Terrestrial has earned legendary status, there are other games too. Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Brothers, Russian Attack, and many more. These games may not have ended up in a landfill, but they have attained pop culture status. These were the games that I spent hours playing. They were simple but fun. It’s easy to point out the nostalgia factor involved in these games, and Kaelin agrees. For those who didn’t grow up playing them, retro games still carry clout with them. Those who wish to understand the evolution of video games must start here, with retro games. Thanks to stores like Game Over Videogames, there’s a place to get started.

The 3 Laws of Starting a Streaming Service

Apple, and Disney, have been teasing their streaming services for some time. Instead of launching, they're following 3 laws for starting a streaming service

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The 3 Laws of Starting a Streaming Service
Apple, much like Disney, has been “working” on launching a streaming service for quite some time. Most recently, on August 23, they announced they’ve greenlit a series based on Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” series. It’s expected to debut in March of 2019. This is all well and good, but they could have launched this already. They seem to be following a set of rules, or laws, to starting a streaming service. These laws are great for starting one, yet, laws on launching a streaming service seem to be missing. Instead, we’re just getting more and more updates on series while Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, continue to increase their content offerings, as well as solidify their subscriber bases. It’s somewhat frustrating. The good news is that Asimov’s “Foundation” series will get some series power behind it.

Who’s Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was a prolific writer of science fiction. He saw the genre as a place where true intellectualism could reign. Ideas could be thought over, developed, and allowed to expand without anyone putting restrictions on them. Asimov was also a curious one and loved science fiction from a young age. He taught for some time at Boston University and wrote on the side. But when income from his writing surpassed his professor’s salary, he went to writing full time. If only we could all be so lucky.

The Three Laws of Robotics

Asimov created and developed The Three Laws of Robotics. It's also what he’s most well known for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z7a8MTYrDE
  1. A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
  2. Robots must obey orders given to it by human beings except when such orders would conflict with the First Law.
  3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First and Second Law.
These laws have become commonplace among the die-hard science fiction fan. Not only do they provide a basis for robotics to behave, they also provide constraints. Without constraints, there’s no conflict, and even robots need conflict. Asimov developed the laws for his Robots stories. A series of short stories and novels that revolved around the autonomous creations was also where the term “Robotics” was birthed. Asimov saw robots as another character in his stories. At the time this was a novel concept and one that remained solely within science-fiction for some time. These robots, man-made though they were, developed their own personalities. As a result, some were good, and some were bad. While he does have a long list of published works, he’s most well known for writing “I, Robot.” This was turned into a summer blockbuster in 2004, starring Will Smith. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL6RRIOZyCM And then the FX Network put it into syndication until it was overplayed. I heard there might be a sequel, but nothing new has come of that rumor. “Foundations”, though not as popular as “I, Robot”, has its own cult following. And now it’s part of Apple’s promised lineup of original content for its streaming service. Which leads me to believe that there are three laws for starting a streaming service.

The Three Laws

While Asimov’s three laws were meant to govern robots’ behavior and interaction with humans. The laws were a safeguard as well as a means to keep the robots in check. As displayed in I, Robot, even these laws have their loopholes which can be exploited. Beyond that, robots were free to live as they wanted. It’s different when it comes to streaming services. Especially when launching one. It seems every company these days has already launched a streaming service or is working on it. Those that have already done so have paved the way. Streaming services, as exciting as they are, still require a means to enter the world. Growth, oddly enough, needs assistance. Hence, the three laws.

The First Law

Build up hype. Streaming services are not created in a vacuum. To get one started, there needs interest among the general public. It doesn’t matter if it’s an entertainment company, a software company, or a retail giant, anyone can launch their own streaming service…well, almost. There needs to be a lot of money first to get the production companies involved, scout out properties for original content, and set up the service itself. To justify such costs, the company in question will announce they’ll be making their own streaming service. And that’s it. They just have to announce it and put out there a vague deadline somewhere off in the future. Walmart has set a definite deadline for the rollout of its pumped-up Vudu service. Disney and Apple, however, have taken their time. The deadline for each is a blurry date somewhere off in the future. But at least they’ve got the hype going for them.

The Second Law

Find an intellectual property that’s not too popular, but just popular enough. Asimov, in the science fiction community, it a well-regarded name. To those outside that community, he may be known, he may not be. But his name is tied in with some big movies, so there’s that. Now, the streaming service must create the original content to populate its new lineup that’s set to debut…sometime in the future. To ride the hype they’ve created, they need anchor content to build on. But most of the major production companies, and other streaming services who haven’t been sitting on their butts, already hold the rights to popular stuff. Unless they’re willing to shell out a lot of cash, they’ll have to go find their anchor content somewhere else. This is why Apple went for “Foundation”, and Disney has promised a live-action Star Wars show. Since Disney owns Star Wars, this is a no-brainer. They’ve got the rights and the money to do a series like that the right way. For Apple, they need something that can compete with Star Wars, and other sci-fi shows, without looking like a rip-off. Luckily, they’ve got Asimov. His work is original and already has a loyal fanbase. It also helps that Asimov consulted on the Star Trek movies. That fact alone differentiates “Foundations” from Star Wars.

The Third Law

Pack Big Names behind Anchor Content. With the hype rolling and the intellectual properties secure, a few big names are needed. John Favreau is behind Disney’s Star Wars show. Foundations will be headed by David S. Goyer, the story writer for Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, among other highly known properties. The purpose of these big names is not only to ensure these properties are done right but to also give fans the hope that they will. Favreau and Goyer are big names. They know how to create, write, and produce content that resonates and entertains. When it comes to adapting content that’s not their own, they’ve proven themselves already. This is good news, as there are a few series out there that have been soiled by big names. I’m not going to name names directly, but Star Trek got ruined by JJ Abrams, and Superman and Justice League were messed up by Zak Snyder. Just because A big name is attached to a project does not mean it is the RIGHT big name. Think I’m wrong? Just jump on Netflix, or Amazon Prime to watch these films yourself. Make sure you’ve got the best internet and cable deals first. This way you’ll save money. But you might get a headache, so consider yourself warned.

Applying the Three Laws

For Disney and Apple, they seem to be following these three laws pretty closely. And doing a good job of it. You will notice, however, that there is no law requiring a definite start date. Instead, that’s assumed. Somewhere, off in the future, we’ll get to see these streaming services. In the meantime, we’ll make do with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and the other services that have already gotten their act together.