List Of Devices On Your Telecom Bill: PVR. Cable Box. Netbook?

Back in April 2005 during the Open Source Business Conference, Sun's Jonathan Schwartz talked about how the gap between services (e.g., subscription-base support) for free software and services for free cars is probably closer than we think. In other words, to the extent that open source software is being used as a razor for which services-based blades are sold, why not have free cars as the razors with other services (e.g., General Motors' OnStar service) serving as the blades?

During his speech at the OSBC, Schwartz talked about how he asked a GM competitor how much it would have to charge for services to justify giving away a car for free. Apparently, the competitor already had done the math (which means the car industry is thinking about the same model). The answer? $220 per month.

Better model: Instead of $99, I'd prefer the model that Comcast takes with my PVR ... $15 per month (in other words, a monthly rate). Last year, our PVR hit the bucket. Comcast was here the next day, took the broken one, and installed the new one. If the service provider can deliver the replacement to me with all my stuff on it (because the service provider happens to run some sort of netbook backup service in the cloud too), I'd be completely sold.