Now that virtually all the powers-that-be in media, entertainment and telecommunications are fastening themselves to Internet-connected portable video devices and platforms to be part of the take-anything-anywhere explosion, their industries are facing several mega problems. Cable operators Comcast Corp. and Time Warner, telephone companies such as Sprint Nextel and SBC Communications, Internet service providers such as Yahoo! and Google, and even software giant Microsoft Corp. must align with one another as well as rival device-makers and platform providers in order to be more relevant and competitive in a digital broadband world. While it looks as though Microsoft could provide the operating systems for many devices and platforms, and that Yahoo! and Google could provide management and search, it is unclear as to who or what will provide the next generation of content and services designed for interactive consumers.

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