After nearly a year after I mentioned Myka, it appears that Myka is ready to be shipped in versions 80G, 160G or 500G with list prices between $299-$459.  To review, Myka is designed as an open-source alternative to devices like Apple TV, Amazon Unbox, Roku and VUDU.  It uses BitTorrent as its underlying framework, allowing users to download commercial and unofficial content without being dependent on any one connection or service.

From the surface, Myka platform seems pretty exciting.  The BitTorrent P2P protocol obviates the need to talk to a centralized server (like ATV).  It is purported to be built on open standards, Linux, HTML, PHP, BitTorrent and an entire gamut of media formats.  It is both extensible and upgradeable.

However, a deeper look at the architecture brings serious concerns.  Myka adopts a client-server format:.  This client will talk to centralized servers somewhere in the Internet cloud that are owned and operated by Myka and store detailed configuration up on the Myka servers.  From their own website

Myka has two major sub systems.  One running on the actual device and one as a server.  This was done to keep the software on the device as simple, flexible and open as possible.

….

The device software was purposefully made very dumb.  It gets its commands from the Myka server.  Its interface, download scheduling, updating are all driven externally.  The device polls the server periodically to find out what it is supposed to do. The device can still play any files it has locally but the management of downloads is handled by the server.

The device software was purposely made very dumb?  The management of downloads is handled by the server?  What?  Is anyone else alarmed?  Commands are launched from the Myka servers, owned and operated by Myka.  All kinds of alerts about Internet privacy are going off in my mind.  Everything the consumer would want to download and watch would be permanently tied to one’s Myka account (logged and stored indefinitely?).  Viewing patterns can be determined.  Possibly sold off to third-party data brokers.  Even if the information is not sold by Myka, who is to say that Myka won’t be acquired and data change hands.

It’s logical to compare Myka to Apple’s AppleTV (ATV) and the content available in the iTunes store.  Critics of AppleTV have voiced complains about proprietary format and centralized control by an individual company (Apple). The big difference is that Apple acquires the rights to the content (shows, movies, songs) made available on iTunes — so when a consumer rents or purchases a program, he/she obtains a legal license (to watch/use).

In contrast, while Myka’s dumb-client architecture means the product still has the issue of permanent and centralized storage of the download and viewing habits of the consumer by an individual company (Myka) however the license status of the content is unclear. Currently, Myka doesn’t have content deals but claims to be in negotiations with “major” providers. Will Myka be sourcing it’s content from third party providers of unregulated and possibly unlicensed content like much of what is available on BitTorrent?  Is it adopting a don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy? How is that different from the argument against all those [legal, quasi-legal or illegal] companies that profit off of [bootleg] content without paying the copyright owners?