Microsoft Sees Future in IPTV

linumax writes "It took 12 years and more than $10 billion, but one of Microsoft's biggest dreams may finally be coming true: The company is close to becoming a major player in the television business. This is not about PCs that play video -- the company has done that for years -- but rather a whole new platform for delivering television over the Internet, through software that's mostly invisible to consumers." From the article: "Consumers will see cool new features -- imagine four live pictures on a screen at once -- instant channel changes and more options for on-demand video rentals, including high-definition content. Microsoft TV also merges phone services, so incoming messages, e-mail and caller ID can be displayed on users' television screens. Microsoft hopes its Internet protocol television system (IPTV) will also be used in India, China and other developing countries, where it could provide education and government services as well as entertainment via the television."

More Microsoft Innovation!

[jmorris42]

Yup, nothing truly exists until Microsoft 'Innovates' it into existence. Nope, nobody ever thought of sending video over IP until today, thank God Microsoft is out there inventing the future for us.

Re:More creative ways to

[shadowmatter]

... isolate people from one another, make them sedentary and homebound, render many hours of their days sterile and counterproductive,...

My god, they're making Slashdot TV!

I can't wait for the CmdrTaco news report -- with dupes :)

- shadowmatter

Re:Hmm, I wonder...

[krem81]

I know that my money is staying in my pocket until someone introduces commercial-free subscription TV.

Yes, if only someone [hbo.com] thought of that...

Re:Hmm, I wonder...

[ackthpt]

I wonder how many commercials MS will add in between shows. If it's the 25+ minutes that is currently the norm on regular TV networks, then I doubt that they will get very many people to sign on.

It's called Subliminal Advertising. Microsoft is good A big hurdle, yet Microsoft is good is the required bandwidth, where cable cable is bad for you and satellite satellite bad for you have bandwidth galore as it's mostly Microsoft is good one way and minimally dependent Bill loves you consumer end hardware.

Besides, it isn't around soon enough Steve will dance for you to show you this. [yahoo.com]

"Mission accomplished", said President Gargamel

Re:Hmm, I wonder...

[dada21]

They'll keep a 30 minute show to 30 minutes, but real programming will be sped up 1.4x from 22 minutes to 16 minutes, offering them 6 additional minutes of ads. The extra ads will be performed on the TV shows' sets by the actors, to confound the commercial skippers.

"Buy Irish Spring Soap, it even makes me smell good!" Malcolm Reynolds

Re:More creative ways to

[MightyMartian]

"There was a flood in Jamaica. Ten thousand Bob Marley impersonators were swept out to sea."

[pause]

"And in other news, Jamaicans are worried that ten thousand Bob Marley impersonators may have been killed in freak flooding."

[pause]

"And in other news, the Bob Marley Impersonation Council is asking for donations to help in the recovery after disasterous Jamaican floods."

Re:4 pictures at once???

[SoloFlyer2]

Welcome to slashdot... you must be new here :)

I'm Very Impressed

[MightyMartian]

I'm very impressed by your theory, but it seems to me to be incomplete. For instance, where does the assassination of JFK come into play? I mean, it doesn't broach how his coffin was dumped into the ocean, or how the UN and the Rockefellers are plotting to take over America in the New World Order.

Swe(buffering...45%)et!

[Optic7]

Inst(buffering...33%)ant chan(buffering...15%)nel chan(buffering...7%)ges!

Re:Imagine....

[vertinox]

Ahh yes, the future is bright. The future is BallmerVision.

So I have to throw a chair at my TV to get it to work?

Sounds good

[flamingiceclone]

hook up a web cam and we have video phone..

(not the regular one...i mean like "the island")....it makes me so jetsons-ly..... commentator:will he make...(TV rings..incoming call - jeff)

TV: take call??

me:yes...

me: jeff get the *&&^$& off im trying to watch the game...

jeff: (disgustingly wearing only boxers)yo did u see mark on the 4th pushes button

TV: accept time marker??

me: yes

TV splits screen in 2 half jeff and half the clip from the game he sent

me: that bastard he told me he lost his tickets...

i end call and tv goes back to playing game full screen