| If you look around, you will find that there are | | | | between a Tennis match and a Basketball match at |
| innovations happening everywhere. Advances in video | | | | the same time. I could get Tennis on ESPN-3 and |
| technology have resulted in a steady improvement in | | | | Basketball on Veetle. Recently, I watched the Soccer |
| what a television can do. 3D television has hit the | | | | world cup on ESPN-3. This was so helpful. I could |
| market. Moreover, TVs today come with internet | | | | watch the games from anywhere. Nobody asked me |
| capability, allowing you to download movies from | | | | to lower the volume or to sit someplace else. It is |
| Netflix and watch them online. On the other hand, cell | | | | also very useful at home. The TV is no longer a |
| phone has become so multi-functional that "talking" is | | | | source of endless debate on what program should |
| only one of the many services it provides. We have | | | | the family be watching at prime time. Should we |
| cars that park themselves, smart homes, iPads, | | | | watch America's Got Talent, or should we watch the |
| notebooks and so on. All these gadgets are designed | | | | Baseball game? Or should we change channels |
| to make life easier for the consumer. At least, that is | | | | altogether and watch the local news? With online TV, |
| the intention. | | | | the answer is simple. Let each of us watch whatever |
| One great thing that has happened in the past few | | | | it is that we want to watch online. |
| years is ubiquitous internet service. Internet is no | | | | The question is, with so many online programs and |
| longer limited to homes and offices. Many airports | | | | channels, what is the future of the TV? The |
| offer free internet. Of course, there are still those | | | | Television companies are hoping to counter online |
| that choose to stay in the last decade. The San | | | | TVs with newer technology, such as 3D. But is it |
| Francisco International Airport is a case in point. This | | | | sustainable? Is it possible that families that do not |
| airport charges eight dollars a day for internet | | | | want to invest in super high end TVs will just not |
| service. On the other hand, the lesser cousin, San | | | | buy any TV at all? Why should I buy a TV, when I |
| Jose International Airport, provides free internet | | | | can get pretty much everything online? |
| service. I guess, the San Jose airport is indicative of | | | | The television market is getting invaded by internet |
| the technological inclinations of the city in general. By | | | | capable devices. Until now, the television market has |
| that token, what does SFO represent? Expensive | | | | managed to survive by staying ahead of the rest in |
| cost of living? Perhaps. | | | | terms of the quality of the video that is offered. It |
| The easy availability of internet has brought along | | | | has also forayed into the internet market by making |
| other business opportunities. Online TV has become | | | | televisions with internet connectivity. In the future, I |
| more than just a fantasy. A few months back, while | | | | see the two fields merge. Eventually, TV may be |
| I was waiting to receive my wife at the airport, I | | | | replaced by a high definition screen, with all controls |
| hooked on to the internet (I was in SFO, and ended | | | | transferred to the cell phones and notebooks. |
| up paying the eight dollars), and tried to juggle | | | | |