allNetDevices: - SONICblue Suing TiVo for Patent Infringement

Ironically, if the legal debate extends past a couple of quarters, new products and initiatives produced by either company could be delayed leaving a bitter taste for interactive television in consumer's minds.

'Nuff said.

Microsoft interactive TV to track viewers

Microsoft hopes to make its technology more attractive to advertisers and consumers, who will be able to view advertising, content and programming tailored to a composite identity based on a history of viewing patterns

Personalized interactive TV could prove lucrative, however, if providers can successfully mind consumer concerns about privacy.

DVD Menu Design

I'm back, after a short hiatus. Don Norman's guest appearance to Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox column explores the inadequacies of DVD design. Nielsen and Norman, well known for their HCI curmudgeony, now explore the world of television. While DVD is arguably a different medium from interactive television, iTV designers face many of the same parameters.