"Get Ready to Surf World Wide WebTV," Robert Cribb, Toronto Star, Sept. 2, 1998

Interactive TV, a merging of television and the Internet, represents the next generation in "allowing people to control what they watch when." This new technology – the next step in establishing the information/entertainment superhighway, provides a completely new platform for commerce. (Examples of some new applications are listed on the Applications / Major Players page)

Because Microsoft WebTV currently has the largest estimated market, let’s explore this application as an example of the potential and limitations of interactive TV technology.

MS has touted WebTV as the company’s ticket to driving more computers into homes without PCs. This currently untapped market has been called the information have-nots – a huge potential consumer base. With TVs in nearly every US home and 65% of those sets hooked to cable, MS and other vendors are eyeing a potentially massive market for WebTV and similar technologies. But as is, only about 400,000 people use WebTV boxes to link their TVs to the Internet.

One possible limitation to WebTV, is that MS has refused to support (competitor Sun Microsystems) Java language through WebTV. They claim that it would be too expensive to install the necessary hardware in the $2-300 unit set-top box and wireless keyboard to support Java. Another limitation is overcoming the technologically adverse consumers. But as the Internet gains in popularity and interactive television becomes the norm, the technology will help bridge the gap between the current technology haves and have-nots.

However, in total, the potential for interactive television is simply revolutionary. Some examples include: the possibility for viewers to choose whatever program they like at whatever time; for commercials to offer instant access to ordering their products; for sports shows to provide simultaneous access to extra statistics; for news programs to link to related stories and provide additional information.

Full interactive television will represent on-line access 24 hours a day for mere pennies. This will change consumers’ purchasing power and commerce as we know it by revolutionizing entertainment programming and distribution and fully eliminating the advantages (or disadvantages) of time and location. Access will be enhanced through speed and clarity, and ease of use will help this new technology reach a new segment of the population.