Convergence
is
a coming together of two or more distinct entities or phenomena. Convergence is
increasingly prevalent in the IT world; in this context the term refers to the
combination of two or more different technologies in a single device. Taking
pictures with a cell phone and surfing the Web on a television are two of the
most common examples of this trend.
Convergence
may influence consumers to accept new technologies. According to some studies,
people who aren't computer literate are more likely to embrace the Internet,
video-on-demand, and so on if they can -- at least initially -- access these
technologies through their televisions. In general, TV is familiar and
non-threatening. Displays are large and TVs are easy to operate, requiring
almost no training. Personal computers, in spite of their graphical user
interfaces ( GUI ) tend to be more text-oriented, highly interactive, oriented
in terms of purpose and content toward business and education uses. Displays
are smaller. Computers can be very challenging to use and usually require
formal education or a certain personal learning curve.
Computer-television convergence
is already underway with WebTV , which pipes the World Wide Web to a
slightly-modified TV set with a set-top box from an ordinary phone line and
provides a degree of interactivity. A number of interactive games designed for
the TV environment can also be played over the Internet. Broadcasting companies
such as NBC have partnered with computer companies such as Microsoft for TV
program content.
A major barrier to more rapid
convergence is the large investment required to bring cable TV to households,
both by cable access providers and individual households. Satellitewireless
service is another approach that is only beginning to bring its subscribers
access to the Internet. Digital Subscriber Line ( DSL ) technologies offer the
possibility of sufficientbandwidth connections over ordinary phone wires for
streaming video to TV sets.
A consortium of leading computer
and telecommunication companies including Compaq, IBM, and Microsoft are
working toward common standards that will help speed up convergence and hope to
sponsor a standard for a relatively low-cost digital TV . They have endorsed a
subset of the recommendations of the Advanced Television System Committee
(ATSC) that would speed up a transition to digital TV and so that personal
computers could have the ability to receive digital video and data.
