America Online wants to make the jump from your computer to your TV set. The Internet access giant said Wednesday that it's teaming with electronics maker Philips for a set-top box that weaves the online service into TV signals. Both announcements were made in advance of the Consumer Electronics Show, which opened here Thursday and runs through Sunday. Cable and, more recently, satellites have transformed TV into a medium that can offer hundreds of channels. As online and wireless services migrate to the TV, the set could eventually offer millions of programming choices, AOL's Barry Schuler says.
Television is at the beginning of a dramatic change.
TV is becoming more useful and fun. Users, armed with either a remote control or a keyboard, will be able to send instant messages to an online buddy, for example, while watching Ally McBeal . A subscriber's Buddy List could remain in the corner of the screen, alerting viewers when friends log on. Many of AOL's functions will be translucently superimposed on the TV display. Web surfers can remove the TV image entirely if they choose.