Well Past the Tip of the Iceberg on the TV/Computer Merger

So, it occured to me the other day that I have really gotten in to the habit of jumping online whenever and wherever we want. We have a wireless network in our house, so that rather than make the long trek upstairs to our office computer, I can log on to whatever sites I want from the safety of my couch.

Of course, I currently have to keep a laptop on hand downstairs to enjoy that luxury, but as more and more people are watching TV on the Internet (and starting to access the Internet from their television sets), I can see that changing.

I know, I know -- the merger of television and computer has been discussed for years, and I'm not saying we're there yet. But recent reports indicating that online television show viewing has DOUBLED in the last year has got me thinking this merger is coming sooner rather than later. In fact, according to a study by the Conference Board and TNS, close to 16% of American households who use the Internet watch TV online.

At first I thought that was just something those young folks do until I realized that my own husband -- a not very technologically literate boomer (he just learned how to text) -- watches some programming online, especially sporting events that aren't available on one of our 8.000 cable channels. If he does it, then we're past the tip of the iceberg -- we're in the thick of it.